Messages posted by: Jack Bakker

Hi Joe,

Very good news!
I am in contact with Macdonald (also on this forum) who is in contact with your employer Venture Trust about the house and activities that he and his group could and would like to deploye there. I have told him of your post in a pm, so he might contact you. Perhaps you could send him a message as well and link up your activities. Who knows what sort of "Combined Operations" may develop from that. If it saves the house, all the better!

Keep us posted!

Regards,

Jack

There is a black and white film called The Story of The Green Beret, which was made in 1945. The film follows two men going to Achnacarry. One is an Army man, the other a Marine. They both went to Wrexham prior to going to Achnacarry. I have been told that both were "filmstars" but that the men around them were "real" so to speak. In the beginning of the film one of them witnesses Marines doing drill on the parade ground. Which conferms that Marines also went to Wrexham.

The best part of the film is of course about the training at Achanacarry, at the end of which you can see Lcol Vaughn handing out the green berets, as well as taking the salute at the farewell parade.

Reading the message of David Kentner I wonder: when were the amphibious units he is talking about formed? It might well be possible that they were formed well after the Commandos were formed.

That makes it possible that they were trained in the way they were by Major Woodcock of No. 1 Commando. No. 1 Commando came from one of the Independent Companies as Davis rightly says. So Major Woodcock could have been a member of the Independent Company that trained at Lochailort (as many of those Companies did) and so may have been a student of Fairnburn and Sykes at Lochailort. Both men taught fighting technics based on judo and jiu jitsu and these technics involved kicks etc., and they were at Lochailort from the beginning of 1940. See the book by Stuart Allan "Commando Country" pages 54 to 58.

It might be an idea to contact Paul MacDonald about this as he gives demonstrations on fighting technics bases on what Fairnburn and Sykes taught at Lochailort. Perhaps Paul can shed a light on this.

I have had a look at the photos in the link. The first photo under #1 states that the men on it are Belgian trainees.

I immediatly recognized the second man from the left in the front row as an old friend of my parents. His name was Huub Langeweg. He came from Limburg, which is in the south of Holland. He joined the Commandos in 1944 after the south of Holland was liberated and went to Achnacarry from 7 November 1944 until 12 January 1945. After the war he stayed in the Army and retired in the rank of Warrant Officer Class 1. As he was a friend of my parents I have know him well. I especially came to know him after I did some route march training with him and after I joined him on a 75 kilometer night march. The blisters he had afterwards were "treated" by his wife with a pair of scissers!

Just to be sure, I have shown the photo to the chairman of the museum of the Dutch Commandos, an "old hand" who has served with Huub Langeweg. He recognized him at once! His comment was: it surely is him, or he must have a double looking very much the same!

The man to the left of Huub (the man with the beret) is a Dutchman as well. We are looking into photos as to make sure who he is, as well as who the other men are. That the man with the beret must be a Dutchman is almost certain as the badge on his beret (the Dutch Lion) is smaller than the badge the Belgians were wearing, which was a lion as well.

I thought this might interrest you.

Update on Inverailort House, Lochailort.

It has taken some time but today I received a letter from Mr Hugh Maclaren, the owner of Inverailort House. In the letter he says that "a cheritable organisation called Venture Trust is putting plans together to save the house and turn it into a centre for disadvantaged young people. They are hoping to open a website soon to contact all interested parties. The task is formidable, but we feel there is a good chance of succes."

I will keep in contact with Mr Maclaren on how things will develop and keep you all informed. Let's hope that the future of the house is not so bleak anymore.

Nic,

Very good link indeed!

I have watched them closely and on the link "Commando raid on Boulogne" I noticed the blackend face of gunner Len Ruskin who went on the Dieppe raid in August 1942. Have a look at 0:53 to 0:56. I might be mistaken but I think it is him.

On the next link http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=60249 I noticed a very interesting thing!

I am currently reading the book "Stricking back" by Peter Masters. He was one of the members of 3 Troop of No. 10 (IA) Commando. In his book he mentions Maurice Latimer, whose original name was Moritz Levy, a Jewish socialist from the German Sudetenland. Latimer (Levy) had fought in the Spanish civil war in the international brigade on the loyalist side.

With a few men of 3 Troop he took part in the raid on Dieppe in August 1942. Attached to No 4 Special Brigade and more preciesly to 41 Royal Marine Commando for the invasion in Normandy, he was wounded: he broke his finger in the triggerguard of his Colt .45, when he hit a German over the head with it!

He was with 41 Cdo again during Operation Infatuate, the landings on Walcheren. In the town of Westkapelle a small unit of Germans held out in the light house, a tall tower on the end of the village. A friend of Latimer gave his tommy-gun to him and went forward shouting to the Germans to give up. Latimer went around the tower and got the Germans to surrender to him. In the book of Peter Master there is a photo of Latimer taking the Germans down the street in Westkapelle.

In the above link you can see Latimer at 2:05, carrying the mentioned tommy-gun and looking straight into the camera. I am quite sure it is him, as I recognized the German soldier next to him who is carrying some sort of a school bag. It is the same man and bag as on the photo in the book. The other Germans are also recognizable from the picture and the number of Germans is the same as on the link. The light house/tower can be seen in the next shot at 2:12!

There are more pictures of the Walcheren landings in this link: http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=23502

I totally agree with the idea! If you don't get your hands on photos or other information now, it will will be lost.

Besides the photos, would it be an idea of putting the stories of some "old hands" to film? Last year there was a exhibition on the Dutch Commandos in the Army Museum in Delft. For that exhibition interviews were made with some "seniors" about their time in the Commandos. Visitors to the exhibition could watch those inteviews on TV screens. Those tapes are now in the possesion of the Dutch Commando Museum. They are invaluable! It will of course take time making the film and of course the question will arise of whom to film and who not, but there you are. Perhaps an idea for the family of old Commandos to do something like that?
What I am saying is: now that they are still with us, every opportunity must be taken to preserve their stories and history. In a few years it will be too late. Sad, but true!

Ref my post of 07/08/2009: the IWM has send me a reply. They do have the film and I can order a copy at the price of 27 Pound. This includes VAT and P and P.

I think I'll order the film through the link NIC gave!

Hi Judy!

My pleasure and no problem at all! I remembered seeing the photo somewhere and found it after a quick search (but not destroy!) mission through my books.

I enlarged the photo Judy posted a few times and noticed that Peter Young is not wearing boots and anklets like everyone else to the left and right of him, but he is wearing boots that look like the jumps boots worn by the US paratroopers of that day. But: those boots didn't haven a rim/seam on them in the way there is on the boots Peter Young is wearing. The US boots had a rim/seam on the nose. When you have a look at the boots Peter Young is wearing you will notice there is a rim/seam going along the boots and not only on the toes.

Anybody any idea what kind of boots Peter Young is wearing?

Andy and NIC: thanks for the info!

Cheers,

Jack

In the book Storm from the sea by Peter Young, there is a photo with the same men on it. The only difference is that the man on the left has removed his helmet and that George Herbert is looking to his left.

The caption with the photo says: Some officers of 3 Commando, before Normandy, at the Limehouse street-fighting training area. From left to right: Ponsford, Westley, Williams, Lewis, Bartholomew, Pollock, Pritchard, Collins, Herbert, Wardle, Cowieson, Peter Young, Johnston, Nikson (sorry, the "eks" fails on me!), Woyevodsky, Moore, Butler, Alderson, Pollard. (not in the photograph: Pooley, Hopson, Reynolds, Martin, Mount, Wills).

I have just sent the email below to the Imperial War Museum. It is a shorter version of my earlier message. I will let you know their answer.

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am one of the forum members on the site of the Commando Veterans Association, and I am writing to you concerning the images shown in the link below which was posted on the forum. More precise I write to you about the images of the men in the boats and in the sea as shown in the link.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2tyfa_bollore-lord-lovat-bill-millin_politics

The images of the men in the boats and in the sea are images known to be made during an exercise carried out by No. 4 Army Commando in 1943 called ?Brandyball?. The exercise was held in Cornwall, more precise on the cliffs called the ?Brandys? near Zennor. The whole exercise was a mock seaborne raid on an objective a few hundred yards inland that was ?protected? by 300 feet cliffs that rose vertically from the sea. One boat of C Troop of 4 Commando was capsized at the base of the cliffs.

The moments of C Troop?s capsized boat and the men in the water were filmed by official Army and RAF film units. The film was never edited, nor was there any ?talk?-over?. The complete film covers the loading of the Goatleys aboard an LCT (Landing Craft Tank) at St Ives, the sea passage to the Brandys, the dramatic run-in of the Goatleys, the capsized boat and the struggling men in the water, the rocky landings, climbing up the cliff, the haulage of a medium machine gun and a three inch mortar, the tactical movement of the troops to the objective and the final assault and demolition of the objective.

According to the book ?The Fighting Fourth? by James Dunning, from which the above text comes, the film is now in the archives of the Imperial War Museum.

My question is, are you in possession of this film and is it in any way possible to get a copy?

I am looking forward to your reply.

With regards,

Jack Bakker

Very good footage!
There are some images I have never seen before.

The images of the men in the boats by the rocks are images that are known to be made during an exercise called ?Brandyball?. Both James Dunning and Donald Gilchrist mention the exercise in their books. James Dunning in his book ?The Fighting Fourth? gives a lengthy description of what happened, or better, what went wrong. The exercise was held in Cornwall, more precise on the cliffs called the ?Brandys? near Zennor. The whole exercise, a mock seaborne raid on an objective a few hundred yards inland that was ?protected? by 300 feet cliffs that rose vertically from the sea, was the brainchild of Colonel Dawson and was to be witnessed by a lot of VIPs, among them senior Allied ?top brass?. The actual demonstration was planned for 7 June 1943 with a final rehearsal on June the 6th. The boats used were called Goatleys. The weather on the 6th was not good and the rise and fall of the sea near the foot of the cliff was very bad. One boat of C Troop of 4 Commando was capsized at the base of the cliffs. All in the boat were swept into the sea. Some managed to scramble onto the cliff, but others were swept away. Many in the other boats tried brave rescue attempts. Prominent among these were sergeants Eric (?Nobby?) Clark and Sid Meddings; both deserved medals for their efforts that day. Two men drowned when the boat they were in overturned and they became snagged underneath.

The next day Colonel Dawson had to decide whether to go ahead on the following day. In effect his men made the decision, because he offered them the option, without any fear of reprisal or RTU, to drop out of a re-run. Not a single man wavered!

The moments of C Troop?s capsized boat and the men in the water were filmed by official Army and RAF film units. The film was never edited, nor was there any ?talk?-over?. The film covers the loading of the Goatleys aboard an LCT (Landing Craft Tank) at St Ives, the sea passage to the Brandys, the dramatic run-in of the Goatleys, the capsized boat and the struggling men in the water, the rocky landings, climbing up the cliff, the haulage of a medium machine gun and a three inch mortar, the tactical movement of the troops to the objective and the final assault and demolition of the objective. According to the book by James Dunning, from which the above mainly comes, the film is now in the archives of the Imperial War Museum.

I have read the names of the two men who drowned somewhere, but I can?t find it anymore. It would perhaps be an idea to contact the Imperial War Museum with the question whether the film is on video or otherwise obtainable.

Hello all!

I have received an answer (see below) from the NTS concerning Inverailort House. Having read the mail a few times, I am know a bit in the dark of what the follow up should be. I can of course send mails to they sites mentioned in the message, but perhaps there are some other ideas about how to move on from here?

Dear Mr Bakker,
Thank you for your enquiry about Inverailort House. We are concerned to hear that this building is in such a poor state of repair.
You mention that the property was grade 3 (i.e. ?C? listed in Scotland) and that it has been down-graded. Historic Scotland is responsible for the listing of buildings in Scotland. Further information on the listing process can be found at http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/historicandlistedbuildings.htm Their Listing Team will be able to advise you on whether the building was ever listed, and if so why it was down-graded or de-listed. It may be that they would re-consider the building for listing.

As a charity The National Trust for Scotland does not have statutory powers to enforce repairs or to list historic buildings. The enforcement of repairs is down to local authorities, in this case the Highland Council. However I note from the record on the Buildings at Risk Register http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/BAR/detail.aspx?sctID=1687®ion=Highland&div=&class=ALL&category=ALL&Page=22&NumImg=5 that the house is not listed, making the enforcement of repairs very difficult indeed. As a first step I would suggest you contact the Highland Council (details on the Buildings at Risk site above) to enquire about the recent history of repairs/development proposals and whether they are aware of any current proposals to repair the property. The Council will also have contacts with Building Preservation Trusts or Development Trusts in their region and may be able to suggest a way forward involving such a charitable body. Building preservation trusts acquire historic buildings that are at risk, repair and if necessary adapt them to a new use, and then sell them on in a restored state.

Please do contact me again should you require any further information or clarification on the listing and enforcement process in Scotland.

I wish you all the best with your programme and visit.

Regards,
Sian

Ms Sian Loftus

Below you will find the first reply I have received from http://www.nts.org.uk/Conserve/buildings_home.php.

Dear Mr Bakker,

Thank you for your email regarding your visit to the house where the Commandos were trained.

I am sorry to hear about the condition of the house and I have passed on your email to the National Estates Manager in order for him to respond to you directly.

Thank you for contacting the National Trust for Scotland.

Yours Sincerely
Gillian Wilson(Miss)
Customer Services Administrator
Wemyss House
28 Charlotte Square
Edinburgh
EH2 4ET
Tel: 0844 493 2100 (Customer Service)
Tel: 0844 493 2108 (Holidays)
Fax: 0844 493 2102

I will let you know the answer from the mentioned National Estates Manager when it arrives!