Messages posted by: Belly

This is great news, I was never comfortable that it was being properly cared for. There are some incredible exhibits in there, some very scarce (and therefore valuable) which were never given the prominence they deserve. Sadly there are also some displays featuring reproduction/fake insignia, which is fine due to the scarcity, but it would be nice if they were labelled as such, if originals cant be sourced.
It would be great if a inventory could be published with the provenance of the items, when I've enquired previously, they didn't seem to have one or any idea what was in the collection at all.
Well done fellow associate members!
Regards
Paul

Hi
RM and Army cdo berets were exactly the same in WWII. The leather band disappeared in the late 40s. RMs sometimes added a stiffener to the front behind the badge, but I saw the beret is also missing its liner again a post war trait.
Most veterans after the war replaced their berets, with tidier, cleaner ones for remembrance parades etc. These proud men wouldn't want to be seen in decades old tatty uniform on parade!
You still have a lovely set of items, well done
cheers
Paul

Kit bag looks great, there is an Army Cdo kit bag in the West Highland museum, that belonged to Eric Groves, 2 Cdo.
The beret looks like it might have a silk band as opposed to leather which would make it post war.

Does it mention Layforce?

Here you go:

SURNAME
Hough
FORENAME
A.D.V.
UNIT
1 SAS (B Squadron)
RANK
Lieutenant
NUMBER
85461
AWARD
Mention in Despatches
PLACE
Middle East (London Gazette 15.6.1944)
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Rifle Brigade
Middle East Commando 1941
1 SAS 1942

Could this be him:
http://www.specialforcesroh.com/showthread.php?40531-Hough-A-D-V&highlight=hough

Will do Pete, just compiling as much documentary evidence as we can first.
Thanks
Paul

Thanks Guy, appreciate your help!
The medals were sent to:
Dr W D V Burton, at the Medical Centre in Soham Cambs. I believe this Dr Burton was commissioned in the Royal Norfolk Reg in WWII

It does look like Horwood on the service records, but all the CWGC clearly state Harwood?

Cheers
Paul

Hi Nick

No problem at all, its fair to say there may very well be inaccuracies in service records too, which is why it's always good to gather information from as many sources as possible. I think in this instance it does seem fairly conclusive and the additional records that the CWGC has now published on its website are a great help. Obviously you can't delve into that level of detail for each of the tens of thousand men on the CVA's nominal rolls, but the effort the CVA has put in to compiling the information and publishing it in the public domain is incredible. Please keep up the good work, I'm glad I could contribute in a very small way.

If anybody has any additional information about Kenneth Harwood Burton, or can provide any leads I'd love to hear from them.

Thanks
Paul

Thanks Pete

I'll follow those leads up when I get chance. Some additional information for his bio:

He was born 02/03/1912 in Rhondda, Wales. He was a butcher's assistant when he enlisted/attested aged 18 in Pontypridd in the rank of Trooper for 'Cavalry of the Line', for 6 years with colours and 6 in reserve.

In 1949 his medal entitlement was sent to his next of kin in Soham Cambridgeshire, so it looks like the family had moved around since he originally enlisted some 19 years earlier.

Kind regards
Paul

Many thanks Pete

I assume there is not much point me contacting the National Museum Scotland and the Isle of Arran Heritage Museum for any further information as I see from the gallery you have been working very closely with them to share their material on here?

Kind regards
Paul

I'm currently researching Sergeant Kenneth Harwood Burton, 404001, of the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) and 11 Cdo, who was sadly killed in action during Operation Exporter, the Litani River raid, on 9th June 1941. See Roll of Honour here:
https://www.commandoveterans.org/KennethHarwoodBurton11Commando

My first query/request for help is regarding his parent regiment which is stated in the Roll of Honour as RAC and on the Nominal Roll as 2nd Dragoons, R Scots Greys, RAC:
https://www.commandoveterans.org/11CommandoNomRollA-C

I am in possession of a copy of his service records which state (paraphrasing):

Following on enlistment on 23/06/1930 he was sent to the 1st King's Dragoon Guards on 26/06/1930.

On 04/03/1932 he was posted to Royal Dragoons aka The 1st Royal Dragoons in India, before moving on to Egypt on 20/11/1935.

He returned back to the UK on 13/05/1936 before transferring on to the Section B Army Reserve on 29/09/1936.

He was mobilised in Edinburgh 02/09/1939 and sent to the 3rd CT (Cavalry Training) Regiment before being posted as a Sergeant in the 11th Scottish Commando on 12/10/1940.

The rest is history and is covered in Ian McHarg's excellent book Litani River:
http://www.litaniriver.com/

A photograph of his original headstone, states:
1. 404001, Sgt K Burton, Royals
https://www.combinedops.com/Litani_River.htm

Similarly the CWGC Graves Concentration Report Form states his regiment as 1/Royals, 11 Scottish Commando and the Headstone Schedule and Graves Registration Report Form have him down as RAC:
https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2188396/BURTON,%20KENNETH%20HARWOOD

In addition, the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) didn't officially become part of the RAC until a month after his untimely death, and the pattern of his movements match exactly that of the 1st Royal Dragoons.

As such, I'm led to believe that his parent regiment as stated in the Nominal Roll i.e. 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) is incorrect and his parent regiment was in fact the Royal Dragoons aka 1st The Royal Dragoons.
If anyone has any evidence to the contrary that he did in fact serve with the 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) whilst posted to 11 Cdo, I would welcome to see it.

Finally this is a huge ask, but if anyone has a photograph of him I would really like to see a copy. I know Pete Rogers has previously had long dialogue with National Museum Scotland and the Isle of Arran Heritage Museum and extracted the majority of their archives for upload onto this site, but you never know your luck.

Many thanks
Paul

Thanks you for sharing

I've ordered a copy, good luck with the restoration fundraising

Paul

23rd Sept onwards to Inveraray.
6th Oct onwards to Blandford.
5th Nov onwards to Boscombe.
22nd Nov back to Ayr.
13th April set sail from Gourock on the HMS Dunnottar Castle (F 34) for Gibraltar. Note, early April is missing in the war diary, this is from the document '2 Commando Overseas' on this site.

Hope this helps

Superb, many thanks for this excellent record
Kind regards
Paul