Messages posted by: geoffmurray1

Fantastic facility Dan. Thanks.

Hi Denise, no worries I'll add a ticket to your order for little bro. Tickets are being picked up from printers tomorrow and will be in the post to you next week with a newsletter and all info for unveiling. Look forward to seeing you all there. Kind regards
Geoff

RV - Premier Hotel Fradley
1930 hrs til late

Hi Niall, I am in contact with the Commando Museum at the Spean Bridge Hotel and am due to loan the museum a few pieces of my own. This is definitely the most suitable place. Your item can be given as a perpetual loan, with your conditions of loan annotated on the agreement. As an Association we are hopefully going to be having a lot more interaction with the museum over the coming years and I have heard a small whisper that one of the owners is keen on expanding the museum. Give me a call in a week or two and I will give you the contact details of the lady I deal with. I'm curious as to what the item may be.
Kind regards Geoff

UPDATE: The Army Commando Memorial is to be installed at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire, over 11-14th of June. The unveiling and memorial service will take place on Sunday 29th July. The service will include the dedication of our new Association Standard and the unveiling and dedication service of the memorial, followed by a garden party at the Staffordshire County Showground. This will be a day to remember with WWII and present day Commandos standing side by side. It is also a day for families and children, and 'friends of Commandos', the more the merrier. More information and tickets are now available from the Secretary. Please don't miss this very important day in the history of the Army Commandos.
ps. If you have lost a loved one who was a Commando then do not forget to order a memorial paver, which will be installed with the memorial for the unveiling on the 29th July. Contact the Secretary for details.

UPDATE: The Army Commando Memorial is to be installed at the National Memorial Arboretum at Alrewas, Staffordshire, over 11-14th of June. The unveiling and memorial service will take place on Sunday 29th July. The service will include the dedication of our new Association Standard and the unveiling and dedication service of the memorial, followed by a garden party at the Staffordshire County Showground. This will be a day to remember with WWII and present day Commandos standing side by side. It is also a day for families and children, and 'friends of Commandos', the more the merrier. More information and tickets are now available from the Secretary. Please don't miss this very important day in the history of the Army Commandos.
ps. If you have lost a loved one who was a Commando then do not forget to order a memorial paver, which will be installed with the memorial for the unveiling on the 29th July. Contact the Secretary for details.

Hi Steve, as John says, Admin (or Danny) is in the process of updating the site to include a photo album for each Commando in the history pages. He may be able to add a misc photo page also. Can't wait!!!

Great result!!! Nice one Bob and Janet. Just what the website was designed for. Good luck Jim.

Hi Guys, Bert Beddows is alive and well in Southport, Merseyside. He actually joined me for Mick Smiths (29 Cdo RA, KIA Afghanistan) funeral in Liverpool a couple of months back, lovely man, still hard as nails.

Please email me direct and I will pass on his address.
Kind regards
Geoff

John, aplogies for not replying to this sooner. Great idea, one which would again assist in taking our history forward. We can put this on the table at the AGM in November firstly to get the vote on the idea, and also for the initial funding of it, although I am sure it will pay for itself quite quickly! We would have to vote in a member responsible for this (any ideas JOHN!). We could start putting some ideas together now for what we can include in each edition; VC winners sounds perfect to start. Stay safe. Geoff

Really good to hear that Vic had a fantastic send off. Thanks to all who made the effort to give him the day he deserved. Vic's obituary will be posted on this sight very shortly. Kind regards to all.

It is planned to incorporate 'memorial pavers' (bricks) into the design of our Army Commando memorial, due to be unveiled on 29 July. The pavers will hold text: 2 lines of 16 letters on each line. The price will be £22 each which will include the paver, inscription and placement into the area of the memorial. The bricks must be dedicated to former Army Commandos who we have lost either in action or in peace time. We currently only have space for approx 220 bricks, and orders will only be set in place once we have orders of 30 or 40. Your orders can be placed with the Secretary now, and although I am in Afghanistan, if you get your order in ASAP, I will endeavour to get them in for the installation on June 11th - (order by 30 May), Vic Ralph's being the first to be placed. Hope this is a popular idea, as all profit will go towards the memorial fund which is still in need of our fund raising efforts. I know that there will be many members and even non-CVA that will have a Father/Grandfather/Son, who they could place a Paver for, in their eternal memory. Looking forward to getting back and seeing the memorial being installed in early June. Lads from 59 Commando RE will be joining me to put the paving etc in place. Regards, Geoff.

It is with the deepest regret that I have to inform you of the passing away this morning of our President and much beloved friend - Vic Ralph (No 1 Cdo). I cannot at this moment put words down to describe how deeply upset we all are, and how missed Vic will be to his family, his Commando comrades and his friends.

Hopefully I will be able to post details of his funeral once I have spoken to his close family.

Rest in Peace Dear Friend.

Please see post CHOCOLATE BOX DECORATIONS of 18 Jan 07.
Cheers
Geoff

Hi John,
No 1 Cdo were indeed the first to wear the Green Beret in '42. Apparantly, the first Royal Marine commando was Lieutenant Colonel BJ D Lumsden who commanded 41 (RM) Commando in 1943. However, in his history of 40 Commando RM the author, Major J C Beadle MBE MC RM, who was at the time serving in the unit, the first RM Commando to be formed, states that the initial issue was made to members of the unit on 26th October 1942. (?) Some confliction there, however how a Green Beret could be dated as 1940 is beyond me as the first consignement wasn't ordered until 1942. Is it marked with anything else? Could it be a foreign issued beret or of a non-commando unit? Bring it along to the NMA or Fort William, someone may have an answer.
Kind regards
Geoff