Wartime casualties at Achnacarry - Crown Labourers?

I have been researching the Lochaber Water Power Scheme (British Aluminium smelter) after it was at a talk about it that it was not known how many died during construction. So I have been through newspapers, police log and last week the death records on Scotlands People - so far I found 74 names.

Whilst going through death records on Scotlands People, I noticed two Commando. They were drowned along with a local schoolboy.

There are no ranks or service numbers and they are both described as

Crown Labourer
'Commando Forces'

The informant was Achnacarry Camp Chaplain.

I checked on the CWGC records and both were buried near their homes. Both are shown under their original regiment but the Grave Registration has under unit "Commando Basic / Base Trng. Centre" then their original regiment.

I have been wondering what 'Crown Labourer' was and whether they actually were Commando, still in training so not yet accepted into the Commando or being used rather like Pioneer Corps at the camp.

I have contemporary newspaper reports and they are just described as soldiers with no mention of the Commando.

Now collected quite a number of names of wartime casualties at (or around Achnacarry) including an American Ranger. A lot of drownings and some bodies were not found for some time (one not found for over six months).

I am seeing some fatalities at Onich Military Hospital, I thought these might be people brought over from the West coast because there were a couple from Dorlin and Inverailort but just come across a RN Commando. He could still be from Dorlin or Inverailort or even an exercise in Loch Linnhe but wondering whether at some point casualties were taken to Onich Military Hospital rather than the Belford especially fatalities.

MB

Just found a record that confirms the RN Commando fatality at Onich Military Hospital was from Achnacarry, could have been on a training exercise near Onich but does suggest they might have been using that hospital.

So interesting. Please keep us informed.

Glad that they're remembered.

There were as you say casualties at Achnacarry during training but I have seen no official list of those who died. I am aware that Onich Military Hospital was used by at least one who was injured in training at Achnacarry. Of course most who were killed are as you say are unlikely to have completed their Commando course and therefore not been awarded their green beret. Other units also attended different courses some quite short in duration and they were not Commandos, nor being trained to be such.

All that having been said the details of those who died at Achnacarry during its period as the Commando Basic Training Centre should be recorded and I am quite happy to review the details and, if deemed appropriate, find a place on our website to do so if you care to make contact by email below to discuss it

Pete

As to Crown Labourers..... I am thinking it might relate to civilians employed to help on Crown Estates. One example at both Lochailort and Achnacarry, which were taken over by the Crown, were local ghillies.

Onich Military Hospital was Alltshellach (I am 99% certain), it is North East of Ballachulish Bridge at NN 05681 60181. It was a guest house belonging to the Scottish Holiday Fellowship and still is. They seemed to have taken in military casualties from all the units in the area. There were also RN Sick Quarters at Creagdhu, Onich which became the Lodge on the Loch Hotel (on the long straight East of Onich) but only seeing one death there, of a seaman from HMS Dorlin. The Onich Military Hospital seems to have had an operating theatre and there was a smallpox death there so perhaps an isolation ward.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 30/06/2017 11:18:40

Update on this one. Martin has shared his findings now and supplied copies of death certificates. Our records are being updated on those who may have been in training at the time of their death. Obviously the Service Record is the ultimate source of their Commando status, if any, and we do not have access to those. However when completed there will be a record on this site with the information we have with a caveat in some cases that service as a Commando has not been established. Those records when complete will be grouped together and listed as Training Centre Fatalities WW2.

Until then remember to look at the Recent Content section of the site as that is where you will find the updates that are put onto this site daily. The entries for individuals are shown there as type 'Personnel' and on those entries if anything is highlighted it means that there is additional information. Click on the highlighted word or words and you will access it. An example would be the entries relating to those I mentioned above in training. There is a section on those Personnel entries for 'Place' they died. By clicking on what is shown there you will see a list in alphabetical order by surname of all the entries so far added to the site relevant to that place.

Finally if you have additional information on any entry create a new forum message with the additional detail for, or correction to what we have for, that individual. Remember to include your source in full.