Messages posted by: Pete Keane

Hi all,

I am still researching my grandfathers service history, I am concentrating on the South Lancs Regt. still, and recently put a note in the burmastar Dekho magazine.

I have been contacted by John Wall, who was originally in the 2/4 Bn. S Lancs Regt (TA), until he volunteered for the Commandos in 1941.

What a nice guy to talk to. Gave me lots of 'snippets' about the S Lancs, and also 2 troop, 5 Commando.

He was, until its standdown, chairman of a Commando Assoc., and could prove to be very helpful source of info. I believe he has a collection of photo's which I hope he may share with us.

I am going to e.mail him a link to the photo's here, in the meantime if anyone has a particular interest in 2 Troop post it here, as I am sure he will read this.

Regards all

Pete Keane

Do you know which book it is from?

Mark,

No problem - I will ask Kevin to look it up when he gets it.

Kevin is already in contact with Steve Fogden, I will let Steve know thats where its heading, and also ask about the Burma Rifles - you have a list of all Burma rifles personnel, or just casualties?

If you dad was involved in Op. Thursday, then the chances are he would not have been part of Op. Longcloth - this is based on the simple premise that very few servicemen were in any fit state after Longcloth !

Have you applied for your dads service history? This would show which units he was with.

Regards

Pete

Hi Mark,

Lt. A.V.Earle - P.W.V does it use the abb. PWV or does it mention Prince of Wales Volunteers (or South Lancashire Regt.)

I have e.mailed a friend who is trying to put together a list of all those who served on Longcloth, as 142 Coy. were attached I think he will be very interested.

Great stuff.

Pete.

Not essential, just idle curiosity really. the closest I got to Leytonstone was Barkingside, but then got put out to pasture at Loughton.

I might have to do some digging about the two intakes, make a nice article for Police Review !

Pete.

I am very interested in the two intakes of Policemen, there was another thread on an Essex Pc - is there a list for the two intakes?

I also recall a post from a Police Inspector who was researching his stations war memorial - how come I can never find these posts when I want to !!

Howard - where in the Met. was your dad stationed?

I served in the Met. and then Hertfordshire in the 80's/90's/00's and have long been interested in the coppers who went off to war - I didnt know it was either RAF or Commando's though.

Are the details of the other members of the Police Intake known?

Would make an interesting story.

Any other examples of same job type recruits? (Please, nobody suggest the army :) )

I have found a passing reference to the formation of the unit - apparently its initial instructors were ' Commados transferred from the middle-east'.

No date, but probably late 1942 / early 43?

So which commando unit was in the middle-east at that time?

Pete.

Ignore the 3 Commando reference, I think its a typo on the burmastar site, should say 5.

I think the 94 has some significance, looks like a particular unit number.

This si the wiki entry for the 25th, kuala lumpur is in Malaya!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/25th_Infantry_Division_(India)

74th Indian Infantry Brigade was a part of the 25th indian Infantry Division.

cheers

Pete

Joan,

There are a few interesting points in there:

As mentioned,the badge is that of the 25th Indian Infantry Division, of which the 1st & 3rd Commando formed a part. (As part of 3 Commando Brigade) - I will stand corrected on 3 Commando though, as I dont know the source of the burmastar entry.

Take a look at this link from the burmastar website:

http://www.burmastar.org.uk/25thind.htm

I think you need to write to the army again - when you do so ask for photocopies of the record, or you'll get a typed abbreviation.

I will try and dig out the dates of the Third Arakan Campaign, see if they match the dates you mentioned.

Also, the 25th were recorded as taking the surrender of the japanese, but I think it was in kuala lumpur (not sure where that is!)

Regards

Pete

From reading them it looks like the training was at MAYMYO, Burma.

Pete

I will post anything I come across, the good thing about Louis Allens book is that it lists its sources clearly, I will go back and see if the info. originates in a different book, hopefully by Mike Calvert !

I am getting my head around it a little better now - I believe that 204 Military Mission was the name for the Bush Warfare School being run by Calvert, and that after the formation of the Chindits it became 142 Commando Company and was attached to the columns.

If Major English is still standing upright it would be a great bonus to get the photos for scanning etc.

Regards

Pete.

I'm still digging away at 142 Commando Company !

I am reading Louis Allens 'Burma - The Longest War' , they get a brief mention - mainly that it was being run by Mike Calvert, and that it was training British Officers who were to run Chinese partisan-type units, so they would be au fait with the skills to pass on.

Not much, I know, but I wont let it rest !

What a bloke , eh?

Joins the RAF, re-joins the army, volunteers for the commandos, then joins the para's.

Men like that should have their story written down.

You've summed my question up, having an RAF background myself I didnt think it likely there would be anyone, maybe the RAF Regiment later would produce volunteers, but they were formed later in the war for a definite aim.

cheers.

Has anyone come across any RAF personnel - of any rank - who served in any Commando unit?

I'm sure there were liaison officers, but I'm talking about actual Commando service.

No purpose to this enquiry, just idle curiosity sparked by a mis-read thread about RAF Servicing Commandos.