No.3 (Jewish) Troop No.10 Commando.

[Peter Clare]

No 3 (Jewish) Troop, No.10 Commando

[Ron Goldstein]

Peter

While the BBC WW2 People's War was still open for postings, I was priviliged to be able to make various postings for Martin Sugarman (the AJEX Archivist) including this one: BBC - WW2 People's War - No.3 (Jewish) Troop, No.10 Commando

The Jewish Commandos were all too aware of the risks they faced if captured but nevertheless volunteered for their hazardous missions.

Ron

[Peter Clare]

Thanks Ron

I became interested in this troop a few years ago when on one of my many visits to Aberdovey where they trained I noticed a memorial had been erected in memory of the troop. The memorial is of Welsh slate and inscribed with the names of No.3 troop, it gives very little else information.

Its nice to know a bit more of their exploits.

Peter.

[Martin Sugarman]

To Ron and Peter Clare - sadly the Chair of the No 3 Troop veterans, himself Jewish (Judge Grant), does not like the idea of the Troop being described as such even though 98% of them were. So the memorial at Aberdovey says NOTHING about their ethnic origin although local people know; it is a disgrace that it was not inscribed that they were "mostly Jewish refugees from Europe" as we aked , and as a result AJEX were deliberately TOLD to stay away by Judge Grant aka Goldschmitt, for the unveiling. Martin Sugarman (AJEX Achivist and collator of the No 3 Troop Record of Honour, now enlarged following more research, and on the web site of the Jewish virtual library - google on "No. 3 Jewish Troop")
Link to update: No 3 (Jewish) Troop, No.10 Commando

[von Poop]

Welcome aboard Martin,

Interesting stuff.
Did the Judge give any specific reason for his views? If he is chair of the veterans then might there not be good reason for them not wishing for the Jewish reference on their own memorial to their own actions?

Cheers,
Adam.

[Ron Goldstein]

Martin

Many thanks for the additional data to which I have taken the liberty of adding a link.

To others reading this item, may I add that Martin is one of the foremost researchers of the Jewish contribution to the Armed Forces in both World Wars as a search on "Martin Sugarman" in GOOGLE will soon make evident.

[Peter Clare]

Welcome Martin and thanks for the additional info.

[Owen]

Martin,
Welcome to the site.
I've a few queries.

Chair of the No 3 Troop veterans, himself Jewish

Who voted him to that position or did he nominate himself? As if you and other members didn't agree with his dicission the can he be voted out?

says NOTHING about their ethnic origin

Did the men of that unit see themselves as "different" or just another "mob" of Tommies.

Finally I read 10 Cdo HQ was at Harlech, we used to have every summer holiday there in the 1970s when I was little. Where was the HQ located ?

[Warlord]

Was this force the one which went into several missions together with the SAS in North Africa, or was it another jewish-origin unit?

[Martin Sugarman]

Originally Posted by Von Poop

Welcome aboard Martin,

Interesting stuff.
Did the Judge give any specific reason for his views? If he is chair of the veterans then might there not be good reason for them not wishing for the Jewish reference on their own memorial to their own actions?

Cheers,
Adam.

Dear Adam

Grant has been chair for years; to answer the psychology of this would take time; if you wish to talk, call me any evenng after 8pm on [phone number removed] but briefly, excluded from school, abused, ostracised, driven out of Germany, interned in UK, abused, allowed only into Pioneer Corps and then finally to fight bravely, they had had enough of being Jewish and this leads to denial and conversion (Grant is Quaker now). This is NOT a good reason to behave as he does, but it explains thier issues with life. Some of his veterans disageed with him strongly and told me in writing, but did not wish to break rank, hence the decsion. Two totally denied Jewish roots but their families e mailed me and said they were a Jewish; when I pointed this out to them, they did not answer me after several exchanges of e mails etc .So it goes on.

Martin Sugarman