Messages posted by: NIC

ViA wrote:Hi

...There is a chance that they would have met in Burma. from what i can gather it was a fairly small but successful commando force.
Cheers

Not that small - 3 Commando Brigade consisted of No1, No5, 42RM Cdo & 44RM Cdo

John M wrote:A Commando usually contained 6 Troops + HQ Troop
each troop was of 60 Men
further divided into 2 sections of 30 men
further into 2 Sub Sections of 15 men
and in Burma further again into
2 'Fighting Troops 'of 7 men.( In Number 1 Cdo)

In other words each Commando Unit comprised over 360 men;
therefore, 3 Cdo Brigade had manning in excess of 1440 (4 x 360)

Nick

Hi Paul,

So far despite extensive searches I've only found one knuckle knife with serrations as you describe - unfortunately this one is very modern!

http://www.brassknucklescompany.com/CRE/stealth-knuckles-knife-wartech-pi-380.html?image=0

Nick

Pete,
As you know Lance Sarjeant Bill Gibson came from the Thornliebank area of Glasgow

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2146248

In my experience, when searching for relatives etc, a letter to the local press can turn up good results.

Good luck,

Nick

ps Not trying to teach my granny to suck eggs )

Stephen,
apropos a recent message where you said that your dad may have been in 5 Troop, No 5 Commando, here is a list of "chief personalities" in 1943/44 in India/Burma as published in an article in The Third Jungle Book, Issue No 9, March 46.

Commanding Officer (CO) ~ Lt-Col D M Shaw MC;
2 i/c ~ Major C R M Stuart;
Adjutant ~ Capt A E Holt
no1 Troop Commander ~ Major ' Woner' Bray MC;
no2 Troop Commander ~ Capt Charles Beard;
no3 Troop Commander ~ Capt 'Chips' Heron MC;
no4 Troop Commander ~ Capt Dickie Sheddon;
no5 Troop commander ~ Capt Bill Kerr;
no6 Troop Commander ~ Capt John Bowyer.

Obviously this article was written prior to Bill Kerr gaining his Immediate MC for action on 23 Mar 44.

other significant dates and names:
20 May 44 TSM Lancaster took over as RSM from Reg (Tara) Newton.
11 Sept 44 Lt-Col D M Shaw MC relinquishes command of No 5 Commando to return to UK.
12 Sept 44, Lt-Col C J B Pollitt assumed command of No 5 Commando.
13 Jan 45, Major Bray, no 1 Troop Commander, severely wounded, Capt John Sergeant took over.
14 Jan 45, Capt Ken Waggett was wounded and command of no 4 Troop went to Lt D H Burr.
31 Jan 45, Lt-Col Pollitt wounded in the knee and 2i/c, Major Stuart assumed command. Promoted to Lt-Col soon after.
9 June 45, Lt Noble MC and Capt Bowyer (no 6 Troop Commander) left for UK - no mention of a replacement for Capt Bowyer.
18 July 45 Major-General Festing visited the unit.

I'm still trying to find out about Capt Beasley...
I still think it probable that he might have taken over from Bill Kerr who was badly injured 23 Mar 44

nick

To answer my own question:

... the Khaki Field Service Cap was worn by all ranks after the introduction of their battledress into the Corps in 1939. It was also worn by some recruits and others wearing Khaki Service Dress. It was an optional item from 1948...

http://www.royalmarinesmuseum.co.uk/museumresearch/PDFs/Marines%20Unforms.pdf

Fascinating!
One question that springs to my mind is about the bottom photo. This shows Cpl Harold Plank, in Battle Dress, wearing a Field Service Cap (often, erroneously, called a Forage Cap) - did the RM actually wear a Field Service Caps?

The CWGC entry:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=2034187

Nick

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/bill_millin.htm

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/derek_mills_roberts.htm

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/lord_lovat.htm

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/depth_1bgd6th.htm

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/depth_commandos.htm

http://www.lonesentry.com/articles/ttt/commando-raid-varengeville-dieppe.html

Hi Alex,
welcome aboard - it's good to see another person looking for info on No5 - the more people we have the more likerly we are to find out snippets and piece together the bigger picture.

There are a few photos of No5 Commandos on here - have a look as there may be a chance you can recognise your G/F...
also if you have any of him post them up.

Nick

not Commando specific, but there are some great stories and anecdotes including that of David Paton, No 2 Commando MO at St Nazaire...

and Sergeant Richard (Dick) Bradley 1 Troop, No 2 Commando, captured at St Nazaire and escaped from Stalag VIIIB

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/categories/

nick

The obituaries of Geoffrey Rees-Jones who died in 2004.
He is significant to me in that not only was he a great Welsh International Rugby Union player but he was also instrumental in forming No5 Commando.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1473259/Geoffrey-Rees-Jones.html