Messages posted by: flyingwilko

Ive been going through his dairies from 1943.

It seems he was definitely training as a signalman. He has lots of entires of his friends being drafted into commando units etc.

There is an entry towards the end of the war where he says they met up with RM42 so I'm assuming he wasn't always assigned to them.

The front page of his diary does have the following:

A/CH/X101937 (possibly 837)
MNE A. E Read
R.M. Div. Sigs Home Forces

I'm assuming that is his service number? Am I right I saying that CH is a historical royal marine abbreviation and the X means he was conscripted?

Thanks that?s really helpful.

I will need to check the diaries again for names.

Yes I live just outside Royston now

We?ve found his diaries for this period. His entires are as follows:

4.8.45 Leave for exercise Littleport camp
5.8.45 Exercise Littleport camp
9.8.45 Radio announcement of Jap acceptance of peace terms
13.8.45 All mail stopped
15.8.45 News peace terms accepted
16.8.45 Leave Karak Vasla - go to Poona
17.8.45 Board HMS Glenggle
18.8.45 Leave Bombay HMS Llanstephan Castle
21.8.45 Whales pick up escort of whales
22.8.45 Arrive Trincomalie
23.8.45 Rumoured that 26 group is leaving ship operation cancelled
24.8.45 26 group leaving ship tomorrow
25.8.45 26 group disembarks for Trinesmalie
5.9.45 Leave Trincomalie by train
6.9.45 Cross ferry to India board train for Madras
7.9.45 Arrive Madras
9.9.45 Arrive Asvali Lake Beah
10.10.45 Go to Bombay
11.10.45 Go abord Dutch ship SS Johan Van Oldenbamevelt
12.10.45 Leave Bombay
16.10.45 Pass Aden
20.10.45 Arrive Suez
21.10.45 Arrive Port Said
24.10.45 North Africa coast
25.10.45 Pass Algeria
26.10.45 Reach Gibralter
27.10.45 Pass Lisbon
28.10.45 Pass Cape Finister
29.10.45 Dock at Southampton

He was older so perhaps this is why he was sent home. Am trying to find out more no about 26 Troop

Thank you all the input so far.

I?ve read the 3rd Jungle book and the account of 3rd RM Signals and 42RM are pretty much bang on the stories he used to give.

However it reads as if 1, 5, 42, 44 and Signals all went to Hong Kong at the end after the planned invasion in Malaysia didn?t happen.

My grandfather def did not go to Hong Kong. There is a photo of him in Bombay in 1945 after which he made his was home and arrived in 1946. He wasn?t injured or anything.

Does anyone know which troops/brigades etc did go to HK and which didn?t etc? Trying to work out movements after Myebon etc.

Thanks

Thank you so much that?s really helpful. Apologies the map pictures were already from your gallery. I am the same framed at home but without the handwritten notes.

Great that?s brilliant thank you.

I don?t quite understand what a brigade is vs a troop etc. Are you able to explain for me please? Thank you in advance

Some photos

Hi thanks for your help.

Here are the pictures I have.

So what I do know is he was called up in 1941. He was on the Ranchi in Nov 1943 when it was attacked and spent time in Alexandria before eventually getting to India. He also went to Ceylon and spent time on a train? He eventually fought in Burma. We have the silk maps on the straights of Sumatra etc.

His membership entry for the Burma Memorial Fund that he applied for in 1958 says: Royal Marines Signals - 3rd Commando Brigade.

He was definitely a marine but perhaps he joined the army but ended up a marine when they combined the forces?

His beret was green but has no crest on it, assume its been lost?

The combined ops article written by Bill is almost identical to the accounts he used to tell us and so be process of elimination I have assumed he must have been 42RM as he was on the Ranchi. Commando 3 was made up for 1, 5, 42 and 44? But as far as I can tell and 42RM was on the Ranchi along with Commando 1 and 3 Commando Brigade HQ but these were Army not Marines?

Thank you for your help!

I have trawling through three Scottish National Library Navy lists but they are huge!

Hi Pete

Sadly not all I have is what he told me which matches the combined operations article and his entry in the Burma star memorial.

I?ve been trying to find him in the navy lists from the Scottish national library but they are massive!

Hi

I'm trying to trace the history of my grandfather who fought in Burma. His full name was Albert Edward Read DOB 2/8/11. He joined the war in 1941. I know we was sent to Burma on the Ranchi which left the UK in 1943. I have found his membership of the Burma Star Memorial Fund and his entry says:

Royal Marine Signals, 3rd Commando Brigade. I know his rank was Corporal and his beret has Royal Corp of Signals crest on it.

As he sailed on the Ranchi and so have made the assumption he must have been in 1 Commando, 42 RM Commando or 3 Commando Brigade HQ as they were the troops that sailed on her.

I'm trying to narrow it down to exactly what he did and where he went. I'm struggling to work out exactly what division/troop he was in.

If anyone knows the history or could help I would be really grateful.

"Convoy to India

So, 3 Special Service Commando Brigade was to be sent to India for action in Burma. It comprised Nos 1 and 5 Army Commando, 42 and 44 Royal Marine Commando and an HQ detachment that included 3 Troop, Royal Marine Engineer Commando. 1 Troop of No 10 (Dutch) Commando also travelled to India, only to be sent back to participate in the liberation of Holland.

On 11th November, 1943, the troops assembled at Gourock docks on the River Clyde in Scotland. It was a time of very mixed emotions for the young men waiting, in miserable weather, to go aboard His Majesty's Troopships (HMT) Ranchi and HMT Reina del Pacifico. On the 15th of November, convoy KMF 26 formed up and made its way down the Clyde estuary and into the Atlantic. Amongst Ranchi's passengers were troops of 1 Commando, 42 RM Commando and 3 Commando Brigade HQ, which included 3 Troop Royal Marine Engineer Commando. Reina del Pacifico carried the balance of 3 Special Service Brigade, 5 Commando and 44 RM Commando."