Messages posted by: Vlewis

I'm sure there's some Pathe footage of Commandos or Para being issued the knives just before D Day, whether this was put on for the cameras I don't know. I'll have a dig around on youtube.

Regards Vic

Peta wrote:

Vlewis wrote:

Peta wrote:

Vlewis wrote:Nick,

I look forward to you posting the photos you have even if I'm not lucky enough to spot my Dad in them. He was with the Signal Brigade from 1942 - 1945 so there's every chance they were aware of each other. I have my Dads original modified Royal Corps of Signals cap badge which you can see on some of the lads berets. I originally thought the badge was broken until a military historian who frequents the forum took a look at the picture and verified the cuts were consistent with only one he had seen previously.

Your Dad was probably involved in the Salerno landings of September 1943 being in 2 Brigade. There is a war diary on the site detailing the movements of the No2 and 41RM Commando which is worth reading as 2 Brigade Signals were in support of them. I had the good fortune to visit Salerno a couple of years ago and took the boat from Amalfi to Salerno which was quite a strange experience as I apporached the dock thinking that under completely different circumstances my Dad as a young man approached by sea 69 years ago.

Regards Vic

Hi Vic
Thanks for the welcome. :) Torch flashes... you reminded me, my brother and I were given torches... the kind that had traffic light colours... but yes Dad did the dah dah dah dit dit dah with them too. Oh my!
Have we been scared for life do you think?

I too have Dad's cap badge with the backing plate and the pin. The crown is separate but there are two different type hooks, one on Mercury's chest and the other on the world, which on close inspection look to have been soldered on. I had read in a Google book that the badge was adapted by a mechanic or something and eventually it was adopted formally. I also have his Commando Signals shoulder badges and RS shoulder insignia but no pin.

I was just thinking that I'd never seen the badge how it was originally and I've just remembered that on the back of the photo I've used for my Avatar is a drawing that Dad had done with the entire badge. The Jewel on the top of the crown is missing as I think the photo had been cut to fit a photo frame. If the badge I have now is the original that he drew from then I can see a lot of modification has been done.

Is it best to put the other photos in the gallery for other people to see that maybe won't see this thread, how does it work... do these photos get stored in the gallery?

Peta

Hi Peta,

That's funny about the torches :) I'm sure a lot of the old Signals boys done that when the opportunity arose. The cap badge you have sounds exactly the same as mine which has been modified by having the Royal Corps of Signals band cut off and some soldering work done on the back to hold the pieces together. These are extremely rare by all accounts and there appears to only be a few of these known originals that have survived. As you say, I belive they were modified by the instrument mechanic and became the norm for Brigade Signals to differentiate themselves from the Royal Corps of Signals parent regiment.

I've sent you a PM regarding this and the photos..

Regards Vic

I'll send you a PM about the badge

Peta wrote:

Vlewis wrote:Nick,

That's an amazing piece of detective work and a real result for Christine, so glad there's some closure on this one, well done !

Whilst we're on the subject, it looks like the photo has been identified as "3 section 2 Brigade Signals" As you're probably aware my Dad was in 2 Brigade Signals during this period so I wonder if you know how many sections made up 2 Brigade Signals? There's probably a few more photos out there somewhere that I'd like to see at some point.

Regards Vic

Vic,
I have a 2 troop photos and the makings of a football team. One of them seems to have rather a lot of stripes in the group and this includes my Dad with his Sgt stripes something like 7 out of 18 that I can see. When I get his service records that would narrow dates down bit further. Some of them don't appear to have Royal Signals badges on their berets either. As soon as I can scan them I'll post them.
Peta

Peta,

Welcome to the CVA site and good to correspond with you, I always keep an eye out for the Signals Brigade posts as you never know what might turn up. I enjoyed reading your story and did chuckle to myself when you mentioned your Dad tapping out morse code. I shared the same experience as a young child when I got an adventure kit as a birthday present probably about 8 or 9 as I remember, as well as a compass which he tried to teach me how to use there was a torch with a flash button on it. For several weeks after I got it he would grab the torch and dah dah dit dit with it. Unfortunately I never got a grip of morse but a very fond memory.

I look forward to you posting the photos you have even if I'm not lucky enough to spot my Dad in them. He was with the Signal Brigade from 1942 - 1945 so there's every chance they were aware of each other. I have my Dads original modified Royal Corps of Signals cap badge which you can see on some of the lads berets. I originally thought the badge was broken until a military historian who frequents the forum took a look at the picture and verified the cuts were consistent with only one he had seen previously.

Your Dad was probably involved in the Salerno landings of September 1943 being in 2 Brigade. There is a war diary on the site detailing the movements of the No2 and 41RM Commando which is worth reading as 2 Brigade Signals were in support of them. I had the good fortune to visit Salerno a couple of years ago and took the boat from Amalfi to Salerno which was quite a strange experience as I apporached the dock thinking that under completely different circumstances my Dad as a young man approached by sea 69 years ago.

Regards Vic

NIC wrote:Hi Vic,
Christine told me that you had looked at her photo closely to see if your father was on it - Peta's photo is almost identical but of greater resolution - maybe...

Sorry, I don't know offhand how many sections made up 2 Brigade Signals, but will try and find out...
I'm guessing there were at least three sections! ;-)

Nick

Nick,

Thanks for putting up the two documents detailing the Signal Troop / Brigade formation, very interesting and gives me a better insight into how things worked, much appreciated.

I also took a look at the higher def group photos you posted on Peta's thread and can say confidently that the man I thought maybe my Dad is not unfortunately, but at least I know for sure as on and off I've looked at that photo a hundred times and glad I can put that to bed.

Thanks for your continued help and good to see Signals Brigade information surfacing.

Regards Vic

Nick,

That's an amazing piece of detective work and a real result for Christine, so glad there's some closure on this one, well done !

Whilst we're on the subject, it looks like the photo has been identified as "3 section 2 Brigade Signals" As you're probably aware my Dad was in 2 Brigade Signals during this period so I wonder if you know how many sections made up 2 Brigade Signals? There's probably a few more photos out there somewhere that I'd like to see at some point.

Regards Vic

Pete,

I must say, i've just spent a few minutes staring at the latest photo on the homepage (Commando memorial and mountains) and must congratulate the photographer. I don't know a thing about photography but find it very captivating and stirs the imagination.

Regards Vic

All,

Just saw this by accident in the random image section within the gallery. Looks like the same piece but with a No 2 Commando band at the top?

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/simpson/P1060097.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Regards Vic

Hi Nick,

I've had a good look at this and for the price of a pint (London prices) I downloaded to Kindle "British Army Cap Badges of the Second World War". Using this as a reference I made my list in order of probability, 1 being the most probable cap badge. Although not clear in the photo, it appears the center section is not solid and the cloth of the beret can be seen through the badge. There also appears to be some staggering of the bottom point (6 o'clock) consistent with The Worcestershire Regiment although the RASC looks the best fit.

1. Royal Army Service Corps

2. The Worcestershire Regiment

3. The Devonshire Regiment

4. The Cheshire Regiment

Regards Vic

amazing stuff, worthy cause worth supporting.

Hi Danny,

You've probably come across the 6 Commando website but in case you haven't there's a link to your Grandfather as serving and a few more details. Good luck in your search.

http://www.6commando.com/Pages/Other%20Ranks/OR%20Pages/S/Struthers%20R/OR%20Struthers%20R.html

Regards Vic

Hi,

It's a reproduction, the originals were about 7cm x 4cm. The thread pattern is different, the daggers were closer together with the "S" for each respective dagger almost sitting on top of each other but slightly off center.

Regards Vic

Hi John,

Nice looking knife,

I think I've found a match for the etching which appears to be an early post war circa 1954 although the condition of the knife looks much more recent unless it's been re-finshed (nickel plating) on the grip.

Although the "Made in England" as oppsed to "London" on the etch does appear in some later models it was apperently used quite early as well. Most of the etchings have Wilkinson London.

have Pm'd you the link, what do you think?

Regards Vic

Wow, this has changed significantly since I was up there, looks fantastic!

Hi John,

Thanks for the overview, currently unavailable through Amazon at the moment.

Regards Vic

Hi John,

Is this a completely new source of info or an update / reprint of previous material?

Regards Vic