47 RM Commando Association is a group of veterans’ widows, families, friends and Royal Marines serving and retired. It has an illustrious history of bringing together people of all ages to remember the sacrifice of those who died serving with the unit.
It’s an atypical organisation and until recently was independent of the wider Royal Marines Association (RMA). It is useful to divide its history into four chapters.
The men of 47 RM Commando were de-mobbed from active service in 1946. The unit was disbanded and most of the men left the forces, to be known as Hostilities Only. Some notable exceptions included the Commanding Officer, Lt Col C F Phillips DSO, who went on to serve as the Commander of 3 Commando Brigade in Malaya 1951-52 where he was mentioned in despatches.
He became Chief of Amphibious Warfare in 1954 and retired in 1957 as Major General Sir Farndale Phillips KBE CB DSO.
But in 1946, he was instrumental in asking the men of 47 to stay in touch. He ordered his staff to draw up a list of addresses of those who could easily be mustered.
A formal letter, issued in early 1954, to this effect is still in existence. This typed sheet of names and addresses has in the past been mistaken as a full list of those who served, but in fact it’s the best the unit could achieve with the resources of the time.
It’s thought up to 1000 men served with 47 from 1943-46 (details of many of these individuals may be found on the Association’s website).
The veterans exchanged letters and Christmas cards, and held informal reunions; photographs exist from the 1960s showing some of these meetings in Manchester and London. Where two or more veterans lived in the same area these became more frequent with the more active organisers seeking to achieve larger numbers by holding bigger reunions in the UK.
Until 1984 only small numbers made it informally to France or the Netherlands.
The covering letter, signed by Major General C F Phillips, of the list of names and addresses of known members of 47 RM Commando
1984 saw the return of hundreds of D-Day veterans from all units to Normandy. HM the Queen attended arriving on board the Royal Yacht. In famous scenes on the beaches, President Ronald Reagan addressed the men who’d returned, ‘Here the allies stood and 47RMCA History 1 Original - January 2025 fought.’
The men of 47 RM Commando with their wives and supporters filled two coaches. It is likely fifty veterans of the unit attended.
The veterans were alarmed to see that many historians had assumed Port-en-Bessin had been liberated by the brave Americans landing at Omaha beach. The men decided more history lessons were needed including for the Corps, and from all this emerged a plan to return every five years or more to France and to the Netherlands and to form up a more formal organisation.
The origins of the present day 47 RM Commando Association can be traced to an inaugural meeting held on 6 November 1994 in the Hotel Westduin, Vlissingen, Walcheren, organised by Peter Phillips, son of the wartime commanding officer.
Also, in the 1990s, two school teachers in Port-en-Bessin organised a walk retracing the unit’s route from Gold Beach to their town. The schoolchildren formed penpal relationships and the teachers Michel Laulier and Michel Deserable were later made Honorary Vice- Presidents in thanks from the veterans.
The men then mounted two bus trips each year, one to Port-en-Bessin in June and the other to Walcheren in November. The coach would start in Edinburgh picking up Scottish veterans and drive south before heading by ferry to France.
Local historians in the Netherlands and in France assisted the men and knowledge of the role of the unit was secured. A biannual newsletter ‘Despatch’ was created with every edition sent to the RM archives.
The Unit Medical Officer wrote a book of the exploits ‘From Omaha to the Scheldt - The Story of 47 Royal Marine Commando’.
Serving members of the Royal Marines, including Major Bob Perry and recently retired Warrant Officer Geof Haywood began offering muscular assistance for the building of memorials and the involvement of the Corps.
A website began under a Dutch supporter Marc de Bolster which began collating information and people researching their family history began to join in new numbers assisted by the internet. These included family members and new veterans were found who attended near the end of their lives.
The Association elected its first non-veteran chairman in recognition of the fragile health of the men. Mayors from France and the Netherlands were invited to the UK in thanks for the years of support and a true bond of international friendship evolved.
47 was re-born as an operational unit when 1 Assault Group Royal Marines was renamed as 47 Commando (Raiding Group) RM. The pandemic struck and many veterans would never travel again.
The first edition of Despatch; prior to this a newsletter was published between 1994 - 1999 and sent to Association members. Copies of all past issues of Despatch and the newsletters can be found on the Association’s website.
The last of the veterans passed away and the Association held meetings via the internet during the pandemic. Gradually emerging from the period of maximum change a new direction began with family members, supporters and members of the Royal Marines. The membership has a reputation for lively and poignant events gaining respect in wide circles for its loyalty and affection with memorials far and wide.
The annual walks - ‘In the Footsteps of 47 Commando’ in Normandy and ‘Rushing to Flushing’ in Walcheren - attract hundreds of people learning about the exploits of the Commando and bravery of the men. The RMA invited the Association to form as a virtual or specialist branch and this has now happened.
Peter Winter - 47 RM Cdo veteran (1994-2004)
Chuck Harris - 47 RM Cdo veteran (2004-2011)
Patrick O’Connell - Son of 47 RM Cdo veteran Guy O’Connell (2011-2019)
John Prentis - Grandson of 47 RM Cdo veteran Chuck Harris (2019-2024)
Bob Perry (present Chairman) - Retired RM (2024-Present)
Betty Field - Widow of 47 RM Cdo veteran Bill Field and later partner of 47 RM Cdo veteran
Gordon Tye
Ingrid Fearne - Relative of 47 RM Cdo veteran Ted Battley
Anne-Marie Nicholls (present Secretary) - Daughter of 47 RM Cdo veteran Nobby Nicholls
Sandra Tebbutt/Gemma Davison - Daughter/Granddaughter of 47 RM Cdo veteran Frank Tynan
Allen Withington (present Treasurer) - Nephew of 47 RM Cdo veteran John Withington (KiA)
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