Messages posted by: Bob Bishop

Hi John - we had some discussion of the possibility of a photo archive a few months ago - see below. At the time it seemed they were "working"on something. Hope it happens soon. There are a lot of photos that should be made available to those interested.

Sorting them by Unit would really make things a lot easier too.

All the best,

Janet & Bob

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31/05/2007 21:59:25 Subject: Photos
Stephen Unwin
Forum Lance Corporal

Joined: 17/05/2007 10:45:46
Messages: 11
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I wondering if it would be a good idea or not for us all to pool our photos relating to WWII commandos.

The reason I ask is maybe it would attract more members especially descendants if they could see the amount of information which may be available.

If its a storage problem, tell me to shut up!

01/06/2007 16:41:48 Subject: Re

hotos
John M
Forum Sergeant

Joined: 18/04/2007 16:22:37
Messages: 48
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That seems to be a great idea Stephen
Send it through to admin and see what he can do.
Regards
John M

01/06/2007 16:49:52 Subject: Re

hotos
geoffmurray1
Forum Corporal

Joined: 10/01/2007 22:08:43
Messages: 25
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Hi Steve, as John says, Admin (or Danny) is in the process of updating the site to include a photo album for each Commando in the history pages. He may be able to add a misc photo page also. Can't wait!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Geoff Murray
CVA
National Secretary
01869 243140

Stephen - so glad to hear things went so well today. We've been thinking of everyone all day. We will wait (patiently) for further reports and pictures !!

Best regards to all,

Bob & Janet

We have been watching with trepidation the flooding that has been happening lately in Britain. We certainly hope that this has not affected any of you and that it will not put a damper on the Ceremony on Sunday. We sincerely offer our congratulations to Geoff and John and all others who have worked so long and hard to put this together.

Our very best to all. Wish we could be there too. We will be thinking of our Comrades.

Bob & Janet

Dear Stephane:

Regarding your posting "Richard Dorsett, No. 3 Commando", who is remembered with honour as one of the 176 fallen of No. 3, we have noted the information you gave, so we have only indicated data which you did not describe. Our information is little enough, but perhaps it might be useful.

Reg. No.: 6349636 Rank: Private
Parent Unit: Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Place of Birth: Shropshire, England, 1923
AB64 Res.: Croydon, Surrey, England

Descriptive writings of No. 3 Commando's operations at Vaagso, Norway, 1941, and Dieppe, France, 1942, make no reference to this soldier, however it is entirely possible that Pte. Dorsett was involved in No. 3 Commando's campaign in Sicily and the landing at Termoli, Italy in 1943.

We hope that any of the few No. 3 veterans who remain, expecially those of Richard's comrades in Normany, can add further information.

Thank you for remembering a Commando.

Hi - Brian?

Sorry to say we do not know Joe Burnett, but wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the photos you sent, especially the recent one. It would appear from the cap badge that Joe was with No. 4 Cdo. He is also wearing a RBL member pin. Perhaps the local Legion Branches could help with your search (if he has in fact gone back to his home area).

We wish you luck with your search, knowing how thrilled Joe would be to know you remembered him and wanted to keep in touch.

All the best in your search.

Bob & Janet

Dear Colin:

Since your latest posting, my wife Janet - the Archivist of all things Commando - has come up with some details concerning your Dad. You had indicated a photo you had included a swordfish emblem on your father's sleeve. Attached is a reproduction of that swordfish insignia with the numerals '101' superimposed on it. Of course, this means that your Dad was at that time serving in 101 Troop of No. 6 Commando which were a bunch of specialist canoeist and folboat operatives. This Troop was disbanded at the end of April 1942.

101 Troop was commanded by Capt. (later Brig. Gen.) Gerald S. Montanaro who would have been your Dad's brother-officer at that time. Brig. Montanaro's history of 101 Troop can be viewed at website www.kd.ac.uk/lhcma which is the Liddel Hart Centre for Military Archives at King's College, London.

Janet also came up with a thumbnail history of your Dad together with his photograph from a No. 6 Commando source. This can be found under personnel - officers - at www.6commando.com. There is a lot of information at that site as well. I can well imagine your amazement at the paupacity of details in his service records. This is a general complaint that you hear all the time and it is a great pity that the army records people could not have made a better effort and displayed some sensitivity towards the feelings of the relatives who eventually read the records.

Insofar as Dieppe is concerned, as you know No. 6 did not participate in this operation as a unit, so it is thought that Lt. Russell was probably loaned to either No. 3 or No. 4 Commandos as a specialist to help out. We will do some more digging on that subject.

It is certainly a good thing to hear from someone concerning No. 6 Commando. We think you are the first contact from such a great group of men. We in No. 2 had the highest regard for the performance of No. 6 in Algeria and Tunisia in '43 and later for their exploits in N.W. Europe. I would have been delighted to have known your Dad and we offer our sympathy to you . We hope that he had a good life after he came home in '45.

Kindest regards,

Bob & Janet

It is a wonderful picture John. We are looking forward to attending this November.

Bob & Janet.

ps good comments on Geoff - he deserves all our thanks and appreciation.

Hi Ron - Picture came through just great. It is wonderful to see.

Now, go and apologize to Denise.

Regards,

Janet and Bob

Dear Steve:

I found your question regarding regimental marches very thought-provoking down the old 'memory lane' track. Of course I can only answer regarding 2 Commando, but our 'band' consisted of Lt. Col. (Mad-Jack) Churchill and his bagpipes.

One has to equate bands, and regimental marches that go with them, with formal parades and 2 Commando was not long on parades. In fact, I can only remember one decent-quality parade at all which was when No. 2 was reviewed by Marshal Tito in Yugoslavia in 1944. But the partizan army did have its own band, strangely enough, or else we would have been out of luck for keeping in step as we hoofed it past the Marshal on a stone and boulder strewn strip of ground that wasn't exactly the Horse Guards Parade in London.

I do appreciate the stirring qualities of military music however and I was quite moved to hear the regimental march of the Royal Norfolk's, Rule Britannia! being played when I was a kid soldier at 16 in 1940.

Having said that, Steve, one has to remember that bands, cooks, clerks, regimental police and overcoats were all surplus items to the Commando establishment.

By the way, I really do like the march 'Highland Laddie', also 'Scotland the Brave' which are much nicer sounding than the stuff Mad-Jack used to come up with.

Good luck with your presentation,

Regards

Wonderful idea, can't wait for the photo gallery.

As well, would it be possible to set up another area where stories, information, memorials, tributes etc. could be posted. A place where we are not 'looking' for information, but have information that could and should be shared.

Just the glimmerings of an idea.

Bob & Janet

Jim wrote the following in some of our correspondences:

"Yes i received Bobs letter and salute, my heartfelt thanks and gratitude to you both and the CVA for putting us together"

and

"ps.What a great website the CVA run."

We thoroughly agree - Geoff, accept the 'pat on the back' and take a big bow !!!!

Bob and Janet

Dear Jim:

Your first letter to us gave us the very sad news of your Dad's passing in 1994. Although it has been 63 years since I was last with Doug, I thought that he would always be around to one day meet up with again. After all, I had him as part of my life for almost 6 years as a great friend and a wonderful comrade.

Doug was a bit older than myself. I met him first when I enlisted in the Royal Norfolk Regt. I was 16 in 1940 and he sort of watched out for me in the manner of an older brother. I went to No. 2 Commando in '41 and Doug followed me in April '42 after taking down his stripes so that he could go to Achnacarry which he 'breezed through with no fuss or comment. You Dad soon made his mark in the Commando and was quickly promoted to his rank of Sgt. before he left Scotland to go overseas. As Doug was a quiet and modest man I am not surprised at all to read that he told you nothing of what followed in his tenure with No. 2.

I can send you some specific details and excerpts from the actual 2 Commando War Diaries which can be mailed to any address you choose. Also, my personal memories of Dougie would fill a book and I will be so happy to pass these on to you.

Mike (Major) Stilwell and I seem to be the only army officers still around who saw service in No. 2. He is the tall one on the left in the picture taken last year. I am the short guy on the right. The salutes are our message for Doug and the rest of our boys who we remember so well.

We will be in touch again soon, Jim.

Kindest personal regards,

Bob and Janet

Hi Jim - We will send this reply this way. We see by your other post that it is indeed the Doug Webster Bob remembers so well from No. 2 Cdo. We sincerely hope he is still with us as Bob has been filling me with recollections of him all morning. He has so very much to pass on to you.

All the best

Janet & Bob

Dear Daniel:

Scrutiny of available information concerning Pierre does not reveal much pertinent data. We list as follows what we have been able to ascertain:

Name: Pierre (nmi) Laux
Rank: Private
Service No: 13807764
Parent Unit: Devonshire Regiment
Date of Death: 02 Nov. 1944 Year of Birth: 1918
Casualty No.: 2033970
Place of Death: In or near the environs of Flushing
Possible O.C.: No. 1 & No. 2 Troops, Major B.W. Boucher-Myers
Nov. 4 Cdo C.O.: Lt. Col. R.W.F. Dawson, DSO
Photographs: none found
Next of kin: wife, Hilda Laux, residing at Astley Bridge, Lancs. U.K. at the time of casualty notification.

Note: The Grand Duchy of Luxemburg does not have archives concerning its citizens who enlisted externally in foreign armed forces. Any record available which describes Pierre's service in H.M. Forces will be held at Army Records Office, Glasgow.

Sorry we could not have been of more help.

Regards,

Bob & Janet Bishop

Dear Vic:

It was a pleasure to read your posting regarding your Dad's service with 2 S.S. Brigade Sgnl. Trp. My best recollection of that unit was when they were in support of No. 2 Commando at Salerno Sept. 9 - Sept. 17, 1943. At Salerno, your Dad would have been under the command of the Bde. Sgnl. Trp. C.O. who was Captain Clifford V. James, M.C. The only other name I have a record of is Signalman William A. Kirkhope, DCM.

My wife, Janet, is a historian of all things 'Commando' and she has amassed just about everything pertinent to the period 1940-45. Our copy of the 2 Commando Salerno War Diary indicates the number of the Bde. Sgnl. Trp. landed on Sept. 9, 1943 to be 43 O.R.s, but unfortunately it does not descend to particulars in naming the individuals. We also have the complete 91 page casualty list for all Commandos and as Capt. James and Sgnlm. Kirkhopes names are not listed, we presume that they both survived the war. It would be nice if you could contact these two (now) old gentlemen, assuming they are still alive.

Don't be too upset, Vic, regarding the brevity of your Dad's army records. Clerks who put such things together cannot reflect the admiration we had for the signal boys who performed their tasks so well under horrendous battlefield conditions. I, for one, salute their fidelity to duty which I witnessed, and share your pride in your Dad's memory.

Kindest personal regards.