Messages posted by: Pete

Some of Lin's photos

Hi Lin

Unfortunately from the photos you posted I cannot say for certain he served in 40RM Commando. I have not found details of the named personnel on some photos except for the Lieutenant who is on a Navy List at one point as HMS Copra, so Combined Operations but not which unit. I cannot see that Officer's name on (or perhaps better to say not yet found his name) on Navy Lists for Officers in specific RM Commando units some of which can be found within our archive. Here is a link to the the vast array of information on the Navy Lists. Find the Officer's unit and it may be that of your father's however even this is not certain as your father's service might have taken a different path at some stage:

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/93506066

In some photos there seems to be men from a mix of the Services so perhaps he was in one of the many supporting units. There is a fair bit about HMS Quebec here which is worth a good read through https://www.combinedops.com/Training%20No1%20CTC.htm

Finally I realise you have not found anything in his Service Record that helps but sometimes there are clues that are not obvious and I recommend you try taking good photos of each page so that they are very readable rather than blurred. If you send them to me by email I will have a look through. Try the first two pages initially and I will let you know whether the format is readable.

Pete

Hi Lin

Thank you for the details and information you posted about your father. To address your question on the 'X' first. The 'X' in prefixes of RM service numbers was introduced in October 1925 to indicate men who had enlisted, or re-enlisted, on or after the 5th October 1925, except re-entries before the 2nd November 1925 after a break in service of less than 5 years. A new sequence of numbers beginning with 1 was then started in each Register. The prefixes CH/X, PLY/X, PO/X, RMB/X followed by numbers of six figures in the 100,000 series indicate ranks entered for short service during the Second World War. The prefix EX followed by a number of three or four figures indicated a special Reservist entered at Exton Division between October 1939 and July 1940. The source for this being 'Tracing Your Royal Marine Ancestors - a guide for family historians', authors Richard Brooks and Matthew Little (published in association with the RM Museum).

The locations you gave do as you say match those of 40RM Commando. Can you post the other photos you mention. Should you have any problems posting them (there is a file size limit for each image of 1mb) feel free to contact me via the email option below this message of mine.

During WW2 over 470 Commandos died in Sicily and Italy. Remembered in Cemeteries or at Memorials. All WW2 cemeteries where commandos are buried, listed by country and with details of each commando buried there, can be found here: https://www.commandoveterans.org/graves_memorials

Those with no known grave

Cassino Memorial: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Cassino-Memorial

Chatham Naval Memorial: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Chatham-Naval-Memorial

Plymouth Naval Memorial: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Plymouth-Naval-Memorial

Portsmouth Naval Memorial: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Portsmouth-Naval-Memorial

Brookwood Memorial: https://www.commandoveterans.org/Brookwood-Memorial

Remembering all the Fallen and those who received life changing injuries in and around Salerno, Italy.

The Commando Roll of Honour from 9 to 20 September 1943
[view.....]

More about some of the Commandos who were involved including many wounded:
[view......]

We will remember them

Scotty I have attached a slightly better copy here. The London Gazette does show where he was serving. For bravery, resource and devotion to duty under dangerous conditions during operations in the Adriatic. H.M. Indefatigable only refers to the officer immediately below. They then move on to the Adriatic.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36979/supplement/1386

Not all Royal Marines were Commandos in WW2 but of those who were Nos. 40 and 43RM Commandos were operating in the Adriatic as part of the 2nd Special Service (Commando) Brigade. Do you have any photos of your grandfather in uniform at all ?

Hi Scotty, Is this your grandfather?

Hi Terence

The answer to your question is yes it is possible. However it should be noted that not all who were in No.2 Commando at the time went on the St. Nazaire raid. My father did, my uncle did not. Some of those who went did get back but not many. There was also a detachment from No.2 Commando who were overseas at the time of the raid. A tremendous amount of research has been undertaken over the years by numerous people not least of whom was the author James Dorrian who is still a member of the St. Nazaire Society. Those commandos whom we definitely know went on the raid are listed here and all are sourced with evidence of being there:

https://www.commandoveterans.org/operation_chariot

In respect of your Father's wounding.
All of No.2 Commando embarked for Gibraltar and there followed subsequent deployments to Sicily, Salerno and other parts of Italy, Albania, Vis, etc., ending at Argenta and Lake Comacchio. Casualty Lists only show your father wounded on the 9th October 1944 which was the date of Operation Mercerised at Sarande, Albania. The No.2 Commando War Diary for 9 October indicates 3 Troop and others took several casualties at Sarande. I am aware that there are cases where some who were wounded seem not to appear on the Casualty Lists, or perhaps more accurately to say not yet found on Casualty Lists . Anyhow here is the current entry for your father in our main archive which is in addition to those photos already in the galley. If you provide his dates and places of birth and death I can add those to it.

https://www.commandoveterans.org/WilliamAsquith2Commando

Pete

Reference your uncle: https://www.commandoveterans.org/JamesSmith1Commando

The answer is yes but principally on official Service Records which are not available online. Additionally it is if they have received an award, or officer promotion or commission, or or something meriting inclusion in the London Gazettes or War Office / other files. Or if they have been mentioned in a Unit War Diary , or were a casualty, ie. killed, wounded, missing, or prisoner of war. Finally some regimental personnel cards or records are now available online. I personally cannot find anything on those numbers but I do not have access to everything. The numbers you gave were in batches issued to the following Regiments/Corps.

6844557 - King's Royal Rifle Corps.
3970799 - Welch Regiment
T/195982 - Royal Army Service Corps.

Hi Bill

There was a big push to get the last ones out before Ron became too ill. And Ron only ever had those that had not already been issued directly to members who were on the raid. Additionally quite a few could not be issued as they had errors. Basically there are no more.

Pete

Hi Ian now amended. Thanks

Hi Ian

Thank you for identifying your Grandfather. Do you have a good resolution image of him on his own either in uniform or in civvies for me to add to the Archive. I can also add his commando service certificate if you take a photo of it. Also if you provide his dates and places of birth and death I will add those.

Pete

I will endeavour to find this out Bill

Anne Ammundsen is looking for Jim Asquith

Hi, is anyone able to help me track down Jim Asquith who I met on the troopship the Oxfordshire in September 1962? A group of us, who last met up with Jim in London in 1965, are having a reunion in London in October this year and it would be lovely to find him in time for him to join us. He was with 145 Maiwand Battery. The Battery was part of 29 Commando, Royal Artillery working in the Commando Brigade in Singapore. I think he was attached to Commando (40) over the causeway in Malaya at a place I think was called Ulu Tiram. Each Commando was supported by a RA Battery. Jim knew me as Anne Newton, but I am now Anne Ammundsen. Your help would be very much appreciated, many thanks.

Our archive entry is here: https://www.commandoveterans.org/HarryJohnson_3Commando