Messages posted by: Bob Bishop

Hi Paul. I was not present at the scene of the incident, however, the War Diaries for No. 2 Cdo for October 10, 1944 state the following for Sarande, Albania:

...Revd. Banting takes party from 3 Tp to bury Capt. Parsons, Lieut. Coyle, Gnr. Clarke and Pte. Lyons. After burial he moved fwd to bury German dead in same posn, but is blown up on a mine. Stretcher party finds he has died of wounds - carried back to SARANDE by M.O. before nightfall.

I hope this information will be of assistance to you. Was your wife's grandfather with No. 2 Cdo as well?

Regards,

Hello Terence. You could check out this previous posting on 'service records, which might help.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/33.page

or go under Looking for Information - Service Records, posted in April.

Good luck

Hi David. I'm sure you already have this information, but here goes. From the War Graves Commission:

"Name: DAVIDSON, DOUGLAS MALCOLM
Initials: D M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: South Wales Borderers
Secondary Regiment: Commando
Secondary Unit Text: and No. 1
Age: 30
Date of Death: 16/03/1943
Service No: 105288
Awards: M C
Additional information: Son of Thomas Malcolm and Millicent Phoebe Davidson, of Purley, Surrey; husband of Leslie Mary Davidson, of Bromham, Wiltshire. His brother Allan Godfrey also fell.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: III. B. 7.
Cemetery: BONE WAR CEMETERY, ANNABA "

The write up about his M.C. has the following:

" ...attached to Special Service Troops.... In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North Africa. Since died of wounds L.G. 22.4.43"

Best of luck in your search.

That sounds really good Ron. Hope we get a lot of authentic stories and memories posted.

Janet & Bob

Welcome, Rob. Perhaps if you gave us your father's rank it might help jog some memories. Good luck with your search !

Hi Lauren - would it be possible for you to post the photo? My memory needs a little refreshing!!

Hello Phil:

As you may know, I was with No. 2 Cdo. I have checked the muster roll for No. 2 and found no reference to Henry Lavery. However, a review of the War Graves site came up with the following so it would appear he was with No. 6 Cdo:

Casualty Details
Name: LAVERY, HENRY
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Bombardier
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Secondary Regiment: Commando
Secondary Unit Text: and No. 6
Age: 31
Date of Death: 18/08/1944
Service No: 808452
Additional information: Son of Henry and Bridget Lavery; husband of Eileen Gertrude Lavery, of Feltham, Middlesex.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: VA. P. 1.
Cemetery: RANVILLE WAR CEMETERY

As well, if you check www.6commando.com, you will find the following reference to him:

VI COMMANDO

L/Bdr. Henry Lavery
(S/N 808452)
L/Bmbr. Henry Lavery, formerly of the Royal Artillery, served in No.4 Troop of No.6 Commando.

L/Bmdr Henry Lavery was Killed In Action (KIA) on 18th August 1944, aged 31 years, during the attack by No.4 Troop across the bridge over the River Bivette at Bavent.

Henry was the son of Henry and Bridget Lavery; and the husband of Eileen Gertrude Lavery, of Feltham, Middlesex. He is laid to rest in Ranville War Cemetery ( Calvados , Normandy , France ), Grave VA.P.1.
Back

We hope this will be of some help to you. Good luck with your search!

Where are the names, Stephen? on the photo gallery?

Wonderful pictures Steph. Too bad the one of the group has them all with their cap badges facing the other way.

Thanks for sharing them,

Janet & Bob

Have there been any articles published in the local/national papers about the Unveiling? We've searched a few we could find, but nothing has shown up yet.

We have checked in out before. It is full of good information isn't it Nick.

last one - No. 9 Comacchio - references to Smith

2nd attachment - No. 9 maps Anzio & Yugo-Slavia etc

attachment 1

We will try again - see if it works this time - attachments will follow separately -

Dear Doug:

I have dug - with a long shovel - into what we have in our archives concerning the operations of your Dad's unit, No. 9 Commando.

As you point out, the service record you have is of little help for you to understand the parameters of No. 9's operations.

I do know that my unit (No. 2) took over from No. 9 at Gibraltar in March, 1943 and No. 9 returned to the U.K. No. 9 was not involved in the campaigns in North Africa or Sicily, but was heavily involved after Sept. 1943 in Commando operations in Italy, Yugo-Slavia, Albania and Greece before they returned to Italy to fight with No. 2 at Lake Comacchio, in Northern Italy just before the war in Europe ended. In this connection, we have enclosed two maps - one concerning the Anzio beachhead and the other showing the scope of No. 9's operations throughout the region, encompassing Italy, Yugo-Slavia, Albania & Greece. Hope you can read the arrows with the '9 Cdo' legend indicating where your Dad was.

In our search for the name, Smith, in No. 9 Commando, we have with our limited resources come up with 3 commando soldiers of that name - one Smith was K.I.A so that one is eliminated, and the other two Smiths by an amazing coincidence, appear on the same account of No. 9 at Comacchio. However, they only identify the Smith boys by rank, not by first name. I'm hoping Eddie was one of them!

Inasmuch as your Dad joined No. 9 from the Black Watch, I would like you to note that Capt. Michael R. Allen was the Adjutant of No. 9 and also came from the Black Watch, so he might have some memory of Eddie, if we can find him!

Other No. 9 Officers who your Dad would have served under in Italy and elsewhere, are:

Capt. Leslie S. Calif, M.C.
Capt. Edward J. D'Arcy, M.C.
Capt. Ralph A. Cameron, M.C.
Capt. Michael A. Davies, M.C.

Hopefully some of the above-named might offer additional memory of Eddie. We both wish we could do more in the way of records of your Dad's Service, however, we appreciate your efforts, Doug, to keep on remembering a Commando Comrade!

Kindest Regards,

Bob & Janet