Messages posted by: Julie W

I've just learned that on 4 December 1944, 5 troop was disbanded and absorbed by other troops so perhaps the photo is of 2 troop and includes former members of 5 troop

Julie

Hi Stéphane,

I haven't been able to find anything about Corporal Gittens' War service but I think his surname is actually spelt GITTINS.

I believe he was born in the Wolverhampton area in 1920 and died in Somerset in 1983.

Julie

Nice find Nick.

The Greek at the beginning of the clip says "Part 2: Handover of the Dodecanese from the Germans to the British"

There is also this clip "Part 1: Arrival of the British in the Dodecanese"

http://youtu.be/Fq3DdTr28NI

Hi Deane,

There is a little more information about the operations carried out in the Aegean Islands on the Greek version of Wikipedia & I've translated the places and dates below. Do you know from your father's service records which islands he was on as I may be able to find out more for you?

Julie

From http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%99%CE%B5%CF%81%CF%8C%CF%82_%CE%9B%CF%8C%CF%87%CE%BF%CF%82_%CE%9C%CE%AD%CF%83%CE%B7%CF%82_%CE%91%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%BF%CE%BB%CE%AE%CF%82

Samos (3 October to 19 November 1943)
Samos (7 to 18 March 1944)
Psara (29 to 31 March 1944)
Lesbos (3 to 4 April 1944)
Ios (26 to 27 April 1944)
Amorgos (28 to 29 April 1944)
Paros (2 to 5 May 1944)
Chios (6 May 1944)
Samos (15 to 24 May 1944)
Chios - Lagada village (9 to 15 June 1944)
Lesbos - Geras Bay, Mytilene (15 to 21 June 1944)
Kalymnos (30 June to 2 July 1944)
Symi (13 to 14 July 1944)
Karpathos (21 to 25 August 1944)
Santorini (27 August 1944)
Kos (7 to 8 September 1944)
Occupation and liberation of Chios (14 September 1944)
Occupation and liberation of Mykonos (25 to 28 September 1944)
Occupation and liberation of Samos (4 October 1944)
Involved in the liberation of Athens from the Germans (14 October 1944)
Occupation and liberation of Naxos (13 to 15 October 1944)
Occupation and liberation of Lemnos (16 to 17 October 1944)
Occupation and liberation of Milos (23 October 1944 to 9 May 1945)
Tilos (27 to 28 October 1944)
Nisyros (1 to 2 February 1945)
Tilos (1 March 1945)
Rhodes (1 to 2 May 1945)

For those of you who missed out on the previous 1st Pattern FS knife, there's another up for auction at a 2-day sale taking place at Lockdales in Ipswich on 24 & 25 March. Estimated at £300-£350

Lot number 303: Fairbairn & Sykes 1st Pattern Commando fighting knife, scabbard worn, few marks on blade, plus a 2nd pattern with shortened blade in scabbard, 2x. Sold as seen
http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/lockdales/catalogue-id-2853083/lot-13640684

I was at the National Archives yesterday so I had a look at both copies of the No. 4 War Diary held there. Unfortunately there are no mentions of Joseph Ball - there isn't actually much in the Diary at all for the period. Here is a transcript for May, June & August 1945 (there were no entries in July)

7 May 1945 HALSTEREN: No. 7 French Troop moved to SCHOUWEN and established HQ at BRUINISSE and to clear and mark all minefields in that area. The Commanding Officer went over to OVERFLAKKEE to contact the German Garrison Commander to arrange and receive the unconditional surrender terms and the moving in of our own troops

8 May 1945 HALSTEREN: No. 1 Troop moved to OVERFLAKKEE to establish their HQ at OOLTGENSPLAAT and take over from the enemy garrison. VE day was celebrated in the famous traditional Commando style

13 May 1945 HALSTEREN: Commando relieved of duties on THOLEN & ST PHILIPSLAND and moved to Vrederust Asylum near BERGEN-OP-ZOOM

23 May 1945 BERGEN-OP-ZOOM: GOC's visit to Commando to say goodbye

24 May 1945 BERGEN-OP-ZOOM: CO and Officers and detachment went to Paris

26 May 1945 PARIS: Lt Col RWP Dawson DSO, together with Maj P Kieffer MC and other officers and ORs of Brit and Fr personnel of the Commando received military awards from M. Louis Jacquinot, French Navy Minister in Paris. After being decorated they marched down the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, where a wreath was placed on the tomb of the unknown warrior

7 June 1945 VREDERUST-OP-ZOOM: No. 4 Commando moved from BERGEN-OP-ZOOM to RECKLINGHAUSEN, Germany and took over duties at No. 91 Internment Camp from the US Army

24 June 1945 RECKLINGHAUSEN: Lt Col RWP Dawson was posted to HOC on becoming a Parliamentary Candidate. Lt Col BWS Boucher-Myers took over command of the Unit

27 June 1945 RECKLINGHAUSEN: 233 ORs of No. 4 Commando were posted to No.s 3 & 6 Commandos and HOC for drafting to the Far East, leaving 180 all ranks as No. 4 Commando

11 August 1945 FLUSHING: Flushing Ceremony. The people of Flushing showed their appreciation of the part played by this unit in liberating their town by presenting a flag to detachment of 4 Officers and 40 ORs at BRUGES

11 August 1945 ROTTERDAM: Detachment of 12 ORs took part in Rotterdam Navy Week giving demonstration on Commando tactics and also supplied Guard of Honour to Queen Wilhemina

17 August 1945 DIEPPE: Dieppe ceremony. Lt Col RWP Dawson DSO and 40 ORs took part in the ceremony held to mark the anniversary of the Combined Operations raid at 1942 at Dieppe

24 August 1945 RECKLINGHAUSEN: Brigade Commander visit. Brig JL Moulton DSO. Exercise Tarantula was carried out in conjunction with 1st Corp; check being made at ref points on all civilian transport

This is wonderful.

Thanks to everyone concerned for allowing us to see it

Of that I have no doubt Janet! :wink:

Great news! I'm so pleased for you JB!

Thank you both for your kind comments.

I'm very much looking forward to my new role as a member of the research group :)

A couple of interesting lots coming up for auction soon

At Abbotts Auction Rooms in Woodbridge, Suffolk on 14 March, Lot 192, estimated at £150-£250:
An interesting collection of ephemera, relating to Sargent Maurice Russell Burges, Royal Marines, later Royal Marine Commandos, served on H.M.S. Ajax including a letter from "His Britannic Majesties Ambassador to thank him for joining and bringing the war to a Victorious conclusion", also to include four medals including the Atlantic Star, paper cuttings, photograph, passport, driving licence, personal effects, certificates etc.
http://www.abbottsauctionrooms.co.uk/catalogue.asp
Abbotts Auction Rooms do not provide a shipping service. All buyers will need to arrange their own shipping requirements.

At Fieldings Auctioneers Ltd in Stourbridge, West Midlands on 10 March, Lot 970, estimated at £1,000 - £1,500:
An interesting sporran by Nicoll Bros Bankfoot N1986, the reverse leather back signed Piper Bill Millin S.S. Brigade Commandos with a drawing of himself piping, together with a small ceremonial dagger and two signed copies of invasion in hard and paperback and a French signed copy 'La Cornemuse du D-Day'
http://www.fieldingsauctioneers.co.uk/lotDetails.asp?lotsID=86055&menuItemOn=3&salesID=118&hasImage=1&start=0

Fieldings use Mailboxes as their shipping provider.

That's brilliant news! Well done on getting recognition for another Commando Nick

They don't say who the Commando was unfortunately but other lots from the same vendor include a German M1935 reissued Luftwaffe helmet and a pair of German Marine Bridge binoculars "brought back by a British commando as a trophy c1946/7"

If any of you are on the lookout for a first pattern FS knife there's one up for auction in a 2-day sale at Mellors & Kirk Auctioneers in Nottingham on the 1st and 2nd of March. If you can't attend the auction it's possible to leave a commission bid but you have to make your own arrangements to collect it or have it collected. The estimate is £150-£250!

Lot number 891: A World War Two Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife and sheath first pattern, by Wilkinson Sword Co Ltd London with etched ricasso and two inch crossguard, it and the hilt nickel plated, length of blade 17.5cm, the leather sheath with wings, plated press stud and chape. In good entirely original condition, the blade long protected by a film of petroleum jelly, the grip with some old ingrained black marks and dirt, the sheath in good condition with dent on the front of the chape. Issued to a British commando during World War II and now offered by his son
http://www.mellorsandkirkcatalogues.co.uk/Catalogues/fs020312/page30.html
Photo of the knife here: http://www.mellorsandkirkcatalogues.co.uk/Catalogues/fs020312/lot0891-0.jpg

I recently learned about a documentary called 'For Your Tomorrow' and watched it yesterday evening. Although it's not specifically related to the Commandos, it gives an interesting and moving overview of the conditions the 3rd Commando Brigade would have fought under in Burma. As well as interviews with WWII veterans there are clips of film from the period (& extra interviews on the DVD)

http://www.foryourtomorrow.com/pages/trailer