Naval party 1501X

[Colin Tabeart]

I am told that Naval Party 1501X formed port parties for Ostend and Zeebrugge from Sep 1944-Nov 1944 and then for Ostend Dec 44 to Feb 45. Here is a card dated 16 Feb 1944 [sic] that I assume should have read 1945, but ... I assume the card was sent in an envelope as there are no postal markings, presumably to protect the delicate front, which has two layers superimposed on the card - the greenery and the little bird being the first layer, and the little figure again superimposed on the first layer. Would welcome any comments, but in particular: should 1944 read 1945? And what does "o/coder" stand for?

[Frank Schofield]

Colin

O coder is Ordinary coder, this rank came in during WWII, I believe that it was realised that the Germans were reading the Naval Codes, I have handled a  L (Leading) coder in the past

Frank Schofield

[Michael Dobbs]

Colin

I agree with you - it should read 1945 - we were not in France/Belgium until D-Day (6 June 1944) and beyond !  Also, in view of the lack of postal markings and censor markings, it was enclosed in an outer envelope which bore such markings - pity it did not survive along with the postcard !

The following are my notes on Naval Party 1501X (for PRO now read TNA - The National Archives):

NAVAL PARTY 1501X
Port Parties

Location : Ostend & Zeebrugge, Belgium
  Ostend, Belgium [RED LIST 3 Dec 1944]
Accounting base :

RED LIST as at 5pm 5 Nov 1944 [PRO document ADM208/29]
RED LIST as at 5pm 26 Nov 1944 [PRO document ADM208/29]
RED LIST as at 5pm 3 Dec 1944 [PRO document ADM208/30]
RED LIST as at 5pm 7 Jan 1945 [PRO document ADM208/31]
RED LIST as at 5pm 21 Jan 1945 [PRO document ADM208/31]
RED LIST as at 4 Feb 1945 [PRO document ADM208/32]

The Office of the Allied Naval Commander Expeditionary Force (ANCXF), in a letter dated 11 March 1944, outlined the formation and training of captured port parties.  Four such parties were planned for initial operations, two large and two small, together with their associated repair and communications elements.  The use of separate Naval Party numbers for the repair and communications elements was necessary as it was envisaged that for some part of the operation they would be separated from their main bodies.

Once formed it was intended to send the Naval Parties to army camps for training alongside military personnel destined for their respective ports:

 Cockfosters, London Naval Party 1500 (large party)
 Hampstead, London Naval Party 1501 (large party)
 Chelmsford, Essex Naval Party 1502 (small party)
 Cockfosters, London Naval Party 1503 (small party)

The repair and communications elements of the above Naval Parties were numbered as follows:

 Naval Party 1518 - Naval communications element for NP 1500
 Naval Party 1519 - Naval communications element for NP 1501
 Naval Party 1520A - Naval communications element for NP 1502
 Naval Party 1520B - Naval communications element for NP 1502
 Naval Party 1520C - Naval communications element for NP 1502
 Naval Party 1521 - Naval communications element for NP 1503

 Naval Party 1526 - Naval repair element for NP 1500
 Naval Party 1528 - Naval repair element for NP 1501
 Naval Party 1530 - Naval repair element for NP 1503
 Naval Party 1531 - Naval repair element for NP 1502

[Reference:  The National Archives document ADM199/1153 (Case 10803)
Op NEPTUNE (Overlord) War History]

Regards, Mike  ;)

[Colin Tabeart]

Many thanks to Frank and Mike for most helpful replies, and brilliant info Mike.
Colin