Commando Veterans Forum

Captain Douglas Cotton-Minchin, Chief Instructor at Achnacarry + 43 RM Cdo officer kia Italy 1945

As a result of an enquiry I had seen on the Special Forces Roll of Honour site about this man I decided to make a few checks myself however there is one question left unanswered hence this message to see if any of our members may know. To give a brief insight into Captain Cotton-Minchin have a read of the brief details I placed when I posted his picture in our gallery:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/main.php?g2_view=dynamicalbum.UpdatesAlbum&g2_itemId=9587

As can be read there he was in the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) before becoming Chief Instructor at Achnacarry. He later went onto join 43 RM Commando and was subsequently killed in action. However James Day, the orignator of the enquiry has provided me with information that he was also briefly in the RAF. I have checked the dates in Gazettes and found he was posted as Pilot Officer on 13th May 1940 and then returned to the Army as 2nd Lieutenant on 13th June 1940. He therefore has the unique status of having been attached at some stage prior to his death to the Army, RAF, and the Royal Navy. My question, and that of James Day, is what did he do in that month he was with the RAF. There are many many possible reasons that I am aware of especially with the dates involved. However its facts that we are looking for rather than supposition. So if anyone knows please pass it on to us.

Regards