Dennis Glasscock

I am trying to find information re the above person on behalf of a friend. He has a copy of Denis's papers on which is recorded that he was awarded a mention in dispatches but importantly a Military medal. Given that he joined in Dec 1943 at the age of 17 would be quite an achievement.
My searches for information on why he received these awards has so far been unfruitful.
Can anyone out there help us find the details.
Many thanks

Hi George,

Welcome to the CVA Website & Forum.

Can you advise:
a. Whether Dennis Glasscock was an Army Commando or RM Commando?
b. Which Commando Unit he was in?

Are there any photos of Dennis that you can post to give us a start.

Nick

He joined at Chatham, his service number was 115868.
His service certificate lists him as serving with 33 RM BN and he was discharged on the 24th December 1946.
Unfortunately there is no photo of him in uniform.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 20/08/2018 14:16:45

these are his docs

he was awarded his MID on the 26th march 1945 and the MM on the 17th of july 1945

one of his ships / establishments on his docs was Copia?

try again with the photo

If it helps my digging I believe has found that as 33rd RM means he would have been part of the 116th infantry brigade part of the 1st Canadian on operation "veritable"

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 22/08/2018 10:11:43

Hi George,

Well, looking at Dennis' service record, I'm going to surprise you when I tell you that Dennis Glasscock, MM, was not a commando...

I'm afraid you have fallen for the very common misconception that, because all Royal Marines today are commandos, they have always been so...
But that is not the case...

Tracing their roots back to 1664, this body of 'sea soldiers' was not known as The Royal Marine until 1755. At this time they were, basically, ship borne light infantry troops.
Around 1804, there was a need for artillery trained soldiers to man the 'bomb ketches' thus the Royal Marine Artillery (RMA) was established. As their uniforms were the blue of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, this group was nicknamed the "Blue Marines" and the Infantry element, who wore the scarlet uniforms of the British infantry, became known as the "Red Marines".

In 1855, the Marine Infantry forces were renamed Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI).

In 1919, the 6th Battalion RMLI mutinied and was disbanded at Murmansk.
The RMA and RMLI were amalgamated on 22 June 1923.

In 1940 the first Commando Units were established - but these were made up from individual volunteers from all the regiments & Corps in the Army
In May '42, Mountbatten requested permission be granted for the Special Service Brigade ( later to be known as Commando Brigade) to wear distinctive headdress. In October the same year, permission was granted "for the wearing of a green beret by personnel of the Special Service Brigade..."

In early 1942, Churchill wanted more Commando units to be formed and queried why there was so many Royal Marines on the HBL (Home Base Ledger) - personnel serving within the UK.
In February 1942, a unit known as The RM Commando was formed, it was briefly known as "A" RM Commando before being designated 40 Royal Marine Commando, Royal Marines. It was the only Royal Marine Commando formed entirely from volunteers as with the Army Commandos.

On 8 July 1943, His Majesty The King gave his approval for the issue of a blue beret to be worn by Royal Marines.
From 14 August 1943, all RM officers and Other Ranks serving in Special Service Force will wear a green beret in lieu of the RM blue beret.

A further eight RM infantry Battalions were converted, as a whole unit, to become RM Commandos - the last, 48 RM Commando, finishing a shortened commando course days before D-Day.

Because of the expansion of the Special Service Force, four Special Service Brigades were formed. Each consisted of four Commando Units - usually a combination of Army & RM Commandos [eg 3 SS Brigade consisted of: No.1 Commando, No.5 Commando, 42 RM Commando & 44 RM Commando] These Special Service Brigades were later changed to Commando Brigades.

At the end of hostilities the, irregular, Army Commandos were disbanded and the commando role was handed to the Royal Marine Corps. Gradually all RMs underwent Commando training until, in 1964, all Royal Marines had been commando trained and the title RM Commando was dropped and all personnel were now entitled to wear the coveted green beret...

So, what about Dennis?
Well he served in Combined Operations - HMS COPRA was the shore based Combined Operations Pay & Records Administration (including RM Landing craft crews 1939- 46). Again there are many misconceptions about COPRA but the main one is that it was a ship as many RN & RM gravestones are inscribed with HMS COPRA...
In fact, these brave souls were serving in Combined Ops and many went down in their Landing Craft etc. the number of which was not recorded - so they were recorded as serving with HMS COPRA.

33 RM Bn - one of 3 battalions of 117 RM Brigade it formed at Deal late in January 1945. The 33rd RM Battalion was flown to Germany to assist 116 RM Bde in accepting surrender of the German fleet, and had some casualties. The 31st and
32nd RM Battalions joined the 33rd in the second week of May 1945. They carried out security duties in the Kiel area until returning to the UK in July 1945, and the 31st and 32nd were disbanded shortly afterwards; the 33rd absorbed some men from the other Battalions before itself being disbanded at Towyn on 7 October 1945.

HMS. Highflyer - was the name of the Royal Navy shore establishment in Trincomalee, Ceylon, commissioned on 1 July 1943 until 1958.

HMS Ukussa - Established in Sri Lanka in 1944, by the Fleet Air Arm, at its peek it was the largest Royal Naval Air Stations of the time staffed by 300 Officers, 3000 sailors and 100 WRNs. It serviced more than 100 aircraft at any given time whilst maintaining at aircraft repair yard.

https://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/sites/default/files/RM%20Unit%20Histories%201919-1997.pdf

Hope this helps...

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 21/08/2018 16:58:13

Well, I don't know about anybody else but I found that post by Nic extremely interesting. Quite a few things I didn't know.

Thanks Nick for the distinction. So he was a royal marine but not a commando.
I assume from that that I need to look elsewhere for help?

Hi George,

Yes that's right, he was a Royal Marine not a Royal Marine Commando.
Another distinction is that RM Commandos did not serve aboard ships!

Well, we will continue to try to help you in your quest, but there are other avenues to try - the Royal Marine Association may be able to help.

I have had a quick search in the London Gazette for any mention of Dennis's Military Medal but couldn't find it.

Nick

Thanks Nick any help or advice from anyone is always gratefully received. G