Messages posted by: Joan

Thanks Nic & Pete, there is a lot of interesting reading in the info. and links that you sent.
Dad was definently in the Commandos, he volunteered at Fort George and went through all the training(one excercise was scaling the walls of Edinburgh Castle), which I understand was pretty grueling. He was on the St Nazaire Raid early on, before he went East.
My Mum died in 2008, and that is where we got a lot of info. from. My Dad has been gone since '72, and I really wish that I had asked him more questions, or listened more carefully when he did speak of the war.
I think that I will write to the address that you posted of the RAMC Association, Nic. Perhaps they have their own records, and would surely know if Dad was taken as a Commando. It's worth a try.
Thx Joan

I'm still struggling with Official records, which haven't turned up any Commando Info. I know my Dad served in Burma and Malaya, and was demobbed in1946.
I would love to hear from anyone who served with him, he was a Scot from Aberdeen.
Joan

Thank you everyone for the advice and help, especially Andy for your your scans of documents.
Pete your information on the Burma Star site was very helpful, I know that Dad did fight in the Arakan because I often heard him talk about it. I do have his Burma Star Medal. He was also caught in the Admin Box, when they were cut off by the Japanese. He told us, their Commander called the Officers together and told them they were surrounded with little hope, but that they would fight on, and then said "Gentlemen I give you the Queen" and they all drank a Toast. Quite unflappable!
And John thank you for the information on the black pennant with the green square with the Ace of Spades as the symbol of the 25th Indian Division. It is a little confusing with the Divisions and Brigades, but I think you are probably right, he may have been in the 3rd Commando Brigade at that time.
I am certainly going to write away again and try and get some more information about his record, maybe a photocopy this time. I just had a typed summary before, but because my Mum signed the papers they did'nt charge anything, which was nice. This time I will have to pay the fee, but that's OK if I learn something new.
I will certainly let everyone know the outcome.
Thanks again
Joan

Thanks Andy

I have never seen a Commando Certificate, but that is exactly what I was looking for. I checked with the information that I was sent in 2001 and the sheet I have was typed information, a summary of his service but no B200B form. They had his first name down as James instead of John but the rest of the personal info was correct.
On the record it talks of him passing a Trade Test as Nursing Orderly CI in 1944, and his postings always seemed to be to Field Ambulance units. He was in India and Burma etc. from 1942 to 1946, he finished with rank of Captain (would a Nursing Orderly be a Captain?).

I do have 2 Certificates:

Mentioned in Dispatches in recognition of Gallant and Distinguished Services in Burma and on the Eastern frontier of India during the period 16th August 1944 to 14th Nov. 1944 (London Gazette 27th Sept. 1945) - again R.A.M.C

For Meritorious Service Against The Japanese In The War 1939-1945
Army number, Rank - Captain, and Name- J.G. Burman R.A.M.C.

He was presented with a Japanese Samurai Sword that was surrendered, by the H.Q. 74th Indian Infantry Brigade - Malaya, 3 Nov. 1945

At the top of the certificate was a dark blue pennant with a green square with a black ace of spades in it. There was also a white 94 in the pennant.
My Mum thought that the Ace of Spades was the symbol of the Commando Unit. Would that be a clue?

I think that my Dad served in N. 1 Commando and perhaps N. 3, my Mother said that Units were merged with one another. She died last year and unfortunately didn't have a lot of Documents.
Should I write away to the Govnt. Records and ask for that form again?

Joan

I have written away and received my Father's Army Records (John Burman), his parent regiment was the Royal Medical Corp.(stationed in Fort George, up in Inverness Shire) but he joined the Commandos when they called for Volunteers in 1940 (I think). He took part in the St Nazaire Raid and went overseas and fought the Japanese in Malaya and Burma for the rest of the war.
In the records that the Army sent me, it states nowhere that he was in the Commandos, but records the Theatre of war and his promotions. One reading the record would assume that he served in the RAMC all through the war?
I was wondering is there another record that would confirm his Commando past? We are very proud of in our family of his service, and would like to pass any information on to my sons.
I really would appreciate any advice in this matter.
Joan