Frank Ransom, No4 Cdo & No7 Cdo

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 22/02/2009 22:01:20

Hello Mr. Murray,
I am trying to find out any information that I can about my Father during the war. He was a Sarge ant in the British Commando's in WW2. He was in No. Africa, Tobruke, El Alemain. I do not know what unit he was with. He earned the African Star and the Italian Cross and one other that I cannot make out what it says. Do you know of a way that I could acquire his service records of where he was and what he was doing. On his army book, it says that he started out with the No. 4 Commando's. But I do not think that they were in the battles that he was in, so I am thinking that he was transferred to maybe the No. 7 Commando's. Can you please help me. My Dad is passed away now, and he is my hero. I am so proud of him, and I miss him so much and I would love to know more about his war service. Any help you can provide would be so appreciated. My Father's name is Frank Ransom..his best friend in the army was a fellow called "Big Jock", who was killed in action. My Dad also was in Italy. Any help would be so welcomed. Thank you for your time, Glenda Ransom, [email protected]

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 01/01/2008 01:29:14

I have just emailed Glenda with this information:

Dear Glenda,
I am contacting you because you appealed to the Commando Veterans Association (CVA) looking for information about your father.

I have provided a link that will take you to Veterans UK, the website of the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency, an agency set up recently By the Ministry of Defence.
This will give you all the information you need to apply to the Army Historical Disclosures Office, in Glasgow to obtain your father's Service Records.

http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html

I have recently done this myself and found it was a very simple but rewarding process. I received a lot of photocopies of my father's records and managed to glean a lot of information that I hadn't known (my father died when I was a year old so I wasn't able to ask him any questions).
However, I must say that other people have been a little disappointed with the information they got back from the Historical Disclosures Office (bear in mind that there is still some information from the WWII that cannot yet be released!

Be aware that there will be a delay in processing your application for your father's Service Record as the Office is snowed under by Welfare Cases, which naturally must take precedence, and so there is a small backlog.

Once you receive the records, you'll find that there is a lot of Army jargon and abbreviations used [you will receive a list of the more common abbreviations and what they stand for] but if you need any help deciphering the jargon please get in contact with us at the CVA forum:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/forums/list.page

Please visit us on the forum - we are building up quite a bit of information slowly; and, of course, as the descendant of a Commando you are eligible to join The CVA as an Associate Member.
I hope this is all of use to you.
Regards,
Nick

Glenda

I have checked the list I hold of No4 Commando who were at Dieppe and cannot find any record of your father.

Best wishes in your search.

Bill Harvey (Son of No4 Commando).