Hi guys, new boy in town. I had the greatest pleasure 7 years ago to meet a gentleman in London at the time of the release of Saving Private Ryan. Eric was a Commando in the meditaranean theatre of operations. He had an amazing story to tell which touched me deeply. This very well dressed, white haired man with a ready smile was the youngest of three brothers and three sisters. He spoke to me about his training an experiances while based in Alexandria. I wanted to know more about the 'fighting stuff' but he kept on diverting back to how great the American nurses were when he was picked up by an American hospital ship after injury; 'they really liked the British troops and they kept on giving me stockings to send back to my three sisters'. All three brothers were fighting; one in Burma and the other I do not remember. Eric spoke about about how he was his mother's favourite and how in her letters she would express her worry and anxiety about her three children being in harms way. It was a long time sinse my meeting with him and possibly his mother did not express herself in quite that way, but you can imagine the chances of harm coming to at least one of her children. I wanted to get back to the 'fighting' so I naturally asked him if he had seen SPR and what he thought of it. Eric said: 'I should have seen the film because I was there on D-Day with the Americans.' He said that one thing they did not show in the film was how some GIs drowned because they had not stored the life jacket air canisters under their arms as the Commandos advised them. They left them attached in their mid section and conversely in the water they would flip over. He recollected that you could see many legs sticking out of the water. He lasted about half an hour on the beach until something exploded next to him and later woke up in an American hospital ship! What a fantastic guy! The end of the war came for him in Netherlands. Amazingly all three brothers survived the war. Saddly, and I still get tears in my eyes every time I tell this story, his mother, father and three sisters were all killed when the second to last V2 rocket hit London. Well this is me (Weiner) and I'm glad to be here with you all. this is the first forum I have ever been on and I think I can do some pay back to my father who served in the RAF in Africa. I did not get on with him when he was alive. Fathers and sons! I do now realise he was a good man. Getting back to Eric, can anyone help me place the Commandos on the Normandy beaches. I am sure Eric said he was at Omaha. I have tried to find something but to no avail. I am very sure he was there with the Americans Thank you
Interesting as I thought the Omaha landing was exclusively US with the Rangers being present, and the Commandos at Juno and Sword. I am sure someone can offer you some advice though Regards MG
I also didn't know about Commandos, but I have read accounts of Royal Engineers (Sappers) on the American beaches. Whether true or not, I have no idea. Not forgetting the British Coxwains, they were definitely there. Although ignoring Stephen Ambrose's blatent and discredited accounts of them, of course. Royal Navy ships based off of the American beaches, bombarding, transporting and minesweeping. But didn't know about Commandos.
Weiner, I assume you have not mixed any of the story told to you, but quite possibly the Veteran has. There is even the possibility the individual was not a Commando but served in some context with them or in a similar role. Having worked with Commando Veterans for a great number of years, and still do, from time to time I encounter 'confused' individuals. On D-Day there were two Brigades of Commandos in the main, 1 Special Service Brigade which comprised the experienced Nos.3, 4 and 6 Army Commandos together with the 'new' No.45 Commando Royal Marines, and 4 Special Service Brigade comprising the experienced No.41 Commando Royal Marines and the 'new' Nos.46, 47 and 48 Commandos Royal Marines. In addition the two French Troops of No.10 (Inter Allied) Commando were placed under command of No.4 Commando, and SOME members of 3 Troop (German speakers) No.10 (IA) were distributed among the Commandos to act as recon and interrogators. Some members of No.30 Commando also had specific intelligence tasks and quite a number of Royal Navy and some Beachhead Commandos were involved in the landings. I have referred to all but one of the RM Commandos as 'new' because with the exception of Nos.40 and 41, they were all remustered into Commando units from the Royal Marines Division in August 1943 and few had seen any action as Commandos before D-Day. The whole of 1 Brigade landed at Sword together with No.41 who landed towards Juno. 4 Brigade HQ and No.48 landed with the Canadian 3rd Div. at St. Aubin and moved east to Langrune. The link-up between Nos.41 and 48 didn't happen as both became held-up by strong points. No.47 landed (most swam actually) central Gold Beach around Arromanches. No.46 were tasked to neutralise a couple of batteries covering Gold which were found to be little threat on the day and what was there was dealt with by the Navy. As a result No.46 never landed on D-Day and were kept off-shore as a floating reserve. So, he couldn't have been 'with the Americans' on D-Day if he was a Commando? Possible he was with No.48 (or HQ) with the Canadians - but then Royal Marines Commandos usually refer to themselves as 'Royal Marines' rather than 'Commandos'? Again, he says he served in the Mediterranean? That would put him with No.3, No.6 or No.41 (RM) as only these D-Day units had served there? There is a slight possibility he may have previously been with the Middle East Commandos or the Marines out there. Equally, Nos.7, 8 and 11 were all part of Layforce in the Med and all were disbanded with the men going to a number of units? Impossible to be specific or even narrow the guess without more info. No.9
No 3 (Jewish) Troop, No. 10 Commando These were mentioned by No9 in his most detailed and informative reply. The site below provides a more personal view of their exploits. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/ww2/sugar13.html
Spidge, re the article by Sugarman, the most unfortunate thing about it is the author. This is not to say 3 Troop aren't credit worthy, but his claims and statements are often grossly inflated and actually derisory to all other Commandos. 3 Troop, who were mostly but not exclusively Jewish, were formed because they were fluent in German - not because they were any kind of super elite or because they were Jewish. They were trained the same and had to meet the same standards as any other Commando. What they did was no more or no less than any other. The Troop was one of the smallest in No.10 because they were never destined to operate as a Troop, but to provide operations with a German speaking Commando when required. Quite often they were not put on operations because (a) they were need to question prisoners, and (b) the commander didn't like risking his interpreter getting killed. Equally, on a few occasions they were sent to infiltrate the Germans and briefly pose as Germans if necessary. One of the war decorated men Sugarman lists, (I say 'war decorated' as some awards stated are post-war, i.e. not combat related), who is a friend of mine, won't give Sugarman the time of day because he is more obsessed with him being 'Jewish' than with him as a Commando. This same Commando also dissed a prominent Jewish politician for the same reason when he tried to get hold of his medal for some display. No.9
Hi No9. Thanks for the info. I did not know the bona fides of the author however I knew you would enlighten the forum if he was not "kosher". Cheers.
I think a problem with Sugarman, Spidge, is he's a bit too 'kosher'. I admire the chap for his dedication and he's done much worthwhile research which he freely shares. But, even if a reader doesn't have the historical knowledge to filter his sentiments, it soon becomes apparent that either he's in part after exposing some anti-Semitic conspiracy or he's cherry-picking and embellish items to reinforce a preconceived ideal. No.9
(No.9 @ Dec 23 2005, 10:15 AM) [post=43557]I think a problem with Sugarman, Spidge, is he's a bit too 'kosher'. I admire the chap for his dedication and he's done much worthwhile research which he freely shares. But, even if a reader doesn't have the historical knowledge to filter his sentiments, it soon becomes apparent that either he's in part after exposing some anti-Semitic conspiracy or he's cherry-picking and embellish items to reinforce a preconceived ideal. No.9 [/b] There is nothing wrong with pushing your own barrow however there are times when you should stop and see who else is in the race!
