The rare Second World War Italian Front “Operation Ferdy” Commando Sniper’s September 1943 ‘immediate’ Military Medal group awarded to Marine F.P. Tyman, 40 Commando, Royal Marines. From Wayland, and later Wymondham near Norwich, Norfolk, he was only a boy when he joined the Royal Marines in the mid 1930’s. He may well have been one of the founding members of the Royal Marine Commandos when they were formed in February 1942, and as he became a member of 40 Commando, could have therefore originally been a member of Royal Marine ‘A’ Commando when it went ashore and suffered heavy casualties when supporting the Canadians during the Dieppe Raid in August 1942. 40 Commando landed in Sicily in July 1943 and then as part of Operation Ferdy, made an assault landing behind enemy lines on mainland Italy on 8 September at what is now known as Vibo Valentia, but was then Porto San Venere. The objective was to speed up the German withdrawal from the toe of Italy, and this was achieved. On 9 September during the assault to and capture of the neighbouring town of Pizzo, Tyman, identified in his recommendation as a sniper, was sent forward by himself to try and locate a German Light Machine Gun position which was causing trouble to the main position. On his own, he worked his way forward about 3/4 of a mile in front of the forward position and located a mortar position by the cemetery above Pizzo, Whilst the L.M.G position had withdrawn, he nevertheless destroyed the mortar position with a grenade before withdrawing. Later on dead German was found in this position. On his way back he saw an Italian section moving forward and he shot two with his sniper’s rifle. His ‘immediate’ award of the Military Medal was gazetted in February 1944, however by then he was a prisoner of war, having been captured at at Castello Forta on 20 January 1944. He made two escape attempts in the interim prior to being incarcerated in a prisoner of war camp in Germany from May 1944 .The first attempt, made from Campo 78 at Sulmona, occurred during an air raid on nearby Pescara. He almost made a home run, and was within Allied lines when he had the misfortune of being captured by a German patrol. His second attempt was from a train at Rome, being captured by Fascists some two days later, resulting in two weeks of solitary confinement.
Group of 4: Military Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (CH.X.113132 F.P. TYMAN. MNE. R.M.); 1939-1945 Star; Italy Star; War Medal. Court mounted.
Condition: light contact wear to first, overall Very Fine.
Frederick William Bunn Tyman was born on 7 January 1923 at Wayland, Norfolk, and despite his young age, was already working on a farm, and living at Wymondham, near Norwich when he enlisted into the Royal Marines on 14 January 1924, joining as a Boy the Chatham Division, he later became a Marine (No.CH/X.113132) on attaining the age for adult service.
With the advent of the Second World War he then saw active service, becoming a member of 40 Commando around the time that it was formed, under the original title of Royal Marine ‘A’ Commando at Deal on 14 February 1942. The Commando's first assignment was at Dieppe on 19 August 1942. His Commando had selected tasks in the port area and was to be responsible for reinforcements as required. Unfortunately, when committed to their landing, under well-nigh impossible conditions, they suffered severe casualties. Of the 370 officers and men, 76 were lost on the beaches. On return RM 'A' Commando was again re-designated; this time as 40 (RM) Commando. Further training and replenishment was carried out. Once back to full strength it was sent to Sicily in July 1943 and a little later in September saw action at Pizzo, where Tyman earned his Military Medal.
40RM Commando and two troops of 3 Commando were engaged on this amphibious dawn landing at Vibo Valentia, known at the time as Porto San Venere, on the southern tip of Italy on 8 September 1943. The following day 'X' troop of 40RM Commando entered the neighbouring town of Pizzo. Operation “Ferdy” was originally scheduled to take place on 6 September 1943. The object was to land 231 Brigade at Gioja, some miles behind enemy lines. This would help speed up the advance of XIII Corps, interfere with the enemy’s programme of withdrawal and road demolition, and, in the words of Flag Officer Sicily, ‘put some Germans in the bag’. Operation “Ferdy” was put into action on Tuesday 7 September, when the assembled force proceeded at 1830, to sail so as to arrive at Vibo Valentia Marina at 0530 on D-Day, 8 September. The operation was successful in fulfilling its main object for it greatly increased the speed of the enemy withdrawal and hardly a bridge was demolished on the long road to Sapri.
It was during the fight for Pizzo on 9 September 1943 that Tyman earned his ‘immediate’ award of the Military Medal. A the time he was employed as a sniper.
The recommendation reads as follows: ‘Marine Tyman was sent forward by himself to try and locate a German Light Machine Gun position which was causing trouble to the main position. He worked his way forward about 3/4 of a mile in front of our forward position and located a mortar position by the cemetery above Pizzo, which was firing. He threw a grenade into the Battery. and withdrew. Later one German was found dead. This action of Marine Tyman caused the mortar to discontinue firing. The Light Machine Gun had moved and could not be located. On his way back he saw an Italian section moving forward and he shot two with his sniper’s rifle. Throughout this patrol he displayed great initiative besides skill and determination, gathering valuable information.’
His shortened citation for his immediate award of the Military Medal was published in the London Gazette for 8 February 1944, by which time he was a prisoner of war.
Following the action at Pizzo, he would have shared in 40 Commando’s daring patrols in the fighting for Termoli on the Garigliano front, up until his capture at Castello Forta on 20 January 1944.
His M.I.9 Prisoner of War debrief reveals that he made two escape attempts in the interim prior to being incarcerated in a prisoner of war camp in Germany. The first from the staging camp, Campo 78 at Sulmona, during an air raid on nearby Pescara. Having successfully made his way through into Allied lines, he however had the misfortune of being captured by a German patrol whilst attempting to link up with German troops. His second attempted occurred from a train whilst at Rome, and he made this in the company of two Airborne companions. He was recaptured two days later by Italian Fascists, and was then placed into solitary confinement at Rome for some two weeks, and his captors made sure he could not sleep at night during this period.
Tyman was then sent on to Germany where he found himself incarcerated in Marlag Milag Nord Camp, Westimke/Westertime from 12 May 1944 onwards. Tyman was liberated from there on 23 April 1945, and was then interviewed by M.I.9 later that same day. Tyman latterly returned to live in Norfolk, where he died in October 2005.
