Messages posted by: Pete

Hi (you did not leave your first name)

I cannot see an entry as yet in our archive (which is not complete) about your father. You mention there are mentions of units. Is this from his Service Record ? If so are you able to scan or take and post a photo of the postings and include the dates. This would be most helpful. If you have a PDF copy of his service record feel free to email me (below) a copy and from that I will be able to tell you more and update the archive if appropriate. Also if you have any photos from his service days please add them either here or in any email you send.

Pete

Hi Mick

45RM Commando moved to Eastbourne around the middle of January 1944 and stayed until the 26th May when they moved to the Staging Camp at Southampton in preparation for DDay. I have attached an extract which mentions billets. Its taken from a little book about the history of 45RM Cdo from its formation in August 1943 until June 1945 called appropriately 'The Story of 45 Royal Marine Commando'. To answer your question about billets I have quoted below a paragraph from a book written by the late Major James Dunning called "It had to be Tough" which was later re-printed in America as "The British Commandos - The Origins and Special Training of an Elite Unit". Jimmy Dunning was in No.4 Commando during the war and after being commissioned also served as an Instructor at the Commando Basic Training Centre at Achnacarry.

"How and where each Commando soldier organized his accommodation was his own responsibility. There was just one proviso, every soldier had to be on parade in good order and fully prepared for the task in hand at the right place and at the right time as detailed. Failure to comply with this fundamental requirement usually had only one recourse - Return to Unit (RTU)."

In the book he devotes a whole chapter to Setting Up - Billets and Organization". OR's in the Commandos were given a daily allowance of 6 shillings and 8 pence and a Ration Card. We do not seem to have an entry for your Father in the archive as yet so could you please contact me by email (below) and send any information you have on his commando service. This can be anything from an extract of his service record where commando service is mentioned, photo where commando insignia is visible, letters or documents referencing commando service, etc. I will then be able to update the archive.

Pete

Unlike today not all Royal Marines in WW2 were Commandos. However the photo of your grandfather shows he was a RM Commando but it does not tell us what unit he was in nor his theatre of operations, nor when he joined the Commandos. I note you say in your first post he was "potentially based at Chatham Barracks and maybe served in Italy." This means that you must apply for a copy of his service record if you want accuracy and see what is in there, otherwise 'assuming' can lead you completely down the wrong path of research. There are lengthy delays but the initial application is free so its worth doing but as Guy has mentioned definitely send in a copy of the death certificate with your application otherwise information can be redacted or completely withheld under their disclosure rules. Once you have applied I would recommend, if you have not already done so, contacting members of your extended family to see if anyone has any other photos, letters, documents, etc., that may have belonged to your grandfather that relate to his time in the Royal Marines. Sometimes these can have clues as to his unit and/or theatre of service. If you do apply get back in touch when you get the record and from the record I can then enter his details and photo into the appropriate sections of the Archive.

Pete

Ps What's your first name, make it more personal.

When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today.

The Commando Roll of Honour [view.....]

We will remember them.

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.]