Commando Signals

[Sonofacqms]

Could anyone help me with my search for further information on Alex Austen who served in Commando Signals during WWII.

I believe he was a regular soldier who served in the Royal Signals before the second world war and ended up post war as an officer.

Thanks in advance.

Rob

[leigh kitchen]

There was an acting WOII AJT Austen, RA, No. 4 Cdo.......
You won't have any more detail or youd've mentioned it, there are a few "A Austen's" to check ......

[High Wood]

There are 9 Alexander Austins whose births were registered in England and Wales between 1910 and 1920. One with the second initial F, one with M and two with the second initial G. None of these with second forenames appear in the 1945 Army List.

[High Wood]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

There was an acting WOII AJT Austen, RA, No. 4 Cdo.......
You won't have any more detail or youd've mentioned it, there are a few "A Austen's" to check ......

Births Sept 1918 Austin. Albert J T Mother's maiden name: Harris. District Milton 2a 1513 S

[leigh kitchen]

Have a look here........

http://forum.commandoveterans.org/cd...rums/list.page

[Sonofacqms]

Many thanks chaps for your information, I will dig further . . !

Rob

[leigh kitchen]

I've just had a quick look at one entry on that Commando Veterans Forum link - could be your man?

AUSTEN, Alexander Fred
Primary tabs
View(active tab) What links here
Known as:
Bunny
Rank:
Company Quartermaster Sergeant (later Hon. Lt Col. )
Unit/Base:
Special Service Brigade & Signals Troops
Regiment/Corps:
Royal Corps of Signals
Service:
Army
Service number:
2320292 & 360980
Honours & Awards:
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
British Empire Medal (BEM)
Company Quartermaster Sergeant Alexander Austen, 1st Special Service Brigade Signal Troop, was awarded the British Empire Medal in recognition of his exemplary service [1].

Recommendation including Record of Service
1929 enlisted in the Royal Corps of Signals.
1941/42 at Special Training Centre Lochailort on operational and instructional work. Promoted CQMS [2].

"July 1943 joined 1st Special Service Brigade Signal Troop since which he has been in charge of all technical and other equipment. Such operational success that this Troop has enjoyed has been largely due to the efficient and painstaking manner in which he has organised the equipment of this Unit [2]"

"The complete equipping of the raid parties of 'Hardtack', 'Manacle', and 'Tarbrush', with Signal Stores and tested Signal Operations equipment, was almost entrirely due to the efforts of this excellent WO11." [written by Major General R.G. Sturgess] [endorsed by Maj. Gen. Laycock, Chief of Combined Operations] [2].

12 January 1946 commissioned Second Lieutenant (Royal Army Ordnance Corps) [3].
19 July 1947 promoted Captain (R.A.O.C.) [4].
24 November 1948 promoted Major (R.A.O.C.) [5].
4 April 1952 appointed M.B.E. (Military Division) in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Malaya during the period from 1st July to 31st December, 1951 [6].
20 November 1961 retired and granted honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel (R.A.O.C.) [7].
Sources
[1] London Gazette Supp. 36866, page 35.
[2] National Archives file WO373/157/85.
[3] London Gazette Supp. 37467, page 957.
[4] London Gazette Supp. 38051, page 3936.
[5] London Gazette Supp. 38618, page 2552.
[6] London Gazette Supp. 39507, page 1879.
[7] London Gazette Supp. 42517, page 8439.

Archive pages :
Commando Training
Brigade Signals
Malaysia and Brunei

[leigh kitchen]

Maybe not the same man as the above post as the second entry here gives date of seniority as 1942:

UK Army List 1952:

First Name:
A.F.
Surname:
Austen
Nationality:
British
Information:
Directing Staff,
Rank:
Major
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Seniority Date:
24/11/1948


UK Army List 1947:

First Name:
A F
Surname:
Austen
Nationality:
British
Information:
Directing Staff
Rank:
Captain
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Seniority Date:
20/11/1942

[leigh kitchen]

Note named spelling in this entry ("Auston").

British Empire Medal

First Name:
Alexander Fred
Initials:
A
Surname:
Auston
Nationality:
British
Rank:
Company Quartermaster Sergeant
Service Number:
2320292
Award Details:
Honours List
Gazette Date:
01/01/1945
Gazette Page:
35
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Royal Corps Of Signals
Service:
Army

London Gazette.

[High Wood]

Excellent research. That would be the Alexander F Austin, born 1910 in Camberwell and who died in 1974 in Southwark.

His not being commissioned until 1946 explains his omission from the 1945 Army List.

[leigh kitchen]

These seniority dates are confusing me - and I'm wondering if the Military Medal here is a typo for BEM.

Army List 1947:

First Name:
A F
Surname:
Austen
Nationality:
British
Information:
Directing Staff
Rank:
Lieutenant
Rank (2nd):
Temp Capt
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Seniority Date:
20/11/1936

Military Medal.

[leigh kitchen]

Entry re. GSM (Malaya?)

First Name:
Alexander Fred
Initials:
A
Surname:
Austen
Nationality:
British
Date of Action:
01/07/1951 - 31/12/1951
Rank:
Major
Rank (2nd):
Acting Lieutenant Colonel
Service Number:
360980
Gazette Info:
39507-2-04-04-52
Service:
British Army
Regiment:
Royal Army Ordnance Corps

Collection:
General Service Medal 1918 (covers 1918-1962)

Gallantry Awards:
Mbe
British Empire Medal

[leigh kitchen]

LSGC:

First Name:
A F
Surname:
Austen
Incident Date:
1948
Information:
Authority: London Gazette 09/03/1948.
More Information:
Issue Voucher No: B.499. 25/05/1948.
Rank:
Captain
Service Number:
P/360980
Service:
British Army
Primary Unit:
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Archive Reference:
WO102/28
Collection:
Long Service Good Conduct Medal Roll 1901-53

Gallantry Awards:
British Empire Medal

[leigh kitchen]

I hope this info. is about the right man, otherwise I'm spreading confusion nicely.

[leigh kitchen]

Just opened another link on The Commando Veteran's Association site - a Sgt A "Bunny" Austin (note Austin not Austen) features in this IWM post Dieppe raid image:
http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/...tSettings%5D=1

Further mention is made re. "Austin" and of an "AB Austen" being a War Correspondent.


Title: British Commandos and US Rangers after Dieppe
Summary: Photo © IWM (H 22580)
Description: Update from Pete R. 24/5/10 : This photo which is well publicised is also in the book by Will Fowler called The Commandos at Dieppe. I have seen it referred to as being US Ranger Sgt Alex Szima accepting a light for his cigarette apparently from a Sgt A. "Bunny" Austin. The tall man behind is Cpl William Brady. Also in the photo but partially hidden is Staff Sgt Kenneth Stempson. Alex Szima died on 13th September 2006. Certainly Szima who was from Florida , Brady who was from Texas, and Stempson from Minnesota, were all in the 1st Battallion of the US Rangers with No.4 Commando at Dieppe. However the A. Austin is not mentioned on the US Rangers website. In the book The Fighting Fourth by James Dunning he refers to A.B. Austen as "a War Correspondent who had landed with us and was in the beachhead on Orange One".

Update 3/11/11 by Pete R. Photo © IWM (H 22580) reproduced here under the terms of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence. The IWM desc of the photo is "An American soldier receives a light for his cigarette from a compatriot at Newhaven on his return from Dieppe. This was the first time that American troops had seen action in Europe during the Second World War."
Owner: Geoff Murray