Messages posted by: Rob

Nick, excellent info again. Thanks - I'm getting a good schooling in Commando history, thanks also for the photograph. I'm guessing that this was not the only time that there were such casualties in unexplained circumstances during the Second World War.

Nick hi again - what I can ascertain is that this was almost certainly Operation Premium, in Feb 1944, a mainly French Commando raid which failed - but in confusing circumstances. It was led by a Captain Charles Trepel, with a small body of men mainly from No 8 Troop, whose intended landing had been at Scheveningen, on the Dutch coast. The raid failed, badly, though the reasons for this were unclear. And it was not clear how and when the participating Commandos had met their deaths. Apparently this is why Bellville had become involved, a year later, as an investigating officer. It seems that no definitive explanation was forthcoming. This information comes from the Ian Dear's book "10 Commando". As is well-known, most SOE and some RAF operations in Holland from 1941/42 until 1944 were severely compromised, giving the enemy much detailed advance knowledge of Allied personnel and intentions, leading to disaster for all concerned. However, it sounds as if by early 1944 this severe "information leak" regarding operations within Holland, which would cost the lives of dozens of Allied agents, had been identified and put right. But in early 1944 perhaps not quite.

Thanks very much for the excellent replies, really helpful. Around 1945 Bellville was apparently tasked with investigating the circumstances of the death of a small party of RM Commandos who had landed on the Belgian (or Dutch?) coast and were killed very soon after. That's mentioned in a Commando unit history I think, someone's now told me about this.

I'm trying to find some details about the service career of Captain, later Major, Miles Bellville MC, OBE (1909-1980). Awarded MC for his part in the 1942 attack on Diego Suares, Madagascar. Possibly served COHQ at some point. Olympic gold medallist (1936, sailing). Retired to Herefordshire. Nothing much else known about him.