Messages posted by: GUY

Paul,

4200601 Pte. George HODSON Royal Welch Fusiliers
Enlisted 9th April 1940
Discharged 26th June 1945 (Para 390 XVI) unfit for further military service.

I found an obituary for George Hodson (1914-2009) of Lincoln, but no bmd index record?

Guy

Andrea, Nick
The cap badge is the Reconnaissance Corps.
Guy

GREEN BERET CAFÉ ON BALTIC COAST
Hounslow Residents Work as Y.M.C.A. Welfare Officers

They call 'Time gentlemen, please' over a microphone at the 'Green Beret' café in Neustadt, the German port on the Baltic coast, writes a Military Observer. It is the Commando Y.M.C.A. centre, formerly a German department store, but now giving away 45 gallons of tea daily to the troops.
When the Commandos arrived in the town they wanted a rest place where they could purchase a cup of tea and have a chat, so the Y.M.C.A. welfare officers, Mr. P.A. Radford of 362, Hanworth Road, Hounslow, and Mr. G.S Simmonds of Ilford, decided to arrange one.
Both of these officers have been with their mobile canteen following the Commandos since the crossing of the Rhine to VE-Day. With the assistance of the Padre, Father R. Woods, of Longriggend, Lanarkshire, and of the Sacred Heart, Glasgow and L/Cpl. J.K. Emmerson of Pudsey, Leeds, they searched the town for a suitable site. They found the first floor of an empty departmental store and in 48 hours turned it into a high class and comfortable rest-place. S.S. troops were used to clean it out; German electricians wired it and cups, saucers, tables, carpets were brought from the German submarine school and radar station. A counter was rigged up, flooded with 1,000 watt arc light and every table in the 'Green Beret' has its own electric lamp. Table tennis, darts, chess, draughts and hosts of other games can be played, or the Commandos can listen to the wireless. For the more scholarly there is a room set aside for reading and writing, with paper and envelopes free.
"We have two shifts of girl workers - Polish D.P.s - six of them," Corporal Emmerson said. "They volunteered to help our lads, and all day they are serving tea and biscuits or selling chocolate or other sundries required by the soldiers. I suppose I am the canteen or restaurant manager, but I really need a microphone at 10 o'clock at night as the place gets so packed and they could not hear my voice shouting 'Time' "
The "Green Beret" has been visited by the Brigadier, who expressed his admiration at the fine effort to help the troops.
THE MIDDLESEX CHRONICLE SATURDAY JUNE 23 1945

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/HQ+and+Sigs/1+SS+Bde/green+beret+bar/

2759650 Pte. A McKAY 6th Battalion Black Watch
4th Battalion Black Watch was stationed on Gibraltar from July 1940 to April 1943. The Battalion returned to the U.K. for the duration of the war.

6th Battalion Black Watch formed part of the 12th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division, and saw action in Tunisia at the end of the North African campaign.

6th Black Watch transferred to Italy in February 1944. Their first action in Italy was Operation DIADEM, during the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino. The offensive commenced on the 11th May 1944, 6 Black Watch led the advance of the 12th Infantry Brigade towards the Cassino - Pignatano Road. Pte. MacKay was wounded in action on the 15th May 1944, attached to the 6th Black Watch.

In July 1944 the 12th Infantry Briagde advanced through Montevarchi and San Giovanni and reached the Chianti Hills, twelve miles south of Florence. On the 28th July 1944, McKay was wounded in action during the 6th Black Watch's assault on Monte Scalari (Point 778). After heavy fighting, Point 778 was eventually taken and the Battalion relieved on the 31st July 1944.

Royal Naval Beach Signal Section no.7 were attached to No.10 Beach Group. They landed at H+30 on Jig Green , Gold beach.

4537686 Lance Corporal James Robert SPEIGHT Royal Armoured Corps & 6 Commando
16th August 1919 - 1972 Leeds
Prior to volunteering for the Commandos, your father enlisted in the West Yorkshire Regiment as a Territorial. He served with the 7th (Leeds Rifles) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment. In June 1939, a cadre from the Battalion were converted to an armoured role and formed the 51st (Leeds Rifles) Royal Tank Regiment.

Lance Corporal Speight was serving with 6 Commando when he was captured in Tunisia on the 26th February 1943 during the battle for Steamroller Farm.

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads/6-commando-the-battle-for-steamroller-farm.20589/

He was held at Stalag IVD/Z P.o.w no. 226386

On April 13th 1945, your father and two other men from Leeds escaped from a working party during an air raid, eventually running into an American patrol. This was reported in the Yorkshire Post 3rd May 1945

Good luck with your research
Guy

Bill,
This piece from the Sunderland Echo 7th October 1942, states that Les originally enlisted in the Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1939, before transferring to the Royal Marines. He had recently been discharged from hospital, possibly wounded on the Dieppe raid?
Guy

SteveHarder wrote: Yes he was... As far as I'm aware, he joined Nottinghamshire Constabulary just before the war and went back after he was demobbed and was stationed at Beeston.

It will be interesting to see if the documents confirm if Cyril was part of the Police intake in July 1942.

Derrick,
Post the grid references and I will take a look.
Guy

James,
Pete has posted the photograph of the officers of the Naval Bombardment units in the photo gallery.
It can be viewed here :

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/COBU/Officers+C_O_B_U_.png.html

Good luck with your research
Guy

Steve,
Was your grandfather a police constable in Nottingham before the war?
Guy

Derrick,
Latitude : 49° 17' 53'' N Longitude : 0° 18' 12' W

Gareth,
Your grandfather features in two photographs in the archive.

2581081 Sgt. Albert Edward JOHANNESEN Royal Corps of Signals & 1st Commando Brigade Signal Troop

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/5117.page
http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/6311.page

The page from the book Nick refers to;
'VI Commando, July 1940-November 1945, Short History of No.6 Commando'
6 Troop 6 Commando enjoy their last cup of English tea before embarking, 5th June 1944

105348 Captain Stanley Graham Louis BOYLE Royal Artillery
1914 Partick - 1975 Saltcoats, Ayrshire Age 61
Transferred from the Leicestershire Yeomanry to the Royal Artillery 15th February 1940 (London Gazette 2nd July 1940 p. 4006)

'Mentioned in despatches' Gazetted 22nd March 1945 68/Gen/7276/34/32