42RM Commando

42RM Commando 'A' Troop 1944
Formed as 42 Royal Marine Commando, Royal Marines, on the 1st August 1943 from the disbanded 1st RM Battalion of the RM Division. All ranks deemed unfit, unsuitable, or over establishment to the smaller commando formation were drafted for Landing Craft duties.
The above image is  'A' Troop (1944). 
 
On the 5th October 1943 the unit attended the CBTC at Achnacarry for Commando training. It was here that the seeds of the pipe band were sown by Captain F.C. Rodgers, the M.O., himself a Scotsman and an ardent piping enthusiast [more on page 32 here.....].
 
After their training, the Commando moved for a brief spell in billets at Hearne Bay, before being transported by train to Gourock arriving on the 11th November 1943. Embarking on HMT Ranchi they departed for the Far East on the 15th November 1943, accompanied by No.1 Commando and 75 Nursing Sisters. 
 
During the journey they were attacked by enemy aircraft (German Focke-Wulfes) one day out from Gibraltar.  After a few peaceful days they were attacked by 16 Heinkels from Rhodes and the ship was hit by a bomb, the explosion killing one man. The Ranchi diverted for repairs to Alexandria where the Commando spent Christmas camped at Sidi Bishr.
 
The Commando then travelled from Port Tewfik to Bombay on board the ships Scynthia and City of London. They arrived at Bombay on the 20th January 1944 and then travelled onward by train to Kedgaon where 3 Special Service (later renamed Commando) Brigade assembled.
 
The Commando was not impressed by Kedagon but it is memorable by the amount of football that was played. After the stay at Kedgaon, the Commando proceeded by road to Castle Rock near Belgaum for training. On completion of training the Commando moved to Cocanada. It was here that Lt. Col. R.C. de M. Leathes relinquished command and Lt. Col. H.D. Fellowes arrived to take his place.
Soon the Commando was on the move again travelling from Cocanada (image above) to Nilaveli Camp at Trincomalee where they remained for the next 3 weeks.
 
On the 3rd October 1944 the Commando embarked with No 1 Commando on board HMT Nevasa for Calcutta. From there they proceeded by rail and river steamer to a transit camp in Chittagong where they remained for a week. They then proceeded by LCI to Teknaf to relieve the 1st Ox and Bucks in the line at Maungdaw.
 
On the 2nd January 1945 the Commando embarked on board the ships Napier and Nepal for Akyab. The unopposed landing took place on the 3rd January with No.5 Commando and 42RM Commando being the first ashore.
 
A few days later they embarked on board HM Indian ships Jumna and Narbada for the assault on the Myebon peninsula on the 12th January. It was from Myebon that the Commando moved by LCA and LCM to Kangaw which culminated very soon afterwards in the Battle for Hill 170 on the 31st January 1945.
 
[Source: 3 Commando Brigade Magazine entitled The Third Jungle Book Issue 9]
 
Commanding Officers of 42 RM Commando.
  • Lt Col. Reginald Carteret de Mussenden Leathes, 31st August 1943 until he relinquishes command at Cocanada in May 1944.
  • Lt Col. Halford David Fellowes, May 1944 until wounded at Myebon and relinquishes command 13th January 1945.
  • Lt Col. H.H. Dales , 13th January 1945, was the 2i/c Major (promoted Lt Col), until hospitalised with dysentry and relinquishes command April 1945.
  • Lt Col. Peter William Cradock Hellings DSC,MC, April 1945 until cessation of hostilities.
Redesignated 42 Commando RM early in 1946, having been 42 RM Commando (Light) since August 1945. Postwar, the Commando operated in the far East, with combat operations in Malaya, Suez, Borneo and Brunei, and Northern Ireland, the Falklands, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
 

View our Gallery images of 42RM Commando

Click/touch 42RM Commando below for additional content, or follow the links below to specific content entries.

Linked Content: 
3 Commando Brigade, Burma Operations
'42 Commando RM'
Archive pages: 
42RM Commando

42RM Commando Roll of Honour

Archive pages: 
42RM Commando
Below is an A-Z view of the Roll of Honour with information about each of the Fallen. Displaying 1 - 31 of 31

BALLANTYNE, George

Lance Corporal
PO/X114916
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
West Lothian Constabulary
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lance Corporal George Ballantyne died during operations at Kangaw, Burma. Son of James and Elizabeth Ballantyne; husband of Annie McNeil Fotheringham Ballantyne, of Bo'ness, West Lothian.

BANGAY, Lionel Arthur

Marine
PO/X112046
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Marine Lionel Bangay died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.
 
Sources
[1] CWGC.
[2] Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/127.
 
Notes

BATEMAN, Walter

Walter Bateman 42RM Commando
Marine
CH/X 100600
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Marine Walter Bateman from Hull died during operations at Kangaw, Burma. Son of Amelia Bateman. Prior to joining the Forces in 1940 he was a switchboard operator with the Hull City Police, Eastern Division.
 
Sources
CWGC.

BEAMAN, Thomas Edward

Marine
PO/X110697
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine Thomas Beaman died of wounds during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/127.

CARLYLE, Edmond

Marine
PO/X112075
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine Edmond Carlyle died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
[1] CWGC.
[2] Registers Of Reports Of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM104/128.
[3] Registers of Births in England - Easington District, April, May and June 1923.

CRILLEY, John Henry

Lance Corporal
EX. 3297
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Lance Corporal John Crilley died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM104/129.
 

DELL, William Joseph

Corporal
EX. 3192
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Corporal William Dell died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.
Son of Walter and Bithiah Rose Dell, of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire.
 

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/129.

GROVES, John

Marine John Groves 42 Commando
Marine
EX3635
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Marine John Groves died during operations at Kangaw, Burma. Son of Albert and Matilda Groves, of Heanor, Derbyshire.
 
Sources
CWGC.

HALL, Roger

Lieutenant
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lieutenant Roger Hall died during operations at Kangaw, Burma. Son of Charles Phillips Hall and Ada Louise Hall, of Hipperholme, Yorkshire.
 
Sources
CWGC.
 

JACQUES, Henry

Sergeant
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Sergeant Henry Jacques died of wounds inflicted on 31 January during operations at Kangaw, Burma. Son of William Henry and Isabella Jacques, of East Bowling, Yorkshire.
 
Sources
CWGC.

JONES, Jack Garner

Lieutenant
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lieutenant Jack Jones died during operations at Kangaw Burma. Mentioned in Despatches (posthumous) for gallant and distinguished service. Husband of Lelgarde De C. Jones, of Tenby, Pembrokeshire.
 
Sources

KING, Herbert Richard

Marine
EX/4389
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine Herbert King died during operations at Hill 170, Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/133.

LOGAN, John

Sergeant
PLY/X100771
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Sergeant John Logan died during operations in Burma. Son of Archie and Mary Logan; husband of Elizabeth Logan, of Greenock, Renfrewshire.
 

PHILPOTT, Ronald Henry

Marine
CH/X106487
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine Ronald Philpott died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/135.

RAWLINSON, James

Corporal
PLY/X 106012
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Corporal James Rawlinson died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/136.
 

ROSSER, Albert

Marine
PO/X 100791
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Died on active service
Marine Albert Rosser died at Maungdaw, Burma. Son of John Jackson Rosser and Elizabeth Rosser, of Workington, Cumberland.
 
Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/136.

SHERMAN, George

Marine
EX/3566
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine George Sherman died during operations in Burma. Son of Frederick and Ellen Sherman; husband of Joan Sherman, of Richmond, Surrey.

SHUTTLEWORTH, Charles Denis

Charles Denis Shuttleworth 42RM Commando
Marine
PO/X122001
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine Charles Shuttleworth died during operations at Kangaw, Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/137.
[Image] Ian Shuttleworth (nephew).
 

WHITEHEAD, John

Corporal
EX1219
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Corporal John Whitehead died during operations at Hill 170 in Burma.

Sources
CWGC.
Registers of Reports of Deaths - Naval Ratings / National Archives file ADM 104/138.

YEOMANS, Geoffrey Richard

Lieutenant
42RM Commando
Royal Marines
Died on war service
Lieutenant Geoffrey Yeomans died from multiple injuries received in a road accident. Son of George Ralph and Audrey Ada Yeomans, of Norbury, Surrey. His brother Rifleman Bernard George Yeomans, 7th (1st Bn. The London Rifle Brigade) Bn., died in service on 8 May 1943.
 

We will Remember them

And all ranks who served in the Commando and have since passed on in the passage of time, who are also remembered by their proud families and comrades.

42RM Cdo Operations in Burma

42RM Commando were part of 3 Commando Brigade during the Burma Campaign. Many of the documents we have for this period are related to more than one single commando unit and are listed jointly below in the document 3 Commando Brigade Operations in Burma.

3 Commando Brigade Operations in Burma

LEATHES, Reginald Carteret de Mussenden

Rank: 
Major General
Unit / Base: 
42RM Commando
'45 Commando RM'
Regiment/Corps: 
Royal Marines
Service: 
Royal Navy
Honours & Awards: 
Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)
Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Born: 
Sunday, September 19, 1909
Died: 
1987
  • 31 August 1943 Lieutenant Colonel Leathes was the first Commanding Officer of 42RM Commando until relinquishing command at Cocanada May 1944 [1].
  • September 1950 to December 1951 Commanding Officer 45 Commando RM during operations in Perak, Malaya [2].
  • 4 April 1952 appointed O.B.E. (Military Division) for gallant and distinguished service in Malaya [2a].
  • 11 June 1960 (Major General) appointed C.B. (Military Division) [3].
  • 1 January 1971 Major-General R. C. de M. Leathes, C.B., M.V.O., O.B.E., appointed Colonel Commandant Royal Marines [4].
Sources
[1] Navy Lists (see Linked Content).
[1a] Commando Brigade Jungle Book issue 9 (see Linked Content).
[2] London Gazette 39507, page 1879.
[2a] Award Recommendations / National Archives file WO 373/130/90.
[3] London Gazette 42051, page 3974 (HM Birthday Honours)
[4] London Gazette 45186, page 9878.
Obituaries in Commando Association newsletter 86 (1988).
 
Additional content: 
42RM Cdo. Officers, Aug'43.
3 Cdo Bde Third Jungle Book issue 9
Archive pages : 
42RM Commando
45 Commando RM
RM Commandos 1946 - present
Malaysia and Brunei

FELLOWES, Halford David

Rank: 
Major General
Unit / Base: 
42RM Commando
Regiment/Corps: 
Royal Marines
Service: 
Royal Navy
Honours & Awards: 
Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
  • Acting Lieutenant Colonel Halford David Fellowes was Commanding Officer Royal Marine Siege Regiment 1941 [1].
  • Acting Colonel Fellowes was awarded the Distinguished Service Order whilst officer in command of 42RM Commando in the Far East [2].  He commanded them from May 1944 until relinquishing command to Maj. H.H. Dales (2 i/c) when wounded at Myebon on 13 January 1945.
  • Post war he remained in service and was promoted Major General.
  • 1955 Commander Plymouth Group Royal Marines. [3].
  • 1 January 1957 appointed C.B. (Military Division. [4].
Sources
[1] Navy Lists Bi Monthly October 1941 p570 (page 594 on National Library of Scotland website).
[2] London Gazette 37079, page 2527.
[3] RM Museum.
[4] London Gazette 40960, page 2.
 
Additional content: 
42RM Cdo. Officers, Oct.'44
3 Cdo Bde Map of Myebon and Kangaw Jan/Feb 1945
3 Cdo Bde Third Jungle Book issue 9
Archive pages : 
42RM Commando
42 Commando RM
RM Commandos 1946 - present

42RM Cdo. Officers, Aug'43.

Extract from the Navy Lists

August 1943 Volume 1 Page 831.  (page 855 on N.L.S. website page list) .
 
Source: National Library of Scotland website.
 
Commanding Officer —  Act. Lieut.-Col. R.C. de M. Leathes.

2nd in Command —  Act. Tempy. Maj. A.L. Evans.
 
Act. Temp. Majors —  
 
Captain —  
Temp. Capt. H.G.S. Saunders

Act. Captain  —

Act. Tempy. Capts.  —
G.C. Darley Bentley.
H. H. Dales.
F.C. Anderson.
W.A. Harvey.
R. P. Stoner.
J.G. Boardley.
 
Adjutants  —
Act. Tempy. Capt. J. P. Tripp.
Proby. Lieut. P. H. Lloyd.

Tempy. Lieuts.  —
M.E.M. Harvey.
B.H. Fowke.
M.J. Cotton.
D.B. Kater.
C.V. Oppitz.
G.R. Graham.
J. O. Street.
J.A. Allen

Quartermaster  —
Capt. B.J. Teeling, M.B.E. (this is Bernard James Teeling)
 
Battalion Signal Officer  —
Tempy. Lieut. R.G. Knight.
 
Battalion Intelligence Officer  —
 
Brigade Transport Officer  —
 
Medical Officer  —
 
Chaplain  —

Sergeant-Major  —
Temp. Sgt. Maj. F. Whiddon.
 
Notes
Highlighted names contain more information.
 
Linked Content: 
'RM Commando Officers Aug.1943.'
Archive pages: 
42RM Commando

42RM Cdo. Officers, Oct.'44

Extract from the Navy Lists

October 1944 Volume 2 Pages 1101/2.  (pages 257/258 on N.L.S. website page list) .
 
Source: National Library of Scotland website.
 
Commanding Officer —  Act. Lieut.-Col. H. D. Fellowes.

2nd in Command —  Act. Tempy. Maj. P. N. Cunningham.
 
Major —  Act. Maj. M. H. Davis.
 
Captain 

Act. Captain 
F. R. A. D. Taylor.

Act. Tempy. Capts.
H. H. Dales.
R. P. Stoner.
E. Langley.
B. H. Fowke.
J. F. Showell - Rogers.
 
Adjutants 
Act. Tempy. Capt. J. P. Tripp.
Lieut. P. H. Lloyd.

Tempy. Lieuts. 
M. J. Cotton.
D. B. Kater.
J. W. Mackenzie.
J. D. G. Pegrum.
J. O. Street.
R. Hall.
A. G. Smith.
C. B. Ward.
R. J. E. Bavin.
M. F. A. Wilson.
P. Frizell.
J. W. Potts.
D. K. Hardy.
N. J. Winter.
J. G. Jones.
K. Martin.
 
Quartermaster 
 
Signal Officer - Tempy. Lieut.
 
Medical Officer 
 
Chaplain 
Rev. F. W. Cornell, M.A., R.N.V.R.
Rev. H. C. W. Manger, B.A.

Sergeant-Major

Act. Sergt. Major
C. F. Young.
 
Notes
Highlighted names contain more information.
 
Archive pages: 
42RM Commando

42RM Cdo. Officers, Jul.'45

Extract from the Navy Lists

Quarterly / July 1945 Volume 2 Pages 1164.  (pages 272 on N.L.S. website page list) .
 
Source: National Library of Scotland website.
 
Commanding Officer —  Act. Temp. Lieut.-Col. H. H. Dales

2nd in Command —  Act. Maj. F.R.A.D. Taylor
 
Major —  Act. Maj. M. H. Davis.
 
Captain 

Act. Tempy. Capts.
R. P. Stoner.
E. Langley, M.C..
B. H. Fowke.
J. F.  Showell - Rogers.
M. J. Cotton.
J. E. F. Codrington.
S. D. Smith.
 
Adjutants 
Act. Tempy. Capt. 
Lieut. C. L. G. Brown

Tempy. Lieuts. 
M. J. Cotton.
D. B. Kater.
J. W. Mackenzie.
J. O. Street.
A. G. Smith.
C. B. Ward.
R. J. E. Bavin.
M. F. A. Wilson.
P. Frizell.
J. W. Potts.
D. K. Hardy.
N. J. Winter.
J. M. Brassey.
J. D. Sanderson.
A. S. Mansfield.
G. Howse.
J. A. M. G. Grover.
A. T. Whitehead.
W. B. Slater.
A. P. Calladine.
C. Thompson.

Temp. 2nd Lieut. S.H. Blake.
 
Quartermaster 
 
Signal Officer 
 
Medical Officer 
Capt. J. S. Hunter, R.A.M.C.
 
Chaplain 
Rev. F. W. Cornell, M.A., R.N.V.R.
Rev. H. C. W. Manger, B.A.

Sergeant-Major

Notes
Highlighted names contain more information.

Archive pages: 
42RM Commando

42RM Commando Pipe Band

Read about the origins of the band in the 3rd Jungle Book issue 9, page 32 [more.....].

Archive pages: 
42 Commando RM

42RM Commando 'A' Troop 1944 image

42RM Commando 'A' Troop

42RM Commando 'A' Troop. Photo courtesy of Jan Newman. Her father, Cpl. Frederick Harry Brothers (PO/X 111927), is in the front row, second from the right hand side. A higher resolution copy of this photograph is in the the Commando Veterans Archive Gallery.

 
Unit: 
42RM Commando

42RM Commandos at Cocanada image

42RM Commando at Cocanada July 1944

Group from 42RM Commando, Cocanada, 23 Jul 1944. Image from Julie Warren who  bought items at auction which belonged to Thomas Alexander Menin Cooke, 42 RM Commando.

Linked content: 
COOKE, Thomas Alexander Menin
Unit: 
42RM Commando