Commando raid 28 Sept. 1941 normandy 1 cdo

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/01/2012 20:46:50

Hello

Did someone has information about commando raids in Normandy 28 sept. 1941. maybe in St vaast la hougue and courseulles-sur-mer.
Two commando graves are in LUC-sur-mer cemetery. both KIA 28 09 1941

EDWARDS Elwyn
royal welch fusiliers and 1 cdo
4192899
age 20

EVANS Cyril Denman
L/Cpl South Wales Borderers regt and 1 cdo
1st Brecknockshire bn.
4080201
age 24
from EBBW VALE

So, it will nice to know in which raid they took part and great not to forget those boys.

sincerely

stéphane

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 06/12/2008 23:05:49

The following link has information which relates to two soldiers " missing " after the raid you mention

http://www.combinedops.com/No%201%20Commando.htm

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 07/12/2008 01:03:23

Hi Stephane
There is quite a detailed account of the St Vaast / Courseulles raids carried out by No1 Commando on the night of 27/28 September 1941 on the Combined Operations Memorial Website.

"On the night of 27/28 September 1941 No5 Troop of No1 Commando undertook a raid on a couple of beaches with the aim of taking German prisoners. The target beaches were on the Pointe de Saire near St Vaast on the french coast east of Cherbourg and Courseulles North west of Caen. They sailed from Spithead on board raiding craft carrier HMS Prince Leoplold. In mid channel the men transferred to their ALCs to be towed by motor gunboats to their destination beaches. Lt Scaramanga's party landed as planned at St Vaast bay and were faster on the draw with their Tommy guns when confronted by a German bicycle patrol. Three of the German patrol were killed and the remainder scattered.
The Commandos made their way back to their ALC with one corpse. They were fortunate to suffer no casualties when fired on by a mchine gun. However they were too late for their rendezvous with thier MGB and the Prince Leopold so they made their own way back to Portsmouth arriving there at 1600 hrs.
The other party under Captain Davies had a very different experience. As they approached their designated landing area they realised that they were heading for the wrong beach. Time was short so they carried on in the hope of snatching a prisoner. On landing they were immediately challenged followed by rapid machine gun fire. Davies ordered an attack on the gun position which involved climbing a 10 foot sea wall and breaking through two coils of dannert wire. In the process of negotiating these obstacles two more machine gun positions opened fire and the Commandos had no choice but to withdraw. By the time they boarded their ALC one of their number was wounded and two were missing. Under the circumstances nothing further could be done so they returned at full speed to their waiting MGB."

My father was member of No1 Commando, who's parent regiment was also the Royal Welch Fusiliers, and I have posted a photo on this website that I initially thought might be of members of No1 Commando in a landing craft having just carried out the St Vaast raid. However I have now received some interesting information from Pete and Nick of this site concerning a raid carried out by No 11 Independent Company. The reason that this information concerning No 11 Ind Com is of interest to me is that I have only recently discovered that my father was with this unit prior to being posted to No1 Commando. So this photo might be of a raid carried out by No11 Ind Com code named Operation Collar, hopefully one day I will solve this mystery.

Hope the above information from The Combined Operations Mememorial site is helpful.

Cheers Andy

Hello

Thank you very much Andy & Pete for these informations.
I will ask to the town hall in Luc-sur-mer if they are in touch with families and if they do a ceremony the 28 of sept.

stéphane

Hi Stephane

Glad the info was of some use, if you do find out that there is a commemorative ceremony of some sort I would be very interested to know the details. If you are ever in the area, is there any chance that you could take some photos and email me a copy of them, also it would be a really useful addition to the photo gallery section that is dedicated to Commando commemorative photos.

Cheers Andy

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 26/04/2009 17:30:26

Hi Stephane

Just thought that I would add an update to this particular strand, I have just been contacted by the nephew of Elwyn Edwards (via the Combined Ops site), who was one of the men who was killed on the previously mentioned Commando raid mounted by No1 in 1941. He has actually carried out a lot of research concerning this raid, involving visiting Kew, interviewing participants etc. He has stated that he will pass this info on to me once he has reaquired it from his previous address, he has had some of this material published and has also got some photos of the Commandos just after the raid. Obviously If I do manage to get hold of any of this material I will of course upload it on to this site. Watch this space!

Cheers Andy

Hello ANDY

It's great. I went to the cemetery this week. And I think something should do to explain to the visitors why the graves are there
Hope to know more soon.
sincerely
stéphane

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 02/05/2009 03:04:59

Hi Stephane

Here is an extract from a book titled "When Wales Went To War" that describes the the Commando raid where the two men were killed. There were two raids that night, my father was in the party that landed at St Vaast Bay, this was code named Operation Deepcut. The code name for the raid where the two men were killed was Operation Chopper.

Cheers Andy

Hello Andy

Thank you very much for these documents. I went to Luc-sur-mer last Sunday, and I said : You see brave lads, you are not forgotten.
Your sacrifice serve than, now I can walk the head high.
sincerely

stéphane

Steph your a fantastic man

My thanks to Danny Lovell for sending us many photos of memorials and plaques in France that we did not have. Included in these was one which had a square called "Captain Tom Gordon Hemming" square. I have posted this and the other photos in the War Graves , Memorials, and Plaques 'Normandy' gallery but here is a link direct to the Luc sur mer entry:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/Commando+War+Graves+Memorials+and+Plaques/Normandy/Luc+sur+Mer/