Captain (Temp) AHN Gooding death 7th June 1944

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 29/10/2017 10:26:53

CWGC headstone at Martlesham St Mary's. Buried under HMS Copra, later changed to HM LCM 606 (some records show this vessel was lost in the Med) so 'A' landing craft to do with capture of Port-en-Bessin by 47 Commando, RM ?

photo attached of headstone in churchyard

Hi,
Captain A. Gooding was the Commanding Officer of 606 Build Up Flotilla.

606 Build Up Flotilla was part of "E" Build Up Squadron, Force "G". The Flotilla consisted of 16 LCM Mark 3.

LCM 606 was lost in 1943.

Regards

Danny

Hi Danny
Not being a Booty i do not know if he was part of a particular RM unit. All i can see is his headstone at Martlesham (i did send a photobut it came up as text) . I'm just keen to know that he is remembered correctly. If he was commanding this unit then CWGC need to have the right info. Gravestone gives HMS Copra was 606 part of this?
He must of been part of the Royal Marines corp at an ealier stage.
BZ to all

Photo attached

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 29/10/2017 10:43:26

Hi Mick

The CWGC have his unit as HMS Copra. This was not a ship. It was a shore base. COPRA stands for Combined Operations Personnel Records & Accounts. This was used when no specific unit was known at the time and is shown on many RM service records. Landing Craft Personnel were part of Combined Operations and thus their records were held at Copra. The fact that the CWGC have amended their database and online record to show H.M.L.C.M.606, Royal Marines, suggests as you say they have been informed of this after the fact so to speak. This is by no means unusual. In the last year we have been researching our own Commando Rolls of Honour and have found quite a few where awards were missing or Commando units not even shown. There is rightly very strict criteria that is required to be provided to the CWGC before they amend their records. I am pleased to say we were able to provide this in the cases we found.

The fact his headstone currently clearly shows R.M. after his surname shows he was part of the Corps. Other than where a name is wrong where a replacement headstone is ordered immediately, as I understand it with Unit corrections, once CWGC records are amended, the headstone is then listed for amendment when the headstone is next due for replacement due to wear.

As Danny has stated something to the contrary to that shown on the CWGC amended record ie.

Captain A. Gooding was the Commanding Officer of 606 Build Up Flotilla. 606 Build Up Flotilla was part of "E" Build Up Squadron, Force "G". The Flotilla consisted of 16 LCM Mark 3. LCM 606 was lost in 1943.

you may wish to liaise with Danny by email so as you can put a case together to send to the CWGC for a further amendment attaching any official documents that confirm this.

I have removed the broken link to the picture in your original message as you have now posted the image.

Hi Pete and Danny

BZ

Great to know a record can be corrected.

I have a book The Royal Navy Day By Day, the latest edition is more general and covers over some of the naval embarrassments listed in Edition 1 and 2. (But that's my Beef...) no reference to COPRA or HMS Copra in there (Edition 3).

I do need to send a clearer picture of the headstone as your web system said its file was to large.

I'm not knocking CWGC as they have one heck of a job to do.

So, in time, where would this gentleman appear in the roll of honour. At least he is not forgotten and I thank you both, plus unknown others, for that.

In the East Anglian/Ipswich Star/Suffolk County Council printed 'Suffolk Roll of Honour 1939-1945' (printed with the newspaper in 2016)...a tribute to the 3464 who made the ultimate sacrifice to King and country.
Has for Martlesham...
Captain Alfred Herbert Noel Gooding, Royal Marines HM Landing Craft Mechanised 606

Mick

Hi Mick

He will not appear in our Roll of Honour because it is a Commando Roll of Honour and as far as I am aware he was a Royal Marine rather than a Royal Marine Commando. Unlike today in WW2 not all Royal Marines were Commandos. That is explained in more detail here:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/EarlyCommandoTraining

Pete

Thanks for the correction.

So Captain AHN Gooding RM was a member of Combined Operations?
Next time I get to the National Archives I'll look him up (if he is listed there).

Would his name appear on other monuments, 7th June 1944?

RM Eastney, Portsmouth, is that still there??

I have to focus on RM

mick

There is some record of his earlier service in the Navy Lists being digitised by the National Library of Scotland. Here is one from 1943 under the 3rd Machine Gun Coy.:

http://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/93112030?mode=transcription

The RM Museum have a Historical Society. It may be worth you contacting them with any questions you have:

http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/support-us/historical-society

The Museum itself is in Eastney here:
Royal Marines Museum, Eastney Esplanade,
Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9PX
T 023 9281 9385

and a bit about Eastney Barracks here:

http://historyinportsmouth.co.uk/places/eastney-barracks.htm

Hope this is of some help.

Additionally he is referred to by name once in the book Lost Voices of the Royal Navy by Max Arthur. In there Mne. Stan Blacker says that just before they set off "Captain Gooding RM, our CO, informed us that the hour of action was drawing near and to remember that we were the Royal Marines and that our Country depended on us."

If you do a google search on the following words _ stan blacker lost voices of the royal navy_ you should see the website entry for google books with more from Stan.

Thank you again Pete

Lost Voices page 470-473 via Marine Stan Blacker, (book on shelf at home) gives for December 1943 -

606 Flotilla, Landing Craft (Mechanised) E Squadron, Royal Marines

Thanks again for the good start.

Hi Mick

There is a website dedicated to Coombined Operations who may be interested in what you have discovered so far. Here is a link to their page on DDay Landing Craft.

https://www.combinedops.com/LCT_PAGE.htm

Regard

Pete

Hi Pete

Those Scottish records are something....

AHN Gooding was Portsmouth
1941 temp Lt 01.01.42

1943 he is RMTGp Dalditch Acting Captain 25.08.41

1943 23rd Training Battalion No3 MG Company

Thanks again

Mick

Thanks to you Danny and Peter Rogers, also Combined Operations web site Geoff Slee.

CWGC Roy Hemington has acknowledged the error and will correct it soon.

BZ

To the Captain in charge of 16 LCMs on D Day