Messages posted by: Vlewis

Hi Jim,

No worries, glad to be of some assistance.

Regarding the photo, I suspect there is a mixture of Signals and other Commandos in that particular shot. The Signals cap badge adapted for the Commandos is quite distinctive and I can see a lot of the men have that but there appears to be various other cap badges being worn. From what I understand No 6 was in that area and were probably supported by No 1 Commando Brigade Signal Troop so I'm guessing that's what we have in that photo but cannot be certain.

From a Signals perspective it can get a bit confusing as the men were often aligned to different Commandos both Army and Royal Marine. My Father started in No 2 Special Service Brigade Signals supporting No 2 Commando in Italy then appeared to be transferred to No 1 Commando Brigade Signal troop supporting both No 6 and 45RM at some point post D-Day.

As Nick mentioned, getting the service records is the best way to ID the movements, sometimes you're lucky with the information that comes back as I have seen some records with a lot of specific detail although the records for my Dad were not detailed and just a high level which is a bit frustrating and has led me to search deeper. I wouldn't give up though, after being a member of this site for years and reviewing most of the content a bunch of photos turned up that had my Dad in them and it was worth the wait.

Regards Vic

Hi Nick,

Thanks for clarifying Neudstadt in Holstein..

I believe this may be the modern day site of that photo which is Market Place Neustadt in Holstein. The Volksbank has obviously been rebuilt but the Karl Will building looks very similar from the first floor and roof.

Regards Vic

Hi Jim,

The group photo above in the old town square is 1 Commando Brigade Signal Troop, Neustadt, 2 June 1945.

I found this out the hard way by endless searches when in fact it was under our noses all the time in the sites photo gallery.

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/HQ+and+Sigs/Signals+troops/1+Commando+Brigade+Signal+Troop_+Neustadt_+2+june+1945_+Jimmy+Norton+12th+from+R_+back+row.jpg.html

Regards Vic

Hi Nick,

Thanks for the detailed breakdown and the tip off about copies. Graham did PM me with further information so I'm covered on this now..

Regards Vic

Hi Graham,

Interesting document, where can I find WO 218 / 31?

My Father was posted to Special Service Brigade Signal Troop 04 August 1942 and subsequently served with the Commandos in Italy (43) and France (44) and in Kenya (45), the latter being a bit difficult to find information on. I am assuming this document would have movements and notable events like the one you describe?

The other observation is the slight change in names through those years. The entries in his official service records states as above posted to Special Service Brigade Signal Troop, "troop" being different from "section" and later in 1944 posted to Special Service Group Signals. So at some point during the Special Service Brigade existence they were Section, Troop and Group.

Regards Vic

Hi Pete,

Is this the man in question?

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=341606282675777&id=142385935931147

Regards Vic

Hi Pete,

Hopefully this will work for you.. Google Maps has a reference but you have to dig around close to the general location so here's the link which takes you there.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Oorlogsmonumet+Kapelsche+Veer/@51.7141211,4.9806114,16z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x47c6906611e6ff9d:0xa972aac037ff4ac4!8m2!3d51.7141974!4d4.9829793

Regards Vic

Hi Phil,

Nothing out there from what I can see although did find the following reference: The raid is described as "unrealised" which I'm assuming means it either never happened or the planning wasn't complete? Maybe it means something to the author?

CRUPPER Unrealised plan for a British special forces raid on the area of Etaples on the coast of German-occupied northern France (?).

http://www.cmchant.com/codenames-of-word-war-2

Regards Vic

some belters on that list :) No 10 is a fave of mine.. very Two Ronnies..

Hi Lindsay,

That's great news, hope it all goes well. I could see the Pimple from the roadside but didn't fancy trespassing on the land and ending up on the wrong end of some buckshot as my Italian isn't good enough to explain why I was there :) Look forward to the photos.

Regards Vic

Thanks Nick, slightly larger than my guess.. I downloaded the image to get a better look and noticed a nice star / glint on the tip as the light catches it.

Nick, they both look very well done, the brooch looks fantastic, may I ask the rough dimensions of the brooch, I am guessing no large than an inch tall?

Regards Vic

Hi,

I took a trip to Amalfi a few years back for the Mrs 40th Birthday and managed to squeeze in some visits to the Salerno war cemetery, Vietre sul Mer, Pigolelle (the Pimple) and drove across some of the landmarks mentioned in the No2 War diaries for the Salerno battle. I specifically took a boat from Amalfi to Salerno which was quite strange thinking that 70 years earlier my Dad was approaching Salerno by boat in completely different circumstances. Before I visited the pimple I had some email chats with a local Italian historic team who have posted on this site under the name Salerno1943. They were very helpful and offered to send one of their team to meet me so they could show me exactly where the Pimple was, unfortunately they couldn't meet me due to the timescales etc but they did give the coordinates which were very helpful for my visit (40.690149,14.813937) It may be worth emailing them if you need some specific info on the area [email protected]

The Pimple is just outside Pigolelle so worth a walk round the village. Nothing much has changed there in the way of building and layout and it's really quiet and peaceful and difficult to imagine what was happening there 73 years ago! Anyway, hope the trip goes well and don't forget to sample the limoncello, I am reliably informed that there's a special version that is more of a green than yellow that is preferred by the locals.

Regards Vic

The Mrs was out last night and left me home alone so I had some time on my hands and logged onto Netflix and found this film "Allies".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3204734/

I found it quite entertaining but it could of done with help from a military advisor as there's some glaring goofs. However, I didn't expect too much from the film and actually quite enjoy low budget British films and couldn't resist being a Commando based flick so if you've a quiet night and are bored give it a look.

Regards Vic

GUY wrote:J Squadron GHQ Liaison Regiment "Phantom" had signallers attached to the Canadians during Operation Jubilee.

48th (South Midland) Division saw action in Belgium and France in 1940. They were evacuated out of Dunkirk and remained in Britain for the remainder of the war. He must have transferred to another unit to have been posted to North Africa in 1943?

Guy

Just to add to Guy's information.. an excert from "The Royal Corps of Signals Units Histories" The 48th Division Signals went to France in April 1940. After Dunkirk, the division remained on home defence, and was involved in training duties for the remainder of the war. The signal unit transferred to 78th Division for service in Tunisia and Italy from 1943.

Regards Vic