752 Recruit Squad, RM Depot, Lympstone 1944

Hi

I have a photograph of my Grandad and it is says 752 squadron D company, dated April 1944.

I have tried looking up information on this group but cannot find anything. Does anyone have any information on this please?

Kind regards

Mark

To add he was in the Royal Marines

 

This post is no longer relevant, but has been left in situ in case others need the information.

Mark,

Welcome aboard. Can you add your grandad's full name, DoB and service number please. It is possible he is already here.

Initial research found there was a 752 Squadron in the Fleet Air Arm, the FAA do not use the term company; the Royal Marines have and still do have a 'D' Company in their battalion or commando formations. Not the two together.

See: 752 Naval Air Squadron - Wikipedia This was a training squadron and based from 1940-1945 in Trinidad. Is there any background shown in the photo?

We always recommend applying for any serviceman's record from the MoD or National Archives. Some pointers on a PM next. A service record is the definitive document.

I do not exclude that Royal Marines visited him in Trinidad.

 

Hi

Thanks for the quick reply.

I have received his service records but they seem limited. I know he was a MNBDO1 no record of operations or where he served.

John Harris
11.11.1917
EX2001

I'll upload the photo I have where it says 752 squadron.

Thanks for the help

Kind regards

Mark

 

Mark,

I missed this was your second thread I have responded to last night. It would be best have one thread and use this area: Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy which tends to get a good response rate. You can either ask the moderators to merge both, using your grandad's name, service number as the title. Or, create a new thread and add a pointer to that on the two initial threads.

 

This post is no longer relevant, but has been left in situ in case others need the information.

752 Squadron's base in Trinidad was:

From: Piarco International Airport - Wikipedia

There was a RN Shore Establishment HMS Benbow, alas just one line of information. From: HMS Benbow - Wikipedia

There are several FAA squadron photos of one unit there (and via Google images), not one shows a RM.

From: Goshawk 1943 - Do you know anyone in this picture? My 92 year old Dad is one of them!

In early 1944:

From: https://stonehousehistorygroup.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Journal-Issue-6-final-website.pdf

The CWGC list 136 deaths with burials or memorials in Trinidad; most are from HMS Goshawk, very few from HMS Benbow and no Royal Marines. There was a searchlight and coastal artillery unit there, probably locally manned.

Exhausted what I can find.

 

Hi

Thanks for taking a look. I am a little perplexed because he had not mentioned Trinidad. I have attached a photo.

Kind regards

 

It's Squad not Squadron! Something completely different.

 

It’s a training squad photo from RM Training Depot…….a picture is better than a thousand words

In your other post you say he served on Crete? Presumably 1941? So is he a RM Instructor rather than a recruit member of this squad?

 

Tullybrone,

Mark has posted his other RM details re Crete on: 1st Royal Marine Naval Base Defence Organisation

 

He told me a story that he was one of the last off Crete. He mentioned being in Eygpt, South Africa and Ceylon.

 

So is he one of the squad instructors?

 

He is in the middle row, far left.

 

Hi,

From your response and in the absence of any other information I’m taking it that he was a 1944 RM recruit with no prior RM service?

If that is correct he may not have had 1941 RM service in Crete.

If you could post the service record you have members with RN or RM knowledge may be able to interpret them for you and build up a better picture of his service movements.


Steve

 

Hi
Thanks for all the help. I will post service record.

He was a MNBDO1 from 1941 to 1943. I wonder what the training was for then after this?

 

Mark,

The likely answer to your question above, is the prospect of an amphibious landing across the English Channel, D-Day was a few months away and he could have been an instructor.

 

Thank you.

What I have just found really does back up what you have said. So interesting.

MNBDO - what the devil does that mean?

 

Hi

So I have these details of my Grandad (see photo). Must parts I do not know what they are regarding:

RMJG (O)
Proserpine (19th Bn)

Did the Google search but with limited success.

 

I used http://ww2talk.com/index.php?search/21062035/&q=Proserpine&o=relevance and the purpose of HMS Proserpine is clear. It was a shore establishment @ Scapa Flow. On a quick scan only the first few threads will help.

See also: https://rmhistorical.com/files/content/AFO 3796 19-8-1943.pdf The 19th were disbanded and absorbed into HMS Proserpine, which was based at Lyness.

Luke Lawrence in 2021 in the comments asks for help on the 19th Bn. on Orknye, there is a reply button. See: Armed Forces Units Deployed to Hoy during WWII - Hoy Orkney

This details the formation that became the 19th, in places you've found: No.2 Landing Company, Royal Marines

Could the letters prefixing RMJG (O) be FSL? The last link refers to Foreign Service Leave. RMJG could be a convoy code? At that time convoys were not transiting the Mediterranean and it took months to return home.

 

Looks to me like 'HBL RMTG(D)' which means Home Base Ledger, Royal Marine Training Group (Devon)

 

Hi,

Thanks very much for posting the document showing pre 1944 service.

I don’t have enough knowledge to interpret it but perhaps Hugh MacLean or timuk can assist you.

steve