FPO 660 Naval air letter.

[Chris Weddell]

Hello All,

            I have an air letter here posted from FPO 660 which I have listed as North Africa dated for the 13th of May 1944. Does 1, Any one have an exact  location for FPO 660 at this time ?

2, The other problem I have is the unit Special Force, Naval Party 1073 or 1013 both of which I cannot find anything at all about ??? Am I missing something here ??? I take it this could be possibly a Royal Marine Commando or SBS Unit. The chaps number or name does not check out but I have only done a basic search. Any help with this would by great.

                                                            Cheers

                                                            Chris     

[Chris Weddell]

This is the scan of the front of the air letter.

                        Cheers

                        Chris  :o

[Nick Colley]

Chris, Proud puts FPO 660 in Corsica in 1944, but precise location at the time of your item is not clear, but presumably on the coast.

As regards the unit, well, there was a unit operating a flotilla of MLs and MTBs out of Bastia running SOE agents into Southern France at this time. That may - or may not - be pertinent ?

chrs
N

[Chris Weddell]

      Nick,

              Thanks for this. I have just found one mention of this Naval Party 1073 being a Special Forces Unit operating in Italy with boats mostly MTB'S this was 2 lines in someone's dissertation with reference to research done at Kew on WW2 Marine Commandos and Spacial Forces. I think this may tie up with your information.

                                                                  Cheers

                                                                  Chris

[Michael Dobbs]

Chris

I paid a visit to The National Archives at Kew on Thursday and thought I would try and help with your query.  In my own listing of Naval Parties associated with North West Europe after D-Day I have found mention of these in what is termed the "Red List" (Naval Staff, Operations Division: Lists of Minor War Vessels (Red Lists)).  I have found these (Naval Parties numbered 16xx, 17xx and 18xx series) in the Red Lists from October 1944 onwards.  So I tried and looked at one for May/June 1944 - no mention of NPs whatsoever!  Very few Naval Party numbers appear when you do a search on the subject on The National Archives search engine, so I also tried a few other files mainly connected with RN Beach Commandos but no joy!

I also tried online but came up blank regarding your number; glad you found something - can you provide a link to the dissertation please.  Next time I visit Kew I will see if I can find the research documents the writer refers to.

Mike  :(

[Chris Weddell]

Hello Mike,

              I tried all I could to find this Navy Party on line and so far nothing much. I have to find the dissertation again and I will provide a link for it. I am trying another way round i.e. tracing the sender by his name !! I will let you know how I get on. This approach sometimes works. 

                                                        Cheers

                                                        Chris                                                     

                                                                   

[Chris Weddell]

Mike,

        Just found the reference in the dissertation. This is it :-  DEFE 2/1073 Special ServiceGroup: monthly letters.

                                                      Cheers

                                                      Chris

[Nick Colley]

Just a thought, but close inspection of the way the writer has written the numerals of the Naval Party number suggests the 0 is elided with the subsequent number. I wonder if it may be 1013, not 1073. Compare how he writes the numbers of the address - he has elided the the 3 with the second 1.

Probably of no significance, but if you're going to pursue the research, it might be something to bear in mind.

Sadly, it's of no assistance is explaining Mike's observations.

Pedantically yrs
N

[Nick Colley]

Mike, another thought (two in one day ???), but I would question whether Corsica came under any command concerned with NW Europe, seeing as it was in the Mediterranean. If I recall correctly, I think the naval forces in question moved up from North Africa.

chrs
N