http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/ww2/sugar13.html No 3 (Jewish) Troop, No. 10 Commando
By Martin Sugarman
(Archivist, British Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and Women – AJEX - Jewish Military Museum, London)
(Updated February 20, 2007)
During the First and Second World Wars, British and Allied nations Jewish Servicemen and Women played a part in those struggles in excess of the proportion to their numbers in the general populations. Many will know of the Zion Mule Corps (1915-16),the Jewish Legion (38th-42nd battalions, Royal Fusiliers - 1917-19) in the First War, and the Jewish Brigade (1944-46), the 51st (mainly Jewish Palestinians) Middle East Commando, the SIG Commando in North Africa, the Jewish members of SOE, and other Jewish groups of World War Two.
One of the best kept secrets of World War II, however, has been the nature of the existence of No. 3 (Miscellaneous or "X" Troop) of the unique No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando/Special Services Brigade. The reason? They were virtually all German speaking Jewish refugees mainly from Germany and Austria (but also some from Czechoslovakia, Hungary and other European countries).
The excellent books by Ian Dear – a seminal work on No 10 Commando ("Ten Commando 1942-45", published by Leo Cooper Ltd 1987) – and Peter Masters (see below) are the only thorough, published studies of this amazing group of men of the famous "Jewish” No. 3 Troop . Before this, virtually nothing had been published about them. It is not my aim therefore to repeat what Ian Dear and Peter Masters have so wonderfully and ably already researched.
Suffice to say that there were French, Dutch, Belgian and other "National" Troops (totalling at its largest about 1000 men altogether), and then the Jewish Troop. Even now many of 3 Troop cannot speak for a variety of reasons, of the nature of their exploits, and others have of course died. But X Troop were, even by the standards of No 10 Commando, a particularly extraordinary bunch having, as well as the normal skills of all Commandos, in explosives, parachuting and so on, extremely high intelligence and education, and were indeed by far the most highly trained group in the British Army, especially in fieldcraft, camouflage, compass marching, street fighting, housebreaking and lockpicking ("One Day in York" Michael Arton, Hazelwood Press, 1989) . Many were attached to the SSRF (Small Scale Raiding Force, part of SOE), SBS and SIS and most files on this aspect of the war remain closed.
All together 88 men passed through their ranks, of whom 19 became officers - many commissioned in the field for specific acts of bravery - and the rest sergeants and above. Twenty one (24%) were Killed in Action and at least another 22 wounded (of the 44 men from No 3 Troop who fought in Normandy , 27 were killed, wounded or taken prisoner!). They won one MC, one MM, one Croix de Guerre, one MBE, one BEM, one Certificate of Commendation and three Mentioned in Despatches. The numbers of awards are derisory considering their exploits and the inevitable death sentence they faced if captured - not to mention the danger to any of their suriving relatives in Nazi Europe. Many details of the men were known to the Gestapo and reprisals would have been immediate.
But this paucity of decorations is explained by the fact that the Troop never fought as a unit; they were often detatched to serve with other Special Forces in order that they could use their special skills (in silent reconnaissance, capturing and interrogating prisoners in the most hazardous of situations, often alone behind the lines and usually at night. They also were particularly knowledgable about German military units and training, as well as weapons). For this reason, a Commanding Officer was loath to recommend for awards men who did not belong to HIS unit, and especially as there was probably an unwritten "ration" of awards per raid or per unit (letter from Lt. Peter Masters aka Arany, No 3 troop, to the author 25/1/95).
However, at Ashton Wold in Northamptonshire the Hon. Miriam Rothschild planted a grove of trees in the grounds of her beautiful house in memory of those of No 3 Troop who were killed, for her husband, George Lane aka Lanyi, was the first officer and MC of No. 3 Jewish Troop, 10th Inter-Allied Commando.
The 3 Troop CO was a quiet Welsh, Cambridge languages graduate, Capt. Bryan Hilton Jones (later promoted to Major and 2 i/c of the whole of No 10 Commando but tragically killed in a road accident in 1970) and son of a doctor from Caernarvon . All his men came as volunteers from the Alien Companies of the Pioneer Corps from July 24th 1942 , arriving for training at Irvine in Ayrshire (many had been interned in 1940 following the "anti-aliens"/invasion hysteria, but later released to serve in the forces, some in France at Dunkirk ). As Peter Masters wrote, "Getting back at the Nazis was an ever present motivation " in No 3 Troop "...our Jewish Commando was the very antithesis of the 'lambs to the slaughter' allegations".
Volunteers reported to the Grand Central Hotel, Marylebone for selection, and thence to No 10 Pioneer Corps training centre in Bradford . From Autumn 1942 they trained at Aberdovey, Wales , or Achnacarry ( Scotland ) then Eastbourne and Littlehampton, men being detatched as required to go on raids with other Commandos, SOE, SIS, etc.
The men had to take English "Nommes de Guerre" and new identities,false personal histories, regiments, next of kin, and so on (most chose to keep the same initials, though) to at least have a chance of not being found out if captured by the Nazis, as being Jews. The casualty officer at the War Office (Dawkins, a senior Civil Servant) was one of very few who new their real and assumed identities and kept parallel lists of the names of 3 Troop.
They wore the No. 10 Commando shoulder title (or sometimes the No. of the Commando to which they were attached) and the Combined Operations arm flash. On their green berets they could not wear the Pioneer Corps badge as this would have betrayed their origins, so they wore the badges of the Queen's Own Royal West Kents, East Kents (Buffs), Royal Sussex, Hampshire Regiments or the General Service badge (letter to author from Ian Dear 28.10.94).
In "Top Secret" letters from Combined Operations HQ (Defence 2/780 - PRO) Major General R G Sturges, GOC Commandoes and Special Service Group, wrote in April 1944 and February 1945 that No 3 Troop had been "trained for and employed on work of a highly combatant nature and are volunteers ....their behaviour and work has always been most satisfactory....this is a good sub group, well able to look after itself, and has done excellent work".
Writing a Secret report on No 3 Troop after the war from his home at Crug, Caernarvon in April 1946, Bryan Hilton-Jones said that No 3 Troop "were conspicuously successful and earned high praise all round, the best illustration of which is that many were Commissioned as officers into the Commandoes to which they had been attached...... They were the most interesting and worthwhile branch of No 10 Commando". After D-Day, Capt. Griffith (aka Glaser) became the first Jewish CO of the Troop until he was killed at the River Aller crossing on 11.4.45.
In September 1945 the whole Commando was disbanded, but many of No 3 Troop continued in sensitive and secret work in the Occupation Forces, tracking Nazi Resistance groups, war criminals, translating captured documents etc. Perhaps the last word should go to Major Hilton-Jones when he wrote, “Despite many and serious difficulties, this band of ‘enemy alien’ volunteers earnt for itself a not unflattering reputation, the achievement of which was in no small measure due to the sincerity and wholeheartedness put into his service by every member of the troop. For them perhaps more than for any others it was a question of self-respect and self-justification.”
Below, then published for the first time , is the No 3 (Jewish) Troop, No 10 Commando, muster roll. Long may they be remembered (Updated 13/02/.07 3Troop - and earlier with detail from PRO WO/106/6155 with thanks to Tony Williams, MBE)
Number and real name on enlistment
“Nom de Guerre” with number and final rank
Date of Birth
Notes
13802871 Lanyi, Georg (Djury). H
285687 Lane , George, MC, MM (Lt.) and 1st Troop Sgt.
18.1.1915 Hungary – Olympic Polo 1936
1st officer, MC Operation Tarbrush, citation page 169 Ian Dear. Former husband of Miriam Rothschild; interrogated by Rommel as a POW. Lives London. Also in SOE.
1380228 Arnstein, Alfred Valentin
6387035/13118501 Anderson, A.V. (BNA 13053690)
11.1.1919
RWK Reg - rtu’d England
13807122 Abramovicz, R./Abrahamowicz
Pte 6436363 Richard George Arlen/Arnold, Royal Sussex
4.1.1923
KIA Franceville Plage, Normandy 7.6.44 aged 21 yrs. son of Salmon and Berthe, Bayeux memorial, no known grave.
13804535 Arnstein, Hans Richard/Arenstein
L/Cpl 6436352/ 13118502 Andrews, Harry – Royal Sussex
18.2 1922
KIA 19.8.44 or 11.8.44, son of Max and Gertrude of Sao Paulo, Brazil buried Ranville Normandy - letter from mother to Jewish Chaplain requesting Star of David on grave after cross was erected! ++
13805191 Ascher, Claus Leopold Octavio
6436355/13118503 Sgt Anson, Colin Edward
13.2.1922
WIA Italy, RSR; lives Watford
13807400 Baumwollspinner, Gotthard
6305477/13118507 Barnes, Robert Gerald
4.12.1918
BEM, WIA, died postwar
Georg Bauer
George Bower
Austrian
PLL (Peter Leighton-Langer)
13801297 Billman, Karl Walter
6305473/13118508 Lt Bartlett, Kenneth W/ 320207
21.4.1912
Buffs - lives Munich
13804390 Sruh, Gottfried “Friedl” Conrad *
6305460/13118708 Sgt Broadman, Geoffrey Max aka Toni Ruh?
27.6.1917
WIA Normandy – lived Lydbrook, Glos. Allegedly only survivor of abortive Vermork raid in Norway by RE ! (P. Leighton-Langer book) – att. 4 Comm.
13805994 Carlebach, Peter
6305480 Carson, Peter Andrew
27.10.1919 - Berlin
Dunera boy – invalided out after accident at Seven Sisters cliffs – lives Edinburgh.
Cohen, F T
Collins 5550156
Germany 2/3/23
JL (Jack Lennard) Archives
Curtis 6305489
Germany 23/9/23
JL
Hirsch
Dudley, LA - 6387043
Germany 1/8/19
JL
Dunn, D - 6387046
Germany 2/7/26
JL
Max Dobriner
Geoffrey Dickinson/Dickson
16.3.26
Peter L Langer
13802951 Hansen Einar Reska *
(Danish)
6436367/13118602 Davies, Jack
10.9.1920
MiD Tarbrush
13802948 Dungler/Dandler, K.
6305482/13118510 Cpl. Douglas, Keith
9.8.1921
Walcheren - died postwar
Eugen Litvak
Leslie Dale
Daikes
PLL – Walcheren
14216528 Nomburg, Harry – 5th PC, Denbigh – wife in Haifa, Israel
Sgt Drew, Harry
17.11.1923
WIA Normandy – att. 12,6, 3 Commandos – lived New York, died 1997
13807299 Goldschmidt, Werner
6436360/13118517 Capt. Dwelly, Vernon J. (“Ducky”)
29.10.21
Dunera boy, Walcheren, Novota (California) – att. 4 Comm. unarmed combat instructor
Ernest Karl Eduard Eberstadt
David Edward Charles Eversley
1922 Frankfurt
Later in SOE – PLL
Lt. Bunny Emmett
RAF and R Tank Reg – 4 Comm. at Walcheren - PLL
Farley
13051439 F Fleischer
Fletcher, Frederick
Austrian – 1st Bat. Worc., att. 6 Commando
KIA Le Plein 11.6.44 – PLL – b. Ranville, son of Rudolf and Hedwig of Cricklewood
13803417 Engel, Hans Gunter
6436357 Envers H.G. (John)
7.11.1922/ or 7.4.22 Breslau
WIA Normandy 19.8.44 – lives Toronto – att. 4 Comm.
13801057 Freytag Ernst Herbert
6305479/13118514 Sgt Farr, E.H. (Tommy)
26.2.1919
Born Berlin – Walcheren amd Op Premium at Wassenaar
13804661 Feder/Feter, Ernst Wolfgang
6436370/13118511 TSM/WO1 Fenton, Bryan Leslie
20.4.1921 Berlin
Maas crossing – Lives Kusnacht, Switzerland
13807080 Fuerth, Hans George
6305463/13118515 Lt Firth, Anthony
7.9.1918 Halle
Dunera boy - lives Toronto
Otto Zivolava
Gautier, Jean
b. Austria
JL
13807365 Frank, Max Gunther
Cpl. 6387027/13118512 Franklyn, George Mack, Royal West Kent
30.4.1923
WIA Sicily, KIA D-Day 6.6.44 - aged 21 yrs. son of Ernst J. and Carla of Huddersfield - buried Hermanville. Cross on grave – error???
13805167 Frey, Hubert Clarence
5550127/13118513 Cpl. Fraser, Evelyn Harold
23.3.1920
Invalided out after accident at Seven Sisters cliff - lives Auckland, NZ
13801130 Kagerer-Stein, Eugen Von
Sgt 5550126 Eugene “Didi” Fuller, Hants Reg. – att. 47 Comm.
19.12.1913
Austrian aged 30, WIA D-Day, KIA Normandy, 13.6.44 buried Ranville. Att. 47 RM Commando, son of Alfred and Anna, husband of Cicely of Balcombe, Sussex. Cross on grave – error (
).
13800982 Goldstern Konstantin
6387015/13118518 Garvin Robert Kenneth
11.1.1917
Died postwar Wales
13807042 Guttman, Hans Julius
6387014 Gilbert, Ronnie, MBE
28.9.1919
WIA Normandy, lives Norbeck, Blackpool
13801168 Geiser, Kurt H.
Troop Sgt Maj. Gordon, Henry E.A.
3.4.1915
Lives Walton Thames, related to Liebknecht family of German Socialists
13805610 Goldschmidt, Konrad Levin J.
6387031 Sgt Grant, Hubert Brian aka Groves
5.8.1917
WIA lost leg fighting in Italy with 9 Comm. – retired Judge living in Cumbria.
13804337 Gumpertz, Kurt Wilhelm, Hants. Reg.
5550144/13118520 Graham, Kenneth Wakefield – att. 4 Comm.
27.6.1919
KIA Normandy 12/13.6.44 - buried Hermanville, aged 24. Son of Karl Wilhelm and Else, husband of Elisabeth of Highbury, London. No religious symbol on grave in error.
13805014 Gans, Manfred
6387019 /13118516 Capt. Gray, Freddy (BNA 13041024) – 41 RM Commando
27.4.1922
RWK Reg – Walcheren, lives Leonia, New Jersey – WIA 5 times!!
13802030 Glaser, Kurt Joachim
322333/6387018/13118519 Capt./Lt. Griffith, Keith James/John , RWK – att. 45 RM Comm., later CO 3 Troop
3.9.1918
KIA Germany 11.4.45 crossing Aller River aged 26 yrs.- fought in Spanish Civil War. Buried Becklingen, Germany - son of Dr Willy and Maria Therese of Epsom, Surrey. Cross on grave in error.
13700295 Reich/Weich/Weil , Salo Robert
6436350/13118714 Cpl. Hamilton, Robert Geoffrey.
1.8.1916
Austrian, KIA Walcheren, 1.11.44 Westekappelle, att. 41st RM Comm. Buried Bergen Op Zoom, Holland, aged 28. Royal Sussex Reg. Son of Jacob and Sabine of Vienna, Austria.
13801533 Hajos/Hajosch, Hans Ludwig
6380736/13118601 Sgt. Harris, Ian MM
1.1.1920
WIA Normandy 3 times!! MM 6.4.45 - citation Ian Dear p.318 and in Peter Masters book – att. 45 Commando - lives Reading.
13801503 Herschthal, Fritz
5550136/13118604 Hepworth, Freddy – att. 45 Comm.
11.12.1920
Died USA 3.2.95
13801397 Herschthal, Walter
5550145/13118605 Hepworth, Walter/Douglas
16.1.1918
Died postwar Australia
13805632 Nathan, Eli/Erich Wolfgang
6305467/13118702 Lt. Howarth/Howard, Eric William, Royal East Kent. Later CO 3 Troop
16.10.1922
WIA D Day, commissioned in the field for bravery - KIA Osnabruck, Germany, 3.4.45, aged 22. Buried Reichswald Forest, son of August Victor and Margaret Clara Elisabeth nee Gayler of Streatham Hill, London. Cross on grave in error.
13802194 Hirsch, Stephan
5550149/13118606 Cpl. Hudson, Steven Keith
5.6.1918
Hants. Reg.
13800841 Knobloch, Guenther Hans
6436349/13118610 Lt Kendal, Harold George “Nobby”
9.12.1907
Died postwar Vancouver – Sicily with Belgian Comm., Poles at Cassino, founded 8th Army ski patrol, with 2 Comm. at Vis, Intell. Chief 8th Army.
13805755 Kirschner, Andre Gabriel
6436361/13118609 Lt Kershaw, Andrew G.
31.10.1921
Died postwar USA
13804297 Loewenstein, Otto Julius
5550146/13118620 Lt. Kingsley, Roger James
2.2.1922
OBE, MID Germany - att. RM Commandos – lives Manchester
Arthur F. Lowy
13800170 Kellman, M.
6436351 Kirby, M.J. “Ernest”.
26.12.1903
Keren
JL
Koenigswater
JL
13807180 Lewinsky, Max
Pte 6387023/13118619 Laddy/Laddie, Max, Royal West Kent
19.8.1911
KIA D-Day 6.6.44 in landing craft with Webster, b. at Hermanville, memorial at Aberdovey where he lived with Welsh wife. Aged 33. Cross on grave.
Guttman
Lewis
13805511 Katz, Weinhart Paul Oscar
13118608 Heathcote, Pte. Michael Paul
Peter Liebel
Peter Leigh-Bell – AJEX card says 1st bat tanks RAC
13805333 Leven, Peter Guenther
13118616 Long, Peter
Luchtenstein
Ludlow
13800037 Landau , Ernst
6436353/13118614 Lt Ernest Robert F. Langley
18.19.1903
Died in UK 1957
13801850 Levy/Loewy, Moritz/Max
6436346/13118701 Cpl. Latimer, Maurice
13.9.1921
Czech, fought in Spanish Civil War, WIA Dieppe Raid,Normandy and Walcheren - died postwar UK
13801313 Lenel, Ernst Richard
6387016/13118615 Sgt Lawrence, Ernest Richard, Royal West Kent
26.10.1918
MIA presumed KIA 22/23.6.44 – Bayeux Memorial, Normandy, aged 26 yrs., no known grave. Son of Richard S. and Emilie nee Maas.
Lenel, Victor
Brother of Ernest, above
13803539 Wolff, Walter L.
6387033 Marshall, Alan W.
3.4.1922
Died postwar UK
Mayer
Melvin P H 5550137
Germany 12/3/22
JL
Moss, J - 5550131
Germany 23/5/21
JL
13803503 Weinberg, K.
6387028 Sgt Mason, Gary
2.1.1920
R Mass, Belle Isle raid.
13804450 Arany, P.F.
6387025 Lt. Masters, Peter F.
5.2.1922
Ox & Bucks, WAF Force, lived Maryland - author of “Fighting Back” – died 3/05
13804473 Kury, Manfred *
6387030/13118613 McGregor, Jock/Jack Fred
24.5.1921 or 18.9.03?
Died postwar UK
13801895 Blumenfeld, M.J. Ludwig George
6387026/13118509 Lt Merton, Michael James
21.6.1920 Berlin
Att. 2 Comm. and with Poles at Cassino .Appledore, Kent
Monahan
13801467 Levin, Hubertus
5550135/13118617 Lt Miles, Patrick Hugh.
22.1.1920
SSRF/SOE Operation Huckaback on Herne, CI. Pebworth, Warwicks.
13801092 Meyer, Kurt
5550147 L/Cpl Moody, Peter
28.9.1918
Hants Reg. KIA Normandy 13.6.44, aged 25 years - son of Fritz Max and Margeretta of Birmingham – buried Ranville, Normandy.
13805553 Zweig, Werner
6436347/13118718 Sgt Nelson, Vernon
5.11.1922
WIA Italy - Cert. of Commendation – 40 RM Comm./46 RN Comm.
13807201 Nell, G.Heinz Herman
6305464/13118704 Capt. Nichols, Gerald Peter
8.10.1920
WIA Normandy - rescued Lord Lovat - Dear p249 - Dunera boy -lives London
13803316 Nathan, Eli/Ernst
6387022/13118703 Norton, Ernest
19.8.1922
RWK Reg. – att. 4 Comm. Operation Tarbrush - KIA Normandy, 13.6.44, aged 21 yrs., son of Moritz and Sibilla - buried Ranville
Naughton
Died OAS
Pratt
Peyer
Palmer
Pirquet, Sgt P.
JL
13800022 Henschel, Oskar/Oswald (aka Ludwig Hayder?) *
6305481/13118603 TSM O’Neill/Grey, Oscar Roy
1.3.1913
RTU’d at Normandy after WIA – with 41 RM Comm.
13805787 Rosskamm, Stephan
6305459/13118705 L/Cpl Ross, Stephen
28.2.1922
The Buffs - lives Cleveland, Ohio – WIA Italy 3 times – att 9 Comm.
13807278 Szauer/Sauer, Gyula Jence
6436364/13118711 L/Cpl Sayers, Gordon Julian
9.5.1915
Born Hungary, Croix de Guerre - lives Australia – WIA – att. 4 Commando and French Troop 10 IA Comm.
13805183 Saloschin/Salinger, G.Victor
6436364 L/Cpl George Victor Saunders
12.2.1921
Was at school with Prince Philip - lives Moulsford, Oxon. – att 45 Commando and recommended but not awarded MM!!
13801102 Steiner, Uli
Capt. Scott, Leslie
29.3.1917
Died postwar Montreal – last CO of 3 Troop
13800645 Lewin, Siegfried
13118618 Louis, Frederick Mac
13805733 Sachs, H.P.
6305471 Seymour, Herbert A., East Kent Reg.
1.2.1918
KIA with Villiers crossing Rhine on Buffalo LC, 23.3.45, aged 27 yrs. - son of Eugen and Margaret of St John’s Wood London – Groesebeek memorial, Holland - no known grave.
13805613 Samson, Alfred
6305372/13118706 Lt Shelley, Percy A. (P02090)
30.7.1921
Att. RM Commandos - lives Hamburg
Frederick Spencer
Austrian – had been in Dachau and Buchenwald
Schonfeld
Shaw, P F - 555039
Germany 20/12/23
JL
Lt Francis George Sutton
Austria
JL
13800866 Stein, Artur
6305470/13118709 Sgt Spencer, Tom
11.12.1916
Died postwar UK – att 3 Comm.
13805606 Hornig, Paul
5550140/13118607 L/Cpl Streeten, Paul Patrick – att. 41 RM Comm.
18.7.1917
WIA Sicily, lives Boston, USA
Otto “Putzi” Karminski
Simon
13801207 Strauss David
6305475/13118710 Lt. Stewart, David (P02090)
19.1.1914
Att. 45 RM Commandos – raid on Merville guns D Day
13802051 Barth, Georg Alexander
6436371/13118505 Officer Cadet Streets, George Bryan, Royal Sussex
5.10.1917
Killed motor cycle accident after serving Normandy, on OCTU course UK, 29.6.44, aged 27 yrs, buried Barmouth, Merioneth, WWRT p.268 - son of Josef and Leopoldine, husband of Lici of Paddington, London. Cross on grave – error (
?).
13802309 Schwitzer/Schweizer, J Tamas Gyorgy
6436368/13118707 Swinton, Tommy G
8.3.1920
Lives Spain, fought in Spanish Civil War – WIA 41 RM Comm.
13804028 Theilinger, Jan
6305478/13118712 Taylor, John Robert
25.9.1916 – Aug. 2004
Czech - invalided out after grenade accident Littlehampton – served IB in Spain – Jewish origin – conversation with his son in Portsmouth Oct. 2004
13807650 Tischler, P J
6436366 Cpl Terry, Peter J
21.6.1924
SSRF/SOE, WIA twice Normandy, lives Bridgehampton, NY – att. 47 RM Comm.
13807275 Trojan, Richard Walter
6305469/13118713 Tennant, Richard William John
14.5.1922
Lives London and Goeriach, Austria
13805471 Zadik, Walter Gabriel
5550141/13118717 Sgt Thompson, Walter Gerald
23.8.1919
POW 20.6.44 Normandy – att 4 Comm.
13805027 Baum, Hans
6387020/13118506 Trevor, Charles Leslie
14.7.1922
WiA at Normandy - Died London Aug 1995
Freddy Rotschild
Lives Toronto
Thornton
13801460 Pollaschek, O
6436369 Turner, A C
13.5.1919
Dachau/Buchenwald – att. 3 Comm. - lives Eastbourne
13807326 Vogel, Egon
6436356/13118714 Villiers, Ernest Robert, Royal Sussex
7.9.1918
Dunera boy - KIA Rhine crossing with Seymour, 24.3.45, aged 25 yrs. – buried Reichswald Forest – att. 46 RN Comm..
13804308 Weikersheimer, L
5550141 Sgt Wallen, Leslie
2.7.1920
Died postwar UK
13800419 Wassermann, O
5550130 Watson, William/Walter J
1.6.1914
Dachau, wife and children murdered, WIA Walcheren, lives UK
13801574 Weinberger, E G
6306466 Webster, Ernest George, Royal East Kent Reg.
11.8.1916
SSRF; KIA Normandy with Laddy, att. 47 RM Comm.6.6.44 aged 28 years - husband of Gerda - buried Bayeux, Normandy. Cross on grave in error.
13807570 Wilmersdoerffer, Hans Johann Max
6305465/13118716 Capt Wilmers, John Geoffrey
27.12.1920
Att. SAS, Operation Forfar, died postwar Guernsey
These above 110 names are from the PRO file on No 10 Commando, drawn up by the first CO, Capt Bryan Hilton-Jones on 19.4.44 as a request for Naturalisation for the men. Some names come from the Jack Lennard Archive. The notes and ranks are taken from Ian Dear’s book “Ten Commando” 1987, Peter Masters “Fighting Back”, 1998 and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers for the killed. Other names from Peter Leighton-Langer’s research.
++ On 21.1.1957, Mrs T Arenstein wrote from Sao Paulo, Brazil to the British Jewish Army Chaplain, Rev Isaac Levy, asking him to arrange the Star of David on the grave. This was carried out. Letter at AJEX Jewish Military Museum.
* means not Jewish
Supplementary List A
These first 3 men were probably on an SOE operation to obtain military documents from the Town Hall in Dieppe and all KIA at Dieppe
Rice
Alleged POW – MIA ever since Dieppe
Czech - action referred to in G Rees ”Bundle of Sensations”, Chatto & Windus, 1960 pp157-8 - first 3 Troopers to be killed with attempt to occupy Town Hall at Dieppe with 40 RM Comm. (PLL)
Bates/Bate
Czech
Smith
Czech
Viktor Farago
Ford – Hungarian
RTU’d
Hess, Otto 6387034
Giles, Peter
Wiesbaden
RWK - KIA Yugoslavia (SOE?) 1.10.44 aged 23 years BUT CWGC says commemorated at Groesebeek, Neth.
R Jessen/Jensen
Cpl James Rolf
Frederic Bierer
Sgt. Bentley, Frederick
30th March 1943, to 62 Commando and SSRF – Operation Huckaback (Herne) - lives NY
Stefan Rosenberg
Rigby, Stephen (“Nimrod”) - D Day deception Commando
Austrian Jewish, “Unknown warrior” of Leasor’s book; did he exist?
Cpl Clarke, K E
MID Osnabruck. Died postwar UK
13802873 Kottka, Vladimir
13118611 Cpl Jones, Jack
Russian born, Operation Hardtack, POW
Levy, Karl Ernst
Lincoln, Ken – BEM - 6436377
Peter Jacobus
Jackson, Fred - 55550143
Austria 25/11/21
Interrogated Hoess at Auschwitz – died post war UK
Plateck/Platschek
Platt/Pratt (?) (“Bubi”)
WIA Dieppe, lives Canada/died S America?
13802608 Auerhahn, Werner / Averhahn
5550132/13118504 L/Cpl Wells, Peter Vernon Allen, Hants Reg.
KIA 19.1.44 Italy, aged 26 - buried Minturno, Italy, son of Arthur and Erna of Cricklewood, London. No religious symbol on grave in error.
13805629 Hans/Heinz Krausmann/Krausen
13118612 Aitchison, Harry
Died postwar NY
These above 15 names are from Dear’s and Masters’ books and not the PRO list - so must have passed through the Troop by the time Hilton-Jones’ list was written. Of these two totals, 21 (24%) were KIA
Supplementary List B
Ludwig Carl Berlin
Lt Leonard Charles Burley 14400852
Dorsets, 9th Commando, attached to 3 Troop in Germany
Son of F Indlander , 33 Green Croft Gdns., NW6
13117462 Pte Burnett, Walter aka Indlander
Royal Fusiliers/156 Fld. Batty. And 173 Fld. Reg, RA (AJEX Card)
16001269 Pte Foster, R
REME
BNA13053609 Pte Martin, W
RWK
14727794 Pte Mines, J
RWK
11316230 Pte Peters, H
Black Watch
Schloss, Jakob
BNA13041025 Pte Scott, Jack
1924
RWK – Italy, Vis Is., Yugoslavia
13053667 Pte J Stevens
14437220 Pte Smith, J
Ox & Bucks LI
PAL Driver Spielman, E
RASC
BNA13053600 Pte Stevens, T
RWK
BNA13053667 Pte Stewart, J
RWK
Woolf - 6436380
14430010 Crftsmn. Ward, G or E A
Germany 12/2/25
REME
BNA13041047 Pte Warren, H
RWK
ME14041045 Pte Warwick, R
Essex Reg.
Weiss, Adi
13106924 Pte White, Alan
RWK - died postwar London
Except for L Berlin, the above list of 16 men is from Michael Arton’s book “One Day in York” and comprises men recruited in Italy to 3 Troop in 1945 by Lt Bartlett, as part of CMF att. No 2 Commando
(Note - I wish to specifically and sincerely thank both Ian Dear and especially Peter Masters, formerly Sgt. (later Lt. in West Africa) in No 3 Troop and author of the definitive work on 3 Troop, “Striking Back - A Jewish Commando writes” - Presidio Press, 1997 - for their generous help in compiling this list, and Michael Arton for allowing me to use his research in his book).
The Title “Jewish Troop” is an unofficial one and coined only after the war when it was safe to offer this apt description of this unit after the real facts became known on the release of papers at the National Archive (formerly the Public Records Office). To have called these men the Jewish Troop in war time would of course have been fatal for any captured.
Topic: To U.K. members anyone ever hear of this British military Group (Read 1661 times)