Messages posted by: Bkcherry

Thanks Pete. Tried to load his training record but couldn?t. Let?s see if this works.

My father Andrew Elliott Cherry joined the RM in May 1942 and served with the Combined Operations Group from 1943 through the invasion of Sicily, Anzio landings and the Adriatic. He served on LCG 19 and I found a picture of him to the left of Harold Dilling on an internet site called Combined Operations by Christine Cawdron. On his service record I see entries of HBL RM. my father always said he was a Bren Gunner and a Commando. Is he eligible for entry into this site ?

This is the best picture I could get from my sister. Still cuts off some of the names. Sorry. Brian.

Pete - Number 9 Commando, 4 Troop picture. Second row from bottom, far right. Looks a lot like my dad but I can't be sure. Did they serve in the same area ? Brian

Pete - not a problem. Looked at the pictures and haven't come up with anything definitive. Thanks for your help. Will gather the necessary documents for sending to the Ministry of Defense. Brian Cherry

Will check the pictures. Thanks again.

Thanks Pete. I know my father saw significant action and had nightmares about losing his friends in battle. He always told me he was a RM Commando so I have nothing to doubt that. I remember him telling me a story of training in the highlands of Scotland where he and his buddies were dropped off in the far north and told to make it back to base on their own in three days without being spotted - and if you were spotted you were kicked out of the unit. Not sure if that was standard practice in 1942. Brian

Thanks Pete. I will see if I can get a better copy of the service record names. Unfortunately I have no more photos at this time. My father emigrated to the US after the war and left behind most pictures and momentous. I believe he did attend one reunion in the 1980s sometime and met his old officer and mates but I can?t recall any names. I will make an application for his victuals records. Thanks for the link. Brian Cherry

Last page.

Here?s the 2nd page

Here is my fathers service record. Hope someone can tell me where he served, which commando unit and if it is consistent with what I heard growing up. Thanks to all in advance.

Craig. Attached are two photos I have on my phone. One is the Naval discharge and the second is a photo taken from the original discharge papers. I don?t have the full copy - I only took where he served and it?s where I got the Copra reference from. Does this shed any light on his service ?

Sorry for the long threads but I remember my father saying half his unit went to Anzio (including my father) and the other half was sent to Normandy for DDay. My father told me the unit sent to DDay never made it to the beach as the Landing Craft was hit by a German shell and killed almost everyone.

I?m hoping to get the photo of his discharge papers from my sister. She also tells me she has a document that is his discharge from naval service. First time I heard this as he was a RM Commando, not in the Navy.

Not yet. Will also look for a picture of his service record. I also recall him being assigned to fight with the American Expeditionary Forces in Italy ? Could have got that wrong.