Messages posted by: Pete

It is with much sadness that we inform of the death on the 20th December 2011 of Arthur Harry Dockerill DCM.

Arthur was attached to No.1 Commando in 1940 from the Royal Artillery.

On the 28th March 1942 he took part in Operation Chariot, the raid at St Nazaire. Lance Sergeant Dockerill was a member of the demolition party under Lieut. Chant's command. Their objective was the Pumping Station of the Dry Dock. He was taken prisoner of war after the raid. His award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry during the raid was published in London Gazettes:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/37162/supplements/3493/page.pdf

Rest in peace Arthur

Hi Peter

Here are the details of those whose graves are at Stanley War Cemetery, Hong Kong

FOWKE, Marine, ROGER M., CH/X 117104, No. 42 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 15 March 1947. Age 20. Grave Ref. 7. A. 9.

SELWOOD, Corporal, WILLIAM NELSON, PO/X 4424, No. 45 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 25 April 1947. Age 24. Grave Ref. 7. A. 2.

THOMPSON, Marine, THOMAS ROBERT, CH/X.4080, No. 42 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 23 March 1947. Grave Ref. 7. A. 11.

TYRIE, Corporal, ERNEST CAMPBELL, CH/X 117123, No. 42 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 20 February 1947. Grave Ref. 7. A. 15.

WATSON, Marine, MAURICE, PO/X 124306(T), No. 42 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 15 March 1947. Age 20. Grave Ref. 7. A. 14.

WOODHOUSE, Marine, ARTHUR, PO/X 5645, No. 40 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 30 March 1947. Grave Ref. 7. A. 12.

There is one additional grave with the unit shown as No.3 RM Commando which may be a typing error. If you could get a photo of his grave as well we can then check it out:

LEE, Marine, REXLEY HUGH EDWIN, PO/X 5904, No. 3 R.M. Commando., Royal Marines. 29 January 1947. Age 18. Grave Ref. 7. A. 10.

Thanks

Pete

I have updated the photos with the location of the awards. Thanks to Steph for that. There are a couple of photos of the original graves of men who were not Commandos at the time of their death. I am going to post them in the respective cemetery album just in case a relative ever searches. It would seem wrong not to.

A site dedicated to the memory of the Fallen. British casualties are remembered here:

http://icasualties.org/oef/Nationality.aspx?hndQry=UK

Our galleries are continuing to be updated with John Emmerson's amazing collection of photos taken by his father. Many are from negatives found in his attic. I know that John has and still is putting in a lot of work as some of the negatives are depreciating through age. I thank him for sharing them with us. There are a lot more and they are being posted in various galleries. So if you have missed any these are the Galleries so far:

SS Brigade HQ gallery

SS Bde HQ and Bde Signals - Unidentified photos album

No.2 Commando Gallery

Commandos and Combined Operations in WW2 Gallery

Commandos and Combined Operations in WW2 Gallery - The Commanders album

Commandos and Combined Operations in WW2 Gallery - D Day and subsequent actions in France album

WW2 War Graves Gallery - Becklingen, Germany

WW2 War Graves Gallery - Mook, Holland

WW2 War Graves Gallery - Nederweert, Holland

It is with much sadness that we inform of the death of Signaller Aunrey Douglas Gifford 1 Cdo. Brigade Sigs. His funeral has taken place already.

Rest in peace Aunrey.

I do not really know much about the Berets, and certainly bow to the greater knowledge of those who have posted on this topic. However I wondered if you had spotted this picture in our gallery of the Commando beret of the late Ronald 'Ken' Young of No.9 Cdo. It's a good picture of the inside of his beret.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/ron+young/beret+of+Ronald+_ken_+Young.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Thanks Julie

I have added the detail of the speech to our Spean Bridge Commando memorial album:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/sb/

This album has again been updated with more photos. I have now moved the album into the Special Service Brigade Headquarters gallery and am filtering out those that do not apply to other galleries. Once again I am looking for any help in identifying people, units, buildings, or locations (With a few exceptions I prefer to update photos only with definite responses, rather than possibles, to preserve historical accuracy). The SS Bde HQ gallery can be viewed at the foot of the main Commando Units page:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/

Hi Peter

If you are anywhere near Sai Wan War Cemetery there are 5 that we do not have photos of. The details of the 3 we have, and the remaining 5 are in this album:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/post+ww2/sai+wan/

There are also six RM Commandos buried in Stanley War Cemetery Hong Kong. If you need there details just let me know and I will email them to you.

The CWGC details of Stanley War Cemetery can be seen here:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=49428&mode=1

and Sai Wan War Cemetery here:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=2000320&mode=1

Thanks

I have actually just noted that Pte Morris met his wife whilst recuperating in hospital on return home so he would not have gone back to the SAS

Hi JB

If that is the case, then these were probably not his insignia and worn for the photo shoot only in happier times. It looks like a curtain in the background of the photo so it is not an official one. He went to L Detachment from 'C' Bn Layforce and as you will see from his Citation for the Military Medal posted at the same time as his photo and included in his album, he had a rather 'eventful' time after joining 'L' Detachment. He was one of Stirling's early men who in Nov.1941 parachuted into the Gazala/Tmimi area on an operation that became a disaster. They were forced to jump into gale force winds and many were lost. Stirling and some others were picked up by the LRDG. Pte. Morris was captured but in Sept. 1943 escaped. He then joined the Partisans and operated with them until March 1944 when he was recaptured. He again managed to escape finally making his way to the advancing Allied Forces where on the 28th June 1944 he met them near Perugia. Where he went from there I am not sure. The SAS had moved on after that operation which I think was their last parachute raid. He had not been with them for almost 3 years. Layforce was disbanded. I imagine he probably ended up back in the Black Watch but that is an assumption. The citation can be seen here:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/main.php?g2_view=dynamicalbum.UpdatesAlbum&g2_itemId=22251&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

His album can be viewed here:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/11/morris/

Thanks Peter. The photo is now in our gallery on this link:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/graves/UK/2011_Xmas+020b.jpg.html

Vic Lewis has brought this article to my attention. It is about how the Irish including this man, John Stout, were treated on return to Eire after the war. The article mentions John was in the Irish Guards and ended the war as a Commando.There will be a radio programme on BBC Radio 4 at 12.30GMT on Wednesday 4 January 2012 and will be available to listen to afterwards online.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-16287211

Hi Dan

The Forum search facility is still not working properly. A few examples :

Search on Whelan is No Trace

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/3078.page

Search on Morris brings up 7 results but does not find this one entered by Alan Orton on page 3:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/30/1690.page

Search on Emmerson brings up 1 result but does not bring up this one:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/3146.page

These are just a few of many examples

Regards

Pete