With the 80th anniversary of VE-day in WW2 coming up on May 8th this seemed an opportune time to highlight those who my family research shows were in military service during the war. Currently only a handful have been positively identified as having served in the armed forces, but there are probably others to be found within the wider family.
Although details given here are currently limited more information on an individual’s service may be available in future if their service record can be obtained; or general background to their service may be found in items such as unit diaries and published unit histories.
[There is no especial significance to the order in which the following are presented]
James Gordon Mann (1914-1954)
Enlisted in Coldstream Guards at Macclesfield, Cheshire, on 3rd Dec 1932; signing for 4 years regular service followed by 8 years reserve service. Left regular service in 1936. He then became a civilian Police Officer in the Aldershot area of Hampshire.
When war was declared in September 1939 James Mann was still in his reserve service so was immediately recalled to the Coldstream Guards. However, in Dec 1939, he was transferred to the Corps of Military Police; probably as a result of his interim civilian occupation.
During his service with the Military Police he spent some time in the Middle-East, possibly Egypt, and for at least some of the time was in the Special Investigation Branch (SIB). The SIB is the Military Police equivalent of the civilian police CID. James Mann was discharged from the Corps of Military Police on 5th Mar 1946.
Stars/Medal entirlement – 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence Medal; War Medal
Hugh Gilmour Dorman (1919-1987)
Served in the Royal Artillery; at least some of the time in 79th (Lowland) Field Regiment RA. In 1943 Hugh Dorman was a Lance-Bombardier and by 1946 Bombardier.
For most of the war 79th (Lowland) Field Regiment served in Home Forces, mostly under 52nd (Lowland) Division, and underwent training in mountain warfare and air-portable operations. It eventually went into action at the Battle of the Scheldt and then took part in the fighting in the Rhineland (Operations Blackcock and Veritable), and then the drive to Bremen, serving in 52nd (Lowland) Division. After VE Day that division, with other formations, continued as part of British Army of the Rhine while demobilisation got underway.
Hugh Dorman was discharged from 79th (Lowland) Field Regiment RA on 5th Apr 1946.
Stars/Medal entitlement – 1939-45 Star; France & Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal
Thomas Dorman (1921-1995)
Served in the Royal Navy and at the time of his marriage, to Kathleen Brown, in September 1944 he was an able-seaman serving with 265 Flotilla LCI(L) [Landing Craft Infantry (Large)]. At the time of the D-Day landings in June 1944 that flotilla was involved in landing troops probably on Sword Beach. In the period after D-Day the flotilla was engaged in transporting supplies across the channel and also carrying German prisoners back to the UK.
Kathleen Mary Ansley Brown (c. 1922-?)
Served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service, and at the time of her marriage, to Thomas Dorman, in September 1944 she was at the rank of Petty-Officer. She was possibly stationed in or around London at that time.
David Michael Dorman (1914-1991)
Royal Army Service Corps.
The Royal Army Service Corps was responsible for logistics and transport within the British Army. The medal entitlements show that David Dorman served at least some time in the North African campaign up to the German/Italian defeat there, and then in the subsequent campaign in Italy.
Discharged from service 6th June 1946.
Stars/Medal entitlement – 1939-45 Star; Africe star; Italy Star; War Medal
Dorman & Wakeley Family History 
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