Popski's Private Army

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You might find this link of some use - or you can travel to Scotland - and read the plaque for yourself....

Illustrated Guide to Places to Visit - Sir David Stirling Memorial , Doune

 

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My dad remembers his regiment - 1st Derbyshire yeomanry resupplying Popskis men with fuel and ammunition
Neil

 

My late father Ray Bennett was a Lt at the RAOC depot at Palese near Bari in 1943-44. He wrote in his memoirs:

'One day I had a message that Popski was coming to me for supplies. "Give him what he wants. No paperwork necessary. " His main requirements were our total stock of cotton ration bags. These were small ration bags issued to soldiers to carry edible food with them when no cookhouse food was available and they had two long draw tapes through the top. I asked him why with his small unit he required so many. He disclosed that he found these perfect for attaching explosives to railway lines, telegraph poles etc. they would mould with the plastic explosives he used and had the tape to tie them on.'

My father was clearly impressed by Lt Col Peniakoff: "He made a significant contribution to ultimate victory like many others who operated behind the lines on dangerous missions."

 

NEW ARTICLE

"Popski's Astrolabe" by Roberto Chiarvetto

Friends of Popski's Private Army | Popski's Astrolabe

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Friends of Popski's Private Army

 

Kuno

excellent history of that vital piece of equipment for the desert- and Popski- LRDG - SAS et al

Cheers

 

Tom, as far as I know, none of these units actually used the astrolabe for navigation in the desert. It was only taken as Popski's unit insignia.

 

hi,

my grandfather told me about a russian given a british commission in the british army in ww2 called popski, he was given charge of some arabsand his troop was called popski's private army. My grandfather fought alongside him until he was promoted a general and the last time pap saw him was an assault on lake commachio when he saw him with one arm missing in 1945.

can anybody confirm this?

Jonathan

 

Friends of Popski's Private Army | Home

 

thanks everyone
Jonathan

 

Friends of Popski's Private Army | Home
Obit: Major John Davies Campbell,Popski’s Private Army

War hero ‘Bulldozer’ loses his final battle at Shropshire home
A special forces soldier who led cloak and dagger raids and was awarded the Military Cross twice has lost his final battle, dying in a care home in Ludlow at the age of 93.
Major John Davies Campbell

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Major John Davies Campbell had fought with Popski’s Private Army in daring and dangerous missions in Italy, and acquired the nickname “Bulldozer” after driving over exploding anti-personnel mines in his Jeep.
He was chairman of the Friends of Popski’s Private Army and his passing means that there are now only two known survivors of the unit.
There will be a service of thanksgiving for him on October 3 at 2pm in Leominster Priory, in a celebration of his long and colourful life.
Major John Davies Campbell checking a map during a patrol halt during the war.
He was chairman of the Friends of Leominster Priory, raising substantial funds for its maintenance and restoration.
John Campbell was born in Monasterevan, County Kildare, and went to school in London and at Cheltenham College.
Called up in 1940, he joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlands and had the first of many narrow escapes from death at El Alamein in 1942.
However an incident in which his men disobeyed his orders and bolted reflected badly on him, with the result that he was relegated to mundane rear-echelon duties.
It left him with a desire to prove himself, and in 1944 he joined No 1 Demolition Squadron in Italy, an irregular unit better known as Popski’s Private Army.
He was awarded the Military Cross for an operation against a fortified farmhouse, and was awarded a Bar to his MC – a second award of the same medal – for lightning attacks against German positions in the closing stages of the conflict
Did you know Major Campbell?
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A strange sort of luck seemed to follow him around. In another of his near-death experiences, which happened on his 23rd birthday shortly after the minefield incident, he drove up to a farmhouse and parked his Jeep on the far side from the enemy, and went inside.
The position must have been under observation by enemy spotters, as a German 88mm shell came in through an upper window, careered down the stairs, burst through a door, and blew up his Jeep.
It was the third time within 24 hours he had come through unscathed from exploding mine and shell.
After the war, when a fishing business he started in his native Ireland foundered when its only boat sank, he emigrated to Kenya and served in the Colonial Service.
In 1957 he was made an MBE, and in the same year he was Mentioned in Despatches for distinguished service as an officer in the Territorial Army there. In 1961 he joined the Diplomatic Service.

Postings around the world followed. The Queen appointed him a CVO (Commander of the Royal Victorian Order), which is a reward for personal service to the sovereign. On retirement he was made CBE.
He made his home in Luston, near Leominster, and built up a business treating potentially dangerous surfaces on roads, airfields and the hardstandings in farmyards to prevent skidding.
His company in Ludlow Road, Leominster, called Rapid Repair, produced an instant repair compound for roads and driveways.
To his sorrow his medals were stolen, and were never found.
For the past 18 months he had been looked after at the Ludlow care home.
According to the Friends of Popski’s Private Army website: “He suffered a series of mini-strokes that he always pulled back from, to the surprise and relief of his wife Shirley and their children Lulu, Tara and Piers, having been given the Last Rites three times.”
He died peacefully in his sleep in the morning of July 30.
http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/...er-loses-his-final-battle-at-shropshire-home/

 

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LAST EVENT



Sat 16 May 2015: FoPPA Secretary Roy Paterson gave this year's Wixoe Talk on "The man, the men and the myths". Additionally, here is the whole story of memorials to Popski and his men, as well as Pamela's involvement. Read more...


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Lots more stuff on the foPPA Facebook Group - over 150 members - join up now!


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ASTROLABE ARTICLE



An examination of the origins of the PPA Cap Badge and Unit Symbol. Read more...


BOOKS



All the Popski books, as well as others on Special Forces and related subjects. Read more...


COMICS



Mar 2014: Newly-discovered comic material about PPA in the North African and Italian Campaigns. Read more...





Friends of Popski's Private Army


Major John Davies Campbell CVO CBE MC and Bar
1921-2015
It is with the greatest regret and personal sadness that we must announce the death of John Campbell, our great friend and foPPA chairman. John died peacefully in his sleep on the morning of Thursday 30 July, at the care home in Ludlow where he had been looked after during the last year and a half. He suffered a series of mini-strokes that he always pulled back from, to the surprise and relief of his wife Shirley and their children Lulu, Tara and Piers, having been given the Last Rites three times.



Major John "Bulldozer" Campbell CVO CBE MC and Bar
Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Special Forces Soldier, Colonial Officer, Diplomat, Businessman
1921-2015
Skipper of 'S' Patrol, PPA
Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Eighth Army Special Forces
Kenya Regiment (Mentioned In Despatches)
Chairman of Friends of Leominster Priory
Chairman of Friends of Popski's Private Army

Photo shows John giving a commemorative speech in fluent Italian in front of the new Remembrance Plaque
to Popski and the Partisans in the Narthex of the Basilica di Sant'Apollinare in Classe.
This well-attended celebration was part of foPPA's 'Operation Diamond'
Remembrance and Reunion trip to Ravenna and Venice in September 2005.

 

The PPA were held in high esteem by all the troops in Italy and I am forever grateful that I had the opportunity to meet Popski himself in Austria: http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/3334-only-lrdg-or-were-there-others/

RIP John Campbell

Ron

 

Major John Davies Campbell CVO CBE MC & Bar. RIP

Paul
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RIP Major John Davies Campbell


David