The snake has eaten something swallowed whole the shape of which can be seen!
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 17 Aug 2020 12:34:49 BST
The Marine nearest camera is carrying the British Jungle Carbine which was a .303’ Lee Enfield Rifle with minor alteration.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 17 Aug 2020 12:32:51 BST
The men are draped in belted ammunition and there is a German machine-gun to the right so this ammo is also captured. The right hand weapon is the famous .303 Bren which they would always carry.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 23:22:26 BST
The right hand man is ready to fire his Thompson Sub-Machine Gun known as a “Tommy Gun” or Chicago Piano.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 23:15:29 BST
The gun referred to and mounted on the US made a Jeep is a .303 Vickers Machine a Gun (MMG) so fair chance prisoners will behave! The gun is loaded you can see a pale coloured stripe down side of gun that is a belt of ‘live’ ammunition!
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 23:07:50 BST
The man on the right is a despatch rider dressed for riding motor cycle. These men are grouped around the ubiquitous Bren Gun Carrier.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 23:00:34 BST
The right hand man has a pussers Revolver in holster which might mean he is in Support Troop and carries this for personal protection. “Pussers” means issue.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 22:52:30 BST
This Royal Marine has a .303” Lee Enfield rifle slung over his right shoulder the standard British Infantry weapon. It appears to be “Cocked” which might be standard practice so he is ready to fire the round in the breech if he comes under attack.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 22:41:39 BST
Photo updated
You are correct David. Ralph Bazeley was the 43RM Commando M.O. and I have now updated the photo accordingly.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Sun 16 Aug 2020 19:27:52 BST
In clear view are the ‘A’ frame Bergen Rucksacs issued to all Commandos and a vast improvement on the ‘37 Pattern Large Packs, we were still using them into the 1960s
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 19:12:26 BST
This Commando Trainee is doing the Cat Crawl across the rope wearing the Cap Comforter adopted by the ‘new’ Commandos, he is wearing ‘37 Pattern Fighting Order. The rifle is the .303” SMLE (Short magazine Lee Enfield) and he has an 18” bayonet in clear view.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 19:01:37 BST
MOA means Marines Officers Attendant which was the Corps term for a Batman. He would move close to ‘his’ Officer in a Battle usually carrying the inter-Unit radio.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 16:59:31 BST
Some of these men are wearing Brown Leather Jerkins which might mean they were Drivers (MT) but these were so good if you could ‘proff’ one you did as they had a blanket lining and as they would frequently live very basic and rough these were magic!
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 16:29:56 BST
The fourth Officer from left is not a Royal Marine but may be a Royal Army Medical Corps (different Cap Badge).
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 16:17:27 BST
Another sign this is old style BD is the small pocket on the right front of their trousers which would hold a First Field Dressing in action (FFD). It should only be used on the man himself if wounded, that is what the Rule Book states but who can say?
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 16:14:56 BST
Although these officers are wearing battledress and white web belts which would normally be that of “ other ranks” they are wearing collar and tie, but the giveaway is the ‘Split’ Cap Badge Which has a silver Globe with gold a Kings Crown and gold Wreath.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 16:08:42 BST
These Royal Marines are wearing early style Battledress. The right hand man is a Quarter Master Sergeant he is wearing his badge of rank on lower left sleeve which is a Crown surrounded by a wreath. He would have been addressed as, “ QMS “ or perhaps more informally as, “ Q “. He would be the most senior NCO in a Commando Rifle Troop. This rank was changed in the late 1970s to Warrant Officer 2nd Class who are addressed as,“ Sir.”
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 16 Aug 2020 15:58:13 BST
The Gunners from 29 Commando Regt RA were trained on the 105mm Pack Howitzer. The Whirlwind helicopters could not lift it which led to the introduction of the Wessex Mark 5 which could. Then came the 105mm Light Gun, which was anything but as the Gun had to be broken down into two parts to be lifted into Battle. A variant of the Sea King was able to lift this new Gun in one piece. No Land Rover could haul this new heavier Weapon so Land Rover produced a 1 Tonne High-rise vehicle which could do the business. MoD bean Counters putting cart before the horse! The two parts were(1) barrel and breech (2) Chassis, gun platform and wheels. Light Gun ?????
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 23:59:21 BST
Wessex Mark 5 Helicopters on deck of Commando Carrier either HMS “Bulwark” or HMS “Albion”
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 23:17:20 BST
The Artillery piece in the Sanger is the 105mm Pack Howitzer in use with 29 Commando Regiment RA when formed but I am not sure who would have been manning this Gun here. It was an Italian design described as being a Mountain Gun which was man and mule packable.
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 23:11:59 BST
The helicopter is a Bristol “Belvedere” twin rotor.
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 23:02:34 BST
This shows the construction of a ‘Brushwood Bivvie’ during Mountain and Arctic Training (MAW) I did two attachments with 42 Commando RM at Andalsnes in deep a Winter, hard going and hard soldiering.
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 19:37:31 BST
This is post -1985 as they are carrying the ‘new’ 5.65 mm SA80, not the best Infantry Rifle the SAS would not touch it!
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 19:30:47 BST
This is an early morning shot judging by the shadows and may be the lads First Acquaint imagine doing this in January when the ice had to be broken!
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 19:25:47 BST
The Staff Sergeant nearest camera wears the qualification ‘Wings’ of an Army Parachute Jumping Instructor (APJI)
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 14 Aug 2020 18:21:55 BST
