Messages posted by: Peter Cooper

This is one of my father's photos and is titled:
Africa, September 1942. It is signed 'Joseph'. (These four are obviously in the French Foreign Legion.) Joseph is on the far right and is someone my father met in Amfreville at a Normandy reunion. Does anybody know his last name and if he joined the Commandos ?

The service for Dennis Cooper will be at Douglas Crematorium on the Isle of Man on Friday September 24th at 11.30am.
Donations in lieu of flowers to the CVA please.

It is with great regret and sadness that I have to inform you of the death of my father, Dennis Cooper. He was with 4 Commando at Walcheren and I think he was the last of No 1 troop.
We will never see the likes of these men again.

The Commando Association newsletter for September 1973 contains an order form for various items one of which is 'Commando Key-fobs at 30p each.

Another picture from my father's collection. These men have no shoulder flashes, does anyone know who they are ? My father thinks they may be 10 Commando.

Another photo I have found. This one of the beach front at Flushing showing the damage done by the pre-invasion bombardment.

*** update from Pete R. thanks - photo now in WW2 gallery***

My father has given me a box of photos and documents which I am in the process of sorting through. Anything worthwhile I will post on the forum. This photo was, I think, taken at the quarry at Amfreville.
Who is the Free French Commando Officer being decorated ?

Thanks for the info John. I have attached the newspaper cutting which I thought might be of interest to others.

Photo of Harry Toon who was in 1 troop No. 4 Commando with my father. Taken in June 1942 whilst he was still in the Royal Artillery prior to joining the Commandos.

An article in my local newspaper mentions 50 Commando. Has anyone ever heard of this ?

I have found the same photo in 'Combined Operations' The Official Story of the Commandos, printed in the USA in 1943.
The caption states: A Royal Marines storming party leaps ashore from it's landing craft under cover of a smoke screen.

Hello Anne,
The Special Identification Group are mentioned in the book 'Tobruk Commando'. I realise that that they only operated in the Middle East but it sounds like the sort of unit you are looking for. There is a section on Wikipedia about them.

When I lived in Australia I owned a Mk 4 SMLE which I used for shooting wild pigs. It was a lovely weapon to use, it almost became an extension of ones self. I also had a German Mauser 98k and a Japanese Arisaka 6.5mm the two standard axis infantry rifles. The Arisaka had a very long barrel and with the 14" bayonet made it lethal when in hand to hand combat as the Jap would have the advantage of greater reach. The bayonet could also be used as a small sword or as a machete. However, I still think the Lee Enfield was the better rifle.
Unfortunately, I had to sell them prior to my return to the UK.
You are lucky to be able to to use yours.

I have just finished reading the last of four books from my late father's collection and can highly recommend them all:

Commando Subaltern at War by W.G Jenkins DSO
Tobruk Commando by Gordon Landsborough
SBS - The Invisible Raiders by James D. Ladd
MI9 - Escape and Evasion 1939-1945 by M.R.D. Foot & J.M.Langley

World at War is starting again on BBC 2 today (Monday 5th) at 1pm.