Messages posted by: Pete

Hi Andy
Well having loked at the picture it seems to be his left ear or thereabouts where the injury is. The person injured on the raid was a Dudley Clarke who was there as an observer. I am assuming this was Lt Col. Dudley Clarke who played a role in the creation of the name "Commando" (open to correction from anyone if I get this wrong by the way!!). Was he the same Dudley Clarke who went on to plan all the great deceptions of the war ?( Montys double etc). In your picture he is standing next to an officer..I am not sure of the rank on his shoulder. Perhaps someone can zoom in and look. His face somehow seems familiar but where from? This might help further.

Hi Andy

Being posted to No.11 in June 1940 might link in with Operation Collar - the Commando one rather than the Navy one. Tried to post the Wikepedia link but it didnt work. Heres the text from it:

Operation Collar, the first raid by British Commandos on north western Europe, was made the night of June 23, 1940. It was made by 120 men of the 375-strong No.11 Commando/Independent Company commanded by Major Ronnie Tod on the night of June 23, 1940. The attack was not very effective militarily, but rather was operated for mere propaganda value. It was an offensive reconnaissance on the French coast south of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Le Touquet. The only British injury was a bullet graze to observer Dudley Clarke's ear, while at least two German soldiers were killed. In recognition of this action, No. 11 Independent Company were awarded the Boulogne battle honour.[1]

I am not sure if this link has been seen by members of the group before but it seems quite a useful one for people seeking post war veterans and serving Commandos. One to consider putting a link on our site to, as I have just noted on their site we are mentioned

http://commandogunner.co.uk/index.htm

Formed on 16th August 1950 and formerly disbanded on 22nd February 1952 this unit had a short but proud history fighting in the Korean War. I have found this site and placed a link below. Have we any veterans who may have served in No.41 in Korea. It would be nice to get some information on the site. Here is the link to information about Korea, and also a link to a memorial page for all of 41 Commando before and after the second world war:

http://www.rt66.com/~korteng/SmallArms/41RMCpub.htm

http://www.memorials.inportsmouth.co.uk/rm-museum/41_commando.htm

A quick check on a site called the Special Forces Roll of Honour shows an entry for J.A.K. Tobin in their awards section. He is shown as having been awarded the Military Medal for his actions in Italy in 1944. It lists him as being attached to No 2 SAS and his parent company being the Royal Artillery. Have you found the citation for the award of the MM. That should give the exact location and details. Two sites to look at are the one I mention above and another for the SAS , both links below. Good luck .

http://www.specialforcesroh.com

http://marsandminerva.co.uk/index.htm

Have a look at this link to questions in Parliament about the Z Reserve and in particular the ages of some being called up

http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1952/may/20/class-z-reserve

I have not seen one but you could try the link on this site to The St Nazaire Society. There is a roll of honour for those killed in the raid on their site. There is a comprehensive breakdown of the three groups that the Task Force was split into and the officers names assigned to each group, including each ML, in a magazine called After the Battle issue no 59 which was dedicated to the raid and is still available for about £3-50 +pp from
AFTER THE BATTLE
THE MEWS,
HOBBS CROSS HOUSE,
HOBBS CROSS,
OLD HARLOW,
ESSEX CM17 0NN,
ENGLAND

Tel: 01279 41 8833
Fax: 01279 41 9386

I am so saddenned to hear this. I too met Bob and Janet for the first time at Fort William. They were such a warm and welcoming couple. My heart goes out to Janet and all of the family. He , like my father and my uncle, served in No.2 Commando, and I will always remember his kind words about them.
Rest in peace Bob

The Link below might be a clue as to why he may have served at some time with Polish (Polski as you say) soldiers in whatever role that may have been....if you read some of the posts they mention links with Britsh Commandos. Good luck with your search Nina

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=69761

I have only just seen this message and I realise it is past the hour when this may be have been required. I found this poem some while back written by an American called Archibald MacLeish and found the words quite profound:
THE YOUNG DEAD SOLDIERS DO NOT SPEAK
Nevertheless they are heard in the still houses: who has not heard them?
They have a silence that speaks for them at night and when the clock counts.
They say, We were young. We have died. Remember us.
They say, We have done what we could but until it is finished it is not done.
They say, We have given our lives but until it is finished no one can know what our lives gave.
They say, Our deaths are not ours: they are yours: they will mean what you make them.
They say, Whether our lives and our deaths were for peace and a new hope or for nothing we cannot say: it is you who must say this.
They say, We leave you our deaths: give them their meaning: give them an end to the war and a true peace: give them a victory that ends the war and a peace afterwards: give them their meaning.
We were young, they say. We have died. Remember us.

well i have to say that i now believe the 2nd word to be Winter...the W is as in wounded as is the N. The handwriting is old American suggesting it is my Uncle Ken MacAllister TSM of 2 Commando who was brought up as a child in the Southern States. that leads onto the 1st word of which I believe there is a double E with the graph above them. I am told this was often placed above double letters in the USA. the rest I'll leave to you.

Thanks for the replies...looking at the 2nd word could that possibly be part of the date...perhaps 2nd December or September (shorthand or something like that)..the last 4 letters of that word could be "mber"
A pint awaits on Saturday night at Fort William for the correct or best answer.

Another photo I have found but I have no idea who it is. It was amongst some other Commando photos of my dads so i am making the assumption he was a Commando. All I can make out from the writing on the back are the words "Wounded 1942" . I have posted the photo and the words written on the back in case anyone can work out what the other words are. Any ideas ??

Thank you Geoff and Bob for the information. Actually all 3 came from Liverpool which links in with my father who also came from there, as did my Uncle Ken MacAllister - well just just across the Mersey in the Wirral.

In memory of Corporal John Stewart, just one of the many we will honour at Spean Bridge

I have added a photo I found of three Commandos from No.2 to their respective gallery. I have also included the photo on this forum message. The names written on the back of the photo are Ben Fryer, Bill Aspey and John Stuart. Their is a reference to all 3 names in my fathers notebook however the surname of the last is spelt STEWART in the book. He is also shown as having been killed in action. Can anyone tell me if they are one and the same.