Middle East Commando

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Displaying 1 - 34 of 34

ALLARDICE, William Dallas

Private
2879652
Middle East Commando
London Scottish The Gordon Highlanders
Mentioned in Despatches
Private William Allardice received a Mention in Despatches in recognition of gallant and distinguished service during his escape from captivity as a prisoner of war.
Recommendation

BAIRD, John William

Trooper
295210
Middle East Commando
Household Cavalry Regiment
Trooper John Baird, Middle East Commando, was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/28, WO417/34, and WO417/94 (1945).

BROWN, Jack

Trooper
326038
Middle East Commando
'Layforce'
Royal Armoured Corps Yorkshire Hussars
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Trooper Jack Brown, 'D' Bn., Layforce, was reported missing 2 June 1941 at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.

BUTTON, Gordon

Private
4449904
'Layforce'
Middle East Commando
Durham Light Infantry 1st Bn.
Died on war service
3 February 1942 serving in No.1 Special Service Detachment at Taunngyi Southern Shan States, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists WO417/57.

CLIFFORD, Bernard Edward

Guardsman
2048715
Middle East Commando
Coldstream Guards
Guardsman Bernard Clifford was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations in Crete. Later found to have been taken prisoner of war. On 26 October 1943 he was repatriated to the UK. Discharged from the service as permanently unfit 23 January 1944.
 
Sources

DUFFY, Michael James

Lieutenant
165755
Middle East Commando
Hampshire Regiment
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lieutenant Michael Duffy was reported missing, later confirmed killed in action in Cyrenaica with the 1st Special Service Regiment. He has no known grave.
Son of John H. and Kathleen Duffy, of Glasgow.

DUNBAR, W.

Sergeant
2986278
SBS
Middle East Commando
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Military Medal (MM)
Sergeant W. Dunbar, 'M' Section of the  Special Boat Section, was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Field.

FASSAM, Joseph William

Joseph William Fassam 1st SRS
Lance Bombardier
874242
No 8 Commando
Middle East Commando
SAS
Royal Artillery
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lance Bombardier Joseph Fassam died during operations at Termoli Italy with the Special Raiding Squadron having left the Commando.
Service 
No. 8 Commando;  
4 Special Service Battalion;
'B' Battalion Layforce;

GRAHAM, John Malise

Lieutenant Colonel
3015
Middle East Commando
Royal Scots Greys
Military Cross (MC)
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire (CIE)

Lt. Col. John Malise Graham, MC,  is listed as the senior officer on a roll of Officers serving with Middle East Commando (1st S.S.

HANCOCK, Harry

Private
4748143
'Layforce'
Middle East Commando
British Military Mission 204
York and Lancaster Regiment
Killed in action or died of wounds
Private Harry Hancock, 'C' Bn Layforce, was reported missing 9 June 1941 during operations at Litani River, Syria, later reported no longer missing.

HORE, Douglas

Sergeant
5621917
Middle East Commando
Devonshire Regiment
Sergeant Douglas Hore from Preston in Devon was reported missing 14 September 1942 during operations in the Middle East (Tobruk), later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources

KEALY, Michael Robert Bayley

Temporary Major (later Honorary Lieutenant Colonel)
50892
No 8 Commando
Middle East Commando
SBS
Devonshire Regiment
Mentioned in Despatches
Served in No.8 Commando and Layforce [1].
July 1942 (Major) 1st Special Service Regiment [1a].
Commanded No.1 S.B.S. Middle East after departure of Major R.J. Courtney M.C. [2].

LOGAN, Alexander

Private
3311092
Middle East Commando
Highland Light Infantry 2nd Bn.
Private Alexander Logan was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations on Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war from 6 June 1941.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/27 and WO417/33.

MACKAY, J.S.

Private
2881250
Middle East Commando
Gordon Highlanders

Private Mackay was reported missing 14 September 1942 during operations in the Middle East (Tobruk), later found to be a prisoner of war at Camp 70, Monte Urano, Italy. In 1944 it was reported he was no longer a prisoner.
 
Sources

McCLEMENTS, Thomas

Gunner
1470461
Middle East Commando
SAS
Royal Artillery
Gunner Thomas McClements was reported missing 18 January 1943, then confirmed as a prisoner of war in Italian hands. He was later that year reported no longer a prisoner of war, date of escape 12 September 1943.
 
Sources

McEWAN, Alexander

Trooper
321151
Middle East Commando
Royal Armoured Corps
Trooper Alexander McEwan was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National archives files WO417/29 and WO417/30.

MITCHELL, William Pratt

Private
2881817
Middle East Commando
Gordon Highlanders
William Pratt Mitchell, a skilled worker from Rothienorman, Aberdeenshire, enlisted 16 May 1939. Reported missing whilst serving in the Middle East Commando on 14 September 1942 during operations in the Middle East (Tobruk), later confirmed wounded and prisoner of war

MURRAY, Alfred

Sergeant
408834
Middle East Commando
Royal Armoured Corps

Sergeant Alfred Murray was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/29 and WO417/30.
Prisoners of War / National Archives file WO392/1 (Stalag 383).

PEW, Charles McAllum

Private
6096544
Middle East Commando
Queen's Royal Regiment West Surrey
Charles McAllum Pew from Uddingston in Lanarkshire, Scotland, enlisted 16 May 1940, civil occupation Seaman. Private Charles Pew, Middle East Commando, was reported missing 14 September 1942 during operations at Tobruk later confirmed a prisoner of war after capture on 18 September 1942.

PILKINGTON, Mark Leslie

Mark Leslie Pilkington
Captain
76537
Middle East Commando
Life Guards
Military Cross (MC)
Killed in action or died of wounds
Awarded the Military Cross in recognition of gallant and distinguished service between April and November 1941 in Ethiopia whilst a Lieutenant with the Household Cavalry Regiment attached East African Command.

PROUT, Charles Leslie

Charles Leslie Prout
Private
2929485
No 4 Independent Company
Middle East Commando
SAS
Liverpool Scottish Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Army Air Corps
Service: No.4 independent Company; 1 Special Service Bn; embarked for Malta with Force 'X' serving alongside the SBS; 'A' Squadron Middle East Commando; joined 1st SAS for a short period before transferring to the Parachute Regiment; wounded 18 September 1944 with Paras at Arnh

SADDLER, Thomas

Trooper
548685
Middle East Commando
Household Cavalry Regiment

Trooper Thomas Saddler, Middle East Commando, was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/28, WO417/34, and WO417/92 (1945).

SELERI, Peter Alexander Shaw

Major
124671
Middle East Commando
Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps
Silver Star (USA)
Territorial Efficiency Medal
Awarded the Silver Star Medal for gallant and distinguished service during operations in Germany on 18 November 1944 having left the commando* and now serving 8th Armoured Brigade Group [1][2].

SENIOR, Fred

Fred Senior 1st SAS
Lance Sergeant
2696965
No 8 Commando
Middle East Commando
SAS
Scots Guards 2nd Bn
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lance Sergeant Fred Senior died when his jeep patrol was attacked whilst en route to harass the enemy in Southern Tunisia. He was serving with 1st SAS ('B' Sqn.) at the time of his death having left the Commandos.

SMITH, John

Lance Corporal
295308
Middle East Commando
Household Cavalry Regiment
Lance Corporal John Smith, Middle East Commando, was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations on Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/28, WO417/32, WO417/94.

STAPLES, Montague

Corporal of Horse
304543
No 8 Commando
Middle East Commando
SAS
Royal Horse Guards
Killed in action or died of wounds
Montague Staples was killed serving with the 1st SAS, 'C' Sqn. having left the Commando. 

TOWNSEND, Eric

Captain Eric Townsend MD MC
Captain
107206
Middle East Commando
Royal Army Medical Corps
Military Cross (MC)
Mentioned in Despatches
Captain Eric Townsend M.D. R.A.M.C. attached to the Middle East Commando was awarded the Military Cross for gallant and distinguished service during operations in Egypt [1].

WALSH, Thomas

Sergeant
2754819
Middle East Commando
Black Watch
Military Provost Staff Corps
Died in service
Sergeant Thomas Walsh, Black Watch attached Middle East Commando, was reported missing 14 September 1942 during operations in the Middle East (Tobruk), later found to be a prisoner of war in Italy before being transported to captivity in Germany. After his release at the end of the war all the

WAND-TETLEY, Peter Michael

Lieutenant (later Captain)
6463867
143484
No 7 Commando
Middle East Commando
Wiltshire Regiment
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Military Cross (MC)
19 October 1939 attested into the Honorable Artillery Company [1].
26 April 1940 to 168th Infantry O.C.T.U. [1].
17 August 1940 commissioned Second Lieutenant, Wiltshire Regiment [1][2].

WILLIAMS, Albert Ivor

Trooper
553121
Middle East Commando
Household Cavalry Regiment
Trooper Albert Williams, Middle East Commando, was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war.
 
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/28, WO417/30, and WO417/93 (1945).

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