Richard Straw identifies his grandfather as standing at the end of the middle row on the right - PLY/X2187 Sergeant (ATy) Maurice Kenneth Straw.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Mon 06 Nov 2023 05:33:44 EST
Standing, 4th from left, directly behind the newspaper is PLY/X2187 Sergeant (ATy) Maurice Kenneth STRAW.
Posted by Richard Straw on Tue 24 Oct 2023 09:08:14 EDT
Captain Sturges is cleaning his F & S Commando Fighting Knife, perhaps they are going in action quite soon.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 19 Sep 2020 09:43:21 EDT
Here you can see how ID discs are worn. The round one is cut off if the man dies and sent to the Regimental Pay and Records Office used to close his Personal Record, in the Royal Marines that is entered as “Discharged Dead”. The other discs is buried with the man for later identification and any re-burial.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 19 Sep 2020 09:40:58 EDT
This is a ‘flash’ demo over a swimming pool and getting the tension on the rope may have been problematic. There are 2 US Navy men sat watching from the flat-roofed building distinctive in their Tropical Whites and the small round issue hat.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 06:24:30 EDT
The Bailey Bridge was invented by a Donald Colman Bailey who had been called to come up with this form of design. It proved an essential ‘bit of kit’ and he was Knighted for his contribution after WW2. The famous Allenby Bridge across the River Jordan between Jordan and Israel was originally a British Army Bailey Bridge!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 13:43:54 EDT
The small assault boat in the picture was US built and still in use for Royal Marines Recruit Training in the early 1960s during the Cliff Assault and Rocky Landings Phase in Plymouth Sound. A bowman was selected to stand on that blunt bow holding a rope and when the boat hit the rocks he had to jump and hold the whole thing steady as the Troops leapt
ashore. This fell to me, at night, and I still bear the scars!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 13:33:31 EDT
You will see that the Commando is actually a Bugler Corporal. Back in the day Buglers could apply for Commando Service. That meant a full Commando Course and the award of the Green Beret. Each a Commando Unit has a complement of 1 X Corporal and 4 X Buglers who were part of the Provost Section working with the RSM on ammunition duties in action. When I was in Aden serving with 45 Commando RM the working day was punctuated with the old Bugle calls starting with Reveille at 0600 hours (Yougorragerrupyougorragerrupyougorragerrup it’s morning.) Stand Easy (Ifyouwannahavewazfallout) Meal Call (Cometothecookhousedoorboys) and lastly at 2200 the Last Post (LightsOutlightsout), It could be this was an informal Unit Visit where a Quarter Guard was mounted which would be a Commanded by a Sergeant, with12 Marines and. Bugler. As the men are in full Battledress this was either in the UK or Malta. I had the privilege of Commanding such a Guard when Lord Mountbatten dined with RMR Bristol Officers at Dorset House. Me...
You will see that the Commando is actually a Bugler Corporal. Back in the day Buglers could apply for Commando Service. That meant a full Commando Course and the award of the Green Beret. Each a Commando Unit has a complement of 1 X Corporal and 4 X Buglers who were part of the Provost Section working with the RSM on ammunition duties in action. When I was in Aden serving with 45 Commando RM the working day was punctuated with the old Bugle calls starting with Reveille at 0600 hours (Yougorragerrupyougorragerrupyougorragerrup it’s morning.) Stand Easy (Ifyouwannahavewazfallout) Meal Call (Cometothecookhousedoorboys) and lastly at 2200 the Last Post (LightsOutlightsout), It could be this was an informal Unit Visit where a Quarter Guard was mounted which would be a Commanded by a Sergeant, with12 Marines and. Bugler. As the men are in full Battledress this was either in the UK or Malta. I had the privilege of Commanding such a Guard when Lord Mountbatten dined with RMR Bristol Officers at Dorset House. Me and the Bugler (from CTCRM) took a Tot of Rum with him afterwards as is a Custom!
Posted by David Prichard on Tue 25 Aug 2020 13:11:37 EDT
Edwin (Bob) Bond?
I think that the second on the left, back row is my Grandad - Edwin Bond (he was always known as Bob). I've been trying to find out more information about his time in the Marines but have been drawing a blank. I know he was in Burma and that's about it!
Posted by Abigail Bond on Wed 13 Nov 2019 09:45:21 EST
Additional Info
44 Cdo crest on Stable Hill, built by RSM John Spencer in 1946. In 1970 40 Commando were considering refurbishing it as very little remained. However the advice was not to do so. [Source: Globe and Laurel October 1970.]
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Tue 20 Aug 2019 11:49:05 EDT