Hi Peter
To add further weight as to this pictures date and finally put end to date of this picture not being correct ,please think about this, you will agree that they are waring different caps and different regimental cap badges ,in 1942 it was agreed by the powers that be that this was absolute nightmare and as such by october 1942 all commando units were issued with the green beret ,moreover they most certainly would have been by November 1943, so this picture must be some where between 1940 and 1942 ,as to the cap badges i know that some commando units had different ones for example middle eastern commando etc however, theres two many different cap badges in the picture ,any how if there all No1 commandos(Please note i don't that they all commandos) they'd all be waring The Royal Marines cap badge by Nov 1943.Please accept my apologises as i'm not trying embarrass you or your association if any of my post sound that way ,that is not my intention in anyway, it just bamboozled as why grandfather...
Hi Peter
To add further weight as to this pictures date and finally put end to date of this picture not being correct ,please think about this, you will agree that they are waring different caps and different regimental cap badges ,in 1942 it was agreed by the powers that be that this was absolute nightmare and as such by october 1942 all commando units were issued with the green beret ,moreover they most certainly would have been by November 1943, so this picture must be some where between 1940 and 1942 ,as to the cap badges i know that some commando units had different ones for example middle eastern commando etc however, theres two many different cap badges in the picture ,any how if there all No1 commandos(Please note i don't that they all commandos) they'd all be waring The Royal Marines cap badge by Nov 1943.Please accept my apologises as i'm not trying embarrass you or your association if any of my post sound that way ,that is not my intention in anyway, it just bamboozled as why grandfather is in a picture dated Nov 1943 When in fact he died on the 25/5/43 now i know why , i accept it is difficult and can be misleading to get historical facts correct but this simple observation i have made and is factually correct.
Yours Sincerely
Mark
Posted by Mark Harrison on Sun 02 Nov 2014 22:11:00 GMT
Hi peter i recently emailed you with regards to my grandfather No46 Sergeant John Rigby No 2613497 ,and you recommended that i obtain a copy of his military record, i have done that ,i had to get it from the grenadier guards adjutant ,He has informed that my grandfather was a cooks sergeant who achieved Full sergeant status i.e. Gold Sergeant ;from his record i can deduce that he served with following units grenadier guards 2nd Bt 9/2/1933 ;Transferred to HB=Heavy Bomber 29/4/40 Transferred to 3 = reconnaissance 16/6/1940 Transferred To Y Company 18/6/40 Y company = Royal Marines Based Defence Unit ie protection of Naval Bases From this i think its likely that his duties would have been to work within Heavy bomber plane maybe on the guns or something like that apparently on these planes it needed Ten Crew to man it; i would assume that their duties would been to bomb or shoot down any enemies approaching any of our naval bases.With regards to Y company My Grandfather then transferred back To HB=Heavy...
Hi peter i recently emailed you with regards to my grandfather No46 Sergeant John Rigby No 2613497 ,and you recommended that i obtain a copy of his military record, i have done that ,i had to get it from the grenadier guards adjutant ,He has informed that my grandfather was a cooks sergeant who achieved Full sergeant status i.e. Gold Sergeant ;from his record i can deduce that he served with following units grenadier guards 2nd Bt 9/2/1933 ;Transferred to HB=Heavy Bomber 29/4/40 Transferred to 3 = reconnaissance 16/6/1940 Transferred To Y Company 18/6/40 Y company = Royal Marines Based Defence Unit ie protection of Naval Bases From this i think its likely that his duties would have been to work within Heavy bomber plane maybe on the guns or something like that apparently on these planes it needed Ten Crew to man it; i would assume that their duties would been to bomb or shoot down any enemies approaching any of our naval bases.With regards to Y company My Grandfather then transferred back To HB=Heavy Bomber 11/8/40.Ycompany was a commando trained unit of the royal marines so it seems very appropriate to me that all personnel protecting these naval bases receive the very best training available order to protect the bases and themselves in order to survive.Most of my grandfathers service seems to of been at home during the 2nd world war protecting these bases until he went North Africa 26/2/1943 and was killed on the 25/5/1943 as result of a land mine,he was in jeep at the time.Whilst all of this apparent with regards to your photograph i think could have been no later than the 26/2/1943 or indeed much earlier ,i also think it may not be solely commando No1 operatives ie there maybe other types of commandos in the photo to, i suppose you have go through all their military records to find this out, Any how No 46 is Sergeant John Rigby.
Yours sincerely
Posted by Mark Harrison on Sun 02 Nov 2014 18:37:43 GMT
Photo updated
Details of Capt Gordon entered from remarks below
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Wed 29 Oct 2014 17:44:40 GMT
2nd from the left is actually, Captain Andrew J.O. Gordon, my father. This is certain. Happy to confirm with other photos.
Posted by DAVID GORDON on Tue 28 Oct 2014 13:32:10 GMT
Photo update from Griffin Turton
J. Farndale is my aunt and I have her permission to use the photo, though it was probably an official photo originally and was used in the Eighth Army News in May 1945.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Fri 24 Oct 2014 22:00:31 BST
Photo update from Griffin Turton
Leda Kipling is the wife of Syd Kipling, who wrote a short history of the RN Commandos, which can be found on various sites, he was a member of my grandfather's unit Nan Commando. Leda gave me the photos about seven years ago
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Fri 24 Oct 2014 21:59:39 BST
Photo update from Griffin Turton
Leda Kipling is the wife of Syd Kipling, who wrote a short history of the RN Commandos, which can be found on various sites, he was a member of my grandfather's unit Nan Commando. Leda gave me the photos about seven years ago
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Fri 24 Oct 2014 21:59:07 BST
Photo updated
Charles Bint adds, "In addition to my father this photo also includes my Uncle Mick Myers, he's on the far right of the the back row. He survived the war too but died quite young during the late 60's/early 70's"
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Fri 24 Oct 2014 10:14:05 BST
Which RN Commando is this?
Jim excellent photo, was just wondering, which commando unit this is?
Posted by Griffin Turton on Fri 17 Oct 2014 18:06:09 BST
RN Beach Commando Nan
The picture is of NAN Commando and was taken in August 1944 at Porto San Giorgio, on the Adriatic Coast.
Circled is Acting Petty Officer Raymond Henry Seaton who was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his actions during the landings in Sicily.
The CO at that time Lt Cdr Thomas Turton RNVR (my grandfather) is sat at the centre of the front row.
Posted by Griffin Turton on Fri 17 Oct 2014 17:56:26 BST
Photo updated
Details of Lt Rae added
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Thu 16 Oct 2014 20:08:18 BST
Photo updated
Details re Charles Grills updated from comments below
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Thu 16 Oct 2014 19:44:24 BST
Hans Bouman updates this photo
My father Joannes 'Loek' Bouman always spoke highly of him. Tough but fair and friendly.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Tue 14 Oct 2014 13:57:27 BST
Photo updated
John Bisset identified by his daughter Anita
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Tue 14 Oct 2014 10:37:43 BST
Photo updated
John Valentine Bissett (Jack/Jacky)identified by his daughter Anita Bissett Roberts
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Tue 14 Oct 2014 10:20:45 BST
JL Bouman
Bottom lefthand corner is my father JL Bouman.
Posted by Hans Bouman on Wed 08 Oct 2014 13:11:18 BST
JL Bouman
I recognise my father as the commando at the bottom righthand corner, looking towards the camera. My son now owns the very same beret as on this photo! It was given to him by commando veteran Jan Lempens during the funeral service!
Posted by Hans Bouman on Wed 08 Oct 2014 13:06:17 BST
JL Bouman
Paybook number 8014 is also mentioned on the plaque I placed at the garden of remembrance! My father told me to put this number on the plaque 3 days before he passed away!
Hans Bouman
Posted by Hans Bouman on Wed 08 Oct 2014 12:54:50 BST
Photo updated
Names of Sgt Leech and Clifford Hemp added, identified by his daughter Miss Delphine Hemp.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Tue 30 Sep 2014 10:56:39 BST
Extra to above comment
My dad lost his eye whilst training up in Scotland. I notice he has both eyes in this picture and it is only the second I have of him with both eyes. Because of this accident, dad was not allowed to go on the D-Day landings but continued to serve as a driver mechanic. I have a letter from Lt Col C R Hardy dated 21 Dec 1943 in which he sympathises with my dad for his "bad luck" and he wrote an excellent reference for him. Suzanne Nicholas
Posted by Suzanne Nicholas on Mon 29 Sep 2014 21:39:03 BST
I was browsing the internet doing some research and came across this picture above. My dad, Charles Grills, is in the picture 3rd row from the back next to the end. How I wish I could have shown him this picture!! Sadly, dad passed away last year aged 91. I have a poem which was published in the December 2012 edition of the Royal Marines Association magazine and I notice so many of the names listed under the photo. These all feature in the poem:
Ron Grant, Jim Chalmers, Macdonald, Ginger, Fagan, Joe Scouse Banks, my dad 'Grills the Reformer', Frank Bamford, Jack Kenna, Roxie Hart, Morris, Bill Burt, Joe Barton, Franks, Bill Lendon. The poem is entitled "The Men of Our Room" and I do not know who wrote it, but whoever it was, came from the north. Dad kept this poem all over the years in his wallet. If anyone would like a copy of the poem, please just ask and I will send it to you. I also have some photographs including an excellent one of G Davidson and his wife. Suzanne Nicholas Daughter of Charles ...
I was browsing the internet doing some research and came across this picture above. My dad, Charles Grills, is in the picture 3rd row from the back next to the end. How I wish I could have shown him this picture!! Sadly, dad passed away last year aged 91. I have a poem which was published in the December 2012 edition of the Royal Marines Association magazine and I notice so many of the names listed under the photo. These all feature in the poem:
Ron Grant, Jim Chalmers, Macdonald, Ginger, Fagan, Joe Scouse Banks, my dad 'Grills the Reformer', Frank Bamford, Jack Kenna, Roxie Hart, Morris, Bill Burt, Joe Barton, Franks, Bill Lendon. The poem is entitled "The Men of Our Room" and I do not know who wrote it, but whoever it was, came from the north. Dad kept this poem all over the years in his wallet. If anyone would like a copy of the poem, please just ask and I will send it to you. I also have some photographs including an excellent one of G Davidson and his wife. Suzanne Nicholas Daughter of Charles Grills
Posted by Suzanne Nicholas on Mon 29 Sep 2014 21:31:35 BST
I think no. 258 is my father, Ernest Arthur Paget, who died in South Africa in 1998. He was born in Bristol. After serving in No. 4 Commando he was in the Royal Welch Fusiliers.
Posted by Philip Hugh Paget on Sat 27 Sep 2014 13:09:09 BST
Photo updated
John Notman identified by his niece as at 368.
George Harris identified by his daughter as at 153
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Mon 22 Sep 2014 21:37:14 BST
To clarify: Ronald Victor Giles is in the top right hand area of the photograph, with his hand on the shoulder of the rating in front of him.
Posted by Ron Giles on Sun 21 Sep 2014 22:42:30 BST
Photo updated
Alex Mort identified by his son who sent in an identical photo.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Fri 19 Sep 2014 11:37:03 BST
