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Military Mission 204
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15'British Military Mission 204'
Mission 204 was the designation given to the British Military Mission to China.
Photos of No.1 Special Service Detachment British Military Mission 204 to China.
An account from the Australian War Museum of Australian involvement in Mission 204.
BALLANTYNE, Alexander A.
Lance Corporal Alexander Ballantyne died whilst assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), in Burma.
Some additional detail can be found on this link to a message on our Forum.
CAWSEY, Francis William
Private Francis Cawsey is believed to have been attached from No 8 Commando to Mission 204 at the time of his death. He was reported missing and presumed killed in action.
Sources
CWGC.
British Army Casualty Lists 1939-45.
COULDREY, Edwin Robert
Bombardier Edwin Couldrey died during operations in Burma [1]. He is listed on a Royal Artillery Casualty Card as a battle casualty [2].
He was one of the Commandos from No 8 who were attached to the Special Service Detachments (1 & 2) and Military Mission 204 to the Far East and in a last letter home he had written that he was "going native." [3].
Sources
CWGC.
ELSE, John
Sergeant John Else, No 7 Commando and Layforce, was accidentally killed whilst attached to No 1 Special Service Detachment.
Sources
CWGC.
British Army Casualty Lists 1939-45.
ENGLISH, R.W. Major, Letter on Mission 204
Transcript (by Elaine Southworth-Davies) of a letter from Major R.W. English in response to an enquiry from Kevin O'Marah about the war service of his father WO1 Andrew O'Marah.
"April 15. 1984
Dear Mr O’Marah
JOHNSTON, Robert
Corporal Robert Johnston died of exhaustion and malaria whilst assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), in Burma.
Some additional detail can be found on this link to a message on our Forum.
Sources
CWGC
His niece Mary Johnston.
LACEY, Leonard Frank
Pte Leonard Lacey was killed whilst assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), in Burma.
LOCKINGTON, Arthur
Trooper Arthur Lockington died whilst assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), in Burma.
MANFORD, Francis Stanley
Captain Francis Stanley Manford served in No 5 Commando until 1942. He then left the Commando and joined Mission 204. From there he became an instructor to 77 Brigade – the Chindits.. In 1944 having now joined the S.O.E. he contracted Malaria whilst on leave in India and took his own life. A handwritten letter from Colonel Gardiner to Mrs Manford states "I hasten to make it clear that in my opinion he was suffering from the effects of malaria and was not responsible for his actions at the time."
Sources
CWGC
NICHOLLS, Frank Raymond Jocelyn
Captain Frank Nicholls, No 7 Commando and Layforce, was killed whilst attached to No 1 Special Service Detachment. There is a plaque in his honour inside Stratton Parish Church and he is also remembered on their War Memorial.
Photos and more information are in our Gallery entry for Captain Nicholls.
REDWOOD, Albert C.
Sergeant Albert Redwood died [1] having left the Commando and joined Force 136, the S.O.E. At the time of his death he was part of Operation Ramrose, team Fox at Myothit - Irrawaddy.
Extract from a Force 136 battle casualty report about his death [2].
RICHARDSON, Arthur
Company Sergeant Major Arthur Richardson was reported missing presumed killed in action during operations in Burma. He was one of a contingent from Layforce (No 8 Commando) who were attached to Middle East Detachment 2, later known as 2nd Special Service Detachment or SSD2, for operations in the Far East.
Sources
CWGC.
British Army Casualty Lists 1939-45.
SCANES, Lewis Ralph
Trooper Lewis Scanes is believed to have been attached from No 8 Commando to Mission 204 at the time of his death.
Sources CWGC Westminster Abbey Commando ROH database.STUART, Ted, Memories of 5 Commando and Mission 204
A personal account of the memories of Ted Stuart, No 5 Commando, who volunteered for Mission 204.
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