WW2 Aussie M Special Unit tunic

[seebee1]

Image 4

[seebee1]

Image 5 - Remains of small jetty

[seebee1]

Image 6 - Final (nothing to do with Z-Force but the only other company on the beach nearby!)

[GCG1964]

MV Krait

Hi again forum members.

Here is a picture of the actual 'MV Krait' (pronounced as 'Krite') used on the Jaywick raid. Krite is a breed of snake.

Surviving the war she was still being used as a work boat up until being purchased in the early 60s by former M and Z members using their own funds.

Navy apprentices helped restore the vessell. The Krait now lives in the Sydney Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour.

As a side note, Aust Special Forces boats are all still named after snakes.

Graham.

[teltec01]

Fantastic looking uniform and a very informative post, thanks for sharing the information.

[Lone Pine]

Great tunic Chris. Didn't know that precious boat was still around. Next time I'm in Sydney I'll have to go and have a look.
Bruce

[seebee1]

That is a great picture Graham of MV Krait, superb that this historic ship still survives and is so well cared for. Will attach a couple of images of her in the war, Z-Force and some of her crew and the route taken on the Jaywick Mission. Thank you Chris for starting this thread with your excellent M-Special Unit Uniform. Regards, Clive.

[seebee1]

Image 2

[seebee1]

Image 3 (please excuse the bare cheek of this one!)

[seebee1]

Image 4 - Final

[Mike Swan]

Excellent images of the Krait's crew.

The fellow in the back row sitting hunched forward is the navigator, Lt Ted Carse RANR, my dad's cousin. His family lived in a street only 5 minutes walk from my present home. I have a photo of him in uniform, standing in the backyard with his father.

Regrettably, no-one knows what happened to his medals. I think he may have received a MID but not 100% sure.

Mike

[GCG1964]

More on Lt Edward Carse.

Mike,
Text from the AWM Nominal Roll search site, joined the Navy at 13 and got out at 45, not a bad innings I say.

CARSE, HUBERT EDWARD
Service Royal Australian Navy
Service Number Not Applicable
Date of Birth 28 May 1901
Place of Birth RUTHERGLEN, VIC
Date of Enlistment 31 Dec 1914
Locality on Enlistment Unknown
Home Port/Port Division SYDNEY, NSW
Next of Kin CARSE, PATRICIA
Date of Discharge 22 Jan 1946
Rank Lieutenant (SP)
Posting at Discharge HMAS Kuttabul
WW2 Honours and Gallantry None for display
Prisoner of War No

Graham.

[2ndAIF]

M Special Unit, was part of the Services Reconnaissance Department, a joint Australian, New Zealand and British military intelligence reconnaissance unit, which saw action against the Japanese during World War II. It was formed in 1943, as a successor to the coastwatchers and its role involved gathering intelligence on Japanese shipping and troop movements by sending small teams behind enemy lines via infiltration by sea, air or land. It operated primarily in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands between 1943–1945 and was disbanded at the end of the war.

Source: www.wikipedia.org

This tunic is named to TX12624 Bombadier Arthur Stanley Whitchurch and is 1941 dated. He joined the 6th field regiment in 1942 and joined the M Special Unit in May 1945. He departed for operations in New Guinea in mid-May 1945. Unfortunately due to secrecy, details of his service with M Special Unit are unknown.

A couple of interesting things about the tunic is that it has a colour patch behind the drivers proficiency badge and also has a driver first class award badge.

It appears that he initially had large 6th field regiment colour patches and then took them off and replaced them with miniature ones. I suspect he did this when he transferred to M Special Unit.

Anyway it's quite a rare tunic as it belonged to a guy in a special forces unit.

- Chris

Hey Chris, Seems this thread was gone off topic a bit with Z force and the Krait Anyway mate thats a brilliant tunic and Its definately a keeper, If you even suggest to me youre thinking of selling It I will slap you, The thing that really impresses me about this tunic is apart from the obvious fact that it belonged to member of M special unit, It also has a red/blue artillery colour patch behind the drivers proficiency badge, I cant say Ive ever seen this before, and I doubt many NCOs would have allowed it either, Anyway Its a great tunic to one of the very few Australian special units of ww2, definately a rare piece thanks for sharing