Help with identification of uniform

Enquiries relating to individual men and women who served with HM Light Coastal Forces; help with interpreting service records, or with tracing former comrades
James Taverner
Seaman
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:36 am

Help with identification of uniform

Postby James Taverner » Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:24 pm

Hello. I am writing a book to celebrate the centenary of our club. One chapter is devoted to members who served in the armed forces during W.W.Two. I have attached a photograph of Lt. Commander Eric Povall aboard ML 194 (I believe) . Alongside him is an officer in a uniform I do not recognise, possibly US or French. Could anyone help with identification of the uniform.
Eric Povall served in the Channel, D Day landings, Sicily landings, Anzio and finally in India where he was killed in a road accident not long before the end of the war.
Many thanks.
Jim Taverner
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Last edited by Admin on Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:49 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Reason: Post moved to more appropriate forum and title amended for clairity

Brian Holmes
Commander
Posts: 245
Joined: Wed May 06, 2009 3:26 pm
Location: Portsmouth

Re: Help with identification of uniform

Postby Brian Holmes » Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:41 pm

That looks like an American uniform to me. ML 194 was tasked with guiding American landing craft to Omaha Beach and he was leader of the Flotilla. see below:

ML_194 Johnson & Jago, Leigh on Sea, Essex 29/1/41

For Operation Jubilee - Raid on Dieppe 19/8/42
DSC ALtCdr William Whitfield RNR

New Year Honours 1944
DSM POMtrMch George Ernest Jones P/MX72040

New Year Honours 1945
MID POMtrMch Alexander John Walmsley P/MX110688

For minesweeping and repelling human torpedo attacks off Normandy (Gazette Date - 20/2/45)
MID LTel Jack Henry Lilley C/SSX19227

Known Crew
TALtCdr Eric Thomas Povall RNVR Commanding Officer ML 194 & Senior Officer 11th ML Flotilla Died in a road accident 15/3/45 Age 35 Son of Alexander Ralph and Eva Povall, of Cardiff; husband of Helen Norah Povall, of Whitchurch, Cardiff Kirkee War Cemetery 2. K. 3
ALtCdr William Whitfield RNR
Lt Shepherd RNVR
TLt John Roderick Kennedy RNZNVR (First Lieutenant) 27/3/45. Served in HMS Philante (yacht; training ship) 1942, HMS Elfin (submarine base, Blyth), HMS H 43 (submarine), HMS H 34 (submarine) and HMS Pembroke (Chatham). Died 27/10/2002 in Cheltenham
SLt Bond RNZNVR
POMtrMch George Ernest Jones P/MX72040
POMtrMch Alexander John Walmsley P/MX110688
LTel Jack Henry Lilley C/SSX19227

Wartime Activities
11th ML Flotilla based at Felixstowe
ML 187, ML 188, ML 189, ML 190, ML 191, ML 192, ML 193 and ML 194
1/7/41 11th ML Flotilla based at Loestoft
ML 187, ML 189, ML 190, ML 191, ML 193, ML 194, ML 214 and ML 230
1/42 11th Flotilla based on the Humber
19/8/42 Operation Jubilee - Raid on Dieppe
SGB 5 (Grey Owl) ,SGB 9
MGB 50, MGB 51, MGB 312, MGB 315, MGB 316, MGB 317,MGB 320, MGB 321, MGB 323, MGB 326
ML 120, ML 123, ML 189, ML 190, ML 193,ML 194, ML 230, ML 246, ML 292, ML 309, ML 343, ML 344, ML 346, RML 513
11th ML Flotilla
Operation Fabius I - Practice assault by Task Force O at Slapton Sands, Devon. Operational orders indicated expected attacks by German aircraft, surface craft and submarines. Part of escort force protecting Force O during the exercise. Force consists of 9 USN Destroyers, 2 USN Destroyer Escorts, 6 RN Destroyers, 10 USN PCs, 9 Frigates, 3 Trawlers plus the following Coastal Forces vessels
ML 118, ML 153, ML 163, ML 187, ML 189, ML 190
ML 191, ML 194, ML 214, ML 230, ML 304, ML 907
HDML 1387, HDML 1409
Grey Fox, Grey Shark, Grey Seal, Grey Owl
11th ML Flotilla
ML 118, ML 153, ML 163, ML 187, ML 189, ML 194, ML 214, ML 230, ML 304, ML 448 and ML 907
Operation Neptune Invasion of Normandy
Based at Portsmouth
Navigation Leader at Omaha Beach
Minesweeping and repelling human torpedo attacks off Normandy (Gazette Date - 20/2/45)
34th ML Flotilla
Arakan

Post War Fate
11/6/47 Sold at Singapore

James Taverner
Seaman
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Sep 22, 2012 10:36 am

Re: Help with identification of uniform

Postby James Taverner » Tue Sep 25, 2012 11:18 am

Many thanks for marvellous info regarding ML 194 & Eric Povall. Just what I wanted.
Cheers,
Jim


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