Eric Buckmaster, 5 Troop, No2 Cdo

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 13/02/2009 20:56:23

I have had the great pleasure of chatting via email with Eric Buckmaster who was, along with his brother Stanley, in 5 troop No.2 with my Dad Joe Rogers and Uncle Ken MacAlister. The latter 3 sadly all received their final posting to that regiment in the sky over the last few years. Eric has kindly helped me put a couple of names and locations to photos that I have posted, and I have updated these accordingly. Eric has also given me permission to update the forum or gallery on items that might be of interest which I will do. One such note from Eric which I have read about before somewhere I copy here for those that might not know about it :
"Commando C/Os attempted to standardise some aspects of their Unit?s appearance, but the Men still wore their original Regiments Hat Badge.
When 2 Commando was first formed the Tam O? Shanter was our Unit
headgear. When I joined them Mid 1942 after St Nazaire, that is what I wore initially. However, The C/O had adopted the Fighting Knife as a Standard Hatbadge, and we had Shoulder Flashes which were the Fighting Knife with SS on either side of it. We were given the Flashes, but the Hat Badges were not at that time on issue, they had to be made by ourselves.
I joined 2 Commando very late one night in Boscombe, Bournemouth, when I got to my Billet I was met by one of the lads from HQ Troop, who showed me to my room, Gave me my Tam O? Shanter, and also gave me a Teaspoon and said you can make your Hatbadge out of that. We had to file the fighting knife Badge out of the teaspoon with a Nail File. We sewed them on to our Hats with a loop of cotton round the handle, and another loop under the haft. Some time later they actually issued the Hatbadges as a general supply for 2 Commando."
I thank Eric for sharing his memories with me.