Alexander mcderment black PO/X.114212

Can anyone give me any help regarding info about my grandfather this is name and i have just found his service number. my grandfather passes away in 2001 but he did not talk about what he did in the war only that he was in the marines

Hi Joe, welcome to the forums.

I have just found his service number.

How did you find the service number ? Do you have some kind of document or photograph? Would it be possible to share it, as it may give clues, as well as adding to the site.

Have you spoken to relatives for information about your grand fathers service ? Any small snippet such as countries, or places might provide a clue.

Armed with the service number, you can apply for your grandfather's service records from the MOD

https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#how-to-apply-for-service-personnel-records

Two short forms and a fee of £30 pounds unless your grandmother is still with us, then it is free.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142473/request_for_service_details_nok_application_part1_v5_1_.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142477/request_for_service_details_rnrm_application_part2_1_.pdf
Then a wait of weeks to maybe a year !

Good luck

Hi Mark thanks for the reply i got the service number from some paper work that we found i would upload it on here but i am unsure how to do it is it easy to do that as i also found a list of places that i think he was at.

quote=markh]Hi Joe, welcome to the forums.

I have just found his service number.

How did you find the service number ? Do you have some kind of document or photograph? Would it be possible to share it, as it may give clues, as well as adding to the site.

Have you spoken to relatives for information about your grand fathers service ? Any small snippet such as countries, or places might provide a clue.

Armed with the service number, you can apply for your grandfather's service records from the MOD

https://www.gov.uk/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records#how-to-apply-for-service-personnel-records

Two short forms and a fee of £30 pounds unless your grandmother is still with us, then it is free.

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142473/request_for_service_details_nok_application_part1_v5_1_.pdf
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142477/request_for_service_details_rnrm_application_part2_1_.pdf
Then a wait of weeks to maybe a year !

Good luck

joeblack wrote:Can anyone give me any help regarding info about my grandfather this is name and i have just found his service number. my grandfather passes away in 2001 but he did not talk about what he did in the war only that he was in the marines

joeblack wrote:

joeblack wrote:Can anyone give me any help regarding info about my grandfather this is name and i have just found his service number. my grandfather passes away in 2001 but he did not talk about what he did in the war only that he was in the marines

This message was edited 5 times. Last update was at 16/05/2013 11:56:57

Hi Joe

Here is a bit about what I found :

7th July - 7th Aug 1942: Royal Marines initial training at Lympstone

1st Sept - 30th Dec 1942: Portsmouth Division

31st Dec 30th Apr 1943: Combined Operations Landing Craft training at HMS Dinosaur, Troon, Ayrshire. No.15 on this link: http://www.combinedops.com/Training%20EST%20UK.htm#HMS Dinosaur

1st May - 30th Sept 1943: Combined Operations Base at Hamiccar Djedjelli Algeria Messina

1st - 23rd Oct 1943: Passage home from Hammiccar

24th Oct'43 - 26th Jan 1944: Portsmouth Division

27th Jan - 8th Apr 1944: Copra ( Records base for personnel so unsure where he was at this time)

9th -11th Apr 1944: Portsmouth Divsion

12th Apr - 13th June 1944: President III. This was an accounting base, initially in Bristol and then Windsor. It was the HQ for the RN/RM personnel involved with Defence Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS). I believe in WW1 they were called DAMS the A referring to Armoured. It does not mean he served there, but that his pay was worked out there . Royal Marines certainly trained Merchant ship ratings and I have seen reference that Marines also served aboard but cannot confirm that. Here is one account where towards the end they are mentioned: http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ww2peopleswar/stories/27/a2189027.shtml
And another where there was an accident involving several deaths during training: http://2ndww.blogspot.co.uk/2007/11/wartime-tragedy-at-hms-fernieness-range.html
Finally here is a Fleet Air Arm reference about RN/RM Service Papers. Note what it says about DEMS

"Although the RM papers are generally restricted to pre-1926 entries, the records of individual marines can run as late as 1958. The papers are very comprehensive for men who served in or were recalled for WW2. The records of service in WW2 Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS) are probably unique

: http://www.fleetairarm.com/royal-navy-royal-marines-services-documents.aspx

14th - 30th June 1944: Portsmouth division

Now below is where I am not 100% certain but have simply expressed my opinion ( so it is by no means historically accurate)

1st Jul - 30th Aug 1944: Home Base Ledger(HBL) RM Training Group. I am of the opinion this might have included a period of training at the Commando Basic Training Centre (CBTC) at Achnacarry. From the 12th July - 22nd August 1944 there was course at the CBTC titled No.5 Royal Marine intake consisting of 461 other ranks (OR's).

My basis for this is the next two entries on his record.

1st Sept'44 - 28th March 1945: Can't quite make out the last bit but it looks like HB then something possibly Tr which might be training and then (Comm) 44,

followed by

29th Mar'45 - 10th Feb 1946: Braganza. This was a Royal Naval Base in Bombay, India, being commissioned on 1 January 1943 and paid off on 30 June 1946)

Well if (Comm) 44 refers to Commando 44, and I am not 100% certain it does, and then his record shows Bombay India, then that is where 44 and the 3rd Commando Brigade had sailed a year or so earlier in Dec'43. and onto the action in Burma.

So he definitely was a Royal Marine, he definitely served in the Far East, and he may have been in 44RM Commando.

He is back in Portsmouth 11th Feb'46 and discharged 17th July 1946, but then note the stamped red entry on a previous page that you posted

Enlisted into the RAF at Cardington on the 14th November 1949

and he is allocated a Service number of 4040286. His initial Royal Marines Service number was PO/X/ 114212.

So there is another Post War service record held by the MOD (RAF)

That's about as best as I can do

Pete