HQ 4 ss bde Charlie Chell

I have my father's (Corporal Charles Frederick Victor Chell) RM commando service record and the last record on 5-6-44 (D-Day) mentions HQ 4SS Bde" followed by" HQ SS Grp" Embarked UK.

I am trying to find out which beach he would have landed on D-Day and where he went from there. He survived WW2 and did mention to me that he was in the battle for Walchren Island. Sadly he passed away 5 years ago

Further back in his service record, before D-Day, he was RM DivSigs, at Div HQ Postal Unit if this helps

I have read many books on RM commandos and D-Day without being able to find out this information and I hope someone can give me a clue where he landed and what happened after that.

Looking forward to hearing from anyone who has this information or where to find it.

Thanks

Alan Chell

Alan.

Welcome aboard what ships/ units are on your fathers documents.

I am researching a link to Walcheren. I have the history of 48 commando which was written by the CO for the unit.

Have a look on the photo galleries there are some very good photos of the SS Brigade head quarters and commando units.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 31/03/2018 23:25:37

Hi Alan

As he was a Signaller then that would make sense that he was shown under Bde HQ from where they were deployed to Units as and when needed. As its states 4 Special Service Brigade HQ you can view their War Diary for Normandy on the Pegasus Archive website. Click on the link below, then on War Diaries on the navigation panel. Then scroll down until you see 4th Special Service Brigade, and there you will see Brigade Headquarters and also Signal Troop. Check both.

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/frames.htm

Afterwards let us know how you get on. Come back to us and post a photo of your Father as an attachment to any message.

Thank you both for your responses.
The Pegasus site is very useful but will take a while to understand completely
I am attaching a photo of my dad and one of him with 2 comrades which may help with any identification.
I must admit I find the nomenclature very difficult to follow 42,46 commando etc. 1,2 SS bde etc., units... is there anywhere to see a diagram of the relationship between all these different groupings?
Thanks again
Alan Chell

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 01/04/2018 10:22:21

The history of the Commandos in those early days is quite complex with a lot of change going on. There are some very good books out there which are highly recommended and mentioned on various parts of our website. Major Jimmy Dunning's It Had to be Tough being just one of them. That book also gives a good insight into Commando training.The Commandos were initially all Army rather than Royal Marines, and unlike today, even when the Royal Marines did raise Commando units, not all Royal Marines became Commandos, only those who served in the respective Royal Marine Commando units and had passed the Commando course.

A very brief insight can be read here: Commando History.

If you are unsure of what is on your Father's service record, by all means email me or post images of the relevant sections onto here that you are unsure about.

Great photos by the way. These will be placed in the Gallery in due course and I will advise you when completed.

Thank you, I have purchased "It Had to be Tough" by James Dunning and willtake some time getting to understand the structure of the RM commandos
Thank you again

I have the official history of 48 commando written after the end of hostilities. I have scanned it if I can zip it into a file, I will forward.

Pete any use for your archives.

There?s a 4 Brigade group photo in the gallery.

Regards Craig.

Did he do any sigs training at HMS Mercury 2 by any chance.

Have a look at this photo of 4 Brigade

Hi,
There is some footage in the link below that shows some of 4th SS Brigade Signals Troop and Brigade HQ at 1 min 15 secs into the film.

http://film.iwmcollections.org.uk/record/1264

The film jumps around a bit as at 2 mins 15 secs it shows the LCI(S) carrying the Commandos on the way to Juno Beach where HQ 4 SS Bde and 48 (RM) Commando landed.

Later on in the film it shows troops/vehicles in the Gold Beach area.

Regards

Danny

Hi Craig

Yes please and thanks again. They are a good resource.

Pete

Pete will be on the case this week. Wait out.

Borrowed from the British library.

Thank you so much for this film it really puts in context where my dad was, what he was doing on D-Day
Still more research to do but this a wow moment for me
Alan

Hi Alan

I have now posted the 2 photos into our Special Service Brigade Signals album here: http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/HQ+and+Sigs/Signals+troops/

Pete

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 04/04/2018 14:21:30

Hi Craig

That photo shown as 4 Special Service Bde was wrongly attributed. It is in fact of No 4 Commando. Several French cap badges in there, etc. It has been relocated to the No 4 Cdo gallery (troop photos album).

Pete