A couple of months after this was taken I popped down the Sick Bay get my ears syringed because of persistent ringing, Diagnosis: Tinnitis (Stereo) and Perceptive Traumatic Deafness, end of a promising Career. I could have gone (T) but I was getting Married so I thought time to move on , I was accepted by a number of Police Forces (Pusser helped) but chose my Home City Cardiff and that is all she wrote. I was going bonkers so applied to join RMR Bristol and that was where I spent 19 years getting some good “Runs” in usually back with the Corps as I could pick my own Training, This was ‘Dawn Patrol’ with 41 “Clockwork” twice with 42, Mountain Training at
Kinlocleven and even a trip to Nantes in France when HMS “Cardiff” made a Courtesy Visit and Captain wanted RM Guards for VIP Visits. Took some of my Lads over and we had a cracking time, doing the business and ashore........
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Tue 29 Sep 2020 18:27:17 BST
The River Orne and Caen Canal Bridges now named Pegasus Bridge.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 21:44:21 BST
The photo is taken at the Infantry Training Centre Royal Marines during initial training, this is the bottom road where the new Accomodation Blocks were built in the 1960s. Dutchys’ Hot Dog Caravan would be parked further down to the left in later years. The camp is now the Commando Training Centre RM. ‘X’ Troop Recruits would ‘live’ to the left of the photographer whilst undergoing Commando Courses in identical huts.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 19:34:36 BST
These Troopers have constructed a temporary field kitchen using the frame of and old reclining chair and appear to have things well in hand. Adapt, Improvise, Overcome!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 19:15:48 BST
The Commando Troopers grouped behind the CVA Standard Bearer are drawn from the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. In their Green Berets they wear the RNLC Cap Badge which is a Naval ‘fouled’ Anchor capped by the Dutch Royal Crown and angled. They will have trained at a French
Commando Centre to Special Forces level and are quite distinct from the Dutch Commando Trooepen.
Berets
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 18:05:12 BST
Four of the Troopers seen in this photo have large First Field Dressing attached within easy reach, these are wrapped and sterile bandages meant to be used with large wounds so they may have been in recent action where these would be life-savers.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 14:30:58 BST
The pile of German helmets in front of this Group probably means that they are from enemy soldiers encountered in Battle.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 14:24:30 BST
The Polish Soldier is wearing a white metal Beret Badge with a black patch below the Polish Eagle, that is Special Forces.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 14:21:27 BST
Trooper Davies is speaking to a Polish Soldier evidenced by the red and white ‘flash’ who is wearing a Green Beret and the patch on left sleeve below Country colours appears to be Polish Special Forces.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon 28 Sep 2020 14:08:56 BST
Corporal Jack French RM went on to become RSM (WO1) firstly with 40 Commando RM and then at CTCRM. One of the finest Marines I had the privilege of serving with and true Corps Legend.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 21:38:32 BST
This is one of a series of photos showing a variety of Commando Shoulder ‘flashes’ and it is apparent these were hand stitched, or locally made, to ensure the the Commando Identity of Troopers was evident marking them out as Special Men.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 11:34:45 BST
This is a cracking example of the Beret BAdge of 5 (Army) Commando who also adopted a Gold or yellow coloured Hackle traditionally worn by Fusilier Regiments.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 11:30:20 BST
If this photo has you scratching your head it shows how the first Beret Badges for 2 (Army) Commando were fashioned using a nickel fork and a file. As Units were being formed there was no central kit issue until the introduction of the universal Commando Green Beret, even then most Troopers wore the Cap Badge of their ‘home’ Regiment, Corps or Service. Even the Achnacary Assault Courses were made by hand, using local material such as trees.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 11:25:33 BST
The Troopers shown in this photo are Royal Engineers who form part of U.K. Commando Forces.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 11:04:47 BST
As the Officer leading is Royal Artillery this group is probable drawn from 29 Commando Regiment RA who have a Battery forming part of 45 Commando Group RM based at RM Condor near Arbroath, Scotland.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 11:02:02 BST
They can be distinguished here also as the Dress CapTops are all white.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 10:56:46 BST
The Marines in lighter coloured striped trousers are members of the United States Marine Corps who are probably serving with the Royal Marines after Commando Training and the award of the Green Beret.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 10:55:36 BST
The group of identically dressed Troopers in the photo are Veterans. of the Dutch Korps Commandotroepen formed after WW2 and included volunteers who had served in British Commando Units. The man nearest the camera wears Dutch and French Parachute Badges.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 10:51:03 BST
The Troopers in this photo are saluting with palm facing down which is that traditionally used by the a Royal Navy.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 10:42:12 BST
This Commando Trooper is wearing Medals on his right side which date from the First World War (known as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred) together with a Second World War Defence Medal which are usually those of a family member, this is an old tradition and good to see as it shows there is a continuity of Service to Sovereign and Country
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sun 27 Sep 2020 10:39:45 BST
The tall man behind the hatless Squaddie is a member of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps and wears the beret seen with Scarlet patch. His Cap Badge is a Naval ‘fouled anchor’ with the Dutch Royal Crown. The Anchor lies at an angle and the Corps is known as ‘Korps Mariniers’ . They liaise closely with the Royal Marines in many areas.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 26 Sep 2020 18:02:21 BST
Royal Marines Commando Kelly proudly wears his Green Beret with cloth dagger badge which means he is a WW2 Veteran, he appears to have a ‘Split’ Cap Badge and if so is a former Commissioned Officer or Warrant Officer, in the case of the latter he would either be a Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) or Quarter Master Sergeant (QMS) in the Royal Marines during WW2 as Warrant rank was not introduced in the Corps until well after the War ended.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 26 Sep 2020 17:51:39 BST
I believe Trooper Innes May have actually been an Inspector when this photo was taken judging by a single shoulder ‘pip’,and banded Cap visor. He is not wearing Medal Ribbons, so may have been pre-War.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 26 Sep 2020 09:57:26 BST
The gun barrel is from a ‘Pom-Pom’ machine gun designed for anti-aircraft fire, usually in multi-barrelled mounts.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 26 Sep 2020 09:47:10 BST
The weapons laid out left to right in the photo are 1) Tripod mounted Bren, 2) PIAT Infantry anti-tank gun 3) 9mm Sten sub-machine gun 4) Lanchester 9mm sub-machine gun 5) I think a second PIAT fired using compressed spring 6) Second tripod mounted Bren. The tripods were used for firing in defensive positions on ‘Fixed Lines’ at night to cover possible enemy Assault lines of attack. All that was necessary was to pull the trigger which could be done with strong string.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Sat 26 Sep 2020 09:44:14 BST
