New photos being uploaded

Hi all

I decided to take the 3 hour drive up to Fort William with my nephew who is an excellent photographer. We stayed overnight at the Alex having arranged a visit in advance to the Clan Cameron Museum and we also visited the Spean Bridge Hotel Museum. Margaret Short, one of the owners of the Spean Bridge Hotel and Dennis Muir, the Curator of the Clan Cameron museum were both extremely helpful, and permitted my nephew, Pete Dunlop, to take photos of a lot of the pictures we found for display on our website. The first of these is a panorama photo of all of No.6 Commando taken in January 1945 which is on this link. Others will follow including what I hope will be an excellent one of Charles Vaughan. Pete's camera and accessories, and his ability, have provided some great results. We also got to have a good look round the grounds of Achnacarry on an excellent day where the sun shone brightly for us. My thanks to all concerned.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/6/6+Cdo+panorama+copy+copy.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

and another lexcellent photo of the Instructors at Achnacarry June 1944 just posted

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/Achnacarry+Instructors+copy.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Great photos there Pete.
I particularly like the Instructing Staff, with that amount of Warrant Officers and SNCOs - they must be a hard bunch.

Nick

Just adding a few more with a couple of No.5 Cdo for you Nick. One very clear on the insignia and a new name for your list Arthur Warnes.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/main.php?g2_view=dynamicalbum.UpdatesAlbum&g2_itemId=11292&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Pete,
That's a brilliant one - shows the V Commando shoulder title, the formation badge and the Yellow Hackle - and I was checking the Nominal Roll as you posted this...

Great work
Nick

A few more now in the WW2 album for Commando Training:

Charlie Vaughans pipes and drums band at Achnacarry

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/Charlie+Vaughans+pipe+band.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

A panorama of an unknown course at Achnacarry:
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/4503308093_8865d656cd_o.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 09/04/2010 10:49:44

added a couple more of individuals from Nos 2 and 4 Commando and also of 3 Cdo Bde HQ staff in Ceylon (posted in the WW2 album for South East Asia), 3 Cdo heavy weapons troop (posted in the 3 Cdo album), and HQ troop of 10 IA Commando (posted in the 10IA album)

they can all still be seen additionally in the latest updates section of the gallery until more photos added

Pete,

Perfect photos!

I had a close look at the photo of the unknown course at Achnacarry to see if I could perhaps recognize any Dutch and a friend of my parents who did his training there from 07 November 1944 until 12 January 1945. He was there with 2 Officers and 109 Other Ranks. In the same period there were Belgians training at Achnacarry as well, with 7 Officers and 297 Other Ranks. I found this information in the Commando Exhibition in the Spean Bridge Hotel.

As you will know I have been searching for information on Niall Thompson. In the Exhibition I found a photo of him together with other instructors at Achnacarry. Looking at the photo of the unknown course I am almost certain that Niall is on it! To me he is the third officer from the left. They are recognisable by the Sam Brown belt.

I will send you the photo I took in the Exhibition so that you can compare the two. If it is indeed Niall on the picture of the unknown course, the picture could have been made in the period I mentioned above. Niall told me in a letter that the Belgians called him Liquid Dynamite! I wonder were that would come from...

Hi Jack

You should have my email by now. I agree that Niall is in the Unknown Course photo posted. The photo you sent me we already had in the gallery on this link:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Commando+Training/commando_basic_training.jpg.html

Glad you like the photos

wow Pete awesome photos ,Love the no5 Commando My dad had the crossed daggers patch first pattern stitched to his balmoral bonnet

This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 10/04/2010 13:36:54

2nd panorama photo of No.6 Commando uploaded..this one taken in August 1945 .

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/6/No6+Commando+Aug+1945+copy.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

new photo of Lieut. Colonel Charles Vaughan OBE uploaded:
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/The+Commanders/Lt_+Col_+Charles+Vaughan.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

more photos to follow

*** update 10/4/10 I have managed to improve the versions originally posted of the two No.6 panorama photos and the Achnacarry Instructors panorama photo, and the 3 Cdo HWT photo, so that they enlarge for a much clearer view of the individual commandos ****