COMBINEDOPS WHATS NEW

This page provides information about HMS Brontosaurus, Castle Toward, Dunoon, Argyll, otherwise known as the No 2 Combined Training Centre and CTC Castle Toward (pronounced as in coward). The centre was located at Toward Point 6mls south of Dunoon on the Clyde. All photos, unless otherwise stated, are courtesy of Lt Col D.B. Peyman.

Initially the Centre provided basic Royal Navy training for the officers and crews of major landing craft. In November 1942 the ground force element from HMS Dundonald was transferred to Castle Toward and Inveraray about the time the Commandos and Infantry Battalions were being trained in amphibious operations.

The school's remit therefore expanded to include the training of officers and men of the Royal Navy, Army, RAF Regiment and ground crews in combined amphibious operations. The trainers used a variety of assault landing craft such as Landing Ship Infantry (LSI), Landing Craft Tank (LCT) and Landing Craft Personnel (LCP).

The training of officers and men of the ground forces included the skills and procedures of loading tanks, vehicles and personnel followed by the disembarkation of men and machines in mock landings on 'assault' beaches in the area.

All the training and practice was in preparation for future raids and landings such as those at Dieppe, N. Africa (when a large contingent of U.S. forces was trained at both Castle Toward and Inveraray), Sicily, Salerno, D-Day and Walcheren.

I remember this occasion very clearly. It was a typical Scottish winter's day blowing a howling gale, pouring with rain, and bitterly cold. Mountbatten was due to visit Castle Toward at mid-day. Like every good WO the Chief Petty Officer got the men of the establishment on parade at least half on hour before the V. Admiral was due to arrive. 12 o'clock came and went and we still awaited the illustrious inspecting officer, all the time getting wetter and wetter and colder and colder. Finally after a delay of one and a half hours Mountbatten appeared. By then the ratings and soldiers had been on parade for two hours.

The parade was drawn to attention and the commander invited Mountbatten to carry out the inspection. So far as I remember the parade consisted of what the navy call divisions, and what the army would describe as companies or squads. In both cases about 30 men each. Mountbatten first inspected the naval divisions and as soon as he had inspected a division the officer in command ordered the men to' Right Turn - Quick March', and off they went through the Scottish mist and rain, back to their Nissen huts.

When Mountbatten had inspected the fourth naval division, he turned to the parade commander and asked him why authority was being given, without his permission, for the men to be marched off parade once they had been inspected. I do not recall what sort of a reply the unfortunate officer gave though I am sure he would have like to have said something like "You arrogant sod, it's because the men have been on parade for two hours, are wet through, and frozen stiff.

What ever the parade commander may have said he got short shift from Mountbatten who ordered all the men to be brought back on parade. I don't need to tell you that the Noble Lord was not greatly loved that day.

C.T.C. Castle Toward was under the command of a Captain R.N. with tri-service instructors. Below there is a 1942/43 list of training and support staff and their duties which provides a good indication of the diverse nature of the training undertaken.

Naval Commanding Officer - Commander B Dean (Retired) DSO RN
Replaced by :- Commander R A Cassidi RN
Replaced by :- Commander N N Whatley RN Commander in Command Nov '43

This photo includes my father and I'd love to hear from anyone in the photo or anyone who has any information about it. My father was Sub Lt Islwyn Vaughan RNVR. He served as follows in combined ops;

5th LCP (L) Aug 1942 - Deippe,

520th LCA July 1942 - Point De Hoc, Normandy,

Nov 1944 509th Flotilla at E Schelts & Holland

Many thanks in anticipation. Rob Vaughan.

My grandfather, Charles Carmichael, served in the RAF Regiment as an AC2 with No. 2777 Squadron. The squadron operations record book is very brief but contains the following entry concerning training courses.

Gosport	25.6.43 a.m	Lecture to squadron by Lt.Col. Young
	26.6.43 p.m.	Squadron proceeded to Castle Toward for CTC course
Castle Toward	1.7.43 a.m.	Squadron witnessed landing craft demonstration, Inveraray
	2.7.43 a.m.	Squadron in exercise PRUNE I
	2.7.43 p.m.	Swimming instruction in full kit. PO Joels arrived from Compton Bassett
	3.7.43 a.m.	Squadron in exercise PRUNE II
	3.7.43 p.m.	Squadron in exercise Straddle
	4.7.43	Squadron completed exercise Straddle
	6.7.43 a.m.	Squadron leaves for Gosport"

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