Messages posted by: Jacqueline Foster

Pete, I just watched your two videos on YouTube.

They are beautiful.

Thank you for sharing them with us.

Jacqueline

Thank you again Pete for placing the photos of John on the forum

Jacqueline

Hi Eileen,

I just read all the topics you have created on the forum. It is lovely to read about your dad. Gosh, you know so much. I have probably already told you that. Very, very interesting to read. I have learnt heaps about the commandos from you and others on the forum.

You are such a hoot! I bet you wake up in the morning with a smile on you face.

Thanks for being my good mate.
Jacqueline

John and his brothers Peter and Billy were all in the 1st Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borders.

Peter served in Malaya in 1955-56 and Billy served in Korea in 1951 where he was very badly injured.

Jacqueline

Hello Craig,

Can you tell me please if the photo shown on the left of your message on this forum is of my uncle John? I can't make out the face. It may not be.

Do you know if your uncle Mike is related to John?

Is there any chance that you could ask your uncle Mike if he could ask his friend who is a collector if I could possibly get a copy of the correspondence he has relating to John? I would be so grateful.

Thank you

Regards

Jacqueline

Hello Nick,

Thank you for your reply and for sharing the information about your dad. It was very interesting to read.

This forum is great. I have learnt so much.

Jacqueline

I was told by John's sister Anne that he put his age up to join the KOSB.

I typed in John Notman, Lofoton Islands and found Michael who I think is Craig's uncle. He said John was embodied in 1939.

If John joined up in early 1939 he would have been 17 years of age. I think the enlistment age was 18.
I hope someone will correct me if I am wrong.

Regards
Jacqueline

Hello Michael,

John Notman was my uncle. Can you tell me if you are related to John please and if you have any further information on him?

All the best
Jacqueline Foster

I was told that John was born on 22 August 1921. I received his birth certificate today and it says that he was born on 22 September 1921.

He was 22 when he died on 2 July 1944 and would have been 23 in the September.

Jacqueline

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone

Jacqueline

Thank you for setting me straight Nick. I appreciate your quick response and knowledge.

Jacqueline

I said previously that I had read the war diaries of No4 Commando for 2 July 1944 about there being two casualties on that day.

What I actually read we're the National Archives catalogue no. WO 218/66 on the site No4 Commando The Pegasus Archive.

I thought the archives and diaries are one and the same. I'm not sure now.
I apologise if I have made a mistake.

Jacqueline

Pete, thank you very much for the lovely photo of John.

Jacqueline

Hello Bill,

The war dairies said that there were two casualties on 2 July. So I am presuming the other casualty was the other commando who was injured on the day John died as depicted in Swiftly they Struck. As I said the way the book depicts the commando's death is the way I have been told John died.

Thank you for your work on the Nominal Roll Bill.

Jacqueline

Hello,
I have read the war diaries for No4 Commando for 2 July 1944 and it says there were two casualties. In the book Swiftly they Struck by Murdoch McDougall he talks about John on D-Day on page 65 then briefly on page 126 and then on page 131 to the end of the chapter he talks about the young man who was injured and in detail about the one who died. Ho does not mention John by name but I am sure he is talking about John as this is the way I have been told he died. It talks about John around half an hour before his death and then when the mortar struck the side of the slit trench he was in. They got him out and he had been hit in the back and barely alive. He whispered his last words, which are written in the book and shortly afterwards John died.

I bought the book from Amazon.UK and am waiting on the delivery of James Dunning's book. The Fighting Fourth. No4 Commando 1940-1945.

It was very emotional reading the book.

Regards
Jacqueline