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Thanks John
Great piece, love the bit about tin hats v berets!
cheers
Paul
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I can't seem to listen to this, it states "Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio".
Is it possible to include a link to download it as an MP3?
cheers
Paul
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Found this link to an interesting document on the Highland Council?s website, which contains good contemporary photos of existing buildings and a good period site map:
http://her.highland.gov.uk/hbsmrgatewayhighland/DataFiles/LibraryLinkFiles/208088.pdf
Also found these photographs which include some great Commando archaeology!!
http://her.highland.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=MHG36636
Apologies if you?ve seen them, if not, Enjoy!
Paul
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The item in question was a ?Mk 2** Cockle Canoe WW2? and went for £1,220
If only I had somewhere to store a 5m long canoe I would have bid for it!!
The description in full was:
This auction is for an original World War 2 canoe used by special forces in Commando style attacks. It is the ONLY Cockle Mark 2 ** (double star) canoe known to survive. It is the 3 man version of the Cockle Mk2, the type used by the famous Cockleshell Heros and was developed by Major Blondie Hasler DSO OBE (of the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment ), the leader of the Cockleshell raid and one of the few survivors of the mission.This type was not used on Operation Frankton but was used on other assaults such as Operation Sunbeam, the attack on Leros. This type could also be used for the incertion / extraction of agents. More history and information can be found in the books "Cockleshell Canoes" and "Cockleshell Heros the final whitness" both by Quentin Rees an expert on these canoes. If you are interested enough to read this listing the you must read these books, they are on ebay and if you read them you will realise what an important piece of history this canoe is. Some history of the units and their operations can be found here:-
http://www.specialoperations.com/History/WWII/Cockleshell.htm
This canoe was built in 1942 by Saunders Roe Aviation. It was designed by Fred Goatley under the supervision of Major Hasler. Goatley also designes the folding assault boats as seen in the film "A Bridge Too Far" one of which I am also selling on ebay, see my other items. Like the assault boats this canoe can be folded flat, it was designed to fit through a submarine hatch. The locking mechanism can be seen through the round hatch. There are three sets of paddles included, a fourth is listed seperatly on ebay. The floor "grates", seats, backrests and cushions are included. One of the cushions is damaged but the other two are intact, amazing as they seem to be made of paper and chopped up blankets! Each seating position has a plastic pocket for maps and a bulldog clip on a piece of string.
The deck and the bottom of the canoe are made from laminated wood, the sides and cockpit area from a canvas like material. The sides and deck appear to be in good condition with no holes or damage. There is one small hole on the botton of the hull, it can be seen in the last photo, it will need to be repaired before use... I had to remove the canoe from the water as soon as I noticed it! The fabric "spray deck" has dried out and is brittle, there are some large splits/tears around the front seaing position (see photos) but this seems to be an old design fault as there are old repairs to it. The spraydeck is the only "bad" area, the rest is in reasonable condition with some paint cracking in areas.
I bought this canoe from a film prop company, the previous owner bought it from a retired Major who stored the canoe in their yard, he cannot remember the Majors name. All he could recall were that the Major used to shoot coins off a fence in the boatyard in London with a revolver and he had bought the canoe from the Major some sixty years ago. The canoe had been in dry storage since then.
Dimensions.(approx) Length 5m30cm Width 71cm Height 45cm Paddles 2m when connected.
I have been informed of some errors in my description. The canoe would have been built in late 1943 or 1944 by Harris Lebus or Parkstone Joinery. The Mk2 was developed by Hasler not the Mk2**, it was designed by Fred Goatley.
Thanks for all the interest and questions, here are some more detailed description of some parts.
The bow and stern has a metal cap and rope trim. The deck has the following fittings. Four paddle holders, four large metal rings, four cleats, wooden fittings for rope at each end. The spray deck has two wooden battons per seat so the canvas sides can be held flush, each seat position also has a wooden upright to support the spray deck.
Inside there are six uprights which lock into place to help the fore and aft folding mechanism support the hull. There are six pockets, one each side per seat, one of these has some kind of canvas waterproof item. There are some short leather straps attached to the inside of the hull, two per seat. There is also a mount on the floor in the front seat and the corresponding hole in the deck, think this is for a mast, have also seen a photo of cockle canoes with a machine gun mounted on the front!
There are some old repairs on the hull, this canoe was used, one of the repairs has what looks like a round sticking plaster on the inside! The hole on the underside of the hull is in the shape of a V, each side of the V is less than 10cm long. would be easy to patch. One of the seat back supports has a cracked piece in the lamination which can easily be clamped and re glued.
The "belts" on the spraydeck which fit around your waist have press stud tabs to hold them closed.
The hull fixings are very small copper nail and roves, like wooden clinker boat fixings. They look like rivits. Very well made!
Two of the paddles are in battleship grey, the third is the same colour green as the deck.
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What about this one: :D
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330583664198&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT
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Nice one Steve!
Something to be proud of
cheers
Paul
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Welcome aboard JB
I too am a keen Commando collector, you have beaten me to my ultimate prize though and have a No 1 Salamander, hopefully one day I'll find one too!
regards
Paul
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Good find Nick!
After a bit of cyber digging it appears, the site was taken over by the Ysgol Morgan Llwyd School in July 64.
It's now the 'new town' area and his been well developed. Looking in google earth, it looks like nothing remains. I've added to my 'Commando Map:
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=207590277586011107317.0004a107ac718aaa9f32b&z=4
Cheers
Paul
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Main parts of Certificate of Service attached. If anybody would like further scans, please don't hesitate to ask
regards
Paul
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Gents
Some scans of his paperwork, please add to the gallery as you feel appropriate
cheers
Paul
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Pete that?s great to learn
Many thanks for your investigative work, I?ll scan copies of the docs so you can add them to the gallery, who knows hopefully one of his offspring may chance across it and verify the photo is indeed him completing the picture.
Thanks again
Paul
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Thanks for you help guys
Any info is appreciated! It would be nice to establish his story and verify his connection with Commandos.
I do feel a bit sceptical about this grouping, but the Old Comrades Association of the Special Service Brigade card looks legit and ties to the other papers, but the photo and insignia could have just been added to the grouping to make it more attractive I guess.
Regards
Paul
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Hi
I recently bought from a respectable dealer, documents and insignia for a 4032811 Cpl. David Walter Nottingham.
The documents comprise:
1) Regular Army Service Certificate ? which states his service as:
Enlisted 8/5/39 with the KSLI
KSLI ? Home ? 8/5/39 ? 10/1/40
Northamptonshire Regt ? France ? 11/1/40 ? 3/6/40
Reconnaissance Corps ? Home ? 4/6/40 ? 19/2/43
Reconnaissance Corps ? Gibraltar ? 20/2/43 ? 1/5/43
Royal Armoured Corps ? Home 2/5/43 ? 9/7/47
2) Testimonial ? dated 1/5/47 praising conduct, etc.
3) Release certificate ? dated 7/5/47 from the 59th Trng Regt RAC
This is where it gets interesting!
4) A Membership card for the Old Comrades Associate of the Special service Brigade:
This is to certify that 2571
D. W. Nottingham is
A Life Member of the Old Comrades Associate of the Special service Brigade
Signed RL Sharples Capt, Hon. Sec.
2/3/44
5) A photo of a guy that could be wearing a commando shoulder title and combined ops patch/. Written on the back 5146 and stamped ?Rampton?s Studio, Larges, Ayreshire?
6) A (original) No. 3 Commando Shoulder Title and Combined Ops Patch
Admittedly the photo and patches could be from/of anyone, the Old Comrades Associate of the Special Service Brigade Membership Card appears genuine. However there is no reference in any of the other military paperwork that remotely hints at Commando service, is this normal or is this a ?made up? grouping??
Any information gratefully received!
Thanks
Paul
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Thanks Rob, great info and a worth cause too!
I've added to the map
Hopefully I will start to update again soon, there's a lot to add, but I want to tidy up the existing material first
cheers
Paul
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Thanks Chaps!
I think I might regret what I?ve started it?s going to be a never ending task!! I got the idea when reading ?Commando Country? having been frustrated every time a place was mentioned I wanted to try and look it up!
All the ?Titles? and info boxes are a bit temporary, I?ll improve them in slower time. In the process I found a couple of great websites too:
http://www.ww2museums.com/default.asp
http://www.secretscotland.org.uk/index.php
Now I?ve set the ball rolling lets get some contributions in!!
Cheers
Paul
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