I'm helping a mate of mine, a coach driver who works regularly on battlefield tours of WW1 and WW2 (and whose son is in Hellmund at the moment). He has a relative who died with No 4 Commando, details below. I will be looking him up at Kew, but anyone got any information before I get to that stage? Name: PARK, JOHN Initials: J Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Serjeant Regiment/Service: Royal Army Ordnance Corps Secondary Regiment: Commando Secondary Unit Text: and No. 4 Age: 30 Date of Death: 25/12/1943 Service No: 3709917 Additional information: Son of John and Sarah Anne Park; husband of Elizabeth Park, of Millom, Cumberland. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Row 5. Grave 15. Cemetery: OYE-PLAGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Paul, I have quite a few South lancs killed with various commando Sqdn's including No 4. Here is some further details. Hel was originally enlisted with the The King's Own Royal Regiment PARK Serjeant John 3709917 25th. December 1943 Age 30 Royal Army Ordnance Corps. & 2 Special Boat Service Killed in France on Op. Hardtrack raid on Gravelines near Dunkirk. OYE-PLAGE COMMUNAL CEMETERY, Pas de Calais, France - Row 5 Grave 15 THE ALLIED SPECIAL FORCES ASSOCIATION - UK is dedicated to creating the ALLIED SPECIAL FORCES MEMORIAL GROVE at the NATIONAL MEMORIAL ARBORETUM which will commemorate the men and women who sadly lost their lives whilst serving with ALLIED SPECIAL FOR "Corporal" (PRO and "SBS in World War 2"(Courtney)) "Parkes" in some accounts KIA Gravelines,near Dunkirk (Op.Hardtack 2) John Park - SBS - Special Forces - Roll Of Honour Also took part in the Dieppe Raid, so could have took part in the Dieppe raid, with no 4 troup ? of 2 commando. the report ( in french about GRAVELINES raid, and how sgt.PARK died. Two french commandos who took part to this raid died few years ago. Joseph MADEC and René NAVRAULT. I know than Sgt. PARK swim with Joseph MADEC, trying to take the diggy, Joseph MADEC came back to the beach but unfortunately not Sgt. PARK. John Park, No4 Cdo - KIA Gravelines France If he did serve with No 2 Commando, then he could be the 'PARKES' in the photo here, along side a number of my South Lancs guys. 4 Troop, Number 2 Commando Three troops of No.4 Commando were used in Manacle operations on the Normandy coast. Their objectives were to take out German strong-points and to conduct reconnaissance, as part of Layforce II. They were unofficially known as the "Menday Force" after their commander. No.4 Commando participated in Manacle 5 at Qnival and Manacle 8 at Quend Plage operating from Dover. The latter was abandoned due to rough weather. The Menacle, and associated Hardtack pin prick raids, were finally abandoned on the orders of Laycock because they encouraged the enemy to reinforce their positions which, in the longer term, could be disadvantageous to the Allies. By April 1944, the command was passed to that of 21st Army Group. No. 4 COMMANDO Paul, finally here is a copy of the report in Franch, which i am sure you will be able to translate easier than me. N° 4 Cdos jusqu'à Troop 1 incluse - Ils étaient 177
Phil, that is brilliant. My friend will be delighted. Very interesting report on the discovery of his body!
The section which mentions Park reads, and only my rough translation: "At Gravelines the corpses of two commandos were found, and were registered with the state with the date 31 December 1943 [i.e. as their date of death - presume when they were found?]. Buried in the civil cemetery as unknown soldiers, the bodies were later identified after the Liberation. The registrar mentioned that one of the bodies wore the uniform of a British soldier, had a signet ring with the initials E.J. and later found a photo of a woman tucked in one of his boots. This body, that of Wallerand, was sent back to his family at Cerisy-Pailly on the Somme. As for Sergeant Park today he is buried in the English cemetery at Oye-Plage in the Pas de Calais."
Hello, I am French and I am writing a book on the Gravelines raid on December 24, 1943. We know his story a bit but we do not have pictures and we do not know his family. Do you have a way to contact one of his children or others ? I have the opportunity to go to his grave in Oye-Plage, I live 6 miles. I will take a picture and put it on this forum. Write me please.
death certificate : on December 31, 1943, at 4 o'clock in the morning on the beach at Petit-Fort-Philippe, a male person whose identity was not established and whose death appears to date back to seven days; the description is as follows: age around 28 years; size 1m80 (1,96 yard); Brown hair ; In the upper jaw, the subject has a bridge composed of two incisors and two canines, the last ones of steel; the body was dressed in the English uniform. drawn up on December 31, 1943, 16:15 on the declaration of Pierre Bouteille employee of town hall, 48 years old domiciled in Gravelines which, made reading, signed with Us, Hector Vendiesse, deputy, officer of the civil status by delegation of the mayor of Gravelines
His name is on the Nominal Roll of those who took part, with No.4 Commando, at Dieppe. If you type his name in the search bar on the Commando Veterans Association Forum page, there's more.
Hello everyone, who could give me the first names of the 2 others Britishs during the raid of Gravelines Hardtack 11: Corporal radio JONES and the sailor of MTB CHAPMAN ? thank you in advance
Could this operation be one of a series of operations to French coastal sites in preparation for D Day and designated Hardtack,not Hardtrack.....information from "Codes" generously posted on the forum recently. Hardtack | Operations & Codenames of WWII