No.4 Museum Pieces - where's the best place?

Hi -

Our family has quite a bit of Commando "stuff", I even found a 1942 Bergen rucksack in the attic the other day.

I KNOW that I should be scanning-in all of the photos, and one day I will, but in the meantime - where is the best place for the bits n'pieces?

a) The Army Museum - I gather it has a No.4 section, but I have inherited a bit of an attitude against 'regular' army who tended to look down on the flexible get-up-and-go of the Commando.

b) Ouistreham - No.4 Musee - Hummm, been there - seems to be focussed on convincing French school parties of the part played by their countrymen and not a lot of interest on other aspects.

c) Spean Bridge Hotel - have not been there, but have concerns that it is a commercial enterprise and so might be taken over (in the long term future) by acme hotels inc who just throw everything out, whatever the good intentions of the current owners.

d) Other - all ideas welcome.

Thanks in anticipation

Hello Croesy

Welcome to our forum and hopefully you will continue to post here with your Commando interest.

Your problem is a pretty common one among us as we all have Dads/Gf's who have served and left their bits of Commando gear in the family.

Quite frankly my best advice is to keep it in your possession as it really is a family heirloom and a piece of history.

We (the CVA) are at present trying to build a Photo and document archive so if you can photograph the various items and post the photos them here they will at least be included in that for posterity.

Sorry not to be more help

Regards

John M

PS I would keep hold of them!!

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 02/11/2009 15:39:57

Hi
I have also wrestled with this dilema, from a pesrsonal perspective I have not actually got any one to hand my stuff down to, never having had children. So in my case it is either donating my father's Commando artefacts to a museum or it will end up in a junk shop, or even worse a skip!
I agree with your concerns regarding the Spean Bridge Hotel, in my case I will probably be donating my father's stuff to his parent Regiment's (Royal Welch Fusiliers) museum in Caernarfon Castle. As it happens my father re enlisted with the RWF after being demobbed in Nov 1945 and made a career in the Army, so I have got quite a lot of his post Commando artefacts that I can also donate.
Another alternative occurred to me when a friend of mine recently visited the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds and told me that they had a small Commando display, so if the RWF weren't interested then I would approach the RA museum or even the Imperial War Museum. After all with my donation they would have an absolutely cast iron history of each item, backed up with a copy of my father's original Army Record documents, something that I suspect is not always the case with many of the things that they have on display.

Cheers Andy

Ps I would like to echo John's request of photographing / scanning all of the things that you have, they really would make a superb addition to the CVA archive. And from a personal perspective I always find other relatives Commando artefacts really facinating.

Was just doing a trawl through items. Why not put the pieces in the West Highland Museum in Fort William.

Bill

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 03/10/2012 12:02:59

I think that is a great suggestion, there it might get more attention as it is fully dedicated tocommandos and as a new museum they need stuff.it might not get that when donating to parent regiment . i would love to see pics too. Cheers JB

Bill Harvey wrote:Was just doing a trawl through items. Why not put the pieces in the West Highland Museum in Fort William.

Bill

Here are the details:

A note from the Trustees of the West Highland Museum:

The West Highland Museum in Cameron Square Fort William will be hosting what we believe will be a memorable event during the Armistice weekend. A small exhibition has been arranged around the theme of ?Commando Training in Lochaber? which will feature aspects of training at Achnacarry, some Commando kit including Fairbairn Sykes daggers, and the lives of three named Commandos ? Raymond Hervo, Bill Harvey and we hope Johnny Ramensky.
This small display will be the embryo of a more comprehensive exhibition which will open next year ? subject to the success of our funding applications, and we have long term plans to feature Commando Training much more prominently in years to come when we are able to build our planned extension.
All are welcome at 10.30am at the Museum on Saturday 10th November, when the display will be formally opened by Stan Scott, Chairman of the CVA.
As the capacity of the room is limited our visitors may wish to visit the adjacent No. 4 Restaurant where tea/coffee and scones will be available to all our visitors from 10.15.am.
We anticipate, with your support, that the West Highland Museum will be responsible for keeping the story of Command Training alive for our many visitors and for generations to come.