Messages posted by: Vlewis

Craig,

My Father (5958740 Roy William Lewis) started his military service in the 70th Battalion Beds and Herts before moving to Royal Corps of Signals and then on to 2 S.S. Brigade Signal Troop. Any information you may have on him would be very appreciated.

Regards Vic Lewis

SMcGurk,

I have found a reference on the attached link of an Pte I McGurk being wounded on the 7th June 1944 as part of 3 Commando. There is also a reference of a McGurk returning to 3 Commando on 21st August 1944.

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/war_3cdo.htm

http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/war_3cdo2.htm

I hope this is of some use to you, unfortunately the details are very brief.

Regards Vic

Bulo,

Try these links for starters.

http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Vickers_K_Gun

http://www.vickersmachinegun.org.uk/

Plenty of good information here.

Regards

Mullins,

I could not find a photo of O.Gourgio but several good group shots of the French Commandos. I guess it will have to be a process of elimination from the named members photos and hope one stands out.

With regards to René de Naurois, it also appears he wrote a book, if you don't already have it I would check it out.

Good luck

Regards Vic

Mullins,

You've probably tried this but I just googled René de Naurois and a whole bunch of information comes back. If it's the same gentlemen, he lived to 100 years and has quite a story.

Regards Vic

Mullins,

Have found something that may be of interest, from what I can make out O.Gouriou's first name looks to be Olivier. Please look at the attached file, it's not a lot, but a start. Also try the link below, there's a lot of information in French.

http://commandokieffer.canalblog.com/

Regards Vic

http://www.onceamarinealwaysamarine.co.uk/belleisle45.htm

NIC,

Very eloquently put, I could use some more choice language to voice my dismay at this sad situation but I'll hold my thoughts to myself.

Regards

I am trying to piece together my fathers movements from the very brief service records I have. I know he started off in the Beds & Herts, then the Royal Signals and for the majority of the war in 2 SS Brigade Signal Troop of which I know he fought during the Salerno assault in Italy (2 Commando & 41 RM) and France with at least 45 Commando post D-Day. He was then sent to East Africa 22nd Jan 1945 and in March posted to Field Training Company and Depot, from there he was with "310 Light Regiment" where he stayed until 1946 and then returned to civilian life.

I have tried exhaustive searches for 310 Light Regiment and East Africa but cannot find any reference to this unit? I know from what he told me he was injured out there and he learnt Swahili fluently. I am not even sure what conflict was going on in that part of the world during 1945 - 1946

Any information would be appreciated.

Regards Vic

Nice touch,

I remember my Dad playing that tune on Sunday afternoons after dinner.

Regards

I have transcribed a section from the book The Royal Corps of Signals By Cliff Lord, Graham Watson which amongst other specialist signal units contains information relating to the Army and Royal Marine WWII Commando Signal units of which my father served.

Commando Signals

What follows is a brief account of British Army Commando Signal Units from 1940 ? 1945.

7.1940 ? Special Service Brigade Signal Section
1.1943 - Commando Signal Troop
11.1943 ? 1 Special Service Brigade Signals
11.1944 ? 1 Commando Brigade Signals
1946 ? disbanded

5.1943 ? 2 Special Service Brigade Signals
11.1944 ? 2 Commando Brigade Signals
1946 ? disbanded

8.1940 ? The Royal Marine Division Signal Company
11.1943 ? HQ Special Service Group Signal Company
11.1944 ? HQ Commando Group Signal Company

8.1940 ? 102 Royal Marine Brigade Signals
11.1943 ? 3 Special Service Brigade Signals
1974 ? 3 Royal Marine Brigade Signals

8.1940 ? 101 Royal Marine Brigade Signals
11.1943 ? 4 Special Service Brigade Signals
11.1944 ? 4 Commando Brigade Signals
1946 ? disbanded

The involvement of Royal Signals personnel with the Commando forces began in the summer of 1940 when a section of two officers, 5 NCOs and 20 Signalmen came together under the command of Lieutenant John Leahy, R. Signals. For the most part, the initial work of the Special Service Brigade Signal Section was concerned with training in the west of Scotland and in the development of new equipment, although Commando Signallers did take part in the raid on Vaagso Islands, off the coats of Norway on 27th December 1941. The Signal Section was expanded to 5 officers and 100 men in 1942, and detachments supported the raids on Bruneval in February 1942, and in Dieppe in August 1942, and took part in Operation Torch in November 1942 and in the subsequent operations in Tunisia through into 1943. A challenging problem which faced the Commando Signallers was the development of Signal Support for the No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando, a uniquely polyglot unit which consisted of French, Belgian, Dutch, Norwegian and Polish troops.

The further expansion of Commando Signals commenced in May 1943, when a Signal Section was formed to support the Commandos role in operation Misty, the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. In November 1943, following the establishment of the Special Service Group, the existing commando units were re-formed into four Special Service Brigades. The 1 Special Service Brigade was formed in the UK from existing Royal Marine Commando units and it took part in the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944, and in the attack on the Siegfried Line and the Rhine crossing in 1945. The 2 Special Service Brigade was formed in Italy, and took part in the Anzio landings in January 1944, operated in the Aegean, and in April 1945 played a decisive role in the battle of the Argenta gap in Northern Italy. The Signal Companies for both of these Brigades remained Army organisations. The 3 Special Service Brigade operated along the Arakan coast of Burma, while the 4 Special Service Brigade landed at Normandy on D-Day plus one, where it joined 1 Brigade, and it then landed on Walcheren on 1st November 1944.

The Royal Marine Division had been disbanded in 1943, and its headquarters became the administrative headquarters for an all-commando force. The Royal Marine manned Signal Units of the 101 and 102 Royal Marine Brigades became the Signal Companies for the 4 and 3 Special Service Brigades respectively.
In 1946, the wartime commando resources were concentrated in the 3rd Royal Marine Commando Brigade, which has since operated worldwide. The Brigade moved from the Far East to Malta in June 1947. It moved to Hong Kong in August 1949, and then on to Malaya in June 1950. It returned to Malta in March 1952, only to be sent to the troubled Suez Canal Zone a few months later. Another sojourn in Malta lasted until April 1961, when the Brigade moved to Singapore. During its ten years in the Far East, the Signal Squadron was heavily engaged in operations in Borneo.
Since December 1971, the Commando Brigade Signal Squadron has been based in Plymouth, from whence numerous exercises and operations have been mounted. In scale and intensity, the largest operation was the Falklands War in 1982. Commando Signals are also provided with regular training for arctic warfare, and heli-borne operations from assault carriers.

Heraldry and ceremonial:
Commando Signals wear the green beret of the Commandos. Signal Officers have a green backing on their wire-wove signals beret badge.
During the Second World War, commando signals wore two different types of signal badge. From March 1942, to June 1943, Special Service Brigade Signals wore a black square patch with a silver lightning bolt and dagger crossed with the letters S S on either side. Their patch was designed by A.J. Leahy, the first Commando Signals. This was replaced in July 1943 by a shoulder title with the words COMMAND SIGNALS in red on a navy blue background. This title was worn until mid 1945.
When the first Commandos were raised, their members wore no distinguishing badge. The bronze Royal Signals badge was unpopular with the volunteer signallers. The instrument mechanic of the original SS Brigade Signal Section altered his cap badge by sawing off the bronze ?Royal Corps of Signals? surrounding the figure of Mercury and rearranged the hooks so that it could be mounted in the new Commando green berets then being issued. This unofficial badge was approved by the OC and adopted by every member of the Commando Signals, and it was worn throughout the War.

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=031WegRPmM8C&pg=PA315&lpg=PA315&dq=special+service+brigade+signal+troop&source=web&ots=r8g5LxO_Gs&sig=PXeFYUN-vIFfO3GwS70Dw5QWF1M&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA315,M1

Dear Janet and family.

I'm sorry to here the sad news of Bob's passing.

I never had the pleasure of meeting Bob but as regular reader of the sites posts feel deeply saddened by the news.

Bob's contribution to this site has given many Sons, Daughters and relatives of former Commandos a valuable source of information and support.

Regards Vic

Ditto,

My Father's wartime memorabilia had diminished somewhat since I was a child, it was kept in a strictly out of bounds area of the house and contained some very personal photos, his beret etc. Since his death in 1982 we (the kids) became custodians of what was left but a lot has gone missing.

I do remember what happened to a Thunderflash my dad locked away in the shed, but that's another story :))

Howdy Ikmac,

I had the good fortune to visit Achnacarry in April and took some photos in the Spean Hotel museum. There was a document in one the showcases detailing the various units that attended the Commando training center. It does mention the Rangers amongst others but the records are from 1942 onwards.

Hope this helps in understanding your Uncles service..

See attached photo (best to enlarge to view)

Regards Vic

William,

I believe the cap badge similar to the one in my picture may be an officers badge of 2 Commando but I can't be sure. If it is made of silver I think it may have been custom made. If you can get a picture of it uploaded I'm sure some of the more knowledgeable members on this forum will be able to shed more light on the subject.

Regards