Messages posted by: Alan Orton

Hello James,
most likely 2 SBS who were posted to the Far East although a bit later than 42 if I remember correctly, there are a few books available, a search on Kindle should come up trumps.
Alan.
The one by GB Courtney is probably the best, 4.99 on Kindle.

He could quite possibly have been with 3 Commandos A Troop who replaced 8 Troop which was a composite Troop in 1941 before going to the Middle East.
This Troop was to hold the beachhead during an operation at Ain el Gazala designed to assist Battleaxe, the plan was to attack LG No. 1 but their Monitor HMS Aphis came under severe Air attack and after sustaining damage was eventually forced to return home.
The Troop was picked for Operation Walls and left for Tobruk but whilst forming up they were attacked from the air and sustained 3 kia's and the operation was duly cancelled.
Returning to Mersah Matruh this Troop again found its way to Tobruk and would take part in the Twin Pimples scheme and also the follow up several days later.
On disbandment several men were picked for the so called Rommel Raid although they were on board the Talisman and were unable to land.
The MEC patrolled the Sinai and Egyptian deserts and served also in Syria before working with theLRDG.
Once they were disbanded most of these men made up C Squadron of the SAS who would serve in the Mareth area from late 42 before returning to Kabrit in March 43. Many of these men were absorbed into the SRS.
Hope this will be of interest.
Alan

Purely a shot in the dark but could they possibly be covering up shoulder titles?
I know Commandos then didn't wear regimental badges but i have a picture from 8 Commando wearing the MEC knuckeduster badge, could it just be that they were wearing them un officially and covered them up for censorship purposes?

Taken from file no. WO361/825 is the following entry 2696403 Jackson, Ernest, Scots Guards attached 8 Commando admitted to hospital 7 March 1941.
Could you add his name to 8 (Guards) Commando Nominal Roll?

Service No. update: the following names have incorrect service no's which was an error on my part in the first place so apologies for that.
Robertson, J. P. 811911. 8 Commando
Sadler, J. 814251. 8 Commando.

Missing from 8 Commando Nominal Roll is 803879 L/Sgt. Ralph Lazenby Scots Guards.

Additional info in regard to 2617519 H. J. Leadbetter Grenadier Guards, attached L Detatchment, transferred to Special Boat Section before returning to his parent regt. He was WIA in Italy and taken prisoner before being repatriated to UK.

Although there appears at present no Nominal Roll for D Battalion i have come across a name within the 361 file:
2695634 Donaldson, D. Scots Guards.

Kind regards,

Alan.

I have a copy of his POW report and several files from WO417, recording him as missing, a POW, in a neutral country, in UK and also one showing him recorded in his last POW Camp, he is not mentioned in B Battalions War Diary, i have 2 different versions of a L Detatchment Nominal Roll on which he is named on.
On Squatter he was in McGonigals Flight No. 2, two of which lost their lives the rest including your father became POWs.
Kind regards,
Alan.

I have a copy of the War Diary for 8 Commando and a few documents for L Detatchment plus a few other bits and pieces that may help, refer to the pm i have sent you.
Kind regards,
Alan.

Hi Graham
He was posted as missing as of the 2 June 1941, his parent regiment was the Hampshire Regt and he was serving with A Battalion (7 Commando) as part of Layforce.
Alan.

Hello Wolfgang,

the name I have for Jones is Cpl. Jack Jones in reality he may have been Vladmir Kottka born in Russia attached from 3 (X) Troop 10 Commando. I have possible 2 service numbers both for the Pioneer Corps both though are not recorded in the WO 417 files.

I have no further information to add regarding Chapman.

Alan.

John Park according to the files held in WO 417 was initially reported missing for the date 25/12/43 with the rank of L/Sjt. this rank is later corrected to W/Cpl. during 1944, he was finally reported as killed in action on C/List 1798 dated 3/7/1945. On each of the 3 files he is also recorded as being attached to 2 SBS.

Alan.

Thanks to both of you, if any one knows the name of the chap he stayed with that would be a great help as well, i have come across one name but can find no record of him.
Alan.

During Operation Bigamy Pte. G.D. Colclough, 5726964 of the Dorsetshire Regiment and 7 Commando was serving with the the SBS detachment who took part in the operation, after the raid was aborted one of the SBS men suffered serious burns to his upper body, Pte Colclough volunteered to remain with the injured soldier and subsequently became a prisoner of war. When the Italians capitulated he made his way to a neutral country and then returned to the UK. His name appears to be missing from the 7 Commando Nominal Roll, would it be possible to add his name please?
I have copies regarding him from the WO 417 files which verifies the above capture and escape.
Alan.

Whilst re-reading Michael Ashers book 'Get Rommel' there are mentions of an L.J. Codd, 'Larry' as being on Operation Flipper as No.2 on a Bren gun and that he subsequently became a P.O.W. however i cannot find a record of him in the WO 417 files as being reported missing for this period, the only L.J. Codd i came across was 2332748 Sgmn. L.J. Codd, R. Signals reported as missing 6th June 1944 whilst serving with 2 Commando.
Both Nominal Rolls 2 and 11 have this man listed so is it the same chap?
If it is then how did he get to serve with 2 Commando? Did he not go on Flipper or did he actually escape capture? As far as i know of those who landed only Laycock and Jack Terry made it back along with John Brittlebank of the S.B.S.
Any ideas?
There are 2 others from the list i have compiled of those who actually landed including 9 that do not appear in the Nominal Roll at the end of the book.
Terry O'Hagen the only name i can see that fits the the bill is J.A. O'Hagen and in later files it is O'Hagan, the date of the casualty return is not recorded but fits in with the dates of the other names, November 1941.
E.C. Atkins of the Beds and Herts Regt. is named as a Medical Orderly in the book but the only E.C. Atkins for this Regiment is dated 1943.
The names i have found who were on Flipper but were not recorded in the book are as follows;
3063118 L/Cpl. L Stables, Royal Scots,
46720 Sgt. W. McAdam, Cameronians,
2886105 Cpl. A. Beattie, Gordons,
2884454 Pte. A. Davidson, Gordons,
2880400 Pte. J. McKenzie, Gordons,
3319006 Pte. D.M. MacQuarrie, Gordons,
2877544 Pte. R. Murray, Gordons,
2332752 Dvr i/c D.H. Stocks, R. Signals,
2934226 Pte. T.C. Fraser, Q.O.C.H.,
2937948 Pte. J. Hamilton, Q.O.C.H.

Not related possibly?

1453760 Gnr. Albert Edward Foster R.A. reported missing 26 January 1942 later confirmed as a P.O.W.

3130762 U/A Cpl. Hugh Wallace Royal Scots reported missing at sea 5th December 1941.

Alan.

The SRS came back on that ship I believe so it's possible that 3 Commando was with them as well, civilians were also on board as well so I am led to believe.
3 Commando under temporary command of Capt. A.G. Komrower who would be awarded a DSO for his actions served with the SRS and 40 RM Commando at Termoli in Italy, Operation Devon in October 1943. 3 Commando formed the beach head.
After Termoli 3 Commando went to Bari, they suffered 5 men killed and 29 wounded during the operation. The SRS also went to Bari and crossed to North Africa in an American LST and from their to Phillipeville in Algeria and finally home.
It may be that this was the route also taken by 3 Commando.
Probably all wrong of course.
Alan.

Hello Gerald,
you may be right about Virginia Cowles writing that your father was in the M.E.C. as there are a few errors within the book, not many, some are simply spellings, ie; Maloney is actually Moloney of the Royal Warwickshire Regt. She also records Galloway as Capt. when he was a Lt.
I have a list of 1 SAS officers dated December 1942 the entry for your father is; Lieut. A.D.V. Hough R.B. Within the list there are 8 officers who served with M.E.C. who in their later days were 1st Special Service Regiment these names have an added; (from 1st S.S.) after their entry none of these names are of the 3 named in Cowles book, so i would assume that he was recruited into the S.A.S. from his parent regt.
I have 4 records of him as a P.O.W. from the WO 417 file that record him as T/Capt. before amending it to W/Lt. it also gives his battalion as the 9th Battalion Rifle Brigade, this battalion whilst refitting was disbanded in August 1942 due to lack of reinforcements this could then be when he was recruited.
I have had a look at various books regarding the S.A.S. and apart from Cowles book and a record of him in Special Forces in The Desert War 1940 - 1943 i have found no further record of him.
As he was with B Squadron and there is not much written about them i had a look at some of my files and came across an entry in the original war diary for 1st S.A.S. dated 1st February 1943 which records 'Lt. Hough R.B. reported missing 31 . 1 43.
Hope this will be of some use to you.
Kind regards,
Alan.

L/Cpl. Parker worked with Wilson on H.M.S. Upholder, if the Wilson is Robert 'Tug' Wilson then he was most likely serving with the Special Boat Section.
On the 10th April 1942 (they left Malta on the 6th) to carry out special operations Parker and Wilson along with 2 Arabs landed at Sousse to sabotage a railway which is believed to have been successful, On the 11th Wilson was took on board HMS Upbeaten at 03.40 hrs and sailed for Gibraltar whilst Parker remained with HMS Upholder who were ordered patrol to off Djerba island east of Tripoli and then received further orders to form a patrol line with HMS's Thrasher and Urge to intercept an Italian convoy (Aprilla Convoy) although it was not known if they actually received this signal and was subsequently lost. Italian reports state that a submarine was sighted on the 14th and attacked by 2 ME bf 110's and 2 DO 17's, they reported that they possibly sighted oil and believed that they had either sunk or damaged the submarine, as no submarine reported being attacked on this day it could be assumed that this was the Upholder.
It is then very likely that Parker served with the Special Boat Section operating out of Malta.
It may be worth contacting the SAS Regimental Association who i believe hold the SBS records to see if they have anything on him.
Hope this is of some use to you.
Alan.