Military Mission 204

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COULDREY, Edwin Robert

No 8 Commando
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

No 7 Commando
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.
 

GILLINGHAM, Reginald John

'Layforce'
Company Quartermaster Sergeant Reginald Gillingham was reported missing presumed died during operations in Burma on 19 June 1942, his secondary unit recorded as 'B' Batallion Layforce on each of the casualty listings [1][2].
  • 2 January 1924 enlisted Royal Tank Corps aged 18. Former trade 'Shop Assistant'. Residence 'Fisherton Salisbury Wiltshire' [3].
Sources
[1] Casualty Lists 1939-45 / National Archive files WO417/57, WO417/66, WO/417/100.
[2] CWGC.

JOHNSTON, Robert

Corporal Robert Johnston 11 Commando
No 11 Commando
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.
 

MANFORD, Francis Stanley

Captain Francis Manford
No 5 Commando
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

MATTHEWMAN, John Stewart

No 7 Commando

Served in No.7 Commando before moving to Mission 204 and 1 SSD in the Far East. Post war member of the Commando Association and the Burma Star Association residing in Boston, Lincolnshire.

Sources
Commando Association Newsletter 101 issued September 1995.
Burma Star Association Membership no. M/483/54.
 

REDWOOD, Albert C.

No 7 Commando
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

No 8 Commando
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

No 8 Commando
Trooper Lewis Scanes was reported missing presumed died during operations in Burma on or shortly after 19 June 1942, his secondary unit shown simply as "Commando" on each of the casualty listings [1][2].
  • The Westminster Abbey Commando Roll of Honour lists his Unit as No.8 Commando [3][notes]. 
Sources
[1] Casualty Lists 1939-45 / National Archive files WO417/57, WO417/66, WO/417/94, WO/417/100.
[2] CWGC

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