Andrew Mapstone informed us that his father's name had been spelled wrong - corrected to Mapstone, 05 Jan 2014
Posted by Nick Collins on Sun 05 Jan 2014 18:21:06 EST
Photo updated
CSM (later Lt.) Thomas James Sawkins (2 Cdo) of Ramsey, Huntingdon died in 1994. CA newsletter 99 obituaries.
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Mon 09 Dec 2013 12:19:38 EST
Richard Shailes No.4 Cdo
Brian Shailes believes the man extreme left is his father 855693 Bdr. Richard Shailes No.4 Cdo
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Tue 26 Feb 2013 17:27:18 EST
ST-MACLOU church
( Eure, Normandy )
Posted by stephane on Thu 09 Aug 2012 06:54:44 EDT
Wolves of the Aegean
"Busty" Read (reed) was my Father. So nice to see a pic of him on this forum. He was a Memebr of the Raiding Forces and also of the Greek Sacred Band. So difficult to find info regarding their movements back then because most of the time they were working semi-autonomously. Any readers that may be able to help with identifying the actual unit he was attached to would be gratefully recieved. I will add some pics that my Father took, a little later.
Thanks David...photo now updated... Pete R
Posted by David Read on Sun 01 Jul 2012 08:39:20 EDT
Thanks Nick for posting my notes. Can I add that I was on a flight from Vienna to London seated next to the Queen's Messenger and started to chat. It turned out that he served under Brigadier O'Flaherty. Unfortunately, he also informed me that the Brigadier had died a couple of years earlier. A pity as I would have liked to have met the Brigadier.
Adding to the information about the raid: My father said the landing craft stopped and discharged him into water that was above his head! He had to run fast underwater to get onto the beach. They were pinned down by the enemy losing men. At one point a mortar landed beside hm throwing him in the air and down the beach. He could not feel his leg and feeling down with his hand it was sopping wet. He thought he had lost his leg. And if so he knew he would have to shoot himself rather than suffer or be taken by the enemy. Forcing himself to look was the hardest thing ever but when he did he saw his leg was intact. It was his water bottle that had been ...
Thanks Nick for posting my notes. Can I add that I was on a flight from Vienna to London seated next to the Queen's Messenger and started to chat. It turned out that he served under Brigadier O'Flaherty. Unfortunately, he also informed me that the Brigadier had died a couple of years earlier. A pity as I would have liked to have met the Brigadier.
Adding to the information about the raid: My father said the landing craft stopped and discharged him into water that was above his head! He had to run fast underwater to get onto the beach. They were pinned down by the enemy losing men. At one point a mortar landed beside hm throwing him in the air and down the beach. He could not feel his leg and feeling down with his hand it was sopping wet. He thought he had lost his leg. And if so he knew he would have to shoot himself rather than suffer or be taken by the enemy. Forcing himself to look was the hardest thing ever but when he did he saw his leg was intact. It was his water bottle that had been blown apart by shrapnel.
Posted by Richard Page on Sat 25 Feb 2012 05:46:00 EST
The officer on the right with the bayonet is Derek Gordon Page. He was my father and recounted details of the raid to me. His landing craft stopped too early and when he disembarked he found himself submerged and running for his life underwater to get to the beach! They were pinned down on the beach by enemy fire. At one point during the raid while still on the beach a mortar went off beside him throwing him up in the air and down the beach. He thought he had lost his leg as he could not feel it. He agonisingly felt down his leg and it was sopping wet thinking and fearing the worst and that he would have to shoot himself if he had lost his leg rather than be taken by the enemy. He said it was the hardest thing to look down. When he did he saw his leg was intact and it was his water bottle that had shattered. He said it was a fantastic relief to find that out.
Postscript: I was on a flight back from Vienna when I was seated next to the Queen's Messenger returning from Istanbul. We started...
The officer on the right with the bayonet is Derek Gordon Page. He was my father and recounted details of the raid to me. His landing craft stopped too early and when he disembarked he found himself submerged and running for his life underwater to get to the beach! They were pinned down on the beach by enemy fire. At one point during the raid while still on the beach a mortar went off beside him throwing him up in the air and down the beach. He thought he had lost his leg as he could not feel it. He agonisingly felt down his leg and it was sopping wet thinking and fearing the worst and that he would have to shoot himself if he had lost his leg rather than be taken by the enemy. He said it was the hardest thing to look down. When he did he saw his leg was intact and it was his water bottle that had shattered. He said it was a fantastic relief to find that out.
Postscript: I was on a flight back from Vienna when I was seated next to the Queen's Messenger returning from Istanbul. We started chatting. It turned out he knew Captain O'Flaherty who had been his commanding officer. He informed me he had risen to the rank of Brigadier and wore an eyepatch as he had lost one eye in the raid (My Dad said Capt O'Flaherty was hit in both eyes). I learned that Brigadier O'Flaherty had died a couple of years back - which was a pity as it would have been great if I could have met and spoken with him.
Posted by Richard Page on Sat 25 Feb 2012 05:33:46 EST
l'écarde quarry 16th july 1944
Posted by stephane on Thu 09 Feb 2012 18:52:24 EST
Adele Crossley has had it confirmed by her Grandmother (who has the same picture) that the man sat directly in front of Montgomery is her Grandfather Wilfred Moore.
Posted by Geoff Murray on Fri 30 Sep 2011 21:17:24 EDT
photo duplicate
this photo is replicated in the No.5 Commando album
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Sun 05 Dec 2010 12:51:24 EST