Lieutenant John Jeffreys, No 2 Commando

As part of the VE Day Commemorations, we are circulating brief biographies of the men of the Chesterfords (Essex) who died in WW2. From CWGC files we know that John was commissioned in the Kings Own Scottish Borderers in July 1939 and that he died in Sicily on 16/8/1943. I have read your excellent report of No. 2 Commandos part in Operation Blackcock and will use this information (with appropriate attribution). Our small society is unable to afford to obtain full military records for all the men who died, so I hope your Forum can help answer some unanswered questions.

- When and where did he join No. 2 Commando - this may indicate from which battalion KOSB he was transferred.
- What specific training would he have received before posting and how long did this take.

Regards

Hi John

This Archive is in the same position as yourself in that we do not have access to official service records and have no funding to pay for them. As such the detail currently on Lieutenant Jeffreys is as is that shown on our website. So we cannot give you an exact answer to your first question.

We know he was in 2 Troop No.2 Commando in December 1942 because of this image

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/2+Troop/2+troop.jpg.html

but he is not in this photo of 2 Troop taken sometime before March 1942

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/2+Troop/CNV00004.jpg.html

Many of the Officers of No.2 Commando were killed or taken prisoner in Operation Chariot 28 March 1942. So, whilst we cannot be certain he did not join in 1941, the War Diary for No.2 Commando from April 1942 through to his death would be a good place to start to see if he was one of those who joined to replace the Officers lost. They are accessed at the National Archives in Kew but perhaps one of our followers on here may have already done this and photographed the pages. I am not sure on that.

Unfortunately your second question hits the same issue. Until it is known when he joined the Commando it is difficult to say as the training changed in March 1942. Post March 1942 all Commando training taking place in the UK was centralised at Achnacarry. Read our section on training here http://www.commandoveterans.org/EarlyCommandoTraining

Lt. Col. Charles Newman the Commanding Officer of No.2 Commando (himself taken prisoner on Operation Chariot and subsequently awarded the VC) wrote a good account of what was required of a Commando here: http://www.commandoveterans.org/ServiceinaCommando

http://www.commandoveterans.org/Jeffreys2Commando

Good luck in your search.

Pete, thanks for the very useful information especially the photos, I have read the training documents you suggested and it seems probable that he was one of the 129 volunteer officers trained at Achnacarry in May 1942, presumably as a replacement for the losses on Operation Chariot, Am I right to assume that the officer training was much shorter than O/R probably 2 - 3 weeks? This would give sufficient time for his to join No. 2 Commando by Dec 1942 for the photo. Do you know where No.2 Commando were posted after Operation Chariot? I thought it might have been Gibraltar.

Regards

John

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 23/03/2020 17:28:39

deleted and reposted below.

Hi John

The document on the courses at Achnacarry is here: http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+Training/courses/CBTC+1942+1944+spean+copy.jpg.html

From there it can be seen that not all were actually Commando trainees. Even the Home Guard had some training there. However No.2 Intake was, and it finished in July 1942 and a chap who was in that Intake told me that he himself was one of those used to replace those lost at St. Nazaire. This course crossed with the 1st Police Intake Course, all volunteers for the Commandos, and I know some of them also went to No.2 Commando. There was a Special Service Brigade Officers Course in May, however we simply don't know if he was on this and I prefer not to assume when dealing with an individuals service record. Not all of No. 2 Commando went on the raid at St. Nazaire.

No. 2 Commando trained in Scotland throughout 1942 and embarked for Gibraltar circa March 1943. It was a six week trip due to navigational routes being changed to avoid submarines in preparation for the invasion of Sicily in July. However from the early days there were small detachments that went on special operations away from the main body on occasions. Our No.2 Commando history is here: http://www.commandoveterans.org/2Commando