WWI Victory Medal. Guard. Royal Navy. Served in Combined Operations WWII.

Correctly named M3791 SG Guard ERA 4 RN

Sydney George Guard was born in Eastney, Hampshire in 1896 to Arthur and Emily.

He enlisted to service in 1914.

A career naval man, he is seen to serve up until his release in August 1945.

He married Daisy Bonfield in 1929.

We see in 1939, his address is noted as 34 Twyford Avenue Southampton and his profession is noted as Chief Engine Room Artificer at the Royal Navy Barracks in Plymouth.

His service record tell us that from March 1941, he was serving at HMS Quebec.

HMS Quebec was a Combined Operations establishment, situated on the upper reaches of Loch Fyne, Argyllshire, some two miles from Inveraray. The base derived its name from the historical operations which resulted in the capture of Quebec in 1759.

HMS Quebec – a Royal Navy shore base, not a ship – was the Combined Operations Training Centre, where Allied troops practised amphibious warfare. For much of the war, it was the main centre for amphibious training in the UK. Amphibious landings, meaning attacks from the sea against an enemy-held coast, were complicated and required many skills that were not part of a soldier’s normal repertoire.

After the British had been ejected from continental Europe in mid-1940, following the Evacuation from Dunkirk, preparations were made to train the armed forces for the return to Europe. The Commandos were set up in order to raid enemy coasts. In October 1940 the centre at Inveraray was created to train them in techniques such as disembarking from landing craft, and making landings under enemy fire. As D-Day grew near, the base was also used by many Allied units to learn the skills they would need to land in Normandy. By 6 June 1944, around 130 battalions had trained there, including 29 Canadian and six US units. Training began at a small scale, and moved up to mass landings on a two-mile stretch of beach near Strathlachlan.

His son, John Sydney Guard was to become a Royal Navy Commander and also received the OBE.

Sydney died in 1972.

The medal retains its original silk ribbon.

An excellent research project with the added connection to Combined Operations.