Messages posted by: Pete

Hi Chris

I am pleased to hear James replied so promptly and hope he finds some information for you. If he does keep us informed. On this link to a previous CVA forum thread on St Nazaire you will find some useful information and video links including a list of those who took part. It also includes some German archive photos and video footage. It may be of some interest to you:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/830.page

The No.2 Commando Gallery also has some photos of those who took part, in particular in the 5 Troop sub album:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/

Hi and welcome to the CVA. Although I cannot directly assist with your enquiry you may want to contact the author James Dorrian who has written books, endorsed by the St Nazaire Society, about the raid. In the past he has been most helpful to me. He can be contacted via his website blog on this link:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/13359437982333918290

When it is nearer the time please update this forum entry with dates you are travelling on, and the link again to your Help for Heroes site for donations to such a worthy cause

I have seen FBE as being an abbreviation for Folding Boat Equipment somewhere before

Hi Judi

The quality of your picture is superb. The group seem in the main to be officers. Thank you for posting it. I have placed a copy in the No.3 Commando Gallery for others to view more easily. I believe I can see Roy George Herbert DCM MM (kia 10th June 1944) centre holding his rifle, Peter Young to his left. 4th from the right as you view the picture could be Leonard Coulson though I am not certain on that. Could this have been taken in Limehouse where No.3 Cdo were training for street fighting among the bombed out houses prior to D Day ? We have a similar 4 Troop picture that has been identified as having been taken there.
I am sure others who know more about No.3 Cdo will recognise faces. If anyone does just put the details here and the exact position of the person and I will update the gallery photo.

Here is the link to Judi's picture in the gallery:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/No_3+Cdo_.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Update below from Judi Kemp 8/8/09 her father Michael Scovell is not in this picture, nor in one of the gallery photos. Details amended in the gallery and here

Here is a newspaper cutting of an obituary for Bill Boucher-Myers from No. 4 Commando kindly sent to me by Richard Wells. As can be read in the article, he remained in the Army after the war being awarded the DSO in Aden. Click on the link below for the details

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/main.php?g2_view=dynamicalbum.UpdatesAlbum&g2_itemId=6001&g2_imageViewsIndex=1

09/08/09 Update from jack bakker with names in the photo. Click on the link in Nic's message below for details

Photo updated. Thanks for the information Janet. Link to photo in gallery is here:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/Solta+1.html

From the No.2 Cdo War Diary :

21/4/44 at Vis : Lt. Nicholl and 15 men left with partisans for a large scale raid on Korcula. A Partisan show Commando providing wireless communication only for the battle;

25/4/44 at Vis : Lt. Nicholl returns from Korcula;

26/4/44 at Vis : Divisional Partisan Commander very pleased with Lt. Nicholl and party.and has requested that this officer always goes with him in future battles

His citation for his Military Cross in 1945:

"In the action on the Spit across Lake Commachio on 2 Apr 45, Capt. Nicholl was in command of 5 Troop, 2 Commando.
Owing to a break-down in landing craft, Capt. Nicholl's Troop arrived late and was ordered to attack enemy positions defending a bridge, with no opportunity of previous recce or planning as speed was imperative.
He personally led his Troop across 800 yds of open country in daylight in the face of heavy S.A. fire from uncharted weapons pits, destroying by himself at least one spandau post and several rifle pits.
Later in the day, Capt. Nicholl led his Troop against a strongly-defended gun position. Although he suffered a number of casualties from point blank gun fire and S.A. fire he infiltrated forward with a Bren Team and harassed the gunteam with such tenacity it was forced to withdraw.
On the following day during the advance up the Spit Capt. Nicholl's Troop which was leading was pinned by vicious and heavy D.F. fire. Capt. Nicholl inspired all ranks by his great coolness and personal disregard for his own safety when visiting forward elements to rally them for a further advance.
GRANTED AN IMMEDIATE MC"
signed by
HR Alexander Field Marshall, Supreme Allied Commander-in-chief, Mediterranean Theatre - and others.

I have managed to contact Angela Le Roy, the daughter of the late Reverend Nicholl MC - former Captain of No.2 Commando and have created an album of pictures that she has kindly sent me. The link to his album in the No.2 Cdo Gallery is here:
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/?g2_page=2

I Have reproduced those photos here to be alongside the obituary above.

There are 2 further photos in the No.2 Gallery in which he can be seen:

as Lieutenant in 6 Troop here:
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/6+troop/6+Troop+2+Commando.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

and in the Panorama photo of No.2 Cdo here:
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/2__Commando+panorama.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

A short 5 minute film for the National Lottery Channel, "National Lottery Xtra" is in the process of being edited for transmission. Recently they travelled to France with John White and Fred Walker of No 3 Commando to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of the D Day landings. A number of the veterans this year benefitted from the "Heroes Return To" programme, where the Lottery helped fund their trips back to where they saw action. I will let you know if I hear the date for national transmission. They were most interested in the 2 photos of 4 Troop No.3 Commando in our gallery originally posted by Stephane and hopefully those will be displayed as part of the programme.
Coincidentally Eric Buckmaster has given me some details regarding one of the photos which I copy here for you all, the picture reproduced below:
"With regard to the second picture where 4 Troop are standing on the rubble of buildings, did you know that that was taken just before D Day in Limehouse,East End of London. The London Blitz started at the beginning of Sept 1940. Initially theGermans were dropping only Percussion Bombs, and Incendiary Bombs. These screamed at you as they came down. However subsequently they used Parachute Mines which came down silently, and exploded above ground. Obviously they caused severe immediate damage where they landed, but they also took out the windows and doors of Row after Row of Terraced Houses. in the closely packed streets around London Dockland. The Government moved in an army of Building Workmen to carry out repairs on those houses that could be made habitable again. Often two & three times over. However, 3 Commando were using the Limehouse Area of Damaged Buildings to practise street fighting. Which was a very good oportunity. "

Dennis Leolin Samuel St Maur Aldridge was indeed a gallant soldier. Here is the only picture I could find of him and again thanks must go to John Robertson of the Special Forces Roll of Honour site who has given me permission to use photos from his site. His awards are as follows:
Palestine (MBE 40 Cdo);
Korea (MC,Silver Star -41 Ind.Cdo);
Suez (bar to MC)

I spotted the name Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan KCB, DSO and bar, MVO, in the No.2 Commando War Diary and was intrigued to find out more. The wikipedia link gives his life history part of which I mention here. He was born in 1871 and at the age of 15 in 1886 his naval career began. In 1901 he took command of the destroyer HMS Falcon and acted as second-in-command of the Devonport destroyer flotilla under Roger Keyes, who was then developing new destroyer tactics. They became fast friends. Cowan commanded several more destroyers, acquiring a widespread reputation as a destroyer captain, and then succeeded Keyes in command of the flotilla. That friendship remained and is how in WW2 he came to be with the Commandos. Again from Wikipedia during World War II he was given a job by his old friend Roger Keyes, then head of the Commandos. Cowan voluntarily took the lower rank of Commander and went to Scotland in 1941 to train the commandos in small boat handling. He served in North Africa, where he saw action at Mechili and at the Battle of Bir Hakeim, where he was captured on 27 May 1942, having attached himself to the Indian 18th King Edward VII's Own Cavalry (his commando unit having been disbanded). He was fighting an Italian tank crew single-handedly armed only with a revolver. Repatriated in 1943 as he was considered by his captors too old to fight, he rejoined the commandos and saw action in Italy during 1944. He was awarded a bar to his DSO. He retired once more in 1945. The entry in the War Diary for No.2 Cdo relates to his leaving the Commando for good. He had served with No.2 and No.9 Cdo's. The entry is dated 23rd June 1944 in Vis and it was on the same day that the Commando had paraded in front of Marshall Tito. The entry is as follows

" At 1545 hours notice was received that Admiral Sir Walter Cowan KCB DSO MVO was leaving for good at 1700hrs. A guard of honour of 100 men commanded by Captain M.W. Stilwell and 2 subalterns had been arranged for 2130hrs. his original time of departure, and this had to be got together in a hurry. This was mounted on the pier opposite the MGB on which he was to embark. All available British Troops turned out to wish the Admiral God Speed. The Partisans mounted a guard of honour at the shore end of the quay. When he had inspected them he was piped past by each of the MGB and Vosper crews in succession. When he inspected the guard of honour he was obviously deeply moved and made a farewell speech standing on a bollard beginning " My dear friends." Unfortunately the speech was cut short by emotion. As the MGB drew away the remainder of 2 Commando and the others gave 3 magnificent cheers, whilst the Highland Light Infantry band played " Will ye no come back again". Altogether it was the most stirring event most of us have ever witnessed for some time. It was with very genuine regret that the Commando saw their greatest admirer depart. The unit will be poorer for his loss."

In memory of Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan, 1st Baronet, KCB, DSO and bar, MVO. 11 June 1871?14 February 1956, known as Tich Cowan

His life story is briefly mentioned in the Wikipedia link here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Cowan
He can be seen with Marshall Tito in the pic below and the gallery picture posted by Fred Mather via Bob and Janet Bishop here:
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/2/Marshall+Tito+inspects.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

H Neil and welcome to the CVA. I am not sure how much, or little, of what I am about to say you have done or heard already but here goes. Firstly you should try to gather together from all your extended family any pictures,documents, letters, medals, or any other memorabilia, that they may have of your Grandfather from his days in the Services. This should include his post war years where he may have communicated with other veterans. Although on first glance these can seem ordinary, so to speak, sometimes on closer inspection they can give clues as to units, locations, dates, etc. You may well find his Commando Service Certificate given at the end of the war.
Secondly once you have done all that you should try and apply for his service record and here is a link from our site as to how to do that:
http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html
3rd, as you go about yr research keep a log of everything as little snippets of info can often get lost or forgotten.
4th, please feel free to post any photos you may have of your grandfather from his war days or at post war reunions. If you have any difficulty with that private message me and I will assist you.

Finally may I wish you the best of luck

Hi Fiona

In 2 Commando, Eric Buckmaster confirms that there were several Jacksons. He kindly supplies the following information:

Cpl / later Sgt J Jackson. Joined us in 1943, which suggests Gibraltar. He came from the Kings Regt, was awarded a DCM in 1944, and was Killed in action in March 1945. His family lived in the Isle of Mann.

Pte. R H G Jackson, from the Middlesex Regt joined us in 1944. Next of Kin was Father, (address removed) London

Driver A Jackson, joined us in 1945, ( no Regt Given but likely to be RASC.). His next of Kin was Father (address removed) Sheffield.

Driver R K Jackson, joined us in 1945, Next of Kin was Father at (address removed) Oldham

Pte. J Jackson, joined us in 1943, but was Killed in action at Salerno. Next of Kin was Father, (address removed) Liverpool

The R.K. Jackson in bold above is identical to the details you supplied me by email of your father. The address which I have removed for privacy purposes was also identical except for the street number which Eric had as no. 9

regards

** update from Fiona** Bob Jackson was in No.2 Commando earlier than the date Eric gives.

His Service Record should be obtained to give precise information.

Eric Buckmaster has sent me the following information regarding the 2 photos and I thank him for that:

Fusilier WR Waite was in 4 Troop, he appears to have joined us in 1945. Next of kin was his father at ( address removed). Whilst his Photo seems to be vaguely familiar, I did not know him personally. Bob Jackson - The man in the Photograph is not known to me."

So there's good news and not so good news for you Fiona. The address Eric provided for Bill is identical to the address you provided. Eric has stated there were several Jackson's in No.2 and has provided me with some details. I will contact you direct by email re this.

Regards

Andrew thanks for clarifying by pm ...the photo is now updated as can be seen here

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/N__4+cdo+B+troop.JPG.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

Regards