"Joe" Goldsmith no8 Commando and 1st SAS

Doug Goldsmith

New Member
I'm hoping to make contact with anyone who may have known my father during the war.He was with no 8 Commando then B Battalion Layforce, the Middle East Commando and finally B Squadron 1st SAS which he joined in September 1942. During the next 4 months he took part in a number of desert raids which saw most of his comrades killed.In early 1943 he was training in Palestine before embarking from Suez for Sicily in July of that year as part of the SRS. He fought at Augusta and Termoli where he won the MM.In 1944 he was parachuted into France on operation Haggard at the end of which he was hositalised.

If anyone knew my father or has any information on him or photographs of his units I should be extremely grateful.

Doug Goldsmith
 
Hello Doug - you may already seen these but there is a Joe "Buttercup" Goldsmith that gets a few mentions in two books I have:

Stirlings Men - Gavin Mortimer
The Regiment - Michael Asher

They relate to action at Termoli. Have you seen these? Interesting reading - sounds like a brave chap who liked his gambling!

I would be interested in information or photos you find as my grandfathers brother was also 8 commando, Middle East Commando and B squadron 1SAS.
 
Hi Sammy,

I have got one of these books but not the other so many thanks. How amazing that your grandfather's brother followed exactly the same path as my dad. May I ask what his name was and what happened to him? I have just one photo taken in late 1941/early 1942 of my father sitting around a camp fire in the desert with a number of other commandos drinking coffee with "men from the Arab Legion" (my dad's words).It would be very odd if one of the commandos was your grandfather's brother.

Doug
 
Doug - i think a lot of men took that path. I don't think it was unusual.

His name was Fred Senior. I have been lucky in being given a photo album of his that has photos from his time in 8 commando at Burnham on Crouch, Isle of Arran, HMS Glenroy and in Egypt/Middle east. Your father will have also no doubt been in the same places alongside Fred. Some of the photos are on this site in the gallery. I also know he was in Syria (Chekka?) at one point - must have been when he was in ME commando.

Fred was killed in Jan 1943 when his patrol of B squadron 1SAS was ambushed in the Libyan desert near the Tunisian border.

Sam
 
Sam,
I think the photo I have with the Arab Legion was in fact taken in Syria.
Fred was obviously with my dad in B squadron Ist SAS during the days leading up to his death. Do you happen to know whose patrol he was in at that time? My dad's patrol was led by a Lt Poat. They went out from a place in the desert. called Bir ...? on 14th January 1943 to attack the Germans/Italians in an area the other side of Tripoli. What happened I don't know but he was one of the few lucky ones to come back alive. Could Fred have been in the same patrol?

Doug
 
Bir Soltane?
Bir Guedaffia?

Although they will have been together in B squadron - they were not in the same patrol. The book "The Phantom Major" gives a good overview of this phase quite well. There is a section that reads "Lieutenant Harry Poat... ...was in charge of the raid on Tripoli. He accompanied the party as far as the rendezvous [Bir Soltane I think] then turned off to carry out his task"

There is nothing else I could find? Do you have any more names?

Fred was part of Capt Murphy's patrol that was as follows...

Capt Denis Murphy - KILLED
Sergt Edward Badger - ESCAPED
Private W Hearn ? ESCAPED
Private R Guard ? ESCAPED
L/Sergt Fred Senior - KILLED
Corporal Leslie Brown - KILLED
Pte Malvern Nixon ? KILLED
Pte L. Buxton ? CAPTURED
Pte E. Robinson ? CAPTURED
Private A Hearne ? CAPTURED
Private McClements ? CAPTURED
Private A Simpson ? CAPTURED
 
so both of them would have taken part on the litani raid as part of B Batt Layforce?

My grandfather was In D batt on crete, Later 2nd sas after his escape from crete.
 
Sam,
Thank you.That's another book I must get. The departure point was indeed Bir Guedaffia. Unfortunately I have no other names prior to Sicily. His best mate was a guy called Doug Eccles(who incidentally I was named after);he died in France on Operation Bullbasket but I don't think was with the SAS in North Africa. I am very impressed with the fact that you have been able to get all the names and details of the men in Fred's patrol. May I ask how you managed to do that because I'd love to do the same and establish who was with Lt Poat and my father on that particular raid in January 1943.In fact on a more general note , apart from books,are there any other sources of information that you have used?

Doug

Doug
 
Hi Doug - the information came from the National Archives which hold two after action reports from the ambush. The reports are very good and give a lot of detail into what happened. One of the reports is summarised in the book "Special Forces in the Desert War" published by the National Archives. I have this book and checked for details on Harry Poats patrol but I couldn't find anything.

I got lucky with the above - in general I think the SAS at the time weren't much for admin so the reports and records they kept aren't very informative or detailed. It may be worth a try for you - there may be some records but don't be too hopeful.

Doug Eccles has entry in the roll of honour on this site. The book "Fire from the Forest" has quite a bit of info on a Sgt Eccles in Bulbasket. It makes an interesting read as regards Sgt Eccles but is also extremely terryfying as to what occurred on that operation. Also Ronald Guard who was in Freds patrol was one of the Bulbasket men that was sadly executed alongside Doug in the forest.
 
Hello Doug., So interesting to read your messages. Only knew your Dad in Pett Village from 1976. Very well respected gentleman. This Christmas I was re-reading articles in our parish mag. and Joe had a mention which made me wonder what his military life was life. Am so pleased to hear your thoughts and those of others on the forum.
All Good Wishes
Twigs
 
I read with interest the post by 'Buttercup' Goldsmith's descedant...I am very interested in speaking to anyone who has detailed knowledge of this whole period of SAS involvment in WW2. Don't want to give too much away at this stage, but suffice to say it's part of a project very dear to my heart.

Maximum respect to anyone who has ever put their lives on the line for their country, whatever that country may be
 
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