10 Independent company

TSM Bill Lee no 3451602
My uncle Bill Lee was in the 10 Independent Co. before he was in TWELVE COMMANDO and then No.3 COMMANDO.
does anyone have an example of the 10 Independent Co shoulder badge (presuming they had one)?
A clear photo will do.
We do not have any photos of Bill 'at work'
he was variously at Inverailort, Achdalieu and Achnacarry and at Voxter Voe.
He was on one Lofoten Raid ( wounded) and other Norway recce operations.
Also,
he trained B Coy Ist US COMMANDO, presumably part of Darby's Rangers who presented him with a stick.
Photos of stick available.
could there be photos of this group and Bill?
He was one of the 270 commandos on the Sobieski who took part in Operation Menace. any photos of that?
He was seriously wounded during the invasion of Italy and was sent to hospital in Feeetown.
Does anyone have info/photos (especially when someone accidentally set the mosquito netting alight during a malarial delirium) etc? Afterwards at Alder Hey Hospital, Liverpool.
He was too unfit for D Day.
How can we find his service record, please?
Regards,
John Mainwaring

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 18/03/2015 12:40:31

Hi John,
Welcome to the CVA Website & forums.

To answer your last question first, yes you can apply to the MoD for his service records and I would certainly recommend that you do - for an administrative fee of £30 you should receive details of him joining up, training, postings, promotions (and demotions), embarkations for overseas theatres, disembarkations, wounds & hospitalisations etc.

Please follow these links (below) for both the forms you'll need - the first link just gives you a general overview of the gov.uk pages regarding service records.

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

Form 1. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/210233/request_service_details_NOK_pt1_v6.pdf

Form 2. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/142479/request_for_service_details_army_application_part2_1_.pdf

The forms are quite straight forward but, as I always say, if you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to ask - we're here to help.

Unfortunately, we have very few photos of the Independent Companies in our Gallery, relying as we do on families to donate them, and I'm afraid there are none of 10 Independent Company.
I'm not sure if the Independent Companies did have their own formation patches but I'm sure someone will know and let us know.
I do know that the Independent Companies were formed from the Territorial Army divisions and 10 Independent Co was formed from 66th (East Lancashire) Division.

Nick

John,
I believe your Uncle was one of the 23 men of 12 Commando that shipped from the UK and joined 3 Commando in Sicily on 27th August 1943. He was wounded in action at Termoli (3-6th October 1943)
Guy

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 21/03/2015 10:10:42

I'm AWOL for a few days and look what I miss!

My dad, George Francis Harris, was in 10 Independent Company and was at all the places mentioned in the first post! They must have known each other.

I remember dad telling me about Operation Menace ... I believe they sailed round and round, the ones 'steering' not finding the right place - so they ended up doing lots of training instead. I could be wrong but that's what I recall.

I'm thrilled to see this posted here and will be keeping a keen eye on it. I've no photos of dad from this time.

Another memory I have is the commotion regarding the raids on the fruit, and the subsequent letter of disapproval. Not that my dad would have been involved in that of course. (Eyes raised, whistling ...) )

Voxter Voe ... new one on me, unless that's Glenfinnan ... I'm away to check.

Dad volunteered to fight in '43 too - but I think he was with No.2 at Salerno as he fought on The Pimple. I know he was in Sicily too but not sure if he was with No.3 then ... or if he went to Yugoslavia afterwards, before coming back for Normandy. I can remember mam and dad talking about which Units he'd been in, and in what Operations ... oh to be able to go back to that discussion now.

Dad was in No.4 - his beloved No.4 :)

We have some photos taken at Voxter camp in the 12 Commando gallery. Do a gallery search on Voxter and then click view all.

Thanks for the info I will check out the Voxter camp photo,s. If anybody has any info on Bill Lee as an Instructor at Achnacarry I would appreciate it.
Chris Lee son of Bill Lee

Following on from Guy 3 Commando along with 40 Royal Marine Commando supported the Special Raiding Squadron and 2 S.A.S. at Termoli under the codename 'Devon', their task was to capture the town ready for the advancing 78th Division. Once the Germans reacted to the landing they put the British forces under heavy pressure. 3 Commando fought alongside a detachment from the Kensington's positioned in an orange grove and beat off a succession of enemy attacks. The operation eventually proved to be a success, the casualties to 3 Commando were 5 dead and 29 wounded, 40 Royal Marine Commando suffered 6 dead and 30 wounded, 2 S.A.S. had 1 man killed and a further 2 wounded whilst the S.R.S. suffered worst they lost 30 killed in action, 54 wounded and 22 taken prisoner from a total of 280 all ranks deployed.
Alan.

I spend a lot of time looking through the photos in the gallery ... and Termoli comes up quite a bit as a lot of men died there. I've wondered what went on but due to lack of time and whatever time I do have being used to research other things, I haven't found out what happened - until now.

Thank you to the above poster and to all those who supply such welcome information - so very helpful.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 22/03/2015 13:26:23

Hi Chris and John

I know you mention that you have no photo of your father from his Commando days, but if you have a photo of your father in civvies please either register on the gallery and post it there yourself in our Holding Album, or post it here and I will add it to the gallery on your behalf. You could also post the photo of the stick if you wish. I have recently been contacted by a good friend of your father whom I believe one of you may have met recently. He provided this image which unfortunately is not very clear when enlarged. If you have any problems posting the photos just send them to me by email shown below or on the Contact Us page of this website, and I will do so on your behalf.

Regards

Pete

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 22/03/2015 15:28:33

Hi Chris,

Good to hear from you, old buddy - what a small world it is.

I've had a look through the nominal rolls for No.12 & 3 Commando, but your father isn't on either. If you confirm his details (ie first name(s), nickname, regiment, and any awards) I'll get him added asap.
As I mentioned in the PM, there was never a definitive list of those who served as commandos, but we are working on that...

If you haven't already planned it, your trip to Scotland must include:
The Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge (there is a Remembrance Garden there where you may place a memorial plaque).
Achnacarry House. (Follow the Commando Trail information boards)
The West Highland Museum in Fort William (there is an excellent permanent Commando display there).
Take the road to Mallaig and turn off after a few miles to see the grand old castle at Inverailort (sadly, in a state of disrepair at the moment).

Cheers,

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 22/03/2015 18:16:02

Commando Association Newsletter 103 of September 1996...Obituary section shows amongst the names there Sgt. William Lee ( 12 & 3 Cdos). In the same edition it mentions a small donation in memory of Bill Lee (3 Cdo) from the Rochdale Philatelic Society.

The only photo in the gallery for No 3 Commando where a Lee is mentioned is here. The odds are remote that it is your father but worth a look - bottom row sitting on the ground 3rd from the left. The photo enlarges so you can see him clearly:

No 3 Commando 5 troop December 1941

Additionally the fact that the Commando Association newsletter does not mention in the Obituary for your father that he served as an instructor at the Commando Basic Training Centre (CBTC), and also does not mention that fact in the obituary for CSM Sawkins 2 Cdo (click on his name) who also trained the US Rangers may mean that selected NCO's were brought in from Commando Units to assist in the large intakes at that time, and therefore not assigned to the permanent staff of the Training Centre. An assumption I know but one that may be confirmed or otherwise by his Service Record.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 22/03/2015 19:20:43

Chris,
Did your Dad ever attend the Commando Veterans reunions at Warrington? In the gallery there are two photographs of 3 Commando veterans at reunions in the 1950's or 60's.

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/3+Commando+post+war/reunion40001.jpg.html

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/3+Commando+post+war/reunion30001.jpg.html

Guy

Hi Pete
Thanks for the info. I have a Commando Association Newsletter No 77 Sept 1983 Page 2 refers to a letter sent from my dad about the annual re-union in London.

Do you keep these letters and can you read them on the site.

Chris

Hi Chris

We do have copies of all the newsletters including this one and can refer to them. They contain a lot of personal information which was only ever originally published for the members of the Commando Association. As some of the personal data may refer to people who are still alive, we are not publishing them for the time being.

They are constantly searched by those who have access to them and often referred to when answering requests for help posted on our forum where no other sources are found.

regards

Pete