Pals, I would be extremely grateful if anyone could supply me with a photo of the grave and headstone of Tom McCormack, 2930404, 5 Troop, No 2 Commando and 1st (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. He died as a POW on 11 April 1942 of wounds sustained during the St Nazaire Raid on 28 March. He's in Section 18, Plot 2, Row J, Grave 1 of the Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery in Britanny, France. Here's a link to his entry in the CWGC Debt of Honour: Private Thomas McCormack | War Casualty Details 2846307 | CWGC PRIVATE THOMAS McCORMACK Service Number: 2930404 Regiment & Unit: 1st (Liverpool Scottish) Bn., Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Secondary Unit, Regiment: and No. 2 Commando Date of Death: 11 April 1942 Age 25 years old Buried or commemorated at RENNES EASTERN COMMUNAL CEMETERY Grave Reference: Sec. 18. Plot 2. Row J. Grave 1. Location: France Additional Info: Son of Jeremiah and Joanna Ramsay W. W. P. McCormack, of Allerton, Liverpool. Personal Inscription: GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIEND Many thanks! Cheers, Mark
Phil, Many thanks - the photo quality is fine, and I'm very grateful for such a speedy response. I was expecting a long wait with the Rennes Cemetery being rather off the beaten Campaign track. Tom was billeted with my grandfather and my mother in Ayr prior to the St Nazaire Raid. My mother will be very moved to see Tom's grave marker. My thanks again. Cheers, Mark
I believe the Germans showed a publicity shot of Tom McCormack after the roundup, seriously wounded on the St Nazaire dockside.There is also a photograph of Stuart Chant,later Lt Col Stuart Chant-Sempill in a group of POWs with the seriously injuried Tom McCormack. Chant- Sempill relates that his own life was saved because he was wounded and could not obey a German instruction to get up from a lying position.One POW did get up and was instantly shot dead before he could raise his hands as instructed.Chant-Sempill said that the Germans were Waffen SS and one wanted to run him through with a sword but was prevented from doing so by other Waffen SS.
I believe the Germans showed a publicity shot of Tom McCormack after the roundup, seriously wounded on the St Nazaire dockside.There is also a photograph of Stuart Chant,later Lt Col Stuart Chant-Sempill in a group of POWs with the seriously injuried Tom McCormack. Chant- Sempill relates that his own life was saved because he was wounded and could not obey a German instruction to get up from a lying position.One POW did get up and was instantly shot dead before he could raise his hands as instructed.Chant-Sempill said that the Germans were Waffen SS and one wanted to run him through with a sword but was prevented from doing so by other Waffen SS. Harry, Absolutely correct and in fact in some of the photos Tom is shown sitting next to Stuart Chant. The photos are reachable on Wikipedia if you search on "German Federal Archive, location St. Nazaire". However I prefer to picture Tom in happier days. My mother says he was a remarkable man. Tom was one of the last Scotsmen to go into battle wearing a kilt (see thread elsewhere on this Forum) and I believe there were some highly undignified images of the wounded Tom in his kilt used in the German national newspapers. Somehow I just cannot see the British ever doing anything like that Cheers, Mark
I think this is the chap pictured in the St Nazaire thread wearing a kilt? See picture 10, 11 and 12: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/battle-specifics/14623-st-nazaire-futile-heroism.html Regards Andy
Thanks for this thread, helps to give some background to that photo we've been looking at. As I said above, I prefer to remember Tom and his comrades in happier days. I'm very familiar with all these German photos (my earlier post tells you where they can be found), and those of the captured men are fantastic - particular Micky Burn giving the Victory V - but speaking personally, I would not have posted the pictures of the fallen commandos. Many of these men have close relatives - sons and daughters, siblings, even wives - still alive. I would ask the posters to consider removing them - an image of a fallen hero's grave marker is much more appropriate I feel. Cheers, Mark
I would ask the posters to consider removing them The posters in the other topic have very carefully considered this and have decided to leave the photos of the fallen as they are. They have explained their reasons for this passionately and thoughtfully and I am very happy to respect their decision. I am convinced of their total integrity, so I'm satisfied, though disappointed as it's not what I would do myself, and I worry that the living relatives of these fallen men may stumble across them unprepared. As has been said, it is for the rights such as these that men like Tom and his comrades gave their lives. Cheers, Mark
As I said above, I prefer to remember Tom and his comrades in happier days. Seen on the War Memorial in Norwich: http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=68610&stc=1&d=1322412974
Thanks for posting this idler - it was placed by my sister, as she does most years, in Remembrance of Tom who died of the wounds received at the St Nazaire Raid on this day in 1942 at Rennes Military Hospital. Mark
Here's Tom's grave in 2012 together with the wreath we placed in his memory. Taken on our visit for the 70th Anniversary. Not forgotten. Mark