Pte L J P Magee 5 Independent Company 1940

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 09/02/2013 21:09:39

I am doing some research on my Grandfather, Leslie James Patrick Magee who fought from the beginning to the end of the Second World War. Last year I got his service record from the MOD and have been doing some research as the only details are mainly where he served, his ranks etc and some comments by his Cos.

The attached document shows that he served with 5 Independent Company before later joining the Paras and serving with them for the rest of the war. I was told that Grandad had been a Commando as well and had served in Norway in the early years of the war?. (not with the Paras who flew in at the end of the war), Sadly Grandad is no longer with us, so I can?t ask him directly? my mum says in Norway it was guerilla type stuff and I know from a little research that the Commandos were being put together early on in the war as a way of harassing Hitler. My Dad (who was an army officer for 25 years) also confirmed that he fought in Norway in very tough conditions?.

Is there any way of verifying this? I came across your website after doing a google
search on 5 Independent Company and would be ever so grateful if you could shed any light on this.

His record shows that he saw action with 5 Ind Co from April 1940 till June 1940, patrolling and holding defensive positions.

I think he would have been a Private at the time.

Many thanks in advance :D
Sean

Private message sent to Sean re his message. Any updates will be posted.

Of the five Independent Companies that actually deployed to Norway as Scissors Force under Colin Gubbins (later of SOE Fame) Only Number 5 were ever used in the harassing roll for which they were intended - albeit very briefly. A platoon of 5 Independent Company commanded by Captain Prendergast (Indian Army) ambushed a patrol of 60 German Cyclists, killing or wounding most of them. Soon, like the rest of Scissor Force they were engaged in duties for which they were neither trained or equipped - fighting rearguard actions. There are a couple of books that cover these events - one being 'Gubbins and SOE' - by Peter Wilkinson and Joan Bright Astley, Chapter 8 (19 pages) being relevant. Regards and good luck - Mike

Here is the link to the gallery entry made after Sean provided a photo of his Grandfather with details of his service record:

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/WW2/Independent+Companies/LCpl+magee+copy.jpg.html