No. 4 Commando - seeking advice please

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 18/01/2021 14:14:46

Hello. I have been trying to piece together Commando information about my grandfather. He rarely spoke about what he did in WW2. On the rare occasion he did, I jotted down some notes which I have recently found. My grandfather said he was in the Royal Artillery Field Regiment (Anti-tank Regiment) and operated 17 and 25 pounders. He said he landed on Sword beach with 227 Highland Brigade and went to the 15th Scottish Regiment. He mentioned the Canadian and the 1st Commando brigade, but did not elaborate other than say he was a Commando who spent time with other regiments. He said they tried to take Caen. I asked how far he had got to in the war, and he said he was invalided out in Holland.

I recently came across his Tracer card on Ancestry. It states he was initially in the 9th Field Training Regiment of the Royal Artillery. Then it says he was in the 131st Field Regiment. There is no mention of any Commando unit (I gather records were not kept of who was and wasn't a commando?) and it is very brief. I know that these cards may not also be a complete record. However, on the back of one of his army photos it says No.4 Commando. His name does not appear on your website under No. 4.

I am interested in re-tracing his steps on D-Day and beyond. However, I do not fully understand how the army operated. Would I be right in assuming it would be the war diary of No. 4 Commando that I would be looking at? Or would it be that of say 227 Highland Brigade he landed with, which I understand was part of the 15th Scottish regiment? Or the 131st Field Regiment? What would your opinion be please as you probably have a better understanding of how everything fitted together?

Is there any way I can find out more about where he specifically was? Would only the M.O.D be able to give this information? I have been reading about X and Y lists on Tracer cards and am intrigued as to why he was specifically put on an X list (3). I am attaching some pictures too. I have one more in a ceremonial looking uniform I could not upload as it only takes 3 pictures. Thank you for your assistance.

For the benefit of others there is another forum message here: http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/7419.page

I have found a 14233225 Gunner N. Grant 131 Field Regiment RA listed in the Casualty Lists for 5 July 1944 (National Archives file WO417/86). I have attached an extract from the page below. My advice is as before to apply for a copy of his official service record to see what is on there. The MOD are the only ones who can provide copies of Service Records despite what some pay websites might call themselves or offer. Check out our research advice on the entry below. Service records and X Lists are listed there. If this is your Grandfather then he is Army rather than Royal Marines so any application should be made to the Army address shown on there.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/ResearchAdvice

Thank you for this. This is him. After much confusion on my part initially, I feel I am finally narrowing down the search! It confirms he was therefore an army commando. His tracer card for 5/7/44 was x list (2) - which I understand as 'All ranks evacuated on medical grounds.'

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 20/01/2021 07:27:05

Just to thrown another spanner in the works it looks like he is wearing a PTI instructors badge in the middle photo. It's a shame that he doesn't appear to be wearing any other insignia in any of the pictures would would help ID his unit. Also 4 Cdo were still in Normandy in July, so if he was invalided out of Holland in July he wouldn't have been with 4 Cdo. No 4 were there in November though. Do you have any of his original documents with his service number on? Without that it's just a guessing game, there's no guarantee that 14233225 Gunner N. Grant is your grandfather, I've come across a lot coincidental data in my research. Until you send for the service records which normally takes around 3-4 months at the moment you will never be sure.

Thank you for your response.

I understand that towards the end of his career he was some kind of instructor and the tracer card says O.C.T.U (Officer cadet training unit) October 1945.

He began with the 9th Field Training Regiment in July 1942. Then comes under 131 Field Regiment - there is a tracer card entry for 26.11.42.

He definitely landed on Sword and on 5th July 44 he is put on an x list 2 (all ranks evacuated on medical grounds), but the CVA archivist kindly provided a document that says 'delete this entry - not a battle casualty' for the day in question which matches the date, his name and 131 Field Regiment.

Then on 20.10.44 - which I am assuming is the Holland incident, he appears on another x list (3) - the criteria of which seem quite serious . Then in early November he is on a y list - which I assume is him being invalided out. There are several dates around this time that link to Holland - Battle of the Scheldt (2.10.44 - 11.10.44), Battle of Walcheren (1.11.44 - 8.11.44).

I have some more pictures, but I cannot identify the insignia on these. Unfortunately I have no personal documents of his. If nothing else, I have learnt a lot about Operation Overlord. My grandfather's brother never told anyone he was in the Lofoten Raids until he was on his deathbed!