Messages posted by: Pete

Remembering all the Fallen and all who suffered life changing injuries 81 years ago.

The Commando Fallen https://www.commandoveterans.org/Operation_Chariot_ROH

The Commando Charioteers https://www.commandoveterans.org/operation_chariot

The Naval Charioteers http://www.operation-chariot.org/personnel-1.html

Hi Martin

Have you tried this website which has a tremendous amount of information and is managed by the son of a RN Beach Commando. They also have a Facebook History Group.

http://www.relaysystem.co.uk/id3.html

Pete

I have recently added the name of another commando to our Roll of Honour for Operation Chariot which took place 81 years ago this month. He had previously been recorded as seriously wounded during the raid. We did know he died in the UK 10 months later but not the cause or circumstances. On receipt of his death certificate I can now confirm he died by enemy action as a result of the gunshot wounds to his head and leg. This is clearly marked on his death certificate.

Remembering all the Fallen including 6019554 Lance Corporal Henry Francis Fowler No.2 Commando https://www.commandoveterans.org/Fowler2Commando

Hi Alistair

Not all the courses that took place there were Commando courses. We have a list of Courses at Achnacarry which shows there were numerous non commando units attending Courses. Additionally the Courses all have very different time lengths. The Home Guard had two Courses at Achnacarry. Elements of the 24th Guards Brigade attended four different Courses between May and October 1942 each course varying between 9 days and 15 days in length. This was likely in preparation for operations in North Africa.

https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+Training/courses/CBTC+1942+1944+spean+copy.jpg.html

Pete

Hi David

Thanks for the photos which have now been, or are in the process of being, added to archive. I have also attached a clip of the write up about the gathering at Arran in Commando Association newsletter 84.

John C. Anderson - https://www.commandoveterans.org/JohnAnderson_11Commando

Charles Lock - https://www.commandoveterans.org/CharlesLock_11Commando

Robert Murray - https://www.commandoveterans.org/RobertMurray_11Commando

Laurie Low - https://www.commandoveterans.org/Lawrie_Low_11Commando

Your father Gordon Edmiston O.B.E., M.C. - https://www.commandoveterans.org/Gordon_Edmiston_11Commando

No.11 Commando Gallery: https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/11/

Pete

Not sure if this was the Tice you mentioned, but here was a Commander Cecil Montague Tice in the RN Reserve. He was brought back from retirement during WW2 along with many other retired naval officers. Is the detail about your Father from his Service Record that you have obtained ?
Pete

Worth a read should you encounter any issues or have any questions.

https://www.commandoveterans.org/FrequentlyAskedQuestions

Remembering The Fallen and all who suffered life changing injuries.

View the No.9 Commando Roll of Honour https://www.commandoveterans.org/9CommandoROH

Search the full Commando Roll of Honour https://www.commandoveterans.org/commando_roll_of_honour

Remembering the French from No.10 Inter Allied Commando who took part and were never seen alive again.

Mort pour la France
TREPEL, Charles
HAGNERE, Jean
GUY, Rene
RIVIERE, Jacquelin
DEVILLERS, Fernand
CABANELLA, Roger

Read more here: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Operation_Premium

Hi Jason

Unlike today not all Royal Marines were Commandos in WW2. We do not have access to official service records. RM Service Records can be applied for without a service number but for obvious reasons additional detail should be provided in order to find the right 'Jack Bailey'. Difficulties come in to play with names like Jack as often it was used instead of John. Does anyone know when and where he died? If so you could apply for a copy of his death certificate.

You can find more about the Service Record application process here:
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records

Pete

Hi Mark

I have updated our archive and gallery with details that we know for sure at the moment. Should you in the future obtain his service record and discover a specific commando unit just let me know and I will amend it. Also I can add your surname if you provide it to the credit rather than just your first name should you wish that.

A-Z Personnel: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Leonard_Cubitt_RM

Gallery: https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/Holding+Operational+Commando+HOC/Cubitt/

Pete

Hi David

Thank you for contacting us about your father and providing a copy of his memoir of service. The error in his first name on the nominal roll has been corrected and our Obituaries (where his first name was shown correctly) have been updated to reflect your father's dates of birth and death. I have also updated our No.11 Commando Gallery with a copy of the photo of your father (currently on page 1) and provided a link there to a personnel page now in the archive which you will see has a copy of his memoir included. On that page I have included sources for information shown in addition to yourself. The one source I cannot find in the London Gazette is that of his rank as Captain which is the rank the original Commando Association of which he was a member listed for him and which I have included. If correct this may have been a permanent or temporary rank he held, or an honorary one granted on leaving the service which should be shown in the London Gazette (the one entry there I cannot find is his leaving the service). Are you able to provide any information on this ?

Here are the links to the entries:

No.11 Gallery: https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/11/

A-Z Personnel: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Gordon_Edmiston_11Commando

Pete

Link was broken on above...now corrected.

I have now added details of 278 Commandos to the Police list. They can all be viewed here:

https://www.commandoveterans.org/police_volunteers_ww2

Looking at your Uncle Bill's service record and bearing in mind that in WW2, unlike today, many Royal Marines were not RM Commandos but may have served in areas where commandos were also operating, it shows his RM units as:

a) 1st Coastal Artillery Regiment, Royal Marines, which became part of Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation 1 (MNBDO1).
b) Siege Regiment, Royal Marines https://royalmarinesheritagetrails.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/RM-Siege-Regiment-1940-44.pdf
c) 33 Bn., Royal Marines.
Many of the RM Landing Craft crews and other units were were re-mustered at the beginning of 1945 as infantry due to manpower shortages in the 21st Army Group. They formed the 116th and 117th Infantry Brigades, Royal Marines, (1 and 15 January 1945 respectively), organised as standard Army Brigades. 116th Brigade was ready first and went to Europe at the beginning of February 1945. 33rd Battalion of 117th Brigade was flown out to Germany in advance of the rest of the Brigade and worked with 28th Battalion of 116th Brigade in organizing the surrender of German Naval personnel in Kiel (Source: IWM https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/30072749).

Some Royal Marines in May 1945 (not commandos) at Kiel https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205160045

It is difficult to know exactly what the 47RM Commando connection was. Your Uncle Bill served in RM Artillery units so perhaps he was involved in providing artillery support for the commandos at some point.