MNBDO II and Operation Huskey

I am researching my late father's wartime service. He enlisted in the Royal Marines 07/04/42 and was demobilised 25/05/46. Following technical training as an armourer at HMS Gosling he was assigned to MNBDO II and took part in Operation Huskey.

Daniel John Bull ('Jack') kept no diaries and only passed on a handful of anecdotes about his wartime service. His role during the operations in Sicily is unclear, but I have read that MNBDO units may have been assigned to Commando units. Can anyone shed any light?

Many thanks,
Tim

Hi Tim

Welcome to our Forum. Have you applied for a copy of the official service record of your Father as yet ? How to do so can be found below You may wish to contact the RM Museum, they have a Historical Society, about an indepth history of MNBDO11 in Sicily, or arrange a visit to the National Archives to view War Diaries.

Servive Records

http://www.commandoveterans.org/ServiceRecords

After Sicily many would become part of Combined Operations but certainly not all would have become Commandos.

The Royal Marines Museum have this at the end of their entry for MNBDO11:

After service on detached duties with the Eighth Army, the units of MNBDO II were assembled in Augusta (Sicily) for embarkation and arrived in the UK in February 1944 the HQ was disbanded in May 1944 and personnel of all but those AA Regiments forming 5 RM AA Bde were sent to North Wales for selection as landing craft crews, commandos or for other duties.

Hi Tim,

How have you progressed in your search? I have just received my Grandfathers service records and it would seem he also served in the MNBDO II. It would seem he moved to this unit in August 1942 and was wounded at some stage in 1943, finally moved out of the unit in May 44 it seems. He had told me before he passed that he did land in Sicily, at night from memory and he also has the Africa and Italy medals. I have only just received the records today, so still fresh in finding information, though it would be great to share notes and see what we can find out together.