Messages posted by: Pete

Hi Paul

I can now confirm that no person by the name of Richard Branigan joined the original Commando Association, which was first formed during the war and stood down in 2005. Albeit many Commandos joined the Association , the fact he is not shown in itself does not mean that this man was not in No.4 Commando.

Regards

Pete

For the benefit of others on the forum I have received a private message from Ken Booth's son and have responded to him accordingly.

Pete R.

Hi Jeff

I'll be calling you soon

Pete Rogers

Hi Blake

Welcome to the CVA and thanks for the comments. I would be interested to know a bit more about your grandfather's service with the Commandos and his time in Mission 204. If you have any photos or documents that you would like to share and have placed in our galleries please contact me on my email address below and I will assist you in doing so

Regards

Pete R.

Hi Alex

I have now posted the photo with some of the information you placed in this forum message into our No.9 Commando gallery on page 1. Here is a link to that photo:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/9/Jack+_small_+copy.jpg.html

Should you wish, either now or in the future, to add or alter anything please let me know.

Finally you may wish to consider joining us in the CVA as an associate member. How to do so can be found on our homepage under 'Join the CVA'

Regards

Pete

Hi Alex

This is just a quick reply to apologise for the incorrect spelling of your grandfather's surname in our No.9 Commando History section. I cannot alter this myself but matters are in hand to have this amended correctly. Also you have posted an excellent photo of your grandfather which I would like, with your permission, to copy and place in our No.9 Commando gallery. Is this ok with you?

Regards

Pete R.

As a result of a previous forum message I found some excellent photos that I am sure Bill Newell will be glad to see. They are all of his former unit and can be viewed, along with Bill's photos, on this link to the 'Our Allies and Combined Operations' Gallery :

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/comb+ops/W+Cdo/

Pete R.

We have a photo of the headstone for Arthur's grave at Ranville :

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/graves/RANVILLE+War+Cemetery/4+cdo+graves/A_+WARD.jpg.html

Hi Paul

I have replied by pm to you, but for the benefit of others Jimmy Dunning cannot recall a Richard Branigan, however he recalls the man highlighted in the Dover Castle photo as Ted Slack. He says he will send me a list of the names of all those in the photo. I am making further checks on Richard Branigan

Regards

Pete

Hi Jack

I was speaking with Jimmy Dunning on another matter today and mentioned your request about the name of the dog in this picture. Sadly he can't recall the dog's name.

Regards

Pete

Ps. He mentioned you had previously communicated with him about other matters, and he sends his regards to you

Mark Ormrod lost an arm and both legs below the knee when he was injured serving with 40 Commando in Helmand Province on Christmas Eve in 2007. At the end of last year he took part in a 3,500-mile race in the United States to raise money for injured servicemen and women.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfUQxrA9ohA

2 years ago Mark wrote a book about his survival after the IED that almost took his life. The book called "Man Down" is available through Amazon and has some excellent reviews.

Mark, who now works as the Welfare Officer for the Royal Marines Association, was presented at the end of March with the Against All Odds award by BLESMA (the British Limbless Ex Service Men's Association).

Here is a link to the BLESMA website Soldiering On awards section:

http://blesma.org/video/soldiering-awards

Seeing what Mark and the many other injured service men and women have achieved, and listening to Mark's words on the video, are truly inspirational

I have just uploaded some more excellent photos taken by Dick Goodwin on the day. They can be seen, along with others, on this link to our CVA Events album:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/durrant/

Sam Goss is looking for any information on Johnny Ramensky MM who was a member of 30 Assault Unit. This is for inclusion in the BBC's 'The One Show'. I have detailed his email to me below so that anyone with information can contact Sam direct :

Dear Mr Rogers,
I hope you are well and don't mind me e-mailing like this. I am writing from BBC 1's the One Show where we've been commissioned to make a short film on the war time exploits of Johnny Ramensky and the 30 Assault Unit Commandos. I have also writen to John Mewett and Nick Collins. I was wondering if you might be able to put me in touch with anyone who may know anything about the role and involvement of the famous safe-breaker Johnny Ramensky while he was serving in 30CAU c.1944.

I am particularly interested in speaking to anyone familiar with the history described in Peter Haining's book The Mystery of Rommel's Gold" - which details a Commando raid on enemy embassy safes in Rome, circa 1944. In the account, Ramensky is ordered by the officer in charge to 'go upstairs into the strongrooms and open all the safes', and 'within half an hour had opened all 12'. Do you think this might be something you could help with? If it is, I would be very interested to hear from you.
All the very best,
Sam Goss
Real Life Media Productions Limited
t: +44 (0)113 203 4068
m: +44 (0)7765 866109
e: [email protected]

In my reply to him I have included detail from a previous post which has an entry by me at the foot of the page with a link to a very good newspaper article about Johnny Ramensky MM:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/1202.page

13th Feb 2012 ***************** This is an old post so no further information need be sent ******************

PM sent to you. Once I get your details I will contact Jimmy

Pete

Hi Paul

Thanks for your reply. The picture you have just posted above is again one we already have. This picture is in Jimmy Dunning's book The Fighting Fourth and in fact Jimmy is in the photo back row extreme right. Jimmy had previously granted the CVA permission to display the photo on our website:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/troop+photos/

(As a side note Jimmy's latest book is out now: 'When Shall Their Glory Fade' . Should anyone wish to review it please place a new message in the CVA Library Forum, rather than on here)