Messages posted by: BrianWilliamson

24 Wellington Square is a 4 storey townhouse with a WW1 Drill Hall and Firing Range to the rear. It was used by the military through both world wars and was home to 2 commando during 1942-43.

Pete, I am connected with some historical groups in the town and would be delighted to research the addresses you have of where the commandos were billeted.
Thanks
Brian

Dear all, thank you for your replies. You may find this article interesting https://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/04/a9900004.shtml
This is a small excerpt from a childs memory of having 12 soldiers billeted with them during the course of WW2 and a number of "Commandos"

About the end of 1940, No. 12 Commandos were moved to be replaced in Ayr by No. 2 Commandos and our allocation was five troopers; Arthur, Bert, Reg, Fitz (a nickname), Horace (called Gordon because he hated 'Horace' and we only discovered his real name when his mother came to spend a holiday with us and referred to him all the time as 'Our 'Orace' - much to his chagrin. We continued to call him Gordon). All were English. Our favourites were Gordon, who was full of fun, and Bert who was very gentle and spent hours playing the piano in the sitting room. They were with us a long time and became members of the family.

They spent many evenings' playing cards with Dad and Charlie Sheldrick, a regular in the RSF who was stationed in the Churchill Barracks and who visited us regularly. Charlie was in Naples in 1944 when Vesuvious erupted and sent us a photograph of this, which I still have. We went for walks with them along the shore on Sunday afternoons and they taught me to dismantle and re-assemble a Tommy gun and were going to let me fire it out to sea until Mum and Dad found out and forbade it - much to my disappointment. Gordon and Arthur came with us to Greenock to visit Granny Waller as they had got to know them while Granny and Grandpa lived with us after the Blitz. Arthur's Sister Gwen, who was in the ATS and his wife Doreen, came and spent holidays with us. In March 1942 No 2 Commandos disappeared suddenly. The boys, as we called them, collected their gear and went. By that time in the war we knew better than to ask where they were going. We soon found out, when the news of the raid on St. Nazaire was announced on the radio, and the fact that it had been carried out by the Commandos.

Some time later, the boys returned but said nothing and we didn't ask. Gordon was not among them and we thought he must have been killed but he eventually turned up. He had got separated in some way and had been at sea in a rubber dinghy for some time before being picked up by an MTB. Although all our boys got back, many of the No 2 Commandos didn't, including Captain Burnie, our boys' Troup Commander, who was killed.

Thank you for your replies. The photos outside the building with steps is indeed 24 Wellington Square. All the photos I have seen of the troops and the 5 returning NCO's from St Nazaire are also outside this property. Plus the building has an army history going back to before WW1. The way Wellington Square was numbered is a bit unusual. If you were to stand at the top of WS looking down to the sheriff court and the beach, you would have the town houses down the left and right hand side of the square. Number 1 Wellington Square is the first building on the right hand side, they number all the way down to 15 Wellington Square, then you cross the road to the buildings on the left hand side and work your way back up to the top. So, although my building is in fact the second building down on the left hand side and in my mind would be logically numbered 2, it is in fact numbered 24. I wonder if this is where the confusion comes from?

I am an amateur historian and recently purchased a building consisting of a 4 storey Georgian townhouse with dance studios to the rear. It transpires that this building was in fact converted by the army in early 20th century and was home to 2 Commando during the Second World War. The "Dance Halls" are in fact a drill hall and rifle range. I am particularly pleased by this connection as many of my friends were in the Royal Marines in the 90's and I have a great admiration of the commandos. I am looking for any info/pictures/stories relating to this building as I intend to create a memorial in the garden to the brave commandos who were based here and educate the local population. Any help greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Brian