Tpr Roy Bryant of Troop 1 No.3 Commando

I am seeking information about my father's service in the commandos. He is Tpr Roy Bryant of Troop 1, No.3 Commando. He has only recently begun to speak of his time in the commandos and, as he is suffering from Alzheimer´s disease, we cannot work out where his experiences took place. Any information that will help would be appreciated - even just when he joined the unit would provide a clue.

Thanks,
Rod

Rod,
Take a look at this photograph of 1 Troop prior to D-Day, you may find him there? Click on the photo to enlarge it. Do you know what Regiment he served with prior to joining 3 Commando?

http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/3/trp+photos/4+troop+3+Cdo.jpg.html

Regards

Guy

Thanks, Guy. I have looked at that photo before. There is one face that could be Dad but it is far from certain. He joined No 3 Commando from the Hampshire regiment.

Best Regards,
Rod

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 11/11/2013 21:10:45

Hi Rod

Please send our best wishes to your father. If his initials are R.H.G. Bryant, we have a note that as you say he was No 3 Commando, and was a member of the original Commando Association that stood down in 2005. In 1973 his name is amongst other on a list of those with whom they lost contact with over the years. There are several books about No 3 Commando which will give you names, places and actions of officers and men of No 3 Commando which may help you or your father to put everything in order so to speak.

Storm from the Sea by Peter Young
Commando - memoirs of a Fighting Commando by Bdr John Durnford Slater
Fighting with the Commandos by Stan Scott

All are highly recommended reading for those interested in No 3 Commando. If you have a photo of your father or any of his comrades you would like included in our gallery please contact me by email via this link to our Contact Us section, or simply click on the section in the Navigation bar on the left.

regards

Pete Rogers

Rod,
Some of the operations and places linked with 3 Commando prior to D-Day. Your Dad may have been involved in the early Opearations?

In 1941 they raided Lofoten and Vaagso in Norway. In August 1942, they were involved in the Dieppe raid.

Prior to D-Day, 3 Commando were involved in the invasion of Sicily and operations in Italy in 1943. Returning to the UK in January 1944.

Places in the UK linked with 3 Commando, Largs Scotland, Weymouth, Seaford and Worthing.

Regards

Guy

Thanks, Pete and Guy.

Dad's initials are indeed RHG Bryant.

I have been trawling the CVA website for information and I have come across most of the things you have mentioned. It is all fascinating but I have found nothing yet that places my father at any of these operations.

Dad has mentioned an operation to take and hold a bridge in Italy and I believe there was an operation by No 3 Commando to cross from Sicily to do exactly that. However, Dad should not have even been in the army at that time as he was under 18. Given his confused state these days I can't be sure about the things he says. On the other hand, long before that he had lost his mother and half his siblings to one of the bombings of Portland, which, as you know, is located unfortunately close to a Naval base. So I would not doubt his determination to join up and, with his father away with the Navy and his home in ruins, it would probably have been difficult to establish his age.

He also recalls being captured with his troop on one occasion and using their fighting knives to escape. However, I cannot find a reference to such an incident on this website or elsewhere on the web - maybe the books will help. He has also spoken of landing craft and a smoke screen which sounds like D-Day.

Dad was certainly with No 3 Commando in Germany before they were disbanded. I have worked that out from my Mother's recollections as she knew him around the time the Commandos disbanded. but that is the only certainty I have about any of this. He did not claim any of his medals as far as I am aware and he has never been prepared to speak of his experiences until a couple of years ago. At that time he suddenly became interested in it all, pulled out his beret and jacket and attended his first ever ANZAC Day event in Adelaide, South Australia, where he has lived since 1960. Unfortunately I live 1400km away in Canberra which makes it even harder to dig for clues.

If there was any way of finding out when he joined No 3 Commando, many things would become much clearer. I might be then able to converse with him about his experiences more coherently. I sense that he wants his family to know about this now.

I'll try to get hold of the books you mentioned. I am not sure they will help with my immediate problem unless they mention him by name but I am keen to read them anyway.

Thanks again and Regards,
Rod

Hello,

Maybe Roy CADMAN, Jack COX, Jack LAMB could help they were in 1 troop too.

regards

stéphane

Thank you very much for that tip, Stephane. I am new to this forum. How do I contact them?

Regards,
Rod

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 14/11/2013 14:59:50

Rod

With the vast amount of enquiries the CVA get we do not as a rule provide forum users a means of direct contact with our few WW2 Veterans unless there are exceptional circumstances. This is also normally confined to those who are members of the CVA. However, in the circumstances you describe, I would recommend that you write to the CVA National Secretary Joe Murtagh, explaining clearly the names of the Commandos as mentioned above, the reasons why you wish to make contact, and what it is you are looking for from the Veterans. Joe will then respond to you in due course.

Contact details can be found here : Joe Murtagh

Kind Regards

Pete Rogers

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 14/11/2013 15:39:57

The bridge you mention was Malati Bridge, renamed 3 Commando Bridge. Click on the below links for some information:

Recent photos of Malati Bridge

Recollections of Sicily and Malati Bridge

Citation for Capt. Charles Head MC

Citation for TSM Edward 'Lofty' King MM