Anneca Posted 25 April , 2019 Share Posted 25 April , 2019 Please excuse my ignorance but I would like to know about the Special Boat Service during the Great War and if Special Services and Special Forces are the same thing. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gardenerbill Posted 25 April , 2019 Share Posted 25 April , 2019 Hi Anneca, The special boat service did not exist before WW2 Wikipedia is your friend: SBS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 25 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2019 3 hours ago, Gardenerbill said: Hi Anneca, The special boat service did not exist before WW2 Wikipedia is your friend: SBS Thank you for this link. I was asked by a gentleman in his 90s what the difference is between Special Services and Special Forces as he wants to find out more about his relative who served in the Great War. All I know is that he was discharged from the Special Boat Service and couldn't find information about this during WW1. I can now assume he went on to serve in the special boat service in WW2, was in North Africa and discharged at that time. Many thanks for the link. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 25 April , 2019 Admin Share Posted 25 April , 2019 56 minutes ago, Anneca said: Thank you for this link. I was asked by a gentleman in his 90s what the difference is between Special Services and Special Forces as he wants to find out more about his relative who served in the Great War. All I know is that he was discharged from the Special Boat Service and couldn't find information about this during WW1. I can now assume he went on to serve in the special boat service in WW2, was in North Africa and discharged at that time. Many thanks for the link. Anne Anne do you have details of the relative 're ww1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 25 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2019 1 hour ago, DavidOwen said: Anne do you have details of the relative 're ww1? David, after reading your response I contacted the elderly gentleman who had given me no details about his relative. His name was Jack McPherson, dates of service in the RN were from 1916 to discharge in 1945 - discharge stating Special Boat Service. In letters he sent to his family from Benghazi the man never admitted to being in any service but mentioned he had close friends in the SAS who were with him at the time, one in particular Blair Mayne. This information now explains why the gentleman asking me about the SBS has been confused in his thinking of this in connection with McPherson's WW1 service. Thank you for your response David, all has now become clear. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
horatio2 Posted 25 April , 2019 Share Posted 25 April , 2019 These could be his records from 1916 to 1945. In WW2 he was based with coastal forces at Ardrossan (HMS FORTITUDE). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6949224 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14833961 His sea-going service in WW1 was in the new destroyer HMS SOMME right at the end of the war. Rating - Leading Telegraphist. Born 16 Feb 1900 at Greenock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 25 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 25 April , 2019 2 hours ago, horatio2 said: These could be his records from 1916 to 1945. In WW2 he was based with coastal forces at Ardrossan (HMS FORTITUDE). Wow, I didn't expect to receive this reply - a 95 year old gentleman will be totally surprised! Thank you so much for directing me to these records, something I didn't ask anyone to do find. Very much appreciated. Regards, Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Atkins Posted 26 April , 2019 Share Posted 26 April , 2019 Anne, for WW2 information I'd strongly recommend the WW2Talk forum. Cheers, Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 26 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 26 April , 2019 Hello Pat, I didn't know about the WW2Talk forum as, over the years, I haven't been able to get away from the Great War. Many thanks indeed. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heid the Ba Posted 26 April , 2019 Share Posted 26 April , 2019 If Blair Mayne was Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne he was very well known indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anneca Posted 26 April , 2019 Author Share Posted 26 April , 2019 21 minutes ago, Heid the Ba said: If Blair Mayne was Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne he was very well known indeed. Yes, he was known as Paddy Mayne, a friend of Jack (John) McPherson. This confused me with the question I was asked, knowing the gentleman was getting a bit mixed up with the two wars. Paddy was brave and a bit of a rogue. A monument of him is in my town square. Anne Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Filsell Posted 26 April , 2019 Share Posted 26 April , 2019 (edited) "A bit of a rogue" doesn't, even start to describe the man! Edited 26 April , 2019 by David Filsell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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