William Meek

Hello, I have been finding out about my uncle. I found out he was a commando which led me to this site. I have manged to find one document showing a memorial that happened for him and other members of his troop. If anyone has any more information I would be very grateful. I would really like to know more about his title of R.E.M.E I have added his photo too.

William Meek
Number: 5347456 craftsman
Regiment: No 5 Commando, Troop 2.
Position: Royal Electrical and mechanical engineers. (R.E.M.E)

Hi and welcome to the CVA Website and Forums.

Your uncle was indeed a commando and he served in No.5 Commando - prior to that his parent regiment was REME (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers).
Craftsman William Meek sadly died on 15 March 1944 in Burma - see this link
http://www.commandoveterans.org/WilliamMeek5Commando

We also have a photo of his memorial stone in the Taukkyan War Cemetry in Burma
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/graves/Burma/MEEK_W_.jpg.html

and his record in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2087263/meek,-william/

Unfortunately it doesn't appear that his photo uploaded properly, but we would be honoured to add his photo to our unique Gallery where he can be remembered, with honour, amongst his comrades of No.5 Commando. If you are experiencing any difficuly with the upload, if you can email the file to me ( email below) then I can upload it for you.

Regards,
Nick

Hello,

Welcome to the Association.

I note that his serial number 5347456 is in the range issue to the Royal Berkshire Regt.so i believe at some stage your uncle transferred to the R.E.M.E.

Your uncle I believe ,died during operation SCREWDRIVER.

Hope this helps

Regards

Graham

Thanks for the help! I have emailed you the picture :)

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/02/2021 18:25:57

Hi Toni,

Thank you, I've uploaded the photo and emailed you back.

^admin.. Photo removed. Identification error. see below.

Although I can't provide much more information regarding your uncle, I can forward some general information about No.5 Cdo if you wish.

Are you aware that your family can apply to the MoD for a scan of his original service records?
If you're interested in following this up then let me know and I'll point you in the right direction...

Regards,
Nick

Hi, thanks for putting up the photo. Makes me feel proudand emotional to see his photo back
With his the other troops he may have been with in his last moments. I have already started reading up about his time in service from your website. Really enjoying it, so anything you can link me to would be much appreciated. I would also like to apply for his record. It would be interesting to know if he did in fact
Get recruited from somewhere else first before joining the commandos. Do you know exactly what he would have been doing in his role? From what I have seen it suggests that he would have been fixing equipment? Does this mean that that he would have not been fighting?

Thanking you in advance for your time and support!

Hi Toni,

It is always an honour for us to have permission of a commando's family to display his photo, amongst his peers, in our unique gallery. Thank you.

Here are the links to two forms for you to complete for application to the MoD for his service records.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545054/request_service_details_NOK_pt1_v6.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545060/request_for_service_details_army_application_part2_1_.pdf

On Part 2 you need only put in his surname & full names plus his service number ( 5347456) - but it is always good practice to provide as much information as possible.
If you have any queries please don't hesitate to email me for guidance.
The forms, together with the £30 admin fee, should be sent to the address on the forms. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt and a forecast of how long it may take to forward the service records to you.
You will receive a scan of his documents which record his enlistment, training, conversion to commando and sadly but obviously his demise.

With respect to your question about what he was employed as, well, first and foremost, he was a commando - an elite soldier.
Yes he initially joined the REME but then chose to volunteer to be a commando.
He was only on loan (temporary duty), from his parent regiment (REME), to serve with the Commandos but when qualified as a commando he would wear the REME cap badge on his coveted green beret. His skills learned in the REME would have undoubtedly have been of use to him and his peers but, essentially, he was there to fight - not fix things!

I will put together a bundle of documents that you will find interesting and email them to you...

Nick

Thanks for he information. I will start looking into it. Thanks for the heads up on how the process of moving from r.e.m.e would have worked. Interesting stuff! Once again, thank you for your time. It is much appreciated. I have a family meeting soon where the rest of Williams family will be waiting to see what I have found out! Most of it will be thanks to you! Kind regards. Toni

Hello! After a recent discussions with a family member it was pointed out that the photo I provided a while ago of William Meek was not actually him as originally stated by an elderly family member. Sorry for any Inconvenience caused! Hopefully one day I will find an actual photo of him and work out who this man in the photo is as no one seems to know! 😭

Regards, Toni.

Hi Toni

Thank you for advising us of the error in identification. I have removed the photo from our ROH page for Craftsman William Meek which can be seen below:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/WilliamMeek5Commando

I will update the gallery image in due course.

I have received a photo of Cfn. William 'Bert' Meek from his nephew Matthew Beesley.

Nick

I have added this photo to the ROH page and will update the gallery in due course

http://www.commandoveterans.org/WilliamMeek5Commando

Thank you, I will inform his family - if Toni hasn't already...

Nick