Special Service Detachment

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'British Military Mission 204'

Mission 204 was the designation given to the British Military Mission to China.

Photos of the Special Service Detachments, British Military Mission 204 to China.

An account from the Australian War Museum of Australian involvement in Mission 204.

8 Commando

The Commando was formed on the 23rd June 1940 reaching full strength in September at Burnham on Crouch, Essex. Mostly made up of members of the various Guards Brigades, it became unofficially known as No 8 (Guards) Commando.

BALLANTYNE, Alexander A.

Lance Corporal

2934334

No 11 Commando

Special Service Detachment 2

Queens Own Cameron Highlanders

Lance Corporal Alexander Ballantyne was wounded 9 June 1941 during operations with No.11 Commando at Litani River, Syria. After recovering he was assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2) and was killed in Burma. He has no known grave. Son of Matthew C. and Margaret C. Ballantyne, of Edinburgh.

CAWSEY, Francis William

Private

5499203

No 8 Commando

Somerset Light Infantry

Killed in action or died of wounds

Private Francis Cawsey was first reported missing 29 April 1942 during operations in Burma, later corrected to missing presumed killed in action on or shortly after 13 May 1942. He is believed to have been attached from No 8 C

COULDREY, Edwin Robert

Bombardier

830703

No 8 Commando

Royal Artillery

Killed in action or died of wounds

Bombardier Edwin Couldrey, Special Service Detachment*, was reported missing 18 August 1942, later confirmed as having died, during operations in Burma. Royal Artillery Casualty Cards record his death as a battle casualty. He has no known grave.

Sources

CWGC.

ELSE, John

Sergeant

5624579

No 7 Commando

Devonshire Regiment

Died on war service

Sergeant John Else was accidentally killed in India.

Sources

CWGC.

Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/59.

Notes

FLAHERTY, Robert Henry

Trooper

409352

No 8 Commando

52ME Commando

Special Service Detachment 2

Dragoons

Post war member of the Burma Star Association and the Commando Association residing in California, USA.

Sources

Addendum to Obituaries in Commando Association newsletter 89 (1989).

Burma Star Association Membership application form.

GILLINGHAM, Reginald John

Company Quartermaster Sergeant

543209

'Layforce'

Royal Armoured Corps

Company Quartermaster Sergeant Reginald Gillingham was reported missing presumed died during operations in Burma on 19 June 1942, his secondary unit recorded as 'B' Bn., Layforce on each of the casualty listings. He has no known grave. Son of Herbert James Gillingham and Lydia Gillingham; husband of Ida Martha Gillingham, of Ramsgate, Kent. [1][2].

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. He went onto serve with the Middle East Commandos before being posted to Burma with the Special Service Detachment where he was again reported missing on 13 August 1942, later confirmed as killed in action.

JOHNSTON, Robert

Known as:

Jock

Corporal

2931826

No 11 Commando

Queens Own Cameron Highlanders

Died on active service

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. He has no known grave.

9 June 1941 (Private) wounded during Operation Exporter at Litani River, Syria.

LACEY, Leonard Frank

Private

5669104

No 8 Commando

'Layforce'

British Military Mission 204

Somerset Light Infantry

Died on active service

Private Leonard Lacey died whilst a prisoner of war. He had been posted from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), in Burma. He has no known grave. Son of Edward James Lacey and Louise Rose Lacey.

Sources

CWGC.

LOCKINGTON, Arthur

Trooper

324447

50ME Commando

British Military Mission 204

Royal Armoured Corps

Died on war service

Trooper Arthur Lockington, assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), died in Burma. He has no known grave.

Sources

CWGC.

MATTHEWMAN, John Stewart

Sergeant

No 7 Commando

Layforce

Special Service Detachment 1

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.

MILMAN, John Alexander Ralph

Major (Temporary Lieutenant Colonel)

58191

52ME Commando

British Military Mission 204

Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment)

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Mentioned in Despatches

Lieutenant Colonel John Milman, Commander, 1 Special Service Detachment, 204 Military Mission, was appointed O.B.E. (Military Division) in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Burma [1][2].

Recommendation

MORGAN, Thomas

Private

4977740

Special Service Detachment 2

Sherwood Forresters (Notts and Derby Regiment)

Killed in action or died of wounds

Private Thomas Morgan, Special Service Detachment 2*, was reported missing in Burma, later presumed killed in action aproximately 30 June 1942. He has no known grave. Son of Peter and Catherine Morgan, of Scholes, Wigan, Lancashire.

Sources

CWGC.

NICHOLLS, Frank Raymond Jocelyn

Captain

71042

No 7 Commando

'Layforce'

Special Service Detachment 1

Royal Artillery

Mentioned in Despatches

Killed in action or died of wounds

Captain Frank Nicholls, No 7 Commando and Layforce, died whilst attached to No 1 Special Service Detachment. He has no known grave. Son of Mrs. A. M. Connell, of West Brompton, London.

RICHARDSON, Arthur

WO2 Company Sergeant Major

5381845

No 8 Commando

Royal Armoured Corps

Killed in action or died of wounds

Company Sergeant Major Arthur Richardson was reported missing presumed killed in action during operations in Burma. He is believed to have been one of a contingent from Layforce who were attached to Middle East Detachment 2, later known as 2nd Special Service Detachment or SSD2, for operations in the Far East.

Sources

SCANES, Lewis Ralph

Trooper

321274

No 8 Commando

1st Royal Dragoons Royal Armoured Corps

Died on war service

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

SEYMOUR, William Napier

Major

56896

52ME Commando

'Layforce'

Scots Guards

Mentioned in Despatches

Adjutant of 52 Middle East Commando in Sudan and Ethiopia, and Adjutant 'D' Bn. Layforce, although did not participate at Crete due to an injury. Later joined Middle East contingents to the Far East to be part of Mission 204. On arrival at the Bush Warfare School at Maymo his contingent was detached and redesignated Special Service Detachment 1.

SMITH, William James

Trooper

7909151

'Layforce'

Royal Armoured Corps

Killed in action or died of wounds

Trooper William Smith was reported missing August 1942 during operations in Burma, later presumed killed in action on or shortly after 31 August 1942. He was attached to the Special Service Detachment and has no known grave.

Son of William Henry and Ada Emily Smith, of Enfield, Middlesex.

Service in Burma