Messages posted by: Belly

Not content with cycling the length of Thailand (1,200 miles) and climbing all 282 Munros (in 5 months), my ex 45 Cdo cousin is now planning to row solo across the Atlantic, unsupported for 3,118 miles (going the wrong way, which has never been done before).

He's doing this for the Royal Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and two military focussed charities the SBS Association, and Rock2Recovery, who both provide much needed support to UK veterans and their families.

You can read more or follow his adventure here, and please donate if you wish to support:
https://ny2uksolorow.co.uk/

His weather window is tight for launch between 15 May - 15 June this year to avoid the storm season. COVID is hampering his logistics a little as he won't be able to enter the US from the UK so will have to quarantine in another country for 2 weeks before moving on to the US to quarantine for a further 2 weeks. This is adding time and cost to his endeavour that he can ill afford.

thanks
Paul

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.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_H._Corbett

Irrespective of the priceless sentimental and historical value of the lovely 1st pattern FS knife, it has a commercial value of over £1000 so don't do anything too hasty!
Better to keep something you don't want, than get rid of something you wish you hadn't!

A tricky one looks like some kind of early Figure Eight Belay Device

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW2-DURHAM-LIGHT-INFANTRY-BERET-amp-COMMANDO-SERVICE-CERTIFICATE-amp-DLI-CAP-BADGE-/283914543816?nma=true&si=u8OhBGhEtfzSSdq5eCi7P%252FK6ZqU%253D&orig_cvip=true&nordt=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

I hope it is okay to post this on here, if not, Pete or Nic please remove

I have for sale one of Paul Macdonald's excellent 1st Pattern FS Knives, which I bought direct from Paul
Details of these superb reproductions can be found here:
http://www.macdonaldarms.com/armoury/FairbairnSykes.php

It's been in a drawer since I bought it and wore it on the last the Cdo Commemorative March back in 2014
please note there is some staining on the metal from the leather where it has (wrongly) been stored in its scabbard
Would look great framed
Asking £150 + Postage (they retail now at £270 and there is a long waiting list)

OVER 18s and UK ONLY please

Please message me for detailed photographs

thanks
Paul

There are no addresses mentioned at all in the War Diary for No 2 Cdo during its time in Ayr. Doing a little research it looks like most of the buildings military attributes stem from WW1:
"A drill hall at No 24 Wellington Square is recorded by Osborne as being in use by 1909. There is a drill hall and firing range behind. It is not clear which units used the building during the First World War."
Information from HS/RCAHMS World War One Audit Project (GJB) 16 September 2013.
https://canmore.org.uk/site/228652/ayr-24-wellington-square
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wellington_Square_drill_hall,_Ayr

I didn't cover LRDG in my post as the request was about 11 Cdo rather than LRDG, and there are lots of books about the LRDG, but for completeness I'd recommend this:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Sting-Scorpion-Inside-Story-Desert/dp/0750937041
happy hunting
Paul

Welcome to the forum Bob

You should be rightly proud of your father's exploits in 11 Cdo and the LRDG. There is no 'official history' as such of 11 Cdo but by far the best thing to read on the Litani River raid is Ian McHarg's book 'Litani River', see his website here: https://ianmcharg.co.uk/the-battle-of-litani-river
You used to be able to down load a PDF version for free, not sure if you still can. I've done a search on your father's name but unfortunately he doesn't appear in it.

There have been a few other posts recently about 11 Cdo which also may be worth a look:

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/6674.page

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/5355.page

Do you have any idea what the dark looking band is on your father's epaulette on the bottom photograph?

Regards
Paul

What a great thread this turned out to be, a real credit to all the contributors. Some of you may recall I've been researching Sergeant Kenneth Harwood Burton, 404001, of the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) and 11 Cdo, who was also sadly killed in action during Operation Exporter. See the thread here:
http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/5355.page

It is likely that Burton and Lang fought alongside each other, as it says in Ian McHarg's excellent Litani River:

"As they approached they informed him that Sgt Burton, LCpl Lang and Cohen were all dead on the river bank to the left, and that several of the Troop were wounded. According to Trooper Norman Wilkinson, who was severely wounded, Ike Cohen the Section first aid man saw that Burton was hit and went to try and help him. Wilkinson later reported that: Burton told him to, ?Stay where he was,? but not Ike, he crawled over and both were killed together."

I was particularly moved to see that you'd managed to source a photograph of Lang's and Cohen' graves at the Sidon War Cemetery, and as a result I've now also managed to source Burton's too. Steve Rogers of The War Graves Photographic Project https://www.twgpp.org/ has kindly given permission for it to be uploaded here for posterity. I'd also managed to find a wider shot of the original plot in the Bergouliye War Cemetery which I've also shared below.

Nick, I'd really appreciate it if you could possible ask John's nephew Gordon to enquire if they have any further information/photos, a long shot I know, but I'd love to finally put a face to Burton's name once and for all.

Regards
Paul

Lovely items.

Are you advise on what Belgian medals were instituted during WW2?
I've seen conflicting institution dates on some medals, i.e. Commemorative Medal of the War and the Volunteer Medal 1940-1945. Some websites state they were instituted on 16 February 1945 and some state on 16 February 1946. Granted the internet is not the best place for evidence based facts!

Thanks
Paul

I'm looking for any information on a former 12 Commando veteran George Hodson.
I don't have much to go one other than he was posted to 12 Commando from the Royal Welch Fusiliers and lived in Lincoln in the 1960s.
A selection of his commando memorabilia went through a small auction house at the end of last year but was split up post sale. I was lucky enough to buy some of it, but would like to try and find more information about him and if possible correspond with the owner of the other half of the grouping.
Thanks
Paul

As the chaps say, but sometimes embroidered badges were worn instead of/as well as cash tapes. Also the 'dagger' patch replaced the combined ops patch at the end of 1944. See here for images:

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/Royal+Marine+Commando+Units/45+RM+Commando/james+King/James+King.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/Royal+Marine+Commando+Units/45+RM+Commando/Maj+Gen+Sir+Robert+_Lucky_+Laycock_+chief+of+Combined+Operations_+talking+to+Royal+Marine+Commandos+during+an+inspection.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/Royal+Marine+Commando+Units/45+RM+Commando/Peter+Thomas+45+RM+Commando.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=117164&d=1417711975

I use this handy website to convert British WW2 grid references:
http://www.echodelta.net/mbs/eng-translator.php

However, you do need to know the 'grid' covering the relevant geographical area which can be found here:
http://www.echodelta.net/mbs/eng-grids.php

In the case of your enquiry, you'll see it is 'French Lambert Zone 1', the grid is 'vU'

So using the website's "Coordinates Translator" (the first link in this post) you just:

1/ Select the grid or the geographical area concerned - using the dropdown box select 'French Lambert Zone 1'

2/ Enter the "Modified British System" coordinates to be decoded in the box 'vU080809'

3/ Press the 'Convert! button'

It will pin point it on a map for you and give you the Latitude and Longitude which you can put in Google Maps etc