Messages posted by: NIC

Brilliant, thanks - all updated..

Nick

Hi bluey,

Yes he is already on it but I will add his details...

https://www.commandoveterans.org/8CommandoNomRollA-K

Do you know his number and parent regiment too?

Nick

Okay, cheers Paul - at least I was half right!

Hi Bluey,

I'm pleased to inform you that we do have pieces on Bomba and Layforce on this Site...

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/d/32707-17/Layforce.pdf

Nick

Hi Bluey,

To best answer your questions it would be handy to know your father's name and which Commando Unit he was in and, of course, to see the photo!

However, with the information you have given us, I have to presume that he was in either No. 7 Cdo, No.8 Cdo or No.11 Cdo which, in early 1941, combined to form 'Layforce'...

No.7 Cdo formed 'A' Battalion Layforce (Lt. Col. J.B. Colvin)
No.8 Cdo formed 'B' Battalion Layforce (Lt Col. D.R. Daly)
No.11 Cdo formed 'C' Battalion Layforce (Lt. Col. R.R.N. Pedder)

The Green Beret had not been introduced by this date so the General Service Cap - which is very similar to a Tam O' Shanter - would have been the preferred head-dress, however, No.11 ( Scottish) Cdo would have stuck with the T O'S with the Black Hackle.

Nick

Hi Cat,

Well done and thanks for keeping us updated.
Of course there's no reason that you can't apply for Harry's service record either! Your Dad is close enough NoK and as long as you know Harry's date of birth...
Happy researching

Nick :D

It is with much sadness that Fred Davies advises us of the recent death on the 18th February 2019 of CVA member, Graham Cox, aged 97. Graham was a veteran of the Special Brigade Signals Troop serving in both 1 and 2 Brigades. His parent unit was 38v (Welsh) Divisional Signals and his service number was 2586417.

Our sincere condolences to all his family and friends.

Funeral to be held at 12:00 hrs Monday 4th March at Sedgemoor Crematorium TA6 4SR. All are welcome.

Rest in peace Graham.

Graham Cox
b. 10/02/1922.
d. 18/02/2019.

When Shall Their Glory Fade...

Hi Tony,

Welcome to the CVA Website & Forums.
Here is a link to the No.12 Commando page from which you can follow the links and read up about No.12. Commando.

http://www.commandoveterans.org/12CommandoOperations

Here is a link to the No.12 Commando Album in our Gallery - have a look through and hopefully you'll spot your grandfather (please let us know if you do so the photo can be annotated accordingly).

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/12/

No.12 Commando was disbanded in Oct 1943 and it's personnel were generally dispersed amongst the other Commando Units. To find out more about your grandfather's service, I would recommend you apply to the MoD to obtain a scan of his original, handwritten service records.

Should you wish to do this, I can point you in the right direction

Nick

Cpl George Kimber, listed as one of the wounded at Troarn on the 17th August 1944 is shown next to Hayden Morgan on the Veterans Reunion photo.
Jenny tells us that both George & Hayden lost a leg on the same day...

Nick

Hi Jenny,
so the second pair of photos.
The larger group is when your father was in 46 RM Commando - the size of this group (61) would suggest this is a Troop within the Commando.

An RM Commando Unit 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.

Nick

Hi Jenny,

Here are your first two photos.
The large group I think is when they were on basic RM training.

The smaller group, I believe was when they'd finished training to be Royal Marines and were probably in 9th Battalion RM - they were not commandos at this stage...
9th Battalion RM were converted to become 46 RM Commando.

Nick

Jenny,

I have sent you a Private Message

Nick

Hi Jenny,

You could resize your photos but an easier option may be to email the photos to me and I will post them in this thread...

Nick

Yes this one is a puzzle!

Have you had a look through the No.5 Cdo Album in the Gallery for Alfie ( and Albert?)
Click on each thumbnail to open then again to enlarge!
Thumbnails with grey surrounds are sub-albums and contain a number of images...

Let us know if you spot him/them

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/5/

Nick

Hi Josh,

Just in case, here are the two forms you'll need to apply to the MoD

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

The NoK (Part 1) will identify your relationship with Alfie so it is probably best to get your mother to sign it as NoK - unless there are closer relatives still alive...
The Service Specific (Pt 2 ) needs Alfie's full name and date of birth

Any Death Certs you may need for research into Albert's service can be applied for here...
https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate

But now we've got to think about the great information that Guy gave us.

The Lost Legions was a supplement to the old Commando Association's Newsletter. The CA published lists of members who had lost touch with the Association

Because they have an entry listed as Gunner A [b]H Fenn[/b], I feel that, as you suggested, it is likely both Albert & Alfred were in No.5 Commando and, because their names were so similar, someone got a bit confused and put Albert's rank ( Gunner) but Alfie's initials (A.H.) on the entry...

Ideally, we'd love to know if both were in No.5 Commando, which hopefully you'll be able to confirm, Josh.

But what about the story that brother Albert was Killed in Action?
According to Guy's research, Albert survived the war and passed away in 1987

Nick