Messages posted by: Julie W

Hi John,

Have you read 'Achnacarry to the Arakan' a diary of 44 (RM) Commando at War by Tony MacKenzie? It is an excellent book with lots of detail and photographs.

For the 22nd of January 1945 he writes:

"The marines of 44 went ashore at 1500 hours, in the first instance deploying in the beach area... Two hours later 44 moved forward concentrating at the rear of Hill 170... at the cost of three dead and nine wounded. The marines awaited nightfall before advancing to attack Milford... During the night the enemy mounted a probing attack on 170 where the bulk of the Brigade was established. 44's position came under attack at the same time and the unit sustained its first casualties of the action, two marines of X Tp receiving fatal wounds."

Regards,

Julie

St Nazaire maybe?

Julie

The Goon Show on BBC Radio 4 Extra this week was 'Ill Met by Goonlight' the story of a Combined Operations raid on Crete.

After spending time at the Commando Spaghetti Hurling Depot in Rhyl, each Commando is issued with an army sock full of lukewarm spaghetti. Lieutenant Seagoon is chosen to lead the raid...

It's available on BBC iPlayer until the 19th of June: http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/7jnxg/

Hello and welcome to the CVA.

Have you looked through the gallery to see if there are any photos of your father? The 4 Commando album is here: http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/

Let us know if you have any luck.

Regards,

Julie

Hi Richard,

It sounds like your granddad may have been with 42 Commando (Royal Marines) a unit within 3 Commando Brigade.

There's a history of the unit from page 18 of the scan you'll find here: http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/3322.page

It may help him to remember.

Kind regards,

Julie

Well done Nick. It's good to hear that all your hard work has paid off.

Julie

Hi Graham,

I've just finished reading 'Storm from the Sea' by Peter Young and the Memorial is mentioned in the epilogue. He writes: "It was the Dean of Westminster who chose the words from the second book of Samuel which are inscribed below the statue."

No mention of CSM Ayres though unfortunately.

Julie

I've just discovered that ITN have a wealth of film clips available to watch online. The search term 'Commando', for example, returns 1706 results ranging from 1941 to 2012
http://www.itnsource.com/

Julie

I love it! Can I move in?!

I didn't have any luck finding out anything about the others unfortunately.

Geoff received photos & an email from Douggie Neish in 2010 in which he said: "The funeral was of one of our colleagues whose life came to a tragic end when he fell from quarters in Kowloon. I am not sure whether it was Mody Road but it was thereabouts. He was buried at Happy Valley Ceremony with full honours."http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/349.page

Does anyone have any idea whose funeral it was? Could it be one of the Commandos from Peter's photos?

Julie

I know a little more about the accident that killed Rifleman Cook. He was driving a jeep along the Fanling-Tai Po road during the evening/night of Christmas Eve and it ran over the embankment. His funeral was held on the afternoon of 27 December and among those who attended was Brigadier Fellowes, the Commanding Officer of 3 Commando Brigade.

Julie

I just came across this photo while researching 5 Commando's assault on Akyab in January 1945. 5 Commando were transported from Teknaf in the Destroyers HMAS Napier & Nepal before transferring onto Landing Craft and the photo shows the transfer from HMAS Nepal. Shame it's not a bit bigger!
http://cas.awm.gov.au/item/041185

Julie

Hello and welcome Nicholas,

I don't know exactly when your grandfather assumed command of No. 5 Commando either but when he returned to the UK in September 1944 he had been the CO for over 2 years.

He is mentioned several times in a book called 'The raiders of Arakan' by Cecil Ernest Lucas Phillips and you can see a few snippets on Google Books:
http://books.google.co.uk/books?ei=VomJT8OgELG00QW2ldDcCQ&id=QGkDAAAAMAAJ&dq=%22david+shaw%22+arakan&q=%22shaw%22

Julie

Absolutely fascinating.
Thank you Mike.
Julie

NIC wrote:
Do you know why?

The only reason given is "for the purpose of future operations". On the same day, Major Gen Laycock visited 5 Commando at their camp in Teknaf so I guess it must have had something to do with him