In dealing with SOE and its associated units (Force 136, STS 101, FMS Volunteer Force, Oriental Mission, British Special Forces, Special List and RAF Special Duties ) it's near-on impossible to confirm, by viewing headstones and memorials, if a particular individual served with such a unit. Indeed: in all the cemeteries I've visited, to-date, in Asia, I've only ever seen 2 SOE names on one memorial (Singapore) and one SOE name on a headstone (Sri Lanka). And, to make matters more complicated, I've wondered, many times, about those 2 terms ''Special List'' and ''General List'', mentioned numerous times on both headstones and memorials - what's all THAT about? Four months ago, someone was kind enough to send me an ebook: Unearthing Churchill's Secret Army - authors Martin Mace & John Grehan - Pen & Sword 2012. I was amazed to find in Chapter 5, Section VIII (pages 403-410) a list of 57 names, and all associated with SOE and Asia. I have now managed to find 57 images, of headstones and memorials, in relation to these 57 men, and would like to share them with you. Note; Images 25 to 34 attached. note following points: The majority of images have been taken by myself, and the remaining ones have been 'credited' to source/photographer etc. There are numerous discrepancies between the book and the CWGC database and, in all cases, I have opted for the CWGC version. Given the background in which these men and women operated, I make no claim as to the accuracy of this data and, as such, feel free to add additional information if you think it's relevant to that particular individual. 25. MACKINTOSH John Ali (Jack). Lieutenant Colonel. Born 27th June 1906 and died 4th January 1945. Parent Unit Intelligence Corps. SOE ( worked under commercial cover in Turkey ). Grave 3768, Istanbul (Ferikoi) Protestant Cemetery,Turkey 26. MACKINTOSH Stanley Mcleod. Captain. Born 21st April 1918 and died 16th June 1945. Parent Unit 16th Punjab Regiment. Unit 36 Military Mission India, SOE. Chungkai War Cemetery, Thailand 27.MARSH Frederick Walter Later (Boof). Able Seaman. Mentioned in Despatches. Born 20th January 1924 and died 1st February 1945. Parent Unit HMAS Leeuzon, R.A.N.R.. SRD (SOE Australia), Op.Jaywick, Op.Rimau. Panel 95 - Column 3, Plymouth Naval Memorial, Devon, England 28. McCRINDLE Eric John. Captain. Mention in Despatches. Born 16th March 1912 and died 15th February 1944. Parent Unit Army in Burma Reserve of Officers (ABRO). Force 136 SOE, Op.Harlington. Face 111, Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar-Burma 29. McMILLAN Leslie Thomas. Captain. Born 5th May 1915 and died 20th March 1945. Parent Unit New Zealand Infantry. SRD (SOE Australia), Op.Robin. Panel 31, Labuan War Memorial, Borneo 30. MYERS Ernest Henry. Signalman. Born c1924 and died 4th July 1945. Parent Unit New Zealand Corps of Signals. SRD (SOE Australia), Z Special Unit, Op. Platypus VI and VII. Labuan War Cemetery, Malaysia 31. NIMMO James Russell. Major. D.S.O., Mentioned in Despatches. Born 27th June 1912 and died 15th February 1944. Parent Unit The Burma Regiment. SOE Force 136, SOE Oriental Mission, SOE India Mission, Op.Harlington. Rangoon War Cemetery, Myanmar-Burma note: his brother, Major William (Bill) Nimmo M.C. (citation for 2nd M.C.) also served with SOE Force 136 in same region. 32. NOONE Herbert Deane (Pat). Second Lieutenant. Born c1907 and died 3rd November 1943. Parent Unit Federated Malay States Volunteer Force 1st (Perak) Bn. SOE ''Stay behind parties''. Column 389, Singapore Memorial, Singapore 33. POXON Ernest. Private. Born c1919 and died 21st September 1944. Parent Unit The Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) 2nd Bn.. SOE Force 136. Column 74, Singapore Memorial, Singapore 34. RAND Guy Widdrington. Second Lieutenant. Born c1905 and died 17th March 1942. Parent Unit General List. SOE "Stay behind parties". Taiping War Cemetery, Malaysia LEST WE FORGET Tony Buckley www.asiawargraves.com
McCrindle and Nimmo have been lightly discussed on the forum before across a few threads. Here are some relevant images relating to these two men, including two handwritten background details from an obscure file at TNA and Nimmo's inscription on a memorial at St. Andrew's Church in Falkirk. I'm not sure how legible the SOE details will be on the forms below due to the handwriting of the recording officer.
