I believe this photo was taken at RM Exton Camp (ITCRM/CTCRM) as these Marines are stood in front of a Mansard Hut made with Asbestos sheeting over a simple scaffolding frame and identical to a hit I lived in between 1961-1964. These housed 8 Marines and were heated by a single central coke fired stove. If I am right these young men may be amongst the first ‘Hostilities Only’ Marines drafted into the Corps. The term Mansard refers to the double-pitched roof design.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 17:36:31 BST
The Sangar is a Pashto word for fortification made using local Stone and similar immediately to hand. Dhala Camp was surrounded by a 5 foot, dry stone wall and barbed wire entanglements. There were two Sanger’s, Mortar and Machine Gun plus three Sentry Posts in early days but much improved latterly as the situation and threat changed. One thing that is not local are the sandbags forming part of this position.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 17:10:19 BST
The face of the right hand man in the front rank wearing a Green Beret has been blanked out may indicate a Royal Marine serving in SF (SBS?)
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 16:58:15 BST
AB Oakley wears seven Medals. He may have a bronze Oak Leaf which
means ‘Mentioned in Despatches ‘ (MiD) on the sixth Medal, if so it would indicate Bravery of some Order on Active a Service.
,
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 16:49:20 BST
AB Oakley wears the Cap Tally for HMS ‘Drake’. a Stone Frigate (Shore
Base) in Plymouth (Guz) still in use in 2020.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 16:44:53 BST
Trooper Wells is wearing a very unusual shoulder title apparently reading “Special Service” which may have been used prior to the adoption of the Boer word and title “Commando” chosen by a Churchill.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 16:34:27 BST
The Censor has blanked the Thompson Sub-Machine Guns held by the leading three Troopers and some-one off-camera but has left the one held by the right hand grinning man, who has had his Bren blanked instead. The guy second from left has his gas cape on. The men are donning life-belts and are all wearing brown Army pumps/daps issued for PT. Considering what they have been through these guys look remarkably chipper and up for it!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 16:24:42 BST
Notice depth of monsoon storm ditch!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 13:18:14 BST
It is still North to South here with Exouth to,the right (West) of the Firing
Point.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 13:12:45 BST
Photo taken on Parade Ground at CTCRM with Officers’ Mess in background.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 12:48:14 BST
Troopers serving in Support Troops would often be issued revolvers for personal protection in the event that their firing position was attacked.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu 17 Sep 2020 09:58:56 BST
Henry Loudon
Number five, top row , is my Grandfather Henry Loudon. Also confirmed by my Mum.Amazed to find this as, apart from knowing where he served, we had very little information on his particular unit. Just new that he was a very proud Royal Marine. He lived in Alva, Scotland and passed away in 1984.
Posted by Pam on Thu 17 Sep 2020 09:11:25 BST
We would patrol the plateau at the top of the Jebel Jihaf Massif visiting 4 local militia Forts. The Forts were Shima, As-arir Hiab and Khana. In1958 rebels besieged the Fort at As-arir trapping the the British Political Officer (Advisor to the local Emir) they had come across from The Yemen for that purpose. Major Bill Boucher-Myers of the East Lancs seconded to the Aden Protectorate Levies led a fighting patrol up the Jebel (Mountain) taking four hours hammered the rebels and saved the day! He was a Commando Officer in WW2 under Lord Lovat getting a MiD after Dieppe. He was awarded an immediate DSO for this action!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 22:37:47 BST
The bolt is drawn brawn back, you stick the thumb in front of the breech and light is reflected up the barrel, simple!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 22:12:54 BST
On Exercise in Sardinia with 41 Commando RM leading a patrol back to base I spotted a USMC Helicopter base and thought, “Why not?” So I led my men in and asked. The USMC General running it called one of these from an off-shore Carrier and it flew us back, it was only 8 kilometres! The base was in air-conditioned Port-a-Cabins which had power, running water and Coca Cola Machines all lifted ashore, you could not make it up! You can drive Humvees into choppers.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 22:09:51 BST
Note the No: 36 HE (High Explosive) Grenade clipped to his belt by the fly off handle. It holds one pound of HE and has an immediate killing zone of 25 yards with the base plate up to 100 yards. If it comes off he has 4 seconds to get to safety!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 20:29:19 BST
This Marine is undergoing Commando Training as the Bren LMG he holds is for Weapon Handling Drills ONLY as it is marked with the white ‘flash’ which means it is NOT to be used for live firing. He will be instructed in all necessary and safety drills on this type of Bren before moving on to live fire on Range and Field Firing to include Group Handling and a Section Attacks )live),
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 20:11:28 BST
Viaques is on Puerto Rico where the US Marines have Training Area.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 19:42:16 BST
Trooper Mason served in the Durham Light Infantry.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 19:12:42 BST
Interestingly in this impressive set is the UN Korean War Medal.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 16:51:10 BST
Clear shot of the Itside rubber sole on the Commando Boots.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 16:44:35 BST
At first glance Niall Thompson appears to have a Parachute Regiment Cap Badge in his Green Beret but looking it closely I think it is a Dutch Parachutist Badge he has been ‘gifted’ it being common practice to ‘swap’ this type of item. We had Dutch Instructors at Lympstone but they wore a dark blue beret with a scarlet ‘flash’ their Cap Badge was a sloping Fouled Anchor with a Dutch Crown. I was told that Dutch Commandos were trained by the French and then posted to the Commando Troopen more similar to SAS and other SF.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 16:32:31 BST
This is not Bisley and is probably a similar Competition being held on Malta judging by the burnt appearance of the general terrain, There are British personnel present wearing uniform shorts and US Naval Members in ‘whites’. The Shottist next to QMS Lyon is using the issue US military Rifle, the .30-06 M1 Garand used by them up to, and including Vietnam.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 14:10:00 BST
This retired Royal Marine must have held Warrant Officer Rank during his service in the Corps. He has his (hard earned) Veterans lapel badge. The Medals worn are, left to right, The British Empire Medal, the Naval General Service Medal (one bar, withdrawn 1962), the General Service Medal (one bar), the Falklands Medal with Rosette, the Meritorious Service Medal and his Royal Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (awarded after 15 years Service from the age of 18 years, service under that age not being counted and recovered in the Corps as “girls’ time”). The bars referred to are Campaign Bars showing Theatre and Date). This means he soldiered for over 22 Years and in our Corps that translates as hard soldiering! The Naval General Service Medal (NGS) was replaced by the standard General Service Medal (GSM). The Rosette on his Falklands Medal means that he landed with his Unit at that time.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Wed 16 Sep 2020 13:18:13 BST
I should add the plate across the barrel ‘broke up’ the wooden bullets being fired.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Tue 15 Sep 2020 21:20:21 BST
