My Dad -RN Commando

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R

ruddja

New Member
I'm looking for information about my late Father - he was with the RN Commando when it was first formed. His name was Frederick Sayer (Curly was his nickname). Anyone help.
 
Thank you Geronimo - can you tell me where to start - where will I get his RN service record. I went to the Imperial War Meseum - who said "MOD" and others said the admiralty? can you point me in the right direction.

I have also looked for any record re the taking of an Italian Tanker by my Dad's commando group. It seems they captured the Tankser at sea, loading with fuel and took it back to Belfast. They received ?25 per head bounty money. They tried the same thing with a German Tanker, different story this time - the capt opened the sea cocks, the ship sank, they had to get off quick, taking with them German sailors as POWs - one of the commando's shot a german Officer and was put on a charge.
 
try the Glasgow records office of historical disclosure, give them a ring and they will at least tell you who to contact. address and number is on the net. other than that you will need a copy of his death certificate to go further plus about 30 quid if spouse is not still about
 
Thank you Geronimo . I know this sounds stupid, but why Glasgow? My Dad was a Londoner, his first and last base was Portsmouth - although he did his commando training in Scotland and spent a lot of time in Scapa Flow (I think thats the spelling).
 
because all army records on personnel are kept there!

see website below for your information

http://www.veterans-uk.info/pdfs/ser.../army_pack.pdf
 
If he was a Royal Navy Commando then you would have to apply to the RN for his service record:
RN Disclosure Cell, Room 48, West Battery, Whale Island, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO2 8DX

There are 2 forms to be completed, the 1st is RN/RM search document (part 2), as well as Part 1 (next of kin form). An explanation about them and the downloadable forms are here:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/Ab...yalMarines.htm

There is as has been said a fee of ?30. There can be a lengthy delay in receiving them and the information varies considerably from record to record. Some very good others very disappointing. It's worth doing.

Regards

Pete Rogers
 
Thank you Peter - much appreciated for all your help and info. I'll log on to that website. I'll let you know as soon as I have something.

Regards
Jeannie
(ruddja)
 
Hi

I was looking for my dad's naval service record as well about a year ago...all going fine, went through 'Whaley', but it all faltered when I was told we needed Dad's National Insurance number. He died in 1979 and none of my siblings have it. You have to go through an office in Newcastle on Tyne and its a bugger of a process, so the whole thing sort of petered out.

Dad always spoke about being on HMS Jervis when they assisted in the evacuation of the army in Crete, and I'd love to find out a bit more about that.

Good luck, hope it all goes well
 
We were told to send a copy of the death certificate, which we duly did, but every time we seemed to be getting somewhere there seemed to be some problem or another and we were just pased from one office to another. Finally I decided that other things going on in my life were more important and it got put on a back burner, where it remains to this day.
I do intend to get back into it, including getting copies of Dad's campaign medals (he had quite a few) but all in good time, I guess...
 
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