Commando units and Commandos during WW2

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No.4 Commando post Dieppe parade at Barassie Street School, Troon (1)

Date: 02/05/2012 Views: 6993 Owner: Pete Rogers (Admin)

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	His Regiment is the Kings Royal Rifle Corps (Light Infantry) and he wears the black Corporals stripes of his ‘home’ Regiment. All SAS Troopers today have this same “home Regiment” and if killed that is used avoiding a SF reference. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 16:56:35 BST
	This is a very interesting photo as there are weapons here which might not be that well known. The long barrelled weapon is a .55” Boyes anti-tank rifle, the other two are both .303” Bren Light Machine Guns but what is most unusual is that these are fitted with a 100 round circular or drum magazine. The Landing Craft is heading ashore to rescue members of the Parachute Regiment who had taken part in the Bruneval Raid where vital German Radar equipment was seized and the Regiment earned its First Battle Honour. In the Raid a RAF Radar Specialist jumped with the Troops and was awarded a very rare Military Medal for a member of the RAF at that time. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 12:27:27 BST
	This Obstacle Crossing was known as “The Postmans’ Walk” and what can be seen is the rope tension is not adequate. This same sort of obstacle was built into all Commando Tarzan Courses and heavy duty pulley blocks used to get that tension right. The CTCRM Tarzan Course had a steel cable for the lower ‘rope’ which was caught against the heel-block when sliding the foot along. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 12:14:59 BST
	Trooper Machin is wearing ‘Ever Open Eye’ shoulder flash designed by Lt. Rex Whistler, Welsh Guards, a famous Artist, KIA 1944. This badge was worn by those serving with the Guards Armoured Division formed 1941. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 12:01:00 BST
	These Troopers are “enjoying” a hot meal and tea probably from the Field Kitchen seen in a previous photo. There are a lot of them which must be more than one Troop and they look quite relaxed in what must be a quiet time in the continuing actions. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 11:43:28 BST
	The photo shows the Commando issue ‘A’ Frame Rucksacks with good detail. These were an immense improvement on the previous ‘37 Pattern Large Pack. The WO1 on the right wears the Cap Badge of the Reconnaissance Regiment and is armed with a pistol or revolver which is attached by the lanyard which can be clearly seen. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 11:39:51 BST
	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 11:24:30 BST
	These Troopers are carrying the folding bicycles issued to Commando and Airborne Forces and which had been specially developed for that purpose. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 14 Sep 2020 11:15:45 BST
	Good photo all heavily armed but the give-away is the GPO (Red) Telephone Kiosk to the rear! Also stamp machine to the right of group. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 22:51:35 BST
	I have been trying to work out what is being issued and can only come up with cigarettes given the neat packaging and exact quantities. Apologies if wrong guys! Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 20:57:32 BST
	This is one of a number of photos showing Commandos building a temporary bridge over a ruined culvert using what materials are to hand. The photos are not in sequence, Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 20:52:43 BST
	This a field kitchen set up to feed a full Troop with most food coming tinned in 10 man Ration Packs padded out with anything found, poached or pinched locally. The large metal boxes were known as Hay Boxes and were used to keep food (reasonably) hot, still in use well into the 1960s and very heavy. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 20:35:22 BST
	The wreckage is that of a Short “Stirling” aircraft converted into Glider Tugs to tow Horsa Gliders across as part of the Airborne Forces. These took very heavy losses. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 20:24:39 BST
	The Sherman Tanks in this photo are Duplex Drive fitted witha flotation collar which enabled them to ‘swim’ from Landing Craft onto the Beaches. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 19:01:37 BST
	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 18:43:54 BST
	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 18:33:31 BST
	This a ‘live firing’ Bren. If using blank ammunition a different barrel would be fitted, wooden rounds used and the cone shaped flash eliminator on the barrel would have a half metal plate across the bottom. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 13:22:05 BST
	This shows a much larger Aldiss lamp fitted on board a Warship given the gun in the background. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 13:18:46 BST
	These would appear to be Signallers training in the use of the Aldis Lamp dating from a time when this means was still in use, the man sat in front appears to be using a field issue Morse key. Interestingly the SAS used Morse well in to the latter part of the 20th Century due to the range this equipment had and the difficulty that arose if anyone tried to ‘jam’ it. In contrast a pal of mine with the Falklands Task Force spoke to SAS men on the deck of a Carrier heading South who were using equipment with a ‘fan type’ aerial similar to the old camera ‘flash’ gun and when he asked they were stealing Satellite time to have a chat with their families. As he expressed disbelief they linked him immediately with his Wife in Cardiff! You could not make it up! Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 13:15:52 BST
	I believe that this Troopers’ medals include a Police Long Service Medal so he may have been one of the Wartime Police entries who returned to that Job on demobilisation, it is the right hand medal as the photo is looked at. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 13:06:37 BST
	I served with a number of Wartime Commandos in Cardiff City Police and was told that when they arrived at the Commando Depot they had no previous military affiliation so had to select one prior to being issued with kit, given a Regimental Number and receive any pay. Some chose this Cavalry Regiment because of the Cap Badge. Correction to previous. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 12:59:26 BST
	These Troopers appears to be sat on the roof of a railway carriage given the curved roofline and it is interesting that they are wearing studded boots (Boots AP or Army Pattern) and not Commando Boots with It side made cleated rubber soles so perhaps this is quite early on. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 12:49:53 BST
	This shows a .303 inch Bren Light Machine Gun loaded with a magazine which could hold 28 rounds and there are spare mags stacked close to hand in the picture. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 12:45:42 BST
	These LSTs were built to run straight up onto the beach where, if possible, Tanks, Troops and other equipment could be landed ‘dry-shod’ through large doors in the bow. Each was also fitted with a huge Kedging Anchor on the Stern which had a swivel ‘fluke’ plate attached to powerful windlass also stern mounted. On the run-in to the beach that anchor would dig into the seabed. This meant that the LST and other similar ships could quite literally haul itself back out into deep water where that anchor was recovered. That Kedging Anchor features on the famous Combined Operation ‘ flash’ brought into use which also shows the equally famous Thompson Sub Machine Gun and an Eagle for the Air Forces involved. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 12:39:17 BST
	His Parachute Badge looks similar to that worn on Best Blues as it has a black or dark blue background and the wings appear to be gold in colour. It might also indicate that he had been attached to a Special Unit who wore this to show that distinction. Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 13 Sep 2020 12:15:47 BST