Messages posted by: NIC

Wow Cat,
That's fantastic!
Well done for all your research and for putting together a very comprehensive record for your paternal grandfather - it can't have been easy as you had so little to go on in the first place as he and your grandmother became estranged so long ago.

Regards,

Nick

Loulou wrote:Hello

Could someone perhaps send me a message regarding George Eden. I think he may be the George Eden we have been looking for. My grandfathers brother, my dad's uncle!

It would be great to hear from someone.

Kindest Regards

Hi Loulou,
Welcome to the Website.
Hopefully we can help you or at least point you in the right direction...
What is it you want to know about George Eden?
And what do you know already - this might help us help you...

Nick

Hi John,

Are you sure that your father was mostly stationed in Scotland?
It should state on his records, in Column 'C', the "Place of Casualty" - this is where he was based at the time of whatever is recorded in column 'B' - whether it be posting, promotion, stoppage of pay etc.

No.4 Commando did spend time in Scotland but, like all the Commandos, they also spent time on the South Coast, moving from town to town after a short stay of a few months. Certainly, No.4 were at Bexhill in East Sussex in May '44...

When he was at CRS Falmouth is there anything about being posted to an X List? When he finished at the CRS does it have an acronym of CTBA?

If it's possible for you to scan this page and post it here or email it to me then we can see if there are any other clues you may have missed.

Nick

Hi John,

I believe CRS stood for 'Casualty Receiving Station' - small medical units for servicemen and women with minor ailments, such as bad 'flu or sprained ankle, who would need only a few days rest and medical care.
I think that the CRS at Falmouth was a ward within the local hospital ...

Nick

Hi Alan,

Once again thank you for the information.
All amendments have now been incorporated and I hope to have a nominal roll for ME Cdos in the very near future...

Nick

Thanks Guy & Steve,

Nominal Roll updated

Nick

Hi Cat,
That's great news...
Hope the records contain some interesting stuff - although RM Records tend not to be as informative as Army Records...

An RM Commando was organised along War Establishment lines conforming to those Commandos already raised by the Army.
This consisted of Cdo HQ, Signal Section, Admin Section, five fighting troops [A, B, X, Y and Z] - named after the big gun turrets on capital ships - plus a Heavy Weapons Troop [S Troop].
The nominal strength of a fighting troop was three officers and sixty five other ranks.
Each troop contained two sections, each further divided into two sub-sections. The Heavy Weapons Troop had two officers and forty other ranks, armed with two Vickers machine-guns and two 3-inch mortars.
These weapons were doubled in number after the D-Day landings.

Nick

Pete wrote:... I also note your comments about the entry in our nominal roll for J.B.Jones above. I am not aware of the source for the Regiment and service number as shown there, but I have now added your Father's details to the nominal roll. There was no official roll of all who served as Commandos and there may have been two in No.9 Commando of that surname and initials so both now show.

Hi Tim,
I can confirm that the details for the other J. Jones listed in our No.9 Cdo Nominal Roll was obtained from No.9 Cdo's Official War Diaries [WO361/861 - 9 Commando Casualties] where he was listed as serving in HQ Troop and as 'Killed and/or Missing', 3 Feb '44 (Ornito).

It's always very satisfying when we can add more names to the nominal rolls or amend/correct details we already have.

Nick

Hi Colin,

Just for your into, HMS COPRA certainly wasn't a ship and, as you've established, it was a shore base dealing with Combined Ops.
COPRA was an acronym for Combined Operations Pay Records & Accounts...

Here is a good write up on HMS COPRA...

https://www.combinedops.com/COPRA.htm

Nick

Hi Colin,

Welcome to the Website.
Attached is a short document I put together which may help you understand the purpose and function of RMTG...

Nick

Taff, I have sent you a PM...

Nick

Hi Mark,

Thank you very much for that information - I have now amended his entry in the No.11 Cdo nominal roll.

I'm pleased to say I have him on my nominal roll for 204 Military Mission where he served in the Burma Cadre Battalion under Lt Col Derek Gill-Davies, DSO.

... and his number was 4804207.

Thanks that was very valuable information which ties up loose ends.

I did notice that we don't have any photos of your grandfather - I'm sure that as a proud grandson, you'd like to see his photo in our Gallery with his colleagues and pals where he will be remembered with pride... ) :D

Nick

Taff_Davies wrote:Hi Nick

Very many thanks for your response - very much appreciated.

I'll do as you say, but our problem is that we don't know which Regiment, Corps etc., he enlisted with, nor do we know his service number - still searching family for this, and as I'm living in the Falkland Islands - tis somewhat long winded.

Again many thanks

Yours Aye

Taff

Hi Taff,

Not knowing his regiment/Corps or his service number is not a problem!

As long as you know his date of birth and his full name then that should be sufficient for the Records Office.

Here are the links to the two forms you'll need - you'll also need a copy of his Death Certificate (also available from Gov.UK if you haven't got a copy).
If your aunt (his wife) is still with us then if she signs the form, then the MoD will waive the £30 fee.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/711147/20180524-request_service_details_NOK_part1_v6.2.pdf

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/545060/request_for_service_details_army_application_part2_1_.pdf

https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate

All very straightforward.

Yours Aye,

Nick

Hi Taff,

I can't find anything on Tydfil at the moment but that isn't too much of a worry as there wasn't a nominal roll for Army Commandos as such as they were all 'on loan' from their parent regiments to which they returned after the War when the Army Commandos were disbanded.

I would however, recommend you apply to the MoD for a scan of his service records - see link below.

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/179.page

The MoD is the only custodian of WWII Service Records. If you need any help or have any questions, we're here to help...

Yours Aye,

Nick

Well done Guy,
I have spent a lot of time trying to find the location of the The Green Beret Cafe over the years. I had great success locating other features that appeared in the Ken Emmerson collection of photos but couldn't pin down the Green Beret Cafe...
To be absolutely honest, I never looked at Germany and concentrated more in France Belgium & Holland!

Nick