Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Sun 11 Jan 2015 10:13:39 EST
Photo updated re Capt Kither
CWGC details added, with link to the forum and his grave. Both the CWGC and originator of photo have his first name as Harry, whilst London Gazettes show Henry
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Sun 11 Jan 2015 09:51:21 EST
The Strymon Ferry, new Drama - November 1944
This picture was taken on the banks of the Strymon River near Drama in November 1944 when 9 Commando detached two Troops to help quell some unrest in the Drama area. To get there they need to cross the Strymon River whose bridge had been blown up by the retreating Germans. The Commandos had to improvise a ferry to get its vehicle and stores across. In this picture are, l-r, Lt Francis, the British interpreter and guide, who looks as if he has a 9 Commando black hackle behind his cap badge; an ELAS soldier (it was the tension between ELAS and the Greek royalists that had precipitated 9 Commando's presence at Drama), Lt Harry Kither, and Lt Angus Ferguson.
Posted by Gregor Ferguson on Sat 10 Jan 2015 19:18:36 EST
More information
This was indeed the Liberation Day parade in Drama, 12 November 1944. This photo shows and 2 Troops of 9 Commando in Review Order. The officer in front isCaptain WW (Bill) Carrie, OC 2 Troop and 2i/c of the force; the other officers standing to attention are, l-r, Lt GD Bisset, RE of 1 Troop (also force adjutant); Lt DWD Peel, RA of 1 Troop, and Lt MD Kennedy of 2 Troop.
Posted by Gregor Ferguson on Sat 10 Jan 2015 19:06:28 EST
Interesting detail
If you look closely you'll see that both my father and the sergeant sitting to his right have parachute wings on their right fore-arms. Normally, the wings worn by parachute-trained personnel in non-airborne units consisted of the 'lightbulb' - a simple parachute on a circular patch. In airborne units the full wings were worn on the right shoulder, two fingers'-widths down from the seam.
Posted by Gregor Ferguson on Sat 10 Jan 2015 19:01:41 EST
Identified!
The officer in the middle of the front row in this picture is my late father, Lt Angus Ferguson, who was commissioned into The Black Watch (RHR) before volunteering for the Commandos. He spent most of his war with 9 Cdo in Italy, Greece and the Adriatic and spent a short period with 3 Cdo after 9 Cdo was disbanded. Angus died in 1997 but he left some photos of his wartime service and I shall get these scanned and uploaded to share the with other veterans and their families.
Posted by Gregor Ferguson on Sat 26 Apr 2014 22:40:13 EDT
Liberation of Poros, October 1944
When 9 Commando was sent to Piraeus as part of the force liberating Athens and then the rest of the Greek mainland, a Troop was detached under the command of my late father, Lt Angus Ferguson to Poros to take the surrender of the enemy garrison there (numbering several hundred) and organise relief for the starving population. Considering he was just 20 years old at the time, it was one hell of an ask!
Posted by Gregor Ferguson on Sat 26 Apr 2014 22:33:57 EDT
9 Commando in Greece 1944
I believe this was the Liberation Day parade held in Drama in Thessalonika in October 1944. My late anther, Lt Angus Ferguson, was an officer in 9 Cdo and I have a very faded contact ring of this same image, with a couple of soldiers named. I shall post this later.
Posted by Gregor Ferguson on Sat 26 Apr 2014 22:30:17 EDT
My grandfather Peter Connelly is 2nd from left in back row, thank you for sharing.
Posted by jennifersmillie on Fri 01 Nov 2013 18:06:26 EDT
I believe the officer 6th from the left in the front row is my uncle Jack McNeil:-
"The three raiding parties were reorganised and by 0100 hrs they had accurately established their position on the coast. Y force of 120 men from Nos 1 & 2 Troop was under the command of Captain J McNeil.....As they approached they heard the unmistakable skirl of bag pipes playing the 'Pwbrrachd of Donald Dubh'. In reply McNeil ordered his piper to play his Troop's march 'Green Hills'. In this way the two Troops met up without firing on each other."
Posted by William JS Clark on Wed 30 Oct 2013 15:26:27 EDT