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Salerno

• Message 1.Β 

  Posted by Pete- Weatherman (U14670985) on Sunday, 21st November 2010

  Just learnt that one of the wifes relatives was at Salerno and whent ashore with the RAF Beach Unit, these were advanced units landed prier an invation to direct bombing, do radar control and in the case of Salerno captuer an air field. They were classed as Special Forces and were only disbanded after D-Day. Now I would like to know more about them and wather any one has any relatives who were in one of the units and has some war storys about them.
  If the name Raymond Kleboe is in there thats my man.
  
  Also dose any one know about the Mutiny in 10 (X) corps at that time, Saw some thing about it as I was chaseing up my inquiery but ca'nt remember were I saw it now. ( Being lazy I will get back to it. But thought it might be a good subject to follow through on.)

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• Message 2

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by Pete- Weatherman (U14670985) on Sunday, 21st November 2010

  I am going to start a separate thred on the X corp mutiny it deservse its own show.

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• Message 3

  , in reply to message 1.

  Posted by MB (U177470) on Monday, 22nd November 2010

  Normandy rather than Salerno but there is an account of a similar unit in
  
  Radar: A Wartime Miracle
  by Colin Latham and Anne Stobbs
  
  It has a classic picture of American Omaha beach with abandoned vehicles, one is recognisable as a Austin three-tonner housing a 20kVA diesel generator which identifies it as RAF.
  
  I can't spot it in a quick read through the section but I am sure that I read somewhere that they swapped their RAF uniforms for American battledress because it was too similar to the German uniform.
  
  Not so sure about the claim that classes as Special Forces, they could have had training in beach landings with Combined Operations at perhaps Inveraray or Inverailort (where all Special Forces derived from) which could have led to the story about Special Forces.
  
  It might be worth visiting the RAF Air Defence Museum if you get chance and ask them of they have any information on the unit. The museum is unfortunately closed at the moment because of problems with the buildings but hopefully will be back to normal next year. The newsletter sent to Friends of the RAF ADM has lots of stories from ex radar people.
  
  

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