Certificate of service - my Dad

[St Helens One]

Hello - not sure if this is the right place to post a question. My Dad said very little about WW2 except (after many years) that he had been in Combined Operations at D-day/Normandy, crewing landing craft. His certificate of service puts him on HMS Copra around that time and I understand that this was not a ship but a base in Scotland. This is confusing because it is often referred to as “HMS”. He is recorded there from May 44 to June 46. Does anyone know whether Copra was a real or proxy base? Would sailors actually be aboard various vessels operating out of different places? I guess there is now little chance of finding out those details. I imagine that there was also a lot of secrecy around those preparations.

Also the certificate has a note in pencil “A + S Group No.57/Oct 44”. I know it’s a long shot but is anyone able to caste a light on the meaning of this note, please?

Thank you

 

[WreckerL]

All shore establishments, then and now, are commissioned and have the prefix HMS. It's so the Articles of War and Naval Discipline Act etc apply both ashore and afloat, as for Copra

HMS COPRA- Combined Operations Pay Records & Accounts

HMS COPRA was not a ship! It was a shore establishment that processed pay and allowances for Navy personnel attached to the Combined Operations Command during WW2.

www.combinedops.com

 

[St Helens One]

Thanks for that

 

[janner]

You will find it very difficult to find any details of what ships he served on, record keeping was not a priority it seems. Quite often all you will find is the parent depot named (where his ship was based and where pay etc. was dealt with.)
My father served on Minesweepers and Armed tugs throughout the war and move around a lot, even though I got his full Naval history it told me very little about the actual vessels that he was on.

Good luck with your research,

 

[St Helens One]

Thank you - I’m getting the sense that Copra was used fairly loosely. He did mention being in Leith so I will look into that. I am guessing that they would have practised with landing craft on Loch Fyne. You’re right - records were probably not the top priority and he’s not here to ask!
Cheers