Messages posted by: geoffmurray1

Have spoken again with Ozzie's daughter Anne, if those attending could begin to arrive at 1400 the service in the Chapel will begin at 1430. If those attending could inform the Secretary that would be very much appreciated. Kind regards.

Hi all, apologies for not posting this sooner, I have had difficulty getting funeral details from Ozzies family and have also just returned from Xmas with family.
Ozzie's funeral is on Thursday 10th January, 1430hrs at the Royal Hospital Chelsea. I believe that we are all welcome to attend the service at the hospital and then the family will have their own private service. I will attempt to speak to his family again and post any further info as soon as I have it. Can I just say that all CVA members and friends of Ozzie are welcome to attend and it would be great if as many as possible could attend. Ozzie was an amazing character who gave his full support to his fellow Commandos over the decades and it would be great to give him the send off he deserves. His family have booked a room for us to gather afterwards with refreshments. Rather than flowers they would prefer that donations be made to the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
Kind regards

Hi Ron and all, the weekend will fall on the 9th. Until then have a wonderful Xmas and New Year.

Geoff

Recently found info on LSgt GE Campbell: served with both 3 and 9 Cdo, last known address was Stockwell, London, SW8.

Hello

My name is Henny Vreriks, teacher from the Netherlands and i came across this site while surfing the net for british commando raids during WW2.
I think i have an extraordinary question and i hope that you or someone within your acquaintance can help me out with my quest/search.

Can you help me search for a particular person who probably fought in WW1 aswell as in WW2?
The information i have is that the man in question is buried at Dunkirk (The British Memorial Cemetry also known as Dunkirk Town Cemetry) It probably was an officer. I have been to Dunkirk last september at the Cemetry but i couldn't find a clue and only stared at 4500 names on those walls. So how can i know if the soldier was a member of a commando group? Behind their names was the regiment named in which they served.

The next thing makes the search completely difficult for me. This person seemed to be a member of a special group of soldiers (british commando's group/unit?) who probably joined or led such a raid on Dunkirk or nearby and was killed in action.
Or have there been other missions/raids with soldiers in camouflage outfit?

It would ment a lot to me if you could help me further with possible hints or answers,

Thanks in advance

Greetings from the Netherlands

Henny Vreriks

Hello Mr. Murray,
I am trying to find out any information that I can about my Father during the war. He was a Sarge ant in the British Commando's in WW2. He was in No. Africa, Tobruke, El Alemain. I do not know what unit he was with. He earned the African Star and the Italian Cross and one other that I cannot make out what it says. Do you know of a way that I could acquire his service records of where he was and what he was doing. On his army book, it says that he started out with the No. 4 Commando's. But I do not think that they were in the battles that he was in, so I am thinking that he was transferred to maybe the No. 7 Commando's. Can you please help me. My Dad is passed away now, and he is my hero. I am so proud of him, and I miss him so much and I would love to know more about his war service. Any help you can provide would be so appreciated. My Father's name is Frank Ransom..his best friend in the army was a fellow called "Big Jock", who was killed in action. My Dad also was in Italy. Any help would be so welcomed. Thank you for your time, Glenda Ransom, [email protected]

Dear Ian, I will endeavour to add your request for info in our next issue of Dispatches. Good luck.

Geoff

Surname: Tyson
Forename: Robert
Unit: 4 Commando
Rank: Private
Number: 3195138
Date Of Death: 10th June 1944
Age: 28
Gravesite: Ranville War Cemetery,France IA.L.11
Additional Information: parent unit 1 Bn King's Own Scottish Borderers
born Bolton,Lancashire
son of John Thomas and Ellen Tyson,Bolton,Lancashire
husband of Alice Tyson,Daubhill,Bolton,Lancashire
died Normandy
Image(s): No images added.

Record Added: 26 Nov 2005
Record Edited: 26 Nov 2005
Views: 20

That is correct Steph, I think some of 3 Troop (or X Troop, or Misc Troop) of 10 IA Cdo were attached to 6 Commando also.

Cheers
Geoff

I believe this is No 6 Cdo. The cyclists may be 1 Troop who were known as the Bicycle Troop led by a Capt Robinson. Middle pic have full size picks and shovels. Apparantly the bikes folded in half by removing two nuts, and they were light enough to lift with one finger.

See Striking Back by Peter Masters photo pages.

Kind regards
Geoff

Hi,
I think Ron was asking for 'non-Commando' Royal Marines that landed on D-Day. Do you know of any? Ron, why don't you contact the RMA, link on this website.

Cheers

Geoff

Our London Branch will be having their Xmas Buffet Lunch at Kennington on Friday 7 Dec. I am aware that this is late notice but anyone in the area are welcome to pop in. We will be having a presentation from the lads from 59 Cdo RE and are looking forward to a record turnout. Email or PM me for details.

Some examples:

During the Second World War Royal Marines fought for the first time in tanks. The Armoured Support Regiment manned the guns of Centaur Tanks during the D Day landings of 6 June 1944. During the inter war years and World War Two the Royal Marines developed much equipment for the purpose of amphibious warfare. The Royal Marines developed Centaur tanks to support the landing parties during the D Day. They initially designed them as stationary and to remain in the landing craft after the initial landings had taken place. Observers noted, however, that they would be more useful if they would move up the beachhead after landing to support the advance. Centaurs carried Howitzer guns, which Royal Marines already had experience in operating dating back to World War One. Again the Royal Marines showed the value of their training with the markings on the side of the turret adopting the principles of naval gunnery. Due to this experience in naval gunnery possessed by the Royal Marines, Centaurs were the only tanks to be able to fire in a co-ordinated barrage on the same target.

RMs also manned Landing Craft Assault (LCA) boats on D-Day, usually a 3 or 4 man team.

Hi Kevin, do you have any more detail on this. There was a 142 Bde who were part of the 5th Army (XI Corps) in the 14-18 war but not later, and certainly not a 142 'Commando' Bde. If you could send me any scans of docs you may have I am sure we will narrow it down.

Kind regards

Geoff

Hopefully you all received the last edition of Dispatches; our next edition should be out in January. If any members have anything that they would like to include, such as interesting articles, interesting information on events etc, or requests for information that they would like to put to our whole membership, then please email them to me ASAP. Please keep articles or requests short and to the point as we have limitations on space.
Feedback is essential to ensure that the Association produces the newsletter that it's members look forward to receiving and reading - so please send ideas and comments to the Secreatry also via email.

Thanks

[email protected]

Hi Jo, on behalf of the Commando Veterans Association please accept my deep condolences on the loss of you Grandad. The commando organisation that you have found a membership card for will have been the Commando Association (CA) that has now 'stood down'; we as the Commando Veterans Association (CVA) have taken over the baton from where they stood down. Unfortunately many of the old CA members may not have been informed of our existance and therefore did not have the chance to join. We are doing what we can to address this.

The Association is also open to Associate members and you are welcome to join us. We have many children through to great-great-grand children as members honouring the memory of their forefathers and very interested in the Commando history. Your Grandad was much a part of the Commando history and if you get a chance please upload a photograph of him onto the 9 Cdo page of our Gallery.

Our thoughts are with you in your time of sadness, however please remember that the memory of your Grandad will live on with the history of the Commandos.

Many kind regards

Geoff Murray