No2 Commando

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I am 100 percent certain that the book is genuine and to a commando.

T. R. Ballard was a Royal Marine Commando officer. Very nice of him to sign the paybook. Another mystery solved thanks to Wermacht Awards.

The Army Commando junior officers are a lot harder to track down since they are listed by their parent regiment and do not have SS next to their names.

I know what the knife looks like since I already have one, but by all means show it. Maybe yours has the original box with it?

Steve.

[SiPo]

Hi Steve,

Unfortunately, the knife is not in a box, but wrapped in kitchen roll!!

Is the knife a modern reproduction, an original wartime issue converted to a commemmorative piece or CPL Biorn's issued knife also turned into a commemmorative piece?

I have absolutely no info on the knife and was wondering if this does affect the price of the group? Would like to sell this as a set and would like to know a good price for which to sell.

Regards,
Graham

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Its not a conversion or anything of the sort. Its a knife manufactured recently by one of the original WW2 manufactures. From what I can gather almost every Commando Assocaition veteran had one. It has a blued etched blade, gold plated handle and the quality of manufacture is just a tad better than the originals were.

Value is GREATER than his original war time knife and I can prove that with a recent auction catalogue. I`m not inclined to post the price here since I am after all a collector and I dont want to educate everyone who uses google. That doesnt mean I`m not happy to help anyone on this forum in PM.

No offence is intended Graham, but would you actually consider keeping the group yourself? You could actually end up kicking yourself letting it go so soon with out researching it properly. Norwegian commando's did a lot in the war, blowing up Hitler's hard water plants etc and 2 Commando went on some of the most famous raids in Commando history.

The chances of finding a commando's lot again are not very high, German SS items are as common as muck in comparison.

Steve.

[AB64]

Hi Steve,
Their is no doubt the paybook is original (I dont think I have ever seen a made up paybook being passed off as an original), but I am still not convinced their is proof in the paybook that he was a Commando, even if T R Ballard was a RM Commando officer, how can you be sure this is him? and more importantly why would a RM Commando sign an Army Commando paybook?

I would also go back to my earlier point about him being "Norwegian" - the Norwegian paybook I have has a number not from the standard British range and is stamped by the Norwegian Goverment in exile - as was stated he was of Norwegian descent - the names William Charles also dont seem very Norwegian to me - plus if he was a Norwegian and joined the Commandos he should have gone to number 10 (inter allied) Commando.

Graham - I would just like to add I am not saying your group isnt correct, just trying to make the point that their doesnt really seem to be anything in their that verifies it as Commando - if you could get something that proved beyond doubt he was a Commando I am sure you could really push that value up as without that its always a risk - not sure if you can try writting to the Commando Association, they may be able to confirm either that he was a member of the association.

Good luck with it

Alistair

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All Foriegn Nationals serving in the Interallied Commando is a complete myth. For example 4 Commando had at least 5 members which were born in Luxemburge.

We can only speculate in regard to fact that he had some knowledge of his country or if he could of been used by the Commandos as chap who could speak the language. That doesnt matter. What is however odd is that the regimental number does not fit in the dcoumented block of the Royal Fusilers, its going to take an expert of that regiment to know why.

If you look at the paybook you`ll see there is a unit change. Ballards signature first appears at this change. Your right why would a RM officers signature appear in the paybook? Probably because the fact that the RM and Army Commandos formed Brigades which combined both units. Maybe this man served in both Army and RM Commando's or maybe Ballard did?

Heres a little case study of a commando group to man who did exactly as I have described above:

To 14241627 L/Cpl D.Gee Number 1 Troop Number 3 Commando.

Enlisted at Achnacary Scotland 23rd July 1942 as part of a "Police Intake"into the Commandos A&S group of 41 Commando his service block number confirms as well as his Service book his wartime active service was from 20th Feb 1943 in Africa,Italy and N.W.Europe 3 Commando went over late on D-Day 7th June 1944.

Note that 41 Commando is a RM Commando and 3 Commando is an Army Commando.

Graham this is for you:

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Born: 18 Jan 1911, Islington. London
Died: Jan 2003, Age 92, Trafford, Cheshire.

Graham get yourself in those Trafford newpapers for his obituary.