Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Sat Apr 25 19:02:49 2026
HMS Albion
This has to be HMS Albion. HMS Bulwark carried Wessex Whirlwind HAS 7 helicopters,flown and maintained by 848 Naval Air Squadron. The helicopters shown are Westland Wessex HU.5 helicopters. When HMS Albion came out to "singers" in 1962, she had on board Wessex choppers operated by 845 NAS. The changeover was carried out in Mombasa and coincided with the assault on Limbang, meaning that we had to fly to Labuan* on an RAF aircraft.
*The airfield at Brunel was not big enough.
Posted by Victor Balsdon on Thu Jul 10 22:28:20 2025
Jack Ashman
Jack was No.1 Diamond and, as you point out, Pete, the King's Badge recipient of 733 Squad. He also received the Commando Medal.I was a member of 733 and am still in touch with Jack. He became Chief Constable of Northumbria (I think) police, after having to leave the Corps prematurely due to hearing loss - a PWs common problem in those days before decent ear defenders. The badge on the left arm of the L/Cpl fourth from the left is commonly referred to as a PW3 qualification. A former colleague of mine in 45 Recce had that SQ and told me that it was a sniper course downgraded qualification - failure on some part of the course but fairly minimal. The sniper badge has crossed rifles, but closer together, with the letter "S" above.I don't recognise Jack in that picture.
Posted by Victor Balsdon on Sat Dec 21 23:13:18 2024
Hi, do you know where this photo was taken?
Posted by Jackie Birtles on Mon Jan 22 18:28:58 2024
My mother informs me that this photo was taken on his return from Korea.
Posted by Glenn Eves on Sun Oct 3 16:36:46 2021
Royal Marines 3 Commando Brigade.
Posted by Glenn Eves on Sun Oct 3 16:25:09 2021
I think this photo was taken possibly in Lymestone in Devon, rather than Eastney in Portsmouth.
Posted by Glenn Eves on Sun Oct 3 16:21:11 2021
I think this photo was taken possibly in Lymestone in Devon, rather than Eastney in Portsmouth.
Posted by Glenn Eves on Sun Oct 3 16:20:24 2021
The photo could show my father with his friend Jack Collington.
Posted by Glenn Eves on Sun Oct 3 16:13:57 2021
Royal Marine Party in Malta mid 1950’s
I assume 3 Commando Brigade friends as this was who my Dad was attached to.
Posted by Glenn Eves on Sun Oct 3 16:10:26 2021
43 Commando RM
To the best of my knowledge, 43 Commando didn't serve in the Far East at that time. 40 and 42 Commandos (42 at RNAS Sembawang and 40 at Burma Camp in Malaya) did alternate 5 month tours in Borneo. Additionally, almost all the buildings at RNAS Sembawang (commissioned as HMS Simbang) were of concrete construction, not wood. Finally, the rig (uniform) doesn't look right. My attempts to discover what 43 Commando were doing in the period 1964/5 have borne little of substance. However, The Imperial War Museum site has a piece regarding another Royal Marine: (his name I choose not to disclose) ..... who served as a signaller with 42 Commando RM in Borneo, served with 43 Commando RM in GB 1964 - 1965, served with Naval Beach Unit in Bahrain 1965 - 1966. So where in the UK was it?
Posted by Victor Balsdon on Mon Jul 5 10:59:50 2021
The officer in front of the three ranks of men is Lieutenant Peter "Soapy" Waters, who was wounded during the Limbang raid. He was 2i/c of Lima Company.
Posted by Victor Balsdon on Thu Mar 4 16:51:22 2021
Photo update
See our Archive page for more about Maj Gen. A.P. Willasey-Wilsey CB, MBE, MC, MiD.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Wed Oct 7 21:22:56 2020
Every Royal Marine had his own dhobi bucket!
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Fri Oct 2 16:24:49 2020
Unform
These are pre Lovat uniform days, so the Royal Marines in the photo are still wearing Battledress (BD) and what appears to be the '44 pattern webbing belt, blackened. It's hard to be certain, but the RM Recruits appear to still have the Cash's name tape bearing the words "Royal Marines". This rule was maintained until a controversial Royal Marines Routine Order (RMRO) declared that from 1960 all trained ranks would wear the "Royal Marines Commando" flash and wear the green beret. This meant that RMs that had never completed commando training, or even attempted it, fell into this category, including members of the Royal Marines Band attached to 3 Commando Brigade RM in the Far East. The RM recruits also appear to be still wearing the blue beret with a red patch, having not yet earned the right to wear the green "lid" - but, again, I cannot be certain of this.
Cpl. Jack French is still a PW2 at this stage.
Posted by Victor Balsdon on Fri Oct 2 10:18:51 2020
You will note the A/WO1 Langdale MBE(Mil) RM has a large First Field Dressing (FFD) strapped to his webbing on the right shoulder. Given his Service he is probably a RM Mountain Leader as Brigade Reconnaissance
Force is drawn from that group of Specialists (now Special Forces).
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu Oct 1 11:44:37 2020
The Royal Marine in this famous photo has been immortalised by the erection of the ‘Yomper’ Staute on the grounds of the former Royal Marines Barracks Eastney. As the Royal Marines Museum is moving into HM Dockyard at Portsmouth there is some discussion as to the future location of this landmark.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu Oct 1 11:24:55 2020
The rank of QMS has been replaced by Warrant Officer 2 in the Royal Marines.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu Oct 1 10:18:49 2020
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 Sep 29 18:27:17 2020
The River Orne and Caen Canal Bridges now named Pegasus Bridge.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Mon Sep 28 21:44:21 2020
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 Sep 28 19:34:36 2020
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 Sep 27 21:38:32 2020
The 11 Hussars earned the nickname ‘The Cherrypickers’ during the Peninsular War after being forced to take cover in a Cherry Orchard’ and wear a badge-less beret in two shades of red.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Fri Sep 25 14:41:18 2020
The Royal Marines in this photo are wearing Battledress (BD) with the RM
Shoulder ‘Flash’ and Commando Dagger. This was worn in the Corps until
the mid-1960s when the Lovat Uniform was introduced. The ‘Flash’ was later introduced again and worn on the Jersey Wool Heavy, known in the
Corps as a ‘Woolly Pulley’.
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu Sep 24 16:01:06 2020
Good shot of a 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Gun in the light role as used in a Commando Rifle Section, it is belt-fed and ammunition comes in the metal liner seen alongside, and the belt fed into the gun ready for action, this comes as 4 ball rounds and 1 tracer., known as 4 and 1
Posted by PrichardDavid R L on Thu Sep 24 10:43:34 2020
