A SUPERB WW11 (M.I.D.) & LATER GROUP OF SEVEN
For:
DIEPPE RAID, St BENERE, TERMOLI, ANZIO LANDINGS, & LAKE COMACCHIO.
To:
A/MAJOR K.C. BRICKWOOD R.M.
(40 Commando Royal Marines)
& later Flt/Lt K.C. BRICKWOOD R.A.F.
(34 Squadron, R.A.F. Regiment)
1939-45 Star, Atlantic, Africa (1942-3) Italy, War Medal (M.I.D.)
Naval General Service. GVI (Palestine 1946-48) 40 R.M.Commando.
G.S.M.QEII (Cyprus) R.A.F. Regiment. (34 Squadron R.A.F.Regt)
A very special and highly unusual group to a 40 Royal Marines Commando officer who served with great distinction in some of the most famous actions and battles of World War II. Unusually, all the normally blank WWII stars and war medal have been superbly and privately impressed in block capitals
(see picture #2)
GS(Palestine) officially impressed to: A/MAJOR. W.C. BRICKWOOD. R.M.
The GSM (Cyprus) is officially impressed to: FLT/LT. W.C. BRICKWOOD R.A.F.
A BRIEF UNIT HISTORY
40 Commando RM was formed on 14th February 1942 after being briefly known as "A" RM Commando.
The unit famously served in THE DIEPPE RAID, St BENERE, TERMOLI, ANZIO LANDINGS, & LAKE COMACCHIO. It was disbanded early in October 1945, before being reformed as 40 Commando RM when 44 RM was redesignated. Served in Palestine, Malaya, Cyprus, Suez, Brunei, Borneo and Ireland, The Falklands, Iraq and currently in Afganistan.
The Commando’s baptism of fire was at Dieppe on 19 August 1942. In support of the main Canadian assault force, Nos 3 and 4 (Army) Commandos were to destroy the enemy coastal batteries covering the main landing beaches, whilst No. 40 had selected tasks in the port area and was to be responsible for reinforcements as required. In the pre-dawn run-in the landing craft of No. 3 were fired upon and scattered with the result that only two small parties managed to land, one was overwhelmed, but the other successfully engaged the Berneval battery for some hours before withdrawing. On the other flank at Varengeville No. 4, under the command of Lord Lovat, carried out what was officially hailed as a 'classic operation of war' and completely destroyed the Hess Battery, successfully withdrawing and re-embarking with prisoners. Unfortunately, No. 40, when committed to their landing, under well-nigh impossible conditions, suffered severe casualties. Of the 370 officers and men 76 were lost on the beaches. Among those killed was the CO. On return RM ‘A’ Commando was again re-designated; this time as 40 (RM) Commando. Further training and re-plenishment was carried out and until at last back to full strength it was sent to Sicily in July 1943 and a little later in September it saw action at Pizzio. Later that year the Commando was in action at Termoli in October, and in 1944 was embroiled at Anzio. Later service in Yugoslavia and Albania followed by policing duties on Corfu wound up 40’s wartime activities. Transfering to the RAF as a 'specialist' for the Cyprus campaign, Flt/Lt Brickwood became a member of 34 Squadron Royal Air Force Regiment before relinquishing his commission in 1956. Dieppe Raid
Italy and the Aegean
(34 SQUADRON) ROYAL AIR FORCE REGIMENT
Formed on the 19 November 1951 as a light anti-aircraft sqn, 34 Sqn RAF Regiment first operated over seas when it moved to El Hammra, Eygpt and from where it launched a number of operational detachments to the Suez Canal Zone. The Sqn subsequently moved to Cyprus in 1956 to counter the EKOA terrorist campaign. Operational detachments continued in Libya, Aden, Iran and within Cyprus itself, including during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus and the subsequent bloody partition.
Wide scope for much further research.
Mounted as worn.
SOLD