Messages posted by: Graham49

My father, Joseph Henry "Tim" Robinson was in E Troop 12 Commando, served briefly with the SSRF and then 2 SAS. The badges I have are relatively easily identified but I'm not sure when the Combined Operations badge was given. He was involved in numerous combined operations and I'm wondering if the badge detail changed at any time during the war which might help identify when he received it and for what Operation.
Can anyone help with this?
Thanks
Graham

Hello,

I presume that the knife was found in Norway somewhere? Also, it's not clear to me why you believe the knife to have belonged to someone from E Troop? Was it written on the scabbard?

My father Sgt Tim Robinson served with E Troop 12 Commando. E Troop, under the command of Philip Pinckney, took part in Operation Anklet (a raid on the Lofoten Islands) in December 1941. There is a document on this website entitled The Memories of Sergeant John Huntington whci describes the training and operational involvement of E Troop before it, along with 12 Commando, was disbanded. On, I think, the last page of the document you will find a list of men that John Huntington could remember serving with in 12 Commando (presumably E Troop) which includes L/Cpl Dicky Wright RAMC. Dicky, as you probably know, is short for Richard. The reference to RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corp) may refer to where Dicky Wright was subsequently posted, in the same way that, where against other names he has writen SAS, this referred to the unit that those men went after leaving 12 Commando.

My father left a note book in which he recorded many names of soldiers he served with in E Troop 12 Commando but this only covers the period February to September 1942 and unfortunately R Wright's name does not appear.

Other information about E Troop 12 Commando can be found in Peter Stoke's book No Ordinary Life, about his father Horace Stokes who served in E Troop.

I hope this is helpful to you and please let me know if there is any further information that you think I might be able to help you with.

Graham Robinson

I am trying to contact Jimmy Flint's daughter in law Carol Flint who, about a year ago, posted a response to a photo I have on the web site and would be grateful if the Association would put me in touch with her to ask her to contact me.
Many thanks.
Graham Robinson

Hello Doug,

I'll send the photos and some pages from my father's notebook later today to your email address.

Hello Pete,

I'm very happy to have the photos on the site and was already in correspondence with Nick about something else and have already sent him the photos which he offered to upload. Hope that's alright - I can copy you what I've sent him if you like?

Regards

Graham

Hello Doug,

thinking about it I do have two photos of some men from E Troop when in Dover for Operation Chess July 1941. However, they are very small and it's hard to pick out the faces for identification. However, if your father was one of the men involved (I thing about 17 were actually on the raid) you might recognise him. If you let me have your email address I'll send them to you along with a few scanned pages from my dad's notebook.

Do you have the names of any of the other men your father served with as part of E Troop or any photos of that time? I'm trying to build up a picture of my father's war time experiences and every piece of information helps.

Regards

Graham

Hello Doug,

my father, Sgt Joseph Henry "Tim" Robinson, also served in E Troop 12 Commando until September/October 1942 when he left with Captain Pinckney and a small number of others to join the Small Scale Raiding Force and then on to 2 SAS. I'm afraid I don't have any photos of his time with E Troop but he did keep a small notebook during that period in which he listed men involved in exercises with him, on charges, rifles issued etc and Fus Cobham's name does appear. If you like I'll scan that section for you and send it to you.

If you do turn up any photos I would be very grateful to know.

Best wishes

Graham

Anyone know what these badges mean? My father served in Royal Artillery, 12 Commando and 2 SAS during WW2.

Thanks

Graham

Thanks Graham.

Graham

Thanks Nick.

Graham

I'm trying to locate anyone with knowledge of Kenneth "Busty" Herod who served with my father in E Troop 12 Commando during World War II.

Thanks

Graham

I'm trying to locate anyone with knowledge of James Flint who served with my father in E Troop 12 Commando during World War II.

Thanks

Graham

Hello Guy,

Thanks - that's really helpful.

Do you have any more information about him? Like his home address and his occupation?

Also - where did you get the Attestation record from?

Graham

Hello Guy

are you referring to Eric Forster in your reply? If so do you have his papers?

Regards

Graham

Hello Mark,

my father and Eric Forster served under Philip Pinckney in E troop 12 Commando until they both moved to 2 SAS via 62 Commando. My father's picture is in the gallery under 12 Commando. I don't have any photos of Eric Forster I'm afraid and don't know what he looked like. I do know that Eric was involved in Operation Chestnut (in Sicily during the summer of 1943 as part of 2 SAS) and, as a Sgt, may have been involved in Operation Wallace (in France in August 1944 again as part of 2 SAS).

Eric was born in Isleworth in February 1914 and his second name was John. He is mentioned in John Huntington's list of names for men who he remembered from 12 Commando (incorrectly as E G Forster).

Thanks

Graham

Hello Nick,

I've sent it and hopefully you will have received it.

Regards

Graham