Jeff,

Thank you so much for such good detail and links. He was definitely posted as missing on 16.11.43 at Leros which I believe is the day the battle finished?

I have now found out from my mother he was posted to the Buffs (HQ 5th Division) 1.4.43 then attached to 5/Seaforth Highlanders 18.4.43 and then posted to 234 Infantry Brigade if his documents are correct. This is his service record from the MOD she got in the 1970's at which time he had cancer but protested he was missing a medal and other details off his service record.

Not sure what he meant but the veteran I have spoken to recently (who is 86 yrs old) who I met by chance had known my dad throughout the final days of the war and remained friends with him in business after the war. He and others are addiment he participated in "this group" as they call it and refer to various raids they know he was on as if it were yesterday.

Many thanks once again for the info, I will push on with some more research.

Chris