Ernest Charles Webb PO:x120312

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 24/08/2012 13:17:59

Researching my grandfather - Ernest Charles Webb b:3/1/1914 d:27/7/1995. Know very little of his sevice history other than he was a "Royal Marine Commando" and served in Burma. Have received his service record but gives little detail:
Lympstone 25/5/43 - 26/7/43
RM TG (D) 27/7/43 - 6/10/43
RM / Cmdo 7/10/43 - 27/3/46
Ports Div 28/3/46 - 9/6/46

Is there any way of taking this further - his unit / deployment history etc? Only have his photo in uniform (with RM cap badge) and his original service kit bag stamped with his name and number.

Would be gratefull for any assistance/direction.

David Sharpe

Medal Office update:
War Medal 1939-45
1939-45 Star
Burma Star

This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 07/04/2012 00:46:37

Hi David

May I wish you a very warm welcome to the CVA, you say that your Grandfather served in Burma, There were actually four Commando units that served in Burma. Two of these were Army Commando units (No1 & 5 Army Commando) and the other two were RM Commando units (Nos 42 and 44 Royal Marine Commando), these four units made up 3rd Commando Brigade. While they were in Burma the 3rd Commando Brigade produced a magazine called the Third Jungle Book, I have actually got copies of three of these publications, so I will have a look in the Troop Notes section of each to see if I can see any mention of your Grandfather's name. Have you checked out the CVA gallery to see if there are any photos of Grandfather, you say that you have a photo of him in uniform, if you would like to upload this but are unable to do this yourself then I or others on this site would be only too glad to do this for you on your behalf.

Hopefully someone else on this site will be able to help you further.

Cheers Andy

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 29/04/2012 15:27:40

David Sharpe wrote:Researching my grandfather - Ernest Charles Webb b:3/1/1914 d:27/7/1995. Know very little of his sevice history other than he was a "Royal Marine Commando" and served in Burma. Have received his service record but gives little detail:
Lympstone 25/5/43 - 26/7/43
RM TG (D) 27/7/43 - 6/10/43
RM 1 Cmdo 7/10/43 - 27/3/46
Ports Div 28/3/46 - 9/6/46

Is there any way of taking this further - his unit / deployment history etc? Only have his photo in uniform (with RM cap badge) and his original service kit bag stamped with his name and number.

Would be gratefull for any assistance/direction.

David Sharpe

Hi David,
I'm sorry I haven't answered before now - this is one that must have slipped through my 'net'.
At this moment I haven't a lot of info for you other that to give a brief explanation about Royal Marine Commandos and their formation.

Royal Marines have been in existance for a considerable time but, up until 1942, the Royal Marines were NOT Commandos.
Whereas the Army Commandos were formed from individual volunteers from 58 regiments in the British Army, the Royal Marines 'transfered' to the Commando role as a complete unit (battalion).

It was not until Valentine's Day 1942 that the first Royal Marines Commando was formed. It was named RM 'A' Commando.

Following RM 'A' Commando's terrible losses at Dieppe, the 'powers that be' brought the commando back up to strength.

They re-titled it 40 RM Commando so not to confuse the RM Commandos with their Army counterparts.

41 RM Commando was then formed from the 8th Battalion RM.
By July 1943 the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 9th and 10th Battalions RM had converted to 42, 43, 44, 45, 46 and 47 RM Commando respectively.

The 7th Battalion RM followed suit as 48 RM Commando in February 1944.

Looking at what you have told us about your grandfather, I can only assume that he was actually in 1st Battalion RM - I don't know if the "RM 1 Cmdo" is your description or that from the Records Office, but there was no such beast - 1st Battalion RM converted to 42 RM Commando and, as Andy states, served out in Burma as part of 3 Commando Brigade.
So that fits in with your grandfather.
After the WWII, the Army Commandos were disbanded and the Royal Marines took on the Commando Role - which then made it necessary for all the remaining Battalions to convert to RM Cdos - this has lead to the common mistake in beliving that the Royal Marines have always been Commandos and that they predated the Army Commandos in this role.

RMTG (D) = Royal Marines Training Group.
104 RM (T) Brigade, [HQ Training Brigade] was formed before the summer of 1942 as the training brigade of the Royal Marine Division. The responsibilities of this HQ included the organisation of NCOs' and other courses at Hayling Island - its 20th (Training) Battalion being responsible for recruits' infantry training.
From April to mid-July 1942 the HQ was in Exmouth.
The Brigade took over responsibility for training at Lympstone and the infantry training of recruits at Dalditch from 17 June 1942, the HQ moving into Lympstone Grange on 16 July. They also liaised with battalions over the provision of reinforcements, including officers for battalions when mobilised.
The 22nd RM (Trg) Battalion of young soldiers came under commands of this HQ in November 1942.
Lympstone Grange changed from being Brigade HQ and was absorbed by HQ RMTG(D) Royal Marines Training Group (Devon), on its formation in early 1943.

Hope this gives you a better understanding and a little bit of info to be going on with for now.
I'll try and add to this in the near future.

Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 29/04/2012 14:37:24

David,

In case you're wondering about your grandfather's Service Number, the 'PO' indicates that he joined up in the Portsmouth Division and the prefix PO/X followed by numbers of six figures in the 100000 series (in this case 120312), indicate ranks entered for Short Service during World War II.

Nick

David,
You say that you have his service records -
when did you actualluy apply for & receive them?
Is this really all they say or is there a lot of service jargon, abbreviations and codes that you don't understand?

If the latter you can post them up here and we'll pick over the bones and 'interpret' them for you...

nick

For completeness, link to pictures from what remains of Dalditch.
http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoForum/posts/list/4033.page#14853