Richard Sheehy 50ME

I am looking for any information about my Grandfather, Richard Sheehy. He is noted as being tpr in 50ME on his obituary but I can't see his name on the 50ME page. I know he was captured and was a POW in Italy and then Germany but have no info about his service otherwise. I would be very grateful for any help. Many thanks!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 20/11/2018 09:55:47

Hi,

I'm sorry I don't know your first name but welcome to the CVA Website and Forums.
The reason you can't find your grandfather's name in our pages is because as the Commandos were unformed/irregular units, there was never a definitive nominal roll of Commandos (that we have found) and so we, the CVA, have set out to compile nominal rolls for each unit.
This is a painstaking task and involves a lot of hard work poring through official documents, war diaries, books, letters and many trips to The National Archives, at our own expense, on our days off...
We are aware that there will be errors, omissions and duplications, but we believe that what we have achieved is better than nothing.
We also rely on commandos' families to provide details of their commando relatives and , provided there is sufficient supporting evidence, will happily add names to the nominal rolls - where they can be remembered for eternity.
Evidence accepted as proof of commando service can be mentions in newsletters, service records, scans of official documents or even photographs showing the individual wearing Commando insignia or with a group of known commandos...

I take it you are not aware that you can apply to the MoD - the only custodian of WWII service records - for a scan of his original, handwritten service records? I can help you and point you in the right direction if you want to follow this up.

Okay, so back to your grandfather...

Attached is an extract from a file held in The National Archives listing British Army PoWs held in Germany...
There are three PoWs by the name, 'Sheehy', I would assume that your father is R. Sheehy.

The entry shows the:
PoW Camp, his PoW number, Name, Rank, Service Number, Regiment, Records Office (where his regimental records were held - in this case it was The Drill Hall, Barnet, Herts)

The PoW camp he was held was (Stalag) 4B - Mühlberg (Elbe).

Hope this is useful to you.

Nick

Some more good news...
I've just found a reference to your grandfather, Dick Sheehy, 50(ME) Cdo, in a copy of The Commando Association Newsletter, No.102, dated March 1996...

We also have him listed in our Obituary Column

http://www.commandoveterans.org/CommandoObituariesS-Z

Nick

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 20/11/2018 22:01:21

5884521 SHEEHY Richard Wellesley Lance Corporal Warwickshire Yeomanry R.A.C. & 50 M.E. Commando

Your grandfather originally enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment and transferred to the Warwickshire Yeomanry
He was posted as missing on the 25-28th February 1942 during Operation Abstention, the raid on Castelorizzo.
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/d/32707-17/Layforce.pdf

Stonyhurst XV 1937