Messages posted by: Jack Bakker

Hi Stephen,

Bill Harvey has visited our museum and after that went to the cementry at Bergen op Zoom. I did not encompany him as I have a very busy afternoon ahead of me. So I was not able to visit the grave of your relative. I leave for Edinburgh tomorow morning and will be back next Monday. After that I will be able to visit the grave of your relative and make a photo of the headstone if that is alright with you and send it to you.

I will meet Bill tomorrow together with his Dutch friends he is staying with at the moment. Bill and his friends will pay a visit to our Commando museum where I will show them around. After that they will go to the War Cementry Bergen op Zoom to go to the grave of Bill's Father.

One of my former collegues is, in my opinion, an expert in badges. He has looked at the badge and has come to the conclusion that it is not an original one from the war. He motivates his conclusion by saying that the eyelets through which the copper pin goes, should be copper as well as all bagdes from the war had those copper eyeslets (or what their name is!). Besides that, the metal is much too glistering to say that it is an old one.

Besides that: isn't it so that they spoke of Special Service during the war and not of Special Services as is shown on the badge?

I am having a bit of correspondance with Jimmy Dunning and in his last letter he mentioned that he did make a visit to Achnacarry last May. Courtesy of the BBC television for the programme on the war time training to be screened next year.

Jimmy will not be at Fort William this year because his health precludes him from many active functions including ceremonies. In his letter he asked me: "please give my regards to any mutual friends."

In the first links it states that: This project was undertaken in advance of an imminent planning application by Marine Harvest (Scotland) Ltd to build a new Salmon Smolt Recirculation Unit on the site.

Does this mean that all the buildings and other things that are still there as a reminder of the STC, are to be demolished? That would be a shame! Perhaps they can keep some of them? And if not, than Marine Harvest (Scotland) Ltd could (or should?) be persuaded to restore Inverailort House (the Big House) as some sort of compensation. I gather that they (will) make enough money with the things they do, so they can make a huge donation for a restoration. When the house falls to bits than everything is lost on the location where IT all started!

Peter,

I have sent you a pm. Not about this topic but about the photo your Father received from the Dutch couple years ago.

Regards,

Jack

Hi Kevin,

I am pleased that it all worked out fine regarding getting the info from the Dutch officials. Now his son Jan knows what his Father did during the war.

It turns out that I was right in thinking that Bill went back to the Princess Irene Brigade. That Brigade did some tough figthing both in France and in Holland.

I will print out the papers and add them to the archive of our Commando museum. I might also send them to the museum of the named Brigade and ask if they have perhaps more info on Bill.

I'll keep in touch!

Regards,

Jack

Just to inform you all that the exploits of Paul and his mates have been put on the site of the Dutch Commando Association. See the link below. It is of course in Dutch but I suppose everyone will understand what it is all about.

http://www.korpscommandotroepen.nl/index.php?l=nl&p=11&id=433

Well done Paul, Mike and Stephen and the 4 Para recruit! I am looking forward to seeing it November.

On two photos (see the links below) LtCol Vaughan can be seen with a dog (a Cocker Spaniel?) at his feet. Does anyone know the name of this dog?

I am asking this on behalf of two former Dutch Commandos who are in the proces of writing a book about the Dutch Commando course. As the first Dutch Commandos were trained at Achnacarry in 1942, the writers incorporate info about the training there in the book. They have seen the photos of Vaughan with the dog and would like to know its (his or her?) name.

On behalf of both of them: thanks for any info!

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/commando_basic_training.jpg.html

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/Achnacarry+Instructors+copy.jpg.html

Good news Paul!

Will the former gun emplacements and the former boat house also be part of the project? Perhaps you could contact Emma Pearce at the Loch Eil Outward Bound Centre for the exact location of the gun emplacements. I have understood that her partner exactly knows where they are. I will send you an email with her phonenumber etc.

Would be nice if everything could be arranged in time for the Remembrance Weekend in November.

Keep up the good work!

Well done Pete!!

Great pictures Nick!

Looking at the bullet holes in the slate it seems to me that some serious calibre was used. Or perhaps the effect on the slate gives a more robust effect. The holes in the wall of the building reminds me of the bullet holes I saw in houses in Bosnia: nearly more holes than there is wall!

I like the names for the different courses! Could it be a suggestion to call the different courses on the menu for the diner in November this year in the Alexandra Hotel likewise? If so, I am already looking forward to the Achnacarry Coffee as it must have a wee drop of whisky in it I suppose!

Kevin,

I have sent you an email with the names of some of the Dutch Commandos on the photos you posted. I will forward that mail to Pete so that he can put the names with the photos in the gallery.

Cheers,

Jack