42RM Commando

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3 Commando Brigade, Burma Operations

Location

Myanmar
21° 54' 50.274" N, 95° 57' 22.4028" E
Saturday, January 1, 1944
The reports at the foot of this page relate to the operations of the Commando Units attached to 3 Commando Brigade that took place after the 1st January 1944.
 
Link of interest
There were a large number of casualties in the Burma Campaigns, both battle and illness.
Lieutenant Colonel R. Wigglesworth, M.B., B.S. Lond., Royal Army Medical Corps, wrote an excellent article titled

42RM Commando

Formed as No. 42 Royal Marine Commando, Royal Marines, on the 1st August 1943 from the disbanded 1st RM Battalion.  Those not selected for the Commandos were posted primarily to Landing Craft duties. On the 5th October 1943 the unit attended the CBTC for Commando training.
 

A Marine writes home after Hill 170

Type: Letters
Author: Philip Bennett 42RM Commando
Year of Publishing: 2019
Keywords: kangaw, hill 170,42 commando, 3 commando brigade, royal marines, burma
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This is a transcript of a letter sent by LCpl. Philip Bennett 42RM Commando to his wife recounting recent actions at the battle of Hill 170 at Kangaw. Courtesy of his son Chris Bennett who also provided the photo which has been added to the letter.

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ANDERSON, Hamish Alexander

42RM Commando
Dr. Hamish Alexander Anderson was commissioned Lieutenant 4th September 1943 [1]. Attached from the R.A.M.C. to 42RM Commando and also served in 1/5 Commando [2]. Promoted Captain R.A.M.C. 3rd March 1949 with seniority from 4th Sept. 1944 [3].
 
Sources
[1] London Gazette Supp. 36222, page4715.
[2] Commando Association newsletter 78 issued March 1984.
[3] London Gazette Supp. 38648, page 3118.
 

BALLANTYNE, George

42RM Commando

Lance Corporal George Ballantyne died during operations at Kangaw.

Sources
[1] CWGC.
[2] Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/127.
[3] 3 Commando Brigade Jungle Book issue 9 [see Linked Content below].

Notes
Sources [1] and [2] show his unit as 43RM Commando who were not operating in this theatre of war. Source [3] records him on the ROH for 42RM Commando.

BANGAY, Lionel Arthur

42RM Commando
Marine Lionel Bangay died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.
 
Sources
[1] CWGC.
[2] Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/127.
 
Notes
His rank is shown as Lance Corporal in the ROH in the Third Jungle Book issue 9 below. This is likely to have been a temporary rank as the CWGC show Marine.
 

BAVIN, Richard Julian Ebblewhite

Royal Marines
Lieut. Colonel Richard Bavin OBE was killed whilst on board a US Marine Corps transport plane that crashed into Mount Tobin, Nevada during a snowstorm.  18 US servicemen also died in the crash.  He was serving as the UK Royal Marines representative at the Quantico Education and Development Centre.
 
He had previously served in 42RM Commando during WW2 *, and was a member of the Commando Association. On the 8th June 1963 the then Major Bavin had been appointed OBE.
 

BENNETT, Philip

Philip Bennett 42 Commando
42RM Commando
Philip Bennett served in 'X' troop of 42 RM Commando and particpated in operations in the Far East including the battle for Hill 170.
 
Source
Documents and images from his son Chris Bennett.
 

BENT, James

42RM Commando

Corporal James Bent died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/127.
Registers of Births Jan, Feb, March 1919 / General Register Office UK.
 

BOURKE, Edward

42RM Commando
Colour Sergeant (Acting Sgt. Maj.) Edward Bourke was awarded the British Empire Medal for distinguished service during the war in the Far East.
 
Sources
London Gazette Supp. 37603, page 2882 dated 11 June 1946.
Commando Association newsletter 17 issued September 1953.
 

BROWN, John Herbert

42RM Commando
Marine John Brown died from natural causes at The Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital, Herne Bay, Kent.
 
Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/128.
 

CARLYLE, Edmond

42RM Commando

Marine Edmond Carlyle died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
[1] CWGC.
[2] Registers Of Reports Of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM104/128.
[3] Registers of Births in England - Easington District, April, May and June 1923.

Notes
CWGC record his age as 22. Confirmed as 21 at sources [2] and [3] above.

CHAPPELL, Aubrey Bertram

42RM Commando
Marine Aubrey Chappell was awarded the Military Medal for daring, initiative and resource in November 1944 whilst operating on the Japanese occupied Elizabeth Island in the Bay of Bengal [1][2].
  • 1945 (Corporal) prisoner of war liberated from Rangoon Jail [3].
Sources
[1] London Gazette 37505, page 1440.

COX, Robert

Corporal Robert Cox 42RM Commando
42RM Commando

Corporal Robert Cox was awarded a Certificate of Gallantry during the period after 9 November 1944 when 42 Commando came under the command of 25 Indian Divison and took over a section of the line South of Maungdaw.

Sources
Report by Major D.B. Drysdale, BM, 3 Cdo Bde.[see below].
[Image] Glenda Stephenson (niece).

CUTTING, Vincent

Colour Sergeant Vincent Cutting
41RM Commando
42RM Commando
45RM Commando

Colour Sergeant Vincent Cutting RM was from Little Hulton, Greater Manchester. He also served in 41 and 45RM Commando [1].

His son Gunner Robert Steven Cutting, 29 Commando Regiment RA, was killed on active service in Northern Ireland [View ROH entry] [2].

Sources
[1] Commando Association newsletter 114 issued March 2002.
[2] + [image] His daughter Sandra Kennedy.
 

FOWKE, Roger Mansergh

42RM Commando

Marine Roger Fowke died at the 28th Imperial General Hospital, Hong Kong, of head injuries sutained as the result of a car accident.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers Of Reports Of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM104/130.

GROVES, John

Marine John Groves 42 Commando
42RM Commando
Marine John Groves died during operations at Kangaw.
 
Sources
CWGC.
[Image] Ripley and Heanor News and Ilkeston Division Free Press - Friday 01 February 1946 / British Newspaper Archive. © Johnston Press plc. created courtesy of The British Library Board.
 

JONES, Jack Garner

42RM Commando
Lieutenant Jack Jones died during operations at Kangaw. He received a posthumous Mention in Despatches for gallant and distinguished service.
 
Sources
CWGC
London Gazettes Supp. 37318, page 5181 and 37338, page 5402 [errata]
 

MELLOR, Peter Joseph

42RM Commando
Marine Peter Mellor was awarded the Military Medal for distinguished service during the war in the Far East [1][2]. Post war resided in Portsmouth [3].
Recommendation
"Mne. Mellor, throughout the period of the Unit's fighting in Burma, has shown himself a brave, reliable and resourceful, fighter.
Whilst at Kangaw he displayed very great courage and disregard for his personal safety and was directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of Indian soldiers.

SCOTT, Thomas Veitch

42RM Commando
Marine Thomas Scott died during operations at Myebon, Burma.
 
The 42 RM Commando War Diary and the CWGC both record only one commando from 42 as dying on this day. The entry in the War Diary reads as follows:
 
“Date 12 Jan 1945.
Place - Akyab Island Myebon
0830 hrs, Unit landed at Myebon Peninsular after Air strike and Naval bombardment. Slight opposition encountered during landing from mortar, 37 mm and rifle fire. A tp's landing craft hit by enemy arty, A tp Comd injured, one marine killed, one SNCO wounded.”

SMITH, Albert

42RM Commando

Corporal Albert Smith was awarded a Certificate of Gallantry during the period after 9 November 1944 when 42 Commando came under the command of 25 Indian Divison and took over a section of the line South of Maungdaw.

Sources
Report by Major D.B. Drysdale, BM, 3 Cdo Bde.[see below].

SNOW, Henry Thomas

42RM Commando
Lance Corporal Henry Snow, RAMC attached to 42RM Commando, was awarded the MM  in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Burma.
 
Sources
London Gazettes Supp. 37040, page 20180.

SNOW, Henry Thomas

42RM Commando
Lance Corporal Henry Thomas Snow [see notes], R.A.M.C., attached to 42 RM Commando, was awarded the M.M.[2] in recognition of gallant and distinguished services at Myebon, Burma, on the 15th January 1945 [1].
 
Citation

WATSON, Maurice

42RM Commando
Marine Maurice Watson died of injuries sustained in a road accident in Hong Kong.
 
Sources
CWGC.
Registers Of Reports Of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM104/138.
 

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