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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: joboy on Friday 06 August 10 08:20 BST (UK)
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The boys in this photo taken in 1945 came from all over Britain ........... they would all in their mid eighties now if they are still going ......... I'm there (wont say where) but if you recognize any of them do let me know.
The photo was taken at Stonehouse Royal Marine barracks Plymouth.
joboy
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??? Dunno if what I just told ye may help, Jo'? Generation or so earlier though, those guys were even more 'fun'!
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Hi, Joyboy;
I can't offer any help to you regarding recognising any of the rankers, because I didn't enter the Royal Marines until 1947.
But when I took a look at your picture I was instantly drawn to the Drill Lancejack seated far right. He looks amazingly like the Corporal Croke who was my Drill Corporal at Deal.
Do you happen to know whether it might be the same man...?
Regards,
pedlarThe boys in this photo taken in 1945 came from all over Britain ........... they would all in their mid eighties now if they are still going ......... I'm there (wont say where) but if you recognize any of them do let me know.
The photo was taken at Stonehouse Royal Marine barracks Plymouth.
joboy
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It was indeed L/C Croke ......... did best part of initial training with him at Deal and he came across to Stonehouse with us.
Oh .......... it's joboy ...... not joyboy although that sounds good too.
joboy
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Joboy Sorry about the slip-up with your username. As you will have guessed, I'm in my Eighties with failing vision and an operation for cataracts on the cards...!
I have been trying for years to make contact on the Web with old messmates but nothing so far. So when i saw your picture of A3 Squad and caught my eye on Cpl.Croke I was amazed at the 'likeness' and I really had to ask whether it could be him.
He was a popular bloke with 960 Squad. I remember when he went off on a weekend leave and didn't get back until very late. The squad woke up at reveille to find him stretched out on his bed almost fully clothed - and fast asleep!
We decided there was no way he was going to make breakfast and the parade ground in time. So some of us set to and did his brasses and blancoing and finally managed to wake him to go and get a wash and shave...!
But - as I say - Cpl Croke was a popular bloke, strict in training though he was.
Probably, you know that he had been awarded a bravery decoration - the Military Medal, or something like that. But when we used to ask him how he got it he always made a joke of it and we never found out what he'd done to earn the it.
Anyway, Joboy, nice to have been in contact with a fellow bootneck. Perhaps we'll exchange a contact some other time...
Cheers,
pedlar
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Hi
A bit hesitant but - is the far left front row 'Nick' (C.M.) Carter
Rosie
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Hi Rosie ....... yes indeed that's 'Nick Carter' for sure .. a tough man he was.
I think he was a QMSI (Quarter Master Sergeant Instructor) in the photo ... cant be sure of the ranks now.
joboy
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Hi joboy
Thanks for the confirmation, I thought I should have recognised him anywhere. :) He would have been 98 if still with us.
Rosie
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I guess it might be a good idea if I added some of the names in the photo that I can remember .......... might help someone recall a face.
HOWES; BARLOW; INSKIP; BURNS; JOHNSON; CAMPBELL; WATSON; KERR; ATHERTON; LEMON; LARCOMBE; YOUNGMAN; HAZELDEN; BEAN; WILLMAN; HYLAND; LITHGOW ..... more as this old brain struggles harder.
joboy
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I'm wondering if any of you remember Stan Green who was (I believe) a PTI in the Royal Marines? He had several brothers who also served. He was older than the marines in the photo, because he would have been in his 90s now.
Regards,
Greensleeves
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Hi joboy and pedlar
Cpl Croke was my Dad it was a surprise and a shock to see his name come up here.
My Dad passed away in 1997 aged 75 after a long illness, he was on the Parade Staff at Deal and was the holder of the Distinguished Service Medal.
joboy this is the first time I have seen this picture very few pictures of his time in the Royal Marines have survived I must try and get a copy if I can.
pedlar I did laugh at your story of my Dad coming back late and failing to turn to in the morning if only he was here today I would have reminded him of the fact.
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Hi Stonehouse boy ........... well that is a surprise ......... glad you are with Rootschat.
If you take the question of how to get a photo perhaps our clever folk who mend damaged photos etc here would be only too happy to oblige.
Joe
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Hi joboy / stonehouse boy
If you right click the photo you can save it to your computer ;D I have just done this and am very pleased with the result so thank you joboy a lovely picture for my family album.
Rosie
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Hi Joe
Good to hear from you.
It was by chance a friend saw your post and told me about it.
Dad came from a Royal Marines family he followed his Brothers and Father into the Royal Marines, his Father was the holder of the MBE and the Military Medal. With your permission I will ask the clever people who can restore pictures to have a look at it for me. The parade ground where you are all standing for your picture is now used as a car park for the Royal Marines
how times have changed.
John
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Stonehouse Boy,
Great to hear from you. I was certainly surprised, after all my attempts to contact old shipmates, to see the picture that Joboy posted. And to recognise "Crokey" was a bonus...
960 Squad regretted having to leave your dad behind when we were posted on to Lympstone for more advanced training. I never saw him again. I say "I" never saw him again because whilst I was training at Lympstone I had an accident on the assault course, which put me in sick-bay for six weeks.
Consequently, I was back-squadded to 961 in which squad I finished my National Service. My six weeks in sick-bay cheated me out of a stint in Malta where 960 finished their National Service training. Whether my old 960 oppos ever saw your dad again, I don't know. I did see one or two of my old 960 mates when they came back to be demobbed, but they never said whether they had ever run across "Croaky" again...
So sorry to hear that Corporal Croke died after a long illness. I'm sure that if any of my old squad mates appear on Roots they would be sorry, too, because - I repeat - your dad was a popular bloke, and I, for one, regret the fact he is not still around.
Regards,
pedlar
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Hi Pedlar,
Good to hear from you.
My Dad stayed in the Royal Marines until 1957 and regretted coming out until he had done his 22 years he had done twenty but four of this was boys service which did not count towards a pension.
In the 1980S he was contacted by a chap called Bowering who was a SC in 961 NS Squad and he came down from Somerset to visit Dad. They had a good time swinging the lamp about the old days its now been thirteen years since Dad passed on and is still missed by his family.
John
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Hi, John,
You mention a bloke who came to see your dad in the 80's by the name of Bowering. Sometimes, 81-year-old memories can be shaken up at the mention of a name that perhaps it has not thought of for donkey's years...!
The name Bowering certainly shook my memory up because I remember a fellow squaddie by the name of Terry Bowering. He was quite a nice bloke, with whom got on well, but (I think) he was a public schoolboy and out of my 'class'.
If I remember rightly, Terry palled up with another public schoolboy called Ramsden and if my memory serves me right, they were both being considered as 'officer material' at the time I went into sick-bay for six weeks. I don't know what became of them or whether they actually did enter for officer training.
I wonder if the 'Bowering' that visited your dad is the one I am thiinking about?
Anyway, John, it's great to be in contact with you. Funny thing is, only recently, I was contacted by the son of one of my old schoolteachers - and I consider that being contacted by both you and he is quite a co-incidence...
Cheers,
Jim Pedley
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Hi Jim
Yes the Bowering that came to see Dad did his time in the Royal Marines
and then came out. He then got a commission in the Army and retired a Lt.Colonel. He let me copy his old squad picture of 961 NS Squad which shows you in the second row Jim and also Ramsden.
John
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G'day John and Jim (nice to have 1st names ..... I'm Joe) ....... I am so very pleased to have posted the original photo although I did have reservations at first.
Why not post the photo of 961 squad? ...... it might generate even more interest.
Joe in Sydney
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Hi Jim
Yes the Bowering that came to see Dad did his time in the Royal Marines
and then came out. He then got a commission in the Army and retired a Lt.Colonel. He let me copy his old squad picture of 961 NS Squad which shows you in the second row Jim and also Ramsden.
John
Hi, John,
So pleased that - at last - I have been able to identify an old shipmate after so much searching, even though it is not direct.
Thanks for the information regarding Terry. I knew he would go on to better things...
Incidentally, when I first responded to your post and my ancient memory started to work, I said I had entered as a 960 squadie then was back-squaded to 961. Wrong...! Now that my memory is starting to operate once more, I remember that when I was inducted as a recruit into Depot RM at Deal, I went straight into sick-bay with the 'flu'. I spent a week in there which caused my joining the next batch of recruits which became 961.
The later back-squading, after the accident on the assault course, put me into a continuous service squad to finish my training. I was always having nightmares that it would be forgotten that I was National Service, and that I would find myself stuck in the Marines for another 25 years...! Not that I wasn't proud to be a Marine, but, at that time, I had other plans for my future.
However, there have been many times since then that I have wished I had stayed in...!!
John, I wonder if you would do me a favour? Only this morning, I have been trying to find my old squad photograph. After our posts, I wanted to take another look at my old shipmates. But I can't find it. Is it possible that you could email me a copy - always supposing that you have it on your computer photograph file. Joe has already suggested that you do this, and I think it might be a good idea.
I believe we can switch to 'private' posting for the exchange of email addresses. I'd certainly appreciate it if you could do this for me.
Cheers,
Jim
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G'day John and Jim (nice to have 1st names ..... I'm Joe) ....... I am so very pleased to have posted the original photo although I did have reservations at first.
Why not post the photo of 961 squad? ...... it might generate even more interest.
Joe in Sydney
Hi, Joe,
I have just sent a post to John asking if he can supply me with a copy of my old squad photograph, which I appear to have mislaid.
Can't thank you enough for your original post, which included the photograph from which I originally picked up Corporal Croake and from which you have now started an RM thread!
Who knows? You may be right. Perhaps we can prise a few more of our old oppos out of the woodwork...!!!
Cheers,
Jim
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Just thought of a couple more names in the squad COOPER and CASWELL so the old brain is still working.
Joe
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Hi Pedlar
I too joined the Marines in 47 (April),and my drill instructor was Corporal Croke,(962 Squad HO),I later joined 45 Cdo (A Troop).
I wonder if our paths crossed
Mo Robus
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Just a thought ..... jf you old 'boots' are looking for a good site where much RM info is available try this;
http://civviestreet.proboards.com/
Joe
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Hi Stonehouse
Re photo of your dad,sorry I can't help you on that one,only pics I have relate to time with 45 Cdo.
Mo Robus
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Just remembered another name in the photo of the original post.
His name was Benham.
Joe ........ whose memory 'clicks in' sometimes.
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Hi JoBoy
Just received a message from you via roots
Sometime time ago I was searching for a copy of a photo of 961 squad (April 1947,Drill instructor Corporal Croke) I was a member of that squad,I wondered if you could help me in the search,or you could put me in touch with someone that can.
Thanks in anticipation
Joe Robus
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Hi Joe,
The only Photo that I have of corporal Croke is the one that I posted to start this topic.
Some contributors have taken copies of it ........ by right clicking on it and saving it to your desktop.
I trust I am correct in this ......... if not someone will let you know.
Best of luck Joe and ... you have a nice first name. 8) 8)
Joe
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Hi Joe
Thanks for the prompt reply,I have a picture of corporal Coke (hard but fair)somewhere,fingers crossed someone might come up with the 961 squad photo,incidentally anybody out there from A troop 45 Cdo Suez based 1948/49.
Nice first name,?nice bloke, at least my partner thinks so.....but then she's biased!!
Thanks again
All the best
Joe
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One more name from the photo just dropped out of a photo album today it was GILMORE.
Joe
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Thanks for the e mail Joe
Can I throw a few more names at you from 961 Squad, like Tucker,Ramsden,Sibley,Norris,any connections there Joe
Regards
Joe
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Thanks for the e mail Joe
Can I throw a few more names at you from 961 Squad, like Tucker,Ramsden,Sibley,Norris,any connections there Joe
Regards
Joe
Joe
The only name that sticks out is a George SIBLEY ..I did not serve with him but we were schoolmates in North London.
Joe
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Hi Joe
This Sibley was from Winchester,anyway thanks for your time Joe.
Regards
Joe