Messages posted by: Pete

Thanks Alan.

https://www.commandoveterans.org/Albert_Reginald_Seekings

https://www.commandoveterans.org/Robert_William_Seekings

https://www.commandoveterans.org/EricMusk_7Commando

Bill Harvey with Stephen and Chris Unwin at the Commando Memorial August 2024. Stephen and Chris were in Scotland celebrating there 45th wedding anniversary.

The Royal Marine Commando (40RM Commando) timeline: https://www.commandoveterans.org/40RMCommando

The initial assignment/role of the RM Commando was changed during the action. The RM Commando was placed at the disposal of the Canadian GOC, Major General Roberts. After passing through White beach, they were to join the Essex Scottish, believed to be in the town. As the first of the RM Commando landed they came under withering enemy fire and were ordered to re-embark within 10 minutes of landing. Their casualties are here, this list only showing those who died and not those wounded, or missing: https://www.commandoveterans.org/DieppeCdoROH

Hi Barrie

Have you or any member of your extended family got his service record. Sometimes these produce good information including confirming when his RM service commenced and ended. If not you can get a copy here: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/mod-closed-foi-request-step1
The initial check to find it is free but there is a small fee (used to be £30) to actually get the record sent to you once they do. You will have probably have seen entry for your uncle in our 40RM Commando nominal roll and here on the A-Z: https://www.commandoveterans.org/David_Turner_40RM_Commando

There were a small number from what was at the time of Dieppe still simply called the Royal Marine Commando before it was re-designated to 40RM Commando, that went on to serve in 30AU but from the locations that you mentioned regarding his later service, this mirrors that of 40RM Commando. Do you have a good photo of your uncle, either from his RM days or after n civvie street ? If so either attach it here or email me it via the link below and I will add it. Also do you know his exact dates and places (town or city) of birth an death and I will include those.

Pete

From Clifford Farrington

From Clifford Farrington, front and reverse with annotations

From Clifford Farrington: Some of 30AU 'X' Troop liberating the bar of the German Marine barracks at Buxtehude, 22 April 1945. Fred Farrington is second right and Sgt "Nutty" Edwards to the left. War Office photo.

Hi Cliff

Great photo which I will add to the archive shortly. If they are high resolution images as discussed in our email exchange you are probably better emailing them to me as the gallery has file size images. That way I can deal with them direct.

Pete

79 years ago this day Japan surrendered and World War Two ended. The month of August during WW2 will also be remembered for other events. Read more in our Archive page below about VJ Day and other WW2 events that took place in WW2 during the month of August

https://www.commandoveterans.org/WW2CdoHistory_August

Hi Ron

The 2 Special Service Brigade casualties buried at Tirana are listed here. They are from Operation Healing 11 and Operation Mercerised. https://www.commandoveterans.org/Tirana-Park-Cemetery

The Fallen specifically from Healing 11 are also named at the foot of the page here: https://www.commandoveterans.org/OperationHealing2Commando

I note you say your father was walking wounded. Do we have details ? If not let me know his full name and other details.

[i]Pete[/]

It is with much sadness that we advise you of the recent death of Bryan Charles William Samain, aged 99, who served as an officer primarily in 45RM Commando. Our thoughts and prayers are with all his family and friends at this sad time. Rest in peace Bryan.

Obituary written by his granddaughter Katy Riley

Bryan Samain, who has died at the age of 99 was a wartime Commando intelligence officer who later became a leading industrial publicist for major British companies.

Born in Chelmsford in 1925, he was educated at the Royal Masonic School. He trained as a journalist on the Daily Sketch and Sunday Graphic and later wrote for the Sydney Daily Mirror until volunteering for military service.

In 1943, he joined the Royal Marines, serving with 45 Royal Marine Commando in Normandy and later in Holland and Germany, principally as an intelligence officer. He was temporarily posted to 46 Royal Marine Commando to support the strategic crossing of the Rhine on the 23rd March 1945 and took part in the first wave of the Brigade's assault landing. He later rejoined 45 for the forced crossing of the Elbe shortly before the German surrender on the 8th May 1945. He also served with the unit in Hong Kong in 1946, helping to restore law and order in the territory following the Japanese occupation.

Following the war, he resumed his journalistic career in London before moving into PR, specialising in industrial publicity. He worked for Richard Thomas & Baldwins, Cementation and Costain. In 1960 he was appointed head of PR for Ford Motor Co. UK. Then, in 1970 he joined EMI to set up a worldwide corporate PR department.

His military past, however, never entirely deserted him. At the age of 22 he wrote Commando Men, a popular history of RM Commando operations in NW Europe in 1944-1945, which was re-published several times in his lifetime.

In December 2015, he was appointed a Chevalier of the Légion d'Honneur as a veteran of the battle of Normandy in June-August 1944.

Bryan married Helen, a wartime WRENS officer in 1948, she died in 2016. They are survived by their two sons, Paul and Peter. Bryan Samain died on 24th June 2024.

[Photos and obituary courtesy of Bryan's granddaughter Katy Riley.]

Hi Chris

Unfortunately whilst we have a few earlier in the 60's we do not have any from Aden circa 1967 so you might also want to try the RM Historical Society. The link to their website page (with links at the bottom to their Facebook page) is here https://www.rmhistoricalsociety.org/

Our gallery is here: https://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/laterday/RM+Commandos/45+Cdo/

If you post a another photo of your father (civvies is fine if you have no other) with his dates of service and number I will add both to the archive if you wish.

Pete

[deleted and reposted below]

I did find the Naturalisation record you mentioned but it does not assist. Unfortunately I have not been able to find anything on his military service but I hope someone else will in the future.

Hi

What was your grandfather's full name and date and city of birth if known. Being Hungarian my initial thought was that if he had served as a commando in No.10 (Inter-Allied) Commando it would have been in 3 Troop, also known as 'X' Troop. Feel free to provide as much detail as is known about him. Did he settle in the UK after the war or return to Hungary, etc, etc.

Pete