Messages posted by: NIC

Hi Kath,

Do you know his service number or the regiment he was drafted into?
There are four T.E. Jones listed as PoWs - I just would like to find the right one...

Nick

Gents,

I have a whole collection of documents and letters from Joe Kearney to his parents that were sent to me by a museum in Newfoundland.
I know Joe mentions the 5 Newfoundlanders who volunteered for and were accepted for commando training - but he only mentioned their names and there was no other evidence they all became commandos.
It has been a long time since I read them but will go through them again and cherry pick any relevant information...

Nick

[email protected] wrote:

I notice that each LCA had a crew of 4 to 7 men, so I am guessing ABS Terence Gormley was one of those and Commando records may reveal further details of a raid in Burma in April 1943.

Hi, 3 Commando Brigade (3 SS Brigade), consisting of No.1 Cdo, No.5 Cdo. 42 RM Cdo & 44 RM Cdo, set sail for India in November 1943. The ship carrying No.5 & 44 RM Cdo arrived in December '43 whilst the ship carrying No.1 Cdo & 42 RM Cdo were delayed and didn't reach India until January '44.

Therefore, no Commando unit per se was involved in a raid in Burma in April '43; however, you may want to research Force Viper (Lt Col G R Musgrove RM/Lt Col G R Musgrave RM) and Burma II Commando/Burma Commando II (Major Mike Calvert) and even MNBDO I.
Any of these may have been involved in commando type raids...

Nick

Here is the entry from the WO 392/1 files - British Army PoWs held in Germany & German Occupied Territories - held in the National Archives

Philip,

What a great photo of your grandfather - and how wonderful to see that he was so proud of being a commando, he wore his Commando Association tie at his daughter's wedding!

Nick

Hi Philip,

I would recommend that you apply to the MoD for a scan of his original, handwritten service records...
The MoD is the ONLY custodian of WWII Service Records.
You will need a copy of his Death Certificate (available from https://www.gov.uk/order-copy-birth-death-marriage-certificate if you don't have one), Either his service number OR his date of birth and an admin fee of £30...
The service records will give you details from enlistment to demob and will include medal entitlement. If he never claimed his medals, and many didn't, they are held at the Medal Office and your family can claim them at no cost. If they were issued and have been lost then it's often cheaper to buy replacements from a reputable dealer - WWII were not engraved with the recipient's name and number...

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/request-records-of-deceased-service-personnel

Please ask if you need any assistance or advice,

Nick

Hi Philip,

I'm pleased to tell you that I have Edward Hasted in my No.6 Cdo Nominal Roll.
He is also mentioned in the Obituary Column of the Commando Association Newsletter issue 88, March 1989

Nick

Leather jackets and/or jerkins have been used as a 'battledress' for centuries, but during the WWI, the British Army started issuing brown leather jerkins to the troops as a measure to protect against the cold but, also to allow freedom of movement.
These garments generally had four buttons and were lined with khaki wool. They were practical, hardwearing and extremely appreciated by officers and other ranks alike.

By the WWII leather jerkins were still on issue but now had had Bakelite buttons and remained warm, comfortable garments to wear whilst fighting, working or driving and were popular practical garments for motorcyclists and Dispatch Riders.
They were issued to all the Commonwealth forces and were universally popular and came to characterize the British forces as a preferred alternative to the heavy greatcoats that other armies persisted with.

A practical garment known as the Battle Jerkin was developed in 1942 by Colonel Rivers-MacPherson of the British Army; a modification of the English hunting vest, it was developed into a garment made of leather with multiple pockets, intended to replace the conventional web gear then in use.

It was issued to assault troops for the Normandy landings and was used widely by the Commandos in 1944?45.

RN Beach Parties/ RN Cdos would certainly have been issued with them...

Nick

Hi Blueboy,

There was certainly an Able Bodied Gilbert in N2

Nick

Hi Blueboy,

Great post and certainly I'd say that the BC N2 stood for Beach Cdo Nan 2 but you didn't mention your dad's name...

Nick

Paul & Sfsg,
I have sent you both a PM...

Cheers,
Nick

ViA wrote:... Unfortunately it seems all my emails and notes have been deleted...
Paul

Hi Paul,

No your previous posts haven't been deleted...

Type in ViA in the search engine at the top of this page - 'Enhanced By Google' - then scroll down past the 4 adverts and you'll see a title 'Messages posted by ViA', click on that and Voila!

Nick

Geoff Murray wrote: It is with much sadness that we inform of the passing last week of James Edgar, aged 100 years. James served with 62 Commando and the Small Scale Raiding Force and was awarded a Mention in Dispatches and the Croix de Geurre for his deeds on the SOE inter-allied mission TILLEUL (Lime Tree). Last year the Commando Association presented James with a replacement green beret just in time for his prestigious award of the Legion d' Honneur in Perth, Australia.
Our thoughts are with James's wife Valerie and his family in Australia and Italy.
Rest in Peace James - gone but never forgotten.

https://www.rslwa.org.au/one-of-the-last-soes-legion-dhonneur-recipient-james-edgar-turns-100/?fbclid=IwAR1WPLOP6ko0ite6lKSNSNf0jR-ugYwe1qxMBbTd_QKg1nZ05jXgORidv5k

Rest in Peace James Edgar.

Nick

Tathamwarter wrote:

I guess that means I could wear my local regiment badge Kings Shropshire LI

There are records of volunteers from KSLI being in No.6 Commando...

Nick

Hi, No.6 Commando was a subordinate unit within 1 SS Brigade!

At the time of D-Day, 1 Special Service Brigade was made up of:

No.3 Commando
No.4 Commando
No.6 Commando
45 RM Commando
No.10(IA) Commando
By this time each individual commando wore his parent regiment's cap badge (e.g. if the commando's regiment was King's Royal Rifle Corps, that is the badge he's wear in his beret!)

In December '44, the Special Service Brigades were re-designated Commando Brigades.

Nick