Messages posted by: NIC

A report by GENERAL SIR GEORGE J.GIFFARD, G.C.B., D.S.O., A.D.C.,
Commander-in-Chief, 11 Army Group, South-East Asia Command

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/39171.pdf

http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/wwIIspec/number01.pdf

Mark,
Here is the portion of your G/F's Record you needed deciphering. Sorry about the delay.

Nick

Hi Nina,

Here is a photo taken in 2008 of Lancs Fusiliers - you'll see their yellow hackle and the dark general service beret - which can appear purple in some light...

hi Nina,
Any joy with your dad's service record yet?
I've been doing a bit more research on the Lancs Fusiliers and it would appear that they formed part of the Special Force, The 2nd Chindit Expedition 1944...
The force comprised six brigades and Ist Lancs Fusiliers were in 77th Brigade.

Each brigade was divided into columns and a Headquarters.

A column had about 400 men and typically consisted of,

- Infantry company of four platoons armed with rifles and light machine guns.

- Heavy weapons platoon armed with two Vickers machine guns, two 3-inch mortars and anti-tank weapons.

- Commando platoon for demolitions and setting booby traps.

- Reconnaissance platoon with a section of Burma Rifles.

- The column also included RAF, sapper, signaller and medical detachments.

I wonder if it's possible that your dad was with the Chindits?
http://www.chindits.info/Thursday/SpecialForce.htm

Nick

Holding Operational Commando (HOC)

After six weeks gruelling training, proudly wearing their green berets presented on the final day of the course, the fledgling Commandos marched away from Achnacarry on the six miles to the Spean Bridge railway station to travel to the HOC, established in late1943 at Wrexham in Wales, where the Commandos were posted to undergo further training before drafting to an operational Commando.

Commando Mountain Warfare Training Centre (CMWTC)

As well as the Basic Commando Training Depot at Achnacarry, a further Commando training centre was set up at Braemar in the Cairngorm mountains of Scotland for the purpose of specialised training in mountain warfare, initially christened the CMWTC.

The instructors included a whole range of experienced mountaineers, including Major John Hunt, who later organised and led the first successful ascent of Mount Everest.
Later CMWTC moved to St Ives in Cornwall to instruct two RM Commandos in cliff-climbing techniques for their proposed roles on D Day.
Thereafter, the unit in addition to training cliff climbers also became the centre for the planning, training and experimenting for small boat and canoe raiding, and in this role several of the instructors took part in the operations at Walcheren and the crossing of the Rhine.

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/content/1/c6/01/42/11/Specialforces02.pdf

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/content/1/c6/01/42/11/Specialforces02.pdf

http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/museumresearch/PDFs/Royal%20Marines%20&%20Landing%20Craft.pdf

Here is an extract from the Carmarthen County War Memorial website:

Above is a clipping showing the two Rowlands brothers, Verdun and Bernard. They both served in No. 1 Commando, after having volunteered from the 4th Welsh, and saw active service in North Africa and Italy with the Commandos.

Four men from Laugharne volunteered to serve in the Commandos in WW2, and were accepted after having passed their rigorous training course at Achnacarry, Scotland.
They were Glynford Brown (below), Maurice Brace, and Verdun and Bernard Rowlands.
Glynford was wounded on a Commando raid, either Dieppe or St. Nazaire, and returned to the 4th Welsh. He landed with the 4th Welsh as part of the 53rd (Welsh) Division as part of the second wave of troops into Normandy, and was wounded again in France.
They were tough men even into their old age!

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/Service+in+a+Commando+by+Lt_+Col_+A_C_+Neman_001.pdf.html

Hi Denise,
That's the Holding Operational Commando in Wrexham.

The HOC was where trained Commandos were held (post Achnacarry) before moving forward to their respective Commando - basically to replace killed and wounded commandos.

Staff were made up from wounded Commandos - my father served there as an Instructor after being wounded in Burma.
It was a very frustrating posting for veteran Commandos.
I will scrutinise your photo very closely to see if my Dad is there.

Nick

As a native of Pembrokeshire, I know this memorial at Freshwater West very well.
This memorial is to commemorate the 73 Royal Marine and Royal Navy crews from Landing Craft Gun (Large) 15 & 16 who perished when the boats went down in rough seas at Fresh' West and the crewmen from HMS Rosemary who attempted to save the drowning men. This tragic incident happened 25 - 26 April 1943.
A further memorial, listing the 73 Officers, Ratings and Other Ranks who tragically perished, can be found in Milford Haven Cemetery.
the memorial also lists the 6 crewmen from HMS Rosemary.

http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Pembrokeshire/MilfordHavenLCG.html

We Will Remember Them

Nick

A list of books that may be useful.

I will be adding to the list once I have collected a few more titles.
Nick

http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/museumresearch/PDFs/Royal%20Marines%20In%20Combined%20Operations%201939-45.pdf