Messages posted by: outcast

There still remains the question on many people's lips, "Why wasn't there a Commando Medal?"

There is now, and has been for umpteen years. I'm not sure when it was first instigated, but it was certainly in existence when I completed my commando training in 1960.
The recipient in my squad was also awarded the King's Badge for the best all round recruit in the squad.
It is still awarded today, and is definitely an "official" medal, the recipient having been voted for by the rest of troop (as they are now known) and presented by OC CTCRM or a more senior visiting RM officer.
It is a medallion, and is not designed to be worn, not having a clasp or ribbon.

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn%3AANd9GcTtYkanyVLfysg9PHIHOIx-WeQdM0abdNWAa0JFEh33AtKXDS1G

The Commando Medal is awarded to the man who throughout training, shows to an outstanding degree, the qualities of the Commando Spirit. These are defined as: Leadership, Unselfishness, Cheerfulness in adversity, Determination, Courage.

There are one or two chocolate box versions around, notably one by Fisher Patton and the Red Baron.
It is probable that the pongoes (sorry, the army)

have their own version, too.

Great news!

Vic

There are a couple of photos of me on the site, in the gallery under the name Vic Balsdon (42 and 45 Commandos RM)
Be prepared for some bad language if he remembers me!

Hi Celrick (Colin?)
It's just possible that your step father and I served together at some stage, as our periods of service overlapped for a few years.
As a PW (weapons instructor), I may even have been one of those 'orrible NCOs that made his life such a misery (not really- I was kindness itself!).
In 1964/5 I was a member of Sgt. Pete Tasker's team - a mountain of a man, with a voice like a foghorn.
Yours, aye
Vic
Stay safe

Hi
I have always assumed that medals were and are named by workshop attached to the medal office before being sent to the recipient's unit.
However, a few years ago I took a couple of trophies that I had won in Singapore in 1962 to be engraved with my name by a jeweller whose business was not that far from a military camp.
In the course of the conversation he mentioned that he used to engrave medals for that camp, as their armourers, who had been stamping them, had damaged several.
Does anyone know if this was common practice? Or merely a figment of his imagination?

Cpl Peter "Danny" Danells was killed by enemy fire during a Claret (cross border) operation during the 'Confrontation' with Indonesia on 4th November 1965.
He is buried at Kranji Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery in Singapore.
His daughter was born while he was on deployment, and so he never had the opportunity to see her.
RIP, oppo. I think of you often.

Hi Wurzle
I see that you posted this request for info ref your dad's insignia and cap badge well over two, and getting on for three, years ago. I'm surprised that no one has come up with an answer, so in the hope that you are still logging on to the site, here goes:
He would have worn a brass King's crown cap badge (bronze ones didn't arrive until the mid sixties) although some Bakelite ones were made and issued during WW2 for the sake of economy. Brass is your best bet for a display, though.
The insignia that he would have worn would have been the Cash's name tape type - small "45" strip above a larger " Royal Marines" strip and then a "Commando" strip underneath that.
He would also have worn the Combined Operations badge.
I'm not sure when unit lanyards were first worn. I've tried to find out but no information has come up.
I hope that this has been of some help.
Vic

I believe that the Cash's ribbons insignia were the type worn in WW2, with the unit (ie. 41, 42, 43 .....etc.) on a small strip which was centrally above a strip with "Royal Marines" embroidered on it and then another with "Commando" underneath that one.
This enabled those Royal Marines that were not commando trained ( ship and shore based personnel) to wear just the "Royal Marines" strip.
When I joined the Royal Marines in 1959, we were still being issued with BD and we wore the Cash's "Royal Marines" title until we had completed commando training, when the felt "Royal Marines Commando" title was sewn on instead.
The commando "dagger" (FS knife) was worn underneath on both sleeves except when parachute wings were worn, and then it was only worn on the left sleeve.
BD continued to be worn until it was replaced by the Lovat uniform in the mid sixties.
As a point of added interest (or perhaps just to bore you even further!), the blue beret with the red patch was worn by those marines that had not qualified as commandos until 1960, when an RMRO ordered that everyone except a recruit (and YO) undergoing basic training should wear the green lid.
This meant that some marines that had not undergone commando training wore the green beret, which quite understandably, was the cause of a lot of resentment at the time. As someone once said: "Not a lot of people know that". :wink:
PS: Another look at the photograph indicates to me that it was taken late fifties/early sixties. not only is the BD of a pattern that was of a later type, but the beret is shaped and not of the fashion typified in WW2 (floppy, pulled over to the right side of the head, with the cap badge almost on top of the head - there's a name for this style but I've forgotten it, like most everything else!). I can still hear my drill instructor's voice: "Cap badge one inch above the left eye!".

Hi Pete
Thanks for your post and the offer to help out with posting my pictures.
Unfortunately, when I click on your email symbol, nothing happens.
I appear to be doomed to failure!
Kind regards
Vic

I joined the Royal Marines in 1959 on a nine year engagement and left in 1968.
During my service I spent two years in Singapore and other area of the Far East with 42 Commando RM at RNAS Sembawang and aboard HMS Bulwark.
I also served with 45 Commando RM in Aden as a member of Recce Troop.
In the UK, I qualified as a weapons instructor (PW2) at ITCRM as it was then known.
The attached pictures are of me and those I served with.
I have many more (not of me!) should the site moderators consider it appropriate.

The attached zip file would not open.
I'll try again.

PS My efforts to make this file open in a readable form have been unsuccessful, and there appears to be no option to remove it, so I'll have to call it a day.
My apologies to anyone that wasted time trying to read it.