Commandos (United Kingdom)

British Commandos
The Commando Memorial
Active	1940–1946
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army Royal Marines Royal Navy Royal Air Force
Type	Commando
Role	Coastal raiding Assault infantry Special operations
Part of	Combined Operations
Engagements	Second World War
Battle honours	Adriatic Alethangyaw Aller Anzio Argenta Gap Burma 1943–45 Crete Dieppe Dives Crossing Djebel Choucha Flushing Greece 1944–45 Italy 1943–45 Kangow Landing at Porto San Venere Landing in Sicily Leese Litani Madagascar Middle East 1941, 42, 44 Monte Ornito Myebon Normandy Landings North Africa 1941–43 North-West Europe 1942, 1944, 1945 Norway 1941 Pursuit to Messina Rhine St. Nazaire Salerno Sedjenane 1 Sicily 1943 Steamroller Farm Syria 1941 Termoli Vaagso Valli di Comacchio Westkapelle
Commanders
Notable commanders	Roger Keyes Louis Mountbatten Robert Laycock John Durnford-Slater Peter Young Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat Ronnie Tod Augustus Charles Newman Jack Churchill
Insignia
Combined Operations Shoulder Patch

This article is about Second World War Commandos. For the present day, see Royal Marine Commandos and 3 Commando Brigade.

The British Commandos were a force formed by the United Kingdom during the Second World War, following an order from the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill in June 1940 for a force that could carry out raids against German occupied Europe. Commandos were all volunteers for special service and originally were drawn from the British Army. Members would eventually come from all branches of the United Kingdom's armed forces; some were foreign volunteers from countries occupied by the Germans. The Commandos formed over 30 individual units and four assault brigades.

The Commandos would serve in all theatres of war from the Arctic circle to Europe, the Middle East and in South-East Asia. Their operations ranged from small groups of men landing from the sea or by parachute to a brigade of assault troops spearheading the Allied invasions of Europe and Asia.

After the Second World War most of the Commands were disbanded leaving just the Royal Marine 3 Commando Brigade. The present day Royal Marine Commandos, the Parachute Regiment, Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service can all trace their origins to the Commandos. Their legacy also extends to mainland Europe and the United States. The Naval commandos, Korps Commandotroepen, Paracommando Brigade and the United States Army Rangers can all trace their origins to the group of men who volunteered to serve or were influenced by the British Commandos.

Formation

After the British Expeditionary Force had been evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940, Prime Minister Winston Churchill called for a force to be assembled and equipped to inflict casualties on the Germans and bolster British morale. Churchill told the joint Chiefs of Staff to propose measures for an offensive against German-occupied Europe, and stated: "they must be prepared with specially trained troops of the hunter class who can develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast."

One staff officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley Clarke, had already submitted such a proposal to General Sir John Dill, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Dill, aware of Churchill's intentions, approved Clarke's proposal. Three weeks later the first Commando raid took place. The raiders failed to gather any intelligence or damage any German equipment; their only success was in killing two German sentries.

The Commandos came under the operational control of the Combined Operations Headquarters. The man initially selected as the commander was Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, a veteran of the Gallipoli Campaign and the Zeebrugge Raid in the First World War. Keyes resigned in October 1941 and was replaced by Admiral Louis Mountbatten. The final Commander of Combined Operations was Major General Robert Laycock, who took over from Mountbatten in October 1943.

In 1940, the call went out for volunteers from among the serving Army soldiers within certain formations still in Britain, and men of the disbanding Divisional Independent Companies originally raised from Territorial Army Divisions who had seen service in Norway. In November 1940 the new army units were organised into a Special Service Brigade under Brigadier J. C. Haydon, with four Special Service Battalions. By the autumn of 1940 more than 2,000 men had volunteered for commando training, and the Special Service Brigade now consisted of 12 units which were called Commandos. Each Commando would number around 450 men, commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. They were divided into troops of 75 men and further divided into 15 man sections. The Commandos were all volunteers seconded from other British Army regiments, but they retained their own regimental cap badges and remained on their regimental roll for pay.

Organisation

Commando units

The Commando units formed from volunteers in the United Kingdom were: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, No. 7, No. 8 (Guards), No. 9, No. 10 (Inter-Allied), No. 11 (Scottish), No. 12, No. 14 (Arctic), No. 30 and No. 62 Commando. The No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando was formed from volunteers from the occupied territories and enemy aliens. It was the largest commando unit formed, and contained troops from France, Belgium, Poland, Norway, the Netherlands and No. 3 (X) Troop. The No. 3 (X) Troop was possibly the strangest unit in the British Army, consisting of enemy aliens. The troop was also known as the English, Jewish or British troop and was officially renamed the Miscellaneous Troop in 1944. Most of the troop had German, Austrian or Eastern European backgrounds, others were political or religious refugees from Nazi Germany, At the same time four Commando units were formed in the Middle East: No. 50, No. 51, No, 52 and the Middle East Commando. The last unit was formed from the survivors from other Commando units that remained in the Middle East at that time.

In February 1941 the Commandos were reorganized in accordance with a new war establishment. Each Commando unit would now consist of a Headquarters and six troops (instead of the previous 10). Each troop would comprise three officers and 62 other ranks; this number was set so each troop would fit into two Assault Landing Craft. The new formation also meant that two complete commando units could be carried in the 'Glen' type landing ship and one commando unit in the 'Dutch' type landing ship. For transport the commando had one car for the Commanding officer, 12 motorcycles (six of them with sidecars), two 15 Hundredweight (cwt) trucks and one 3-ton truck. These vehicles were only provided for administration and training, not to accompany the Commando on operations.

In February 1942 the Royal Marines were asked to organise Commando units of their own and 6,000 men volunteered. In total nine commando units were formed by the Royal Marines: No. 40, No. 41, No. 42, No. 43, No. 44, No. 45, No. 46, No. 47 and the last, No. 48 (Royal Marine) Commando, which was formed in 1944. In 1943 the Royal Navy Commandos and the Royal Air Force Commandos were formed from volunteers from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force.

Admiral Louis Mounbatten, Commander Combined Operations Headquarters, October 1941–October 1943

In 1943 at the same time as the Commandos were being formed into brigades, the formation of the Commando unit was changed. They now consisted of a small headquarters group, five fighting troops, a heavy weapons troop and a signals platoon. The fighting troops consisted of 65 men of all ranks divided into two 30 man sections which were subdivided into three 10 man subsections. Each unit also had a small headquarters group. The Heavy Weapons Troop was made up of 3 inch mortar and Vickers machine gun teams. Each Commando was provided with the transport needed to accompany them on operations. The establishment was the commanding officer's car, 15 motorcycles (six of them with side cars), ten 15 cwt trucks and three 3-ton trucks. The Heavy Weapons Troop had seven Jeeps and trailers and one Jeep for each of the fighting troops and the headquarters. This gave them enough vehicles of their own to transport two fighting troops, the Heavy Weapons Troop and the Commando Headquarters.

From 1944 there were two other Commando units. These were part of the Army Holding Commando Wing and the Royal Marine Holding Commando Wing. Both were under the command of the Operational Holding Commando Headquarters. Both holding Commandos had an establishment of five troops and a Heavy Weapons Troop of fully trained commandos. The men in these troops were to provide individual or complete troop replacements for the Commando units in the field.

Some Commando units were designated for different tasks. No. 2 Commando was always intended to be a parachute unit. In June 1940 they began parachute training and were re-designated the 11th Special Air Service (SAS) Battalion, which eventually became the 1st Parachute Battalion. After their re-designation a new No. 2 Commando was formed.

Other Commandos were sent to the Middle East as Layforce, which comprised a troop from No. 3 Commando with No. 7, No. 8 (Guards), and No. 11 (Scottish) Commandos, with additional personnel being drawn from No. 50 and No. 52 Commandos on their arrival in Egypt. It was from the survivors of Layforce that the Special Air Service and the Special Boat Squadron were formed. The men of No. 14 (Arctic) Commando were specially trained for operations in the Arctic Circle and specialised in attacking shipping with limpet mines. No. 30 Commando was formed in September 1942 as a joint service unit. Its main purpose was to gather intelligence. Its men had special training in the recognition of enemy documents, search techniques, safe cracking, prisoner handling, photography, and escape techniques. No. 62 Commando, also known as the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF), was formed in 1941. It consisted of a group of 55 Commando trained personnel working under operational control of the Special Operations Executive (SOE).

Commando brigades

In 1943 the Commandos started to move away from smaller raiding operations. They were formed into brigades of assault infantry to spearhead future Allied landing operations. Of the remaining 20 Commandos, 17 were used in the formation of the four Special Service brigades. The three remaining units, No. 12, No. 14 (Arctic) and No. 62 Commandos, were left to carry out smaller scale raids. A shortage of volunteers and the need to provide replacements for casualties forced the disbandment of these three Commandos by the end of 1943. The previous Special Service Brigade Headquarters was replaced by Headquarters Special Services Group under Major General Robert Sturges. In December 1944 all the Special Service brigades were re-designated as Commando brigades.

The 1st Special Service Brigade, with No. 3, No. 4, No. 6 and No.45 (RM) Commandos, took part in the Normandy landings. They were tasked to link up with the 6th Airborne Division and secure the eastern flank of the invasion. They remained in Normandy for 82 days before returning to England. In January 1945 the brigade was rushed to Belgium as a result of the German offensive in the Ardennes. In March they started the first of four assault river crossings when they crossed the Rhine. They spearheaded the crossings of the River Weser, River Aller and the River Elbe. They ended the war on the Baltic coastline were they remained until disbanded in 1946.

The 2nd Special Service Brigade, with No. 2, No. 9, No. 40 (RM) and No. 43 (RM) Commandos, served in the Mediterranean. These units fought in Italy during the Anzio landings, and in Yugoslavia, Albania and the Adriatic. In 1945 they were in Northern Italy and fought in the battles around Lake Comacchio. The brigade remained in this area until they were disbanded in 1946.

The 3rd Special Service Brigade, with No. 1, No 5, No. 42 (RM) and No. 44 (RM) Commandos, sailed for the Far East in 1943. In January 1945 they were involved in the fighting against the Japanese in Burma. They fought in the battles to secure the Mybon peninsula and Kangow. They were withdrawn to India to prepare for the invasion of Malaya. The war ended before the operation started so they were diverted to liberate Hong Kong. When the army commandos were disbanded in 1946, the brigade became a Royal Marine formation.

The 4th Special Service Brigade, with No. 41 (RM), No. 46 (RM), No. 47 (RM) and No. 48 (RM), took part in the Normandy landings. They linked up with the 6th Airborne Division on the eastern flank and after remained in France for two months, crossing the River Seine in August 1944. In November, reinforced by No. 4 Commando, they took part in the Battle of the Scheldt and the capture of Walcheren island. They spent the winter of 1944/45 in defence of the Scheldt and on the Maas River. They remained in this area until the end of the war and then were sent to Germany for occupation duties. The brigade was disbanded in 1946.

The No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando troops were distributed amongst the other commando formations where needed. In 1943 they took over responsibility for small scale raids, after No.s 12, 14 and 62 Commandos were disbanded. The Belgian and Polish troops were assigned to No. 2 Special Service Brigade in Italy. The Dutch troop supplied men to support No, 3 Special Service Brigade in the Far East. During the D Day landings the two French troops were attached to No. 4 Commando in the 1st Special Service Brigade and landed on Sword Beach. No. 3 (X) Troop was divided by sections between the other eight commando units involved in the landings..

Training

Commandos training on an assault course obstacle

In 1940 when the Commando units were originally formed training was the responsibility of the unit commanding officers. Training was hampered by the general shortage of equipment throughout the British Army at this time. Most arms and equipment had been left behind at Dunkirk. In December 1940 a Middle East Commando depot was formed with the responsibility of training and supplying reinforcements for the Commando units in the Middle East. In February 1942 the Commando training depot at Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands was established by Brigadier Charles Haydon. The Commando depot, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Vaughan, now had the responsibility for the training of complete units and individual replacements.

The training regime was for the time innovative and physically demanding, being far in advance of normal British Army training. The depot staff were all hand picked, with the ability to outperform any of the volunteers. The Commando volunteers started training on the day they arrived by having to complete an 8 miles (13 km) forced march in full kit from Spean Bridge railway station to the depot. On arrival they were met by Vaughan who stressed the difficulties of the course and that any who failed would be 'Returned to Unit' (RTU).

Training consisted of realistic exercises using live ammunition and explosives. One part of the training consisted of speed and endurance marches up and down the nearby mountain ranges while carrying arms and full equipment. Assault courses included a Zip-line over Loch Arkaig. Training included river crossings, mountain climbing, weapons training, unarmed combat, map reading, and small boat operations, all by day and by night. Physical fitness was a prerequisite, with cross country runs and boxing matches to improve fitness. Living conditions were primitive. Trainees were housed either in tents or in Nissen huts and all Commando volunteers had to cook their own meals. Correct military protocols were enforced: Officers were saluted and uniforms had to be clean, with brasses and boots shining on parade. At the end of each course the final exercise was a simulated night beach landing using live ammunition.

Polish Commandos on a training exercise in the Scottish Highlands, armed with a Bren light machine gun. Note the Poland No. 10 Commando and Combined Operations badges

By the end of the war 25,000 men had passed through the Commando course at Achnacarry. This total includes not only the British Commando volunteers, but volunteers from Belgium, France, Netherlands, Norway, Poland and the United States Army Rangers, which were modelled on the Commandos.

Another smaller Commando depot was established at Braemar, known as the Commando Mountain and Snow Warfare training camp. The commander was Squadron Leader Frank Smythe, assisted by Major John Hunt as the chief instructor. Both were mountain climbers before the war. The depot provided training for operations in Arctic conditions, climbing snow covered mountains, cliff climbing and small boat and canoe handling. Training was provided in how to live, fight and move on foot or on skis in snowy conditions.

From 1943 training concentrated more on the assault infantry role and less on raiding operations. Training now included how to call for fire support from artillery and naval gunfire, and how to obtain tactical air support from the Allied air forces. More emphasis was given to training with two or more Commando units working together in brigades.

Weapons and equipment

Commandos wearing the green beret and carrying the Bergen rucksack during the Normandy landings

Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife

The Commandos initially were indistinguishable from the rest of the British Army; volunteers initially retained their own regimental headdress and insignia. No. 2 Commando adopted Scottish headdress for all ranks, and No. 11 (Scottish) Commando wore the Tam O'Shanter with a black hackle. By 1942 the green Commando beret and the Combined Operations shoulder patch were adopted. Being lightly armed and equipped for raiding operations, they did not carry anti-gas protective equipment or heavy large packs and the British steel helmet was replaced by a woollen cap comforter. Instead of heavy ammunition boots, they wore lightweight rubber soled gym shoes that enabled them to move silently. All ranks carried a toggle rope that could be linked together to form longer ropes for scaling cliffs or other obstacles. For safety during boat operations an inflatable lifebelt was worn. The Commandos were the first unit to adopt the Bergen rucksack to carry heavy loads of ammunition, explosives and other demolition equipment. A battle jerkin was produced to wear over battledress and later in the war the airborne forces camouflaged denison smock became standard issue for Commando forces.

Being initially intended for raiding operations, the Commandos were not issued the heavy weapons of a normal infantry battalion. The weapons they used were the standard British Army small arms of the time. Their main weapon was the standard Lee-Enfield rifle. The section fire support weapon was the Bren light machine gun. Commando sections were equipped with a higher number of Bren guns than a normal infantry section. The Thompson submachine gun was their submachine gun of choice and like the Bren gun, the Commando section was issued a higher number of Thompsons than the normal infantry section. Later in the war the Commandos used the cheaper and lighter Sten gun. For a hand gun they initially used the Webley Revolver, which in time was replaced by the American Colt 45 pistol. For hand to hand combat, a whole range of clubs and knives were used. The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife was designed especially for the Commandos. The British mills bomb was their usual hand grenade. For indirect fire support they initially only had the 2-inch mortar, although this was supplemented from 1943 by the 3-inch mortar and the Vickers machine gun when the Heavy Weapons Troops were formed. Their anti-tank weapon was the Boys anti-tank rifle which was replaced from 1943 in Commando service by the PIAT.

Operations

Main articles: British Commando operations during the Second World War and List of Commando raids on the Atlantic wall

The first Commando raid was Operation Collar on 23 June 1940. The raid was not carried out by a Commando unit, but by one of their predecessors, No.11 Independent Company. Under the command of Major Ronnie Tod, it was an offensive reconnaissance on the French coast south of Boulogne-sur-Mer and Le Touquet. The operation was a limited success. The only British injury was a bullet graze to Lieutenant Colonel Dudley Clarke who was there as an observer, while at least two German soldiers were killed. A second and similarly inconsequential attack, Operation Ambassador, was launched on the German occupied island of Guernsey on the night of 14 July 1940 by men drawn from H Troop of No. 3 Commando and No. 11 Independent Company. One unit landed on the wrong island. Another group disembarked from its launch into water that came over their heads. Intelligence had indicated that there was a large German barracks on the island but the Commandos only discovered empty buildings. On their return to the beach they discovered that heavy seas had forced their launch offshore, so they had to swim out to sea to get picked up.

The size of the raiding force depended on the objective. The smallest raid was conducted by two men from No. 6 Commando in Operation J V. The largest raid was the 10,500 men in Operation Jubilee. Most of the raids were scheduled to only last overnight, however, some like Operation Gauntlet, were conducted over a number of days.

In North West Europe there were 57 raids were all between 1940–1944 and were mostly against targets in France, which had 36 raids. There were 12 raids in Norway, seven raids in the Channel Islands and one each in Belgium and the Netherlands. The raids met with a mixture of fortunes. Operation Chariot the raid against dock installations at St Nazaire, has since been called the greatest raid ever. Others like Operation Aquatint and Operation Musketoon, resulted in the capture or death of all involved. The smaller raids ended in mid 1944, on the orders of Major-General Robert Laycock the then chief of Combined Operations Headquarters. He suggested that they were no longer as effective and only resulted in the Germans strengthening their beach defences, which could be detrimental to Allied plans.

Norway

Commandos during Operation Archery. The Commando on the left is armed with a Thompson submachine gun

The third Commando raid conducted was in Norway Operation Claymore in March 1941, by No. 3 and No. 4 Commandos. This was the first large scale raid from the United Kingdom during the war. Their objective was the undefended Norwegian Lofoten Islands. They successfully destroyed the fish-oil factories, petrol dumps, and 11 ships, while capturing 216 Germans, encryption equipment and codebooks.

In December 1941 there were two raids in Norway. The first was Operation Anklet, a raid on the Lofoten Islands by No. 12 Commando on 26 December. The raid was to provide a diversion for Operation Archery, a larger raid at Vågsøy Island. The German garrison, amid Christmas celebrations, was easily overcome and the Commandos re-embarked after two days. The second raid was Operation Archery on 27 December. It involved men from Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6 Commandos, a flotilla from the Royal Navy, and limited air support. The raid caused significant damage to factories, warehouses, and the German garrison, and sank eight ships. The raid prompted the Germans to increase the garrison in Norway by an extra 30,000 troops, upgrade coastal and inland defences, and send a number of capital ships to the area.

Operation Archery the wounded man was shot between the eyes by a German sniper

In September 1942 men from No. 2 Commando took part in Operation Musketoon. This was a raid against the Glomfjord hydroelectric power plant in Norway. The raiders were landed by submarine and succeeded in blowing up pipelines, turbines and tunnels, effectively destroying the generating station. The aluminium plant was shut down permanently. One commando was killed in the raid, and another seven were captured while trying to escape the area, and were taken to Colditz Castle. From there they were taken to Sachsenhausen concentration camp and executed, the first victims of the Commando Order, in which Adolf Hitler secretly ordered the execution of all captured Commandos. The three remaining commandos managed to escape to Sweden and eventually returned to No. 2 Commando.

In 1943, No. 5 (Norwegian) Troop, No. 10 (Inter-Allied), No. 12 and No. 14 (Arctic) Commandos raided the Norwegian coast from their base in Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. In April seven men of No. 14 (Arctic) Commando took part in Operation Checkmate, a raid on German shipping near Haugesund. They managed to sink several ships using limpet mines, but were captured and eventually taken to Sachsenhausen and Bergen-Belsen concentration camps, where they were executed.

The German response to the numerous raids directed at Norway was to increase the number of troops stationed there. By 1944 the garrison had risen to 370,000 men. By comparison a British infantry division in 1944 had an establishment of 18,347 men.

Channel islands

British Commandos marching past a collapsed Goatley boat which was used in smaller raids transferring from motor boats to the shore

There were seven commando raids in the Channel islands, the first was Operation Ambassador in July 1940, with 100 men taking part was the largest the rest were all much smaller raids. The next raid was in September 1942, Operation Dryad by 12 men of No. 62 Commando. This raid on the Le Casquets lighthouse was more successful and seven prisoners and several codebooks were found and taken back to England for analysis. The second raid was followed a few days later by Operation Branford, which was a reconnaissance mission to locate a suitable gun position to support a future raid on Alderney. In October 1942 12 men from No.s 12 and 62 Commandos took part in Operation Basalt which resulted in the death of four Germans and one captured. The other raids all ended in failure. In January 1943 10 men from No. 62 Commando took part in Operation Huckabuck after three attempts to scale the cliffs when they did reach the top, there was no signs of the German occupation or the islands population. In December 1943 10 men from No. 10 and No. 12 Commandos took part in Operations Hardtack 28 and Hardtack 7. During Hardtack 28 after climbing the cliffs they entered a minefield which resulted in the death of two men and another was wounded. The exploding mines alerted the German garrison and the commandos had to abandon the operation. In Hardtack 7 the Commandos again had to abandon the operation and return to England being unable to scale the cliffs.

Mediterranean

HMS Glengyle the Layforce transport ship that also took part in the Bardia raid

In the Mediterranean during 1941, the Middle East Commandos and Layforce were intended to be employed to carry out a campaign of harassment and dislocation against enemy forces in the Mediterranean. At the time that Layforce was raised, the British were largely in the ascendency in the theatre, having largely defeated the Italians, and it was felt that the commandos could be employed in the capture of the island of Rhodes. The arrival of the Afrika Korps in Cyrenaica and the invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece greatly changed the strategic outlook, however, and by the time that Layforce arrived in Egypt in March the situation had become dire. The deployment of forces to Greece meant that in the commandos became the only troops in general reserve and as the strategic situation worsened it became increasingly difficult to employ them in the manner for which it had been intended as they were called upon to reinforce the rest of the army elsewhere.On May 1941 the majority of Layforce were sent to reinforce the Battle of Crete. Almost as soon as they landed it was decided that they could not be employed in an offensive role and would instead be used to cover the withdrawal route towards he south. They were ill equipped for this type of operation, lacking in the indirect fire support weapons such as mortars or artillery and were armed mainly with rifles and a few Bren light machine guns. By 31 May the evacuation was drawing to a close and the commandos, running low on ammunition, rations and water, fell back towards Sphakia. In the end, the vast majority of the commandos were left behind on the island becoming prisoners of war. Of the 800 commandos that had been sent to Crete, by the end of the operation about 600 were listed as killed, missing or wounded and only 179 officers and other ranks managed to get off the island. In April 1941 men from No. 7 Commando took part in the Bardia raid, but by late July 1941 Layforce had been severely reduced in strength. In the circumstances reinforcements were unlikely. The operational difficulties that had been exposed during the Bardia raid, combined with the inability of the high command to fully embrace the commando concept had largely served to make the force ineffective and as a result the decision was made to disband Layforce.

Men from No. 9 Commando the morning after Operation Partridge near the Garigliano river, 30 December 1943

In November 1942, No. 1 and No. 6 Commando’s formed part of the spearhead for the Allied landings in Algeria as part of Operation Torch. The Tunisia Campaign following the Torch landings No. 1 and No. 6 Commando's were involved in first battle of Sedjenane between February and March 1943. In May 1943 a Special Service Brigade comprising of No. 2, No. 3, No. 40 (RM), and No. 41 (RM) Commandos was sent to the Mediterranean to take part in the Allied invasion of Sicily. The two Royal Marine commandos being the first into action landing ahead of the main force. In November 11943, No. 4 Belgian and No. 6 Polish Troops joined the 2nd Special Service Brigade in Italy. Notably the Poles captured a German occupied village alone when the 2/6th Battalion Queen's Regiment failed to reach a rendezvous on time. On 1 April 1945 the whole of the now named 2nd Commando Brigade were engaged in Operation Roast at Comacchio lagoon, north east Italy. This was the first major action in the big spring offensive to push the Germans back across the River Po and out of Italy. After a fierce three-day battle, the Commandos succeeded in clearing the spit separating the lagoon from the Adriatic, so securing the flank of the 8th Army and fostering the idea the main offensive would be along the coast and not though the Argenta Gap. It was during Operation Roast that Major Anders Lassen, previously of No.62 Commando now attached to the Special Air Service was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

France

Commandos captured after the St. Nazaire Raid

There were 36 commando raids targeted against France between 1940–1944, most were small affairs comprising of between 10 and 25 men. Some of the larger raids involved one or more commando units.

In March 1942, No. 2 Commando plus demolition experts from Numbers 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 12 Commandos took part in Operation Chariot, also known as the St. Nazaire Raid. The destroyer HMS Campbeltown had 24 Mark VII depth-charges (4 1/4 tons) cemented below decks behind the forward gun support. Accompanied by 18 smaller ships, the Campbeltown sailed into port where she was rammed directly into the Normandie dock gates. The Commandos engaged the German forces and destroyed the dock facilities. Eight hours later, delayed-action fuses set off the explosives in the Campbeltown which wrecked the dock gates and killed some 360 Germans and French. A total of 611 soldiers and sailors took part in Chariot; 169 were killed and 200 (most wounded) taken prisoner. Only 242 returned immediately. Of the 241 commandos who took part 64 were posted as killed or missing and 109 captured. Among participants in the raid two commandos, Lieutenant Colonel Augustus Charles Newman and Sergeant Thomas Durrant, together with three members of the Royal Navy, were awarded the Victoria Cross, while 80 others received decorations for gallantry.

Lord Lovat and men from No. 4 Commando at Newhaven after returning from the Dieppe raid

On 19 August 1942 the Dieppe raid, a major landing, took place at the French coastal town of Dieppe. The main force was provided by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division supported by No. 3 and No. 4 Commando. The mission of No. 3 Commando was to neutralize a German coastal battery near Berneval, which could fire upon the landing at Dieppe. The landing craft carrying No. 3 Commando ran into a German coastal convoy. Only a handful of commandos under the second in command, Major Peter Young, landed and scaled the barbed wire laced cliffs. Eventually 18 Commandos reached the perimeter of the battery via Berneval and engaged their target with small arms fire. Although unable to destroy the guns, their sniping of the gun crews prevented the Germans from firing effectively on the main assault. In a subsidiary operation, No. 4 Commando, including the French Troop No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando and 50 United States Army Rangers, landed in force and destroyed their target, the artillery battery at Varengeville. Most of No. 4 Commando safely returned to England. Captain Patrick Porteous of No. 4 Commando was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the raid.

Commandos of 1st Special Service Brigade, and German prisoners after meeting up with 6th Airborne Division 7 June 1944

During the Normandy landings of 6 June 1944 two Special Service Brigades were used, the 1st and 4th. The 2,500 men of the 1st Special Service Brigade landed behind the British 3rd Infantry Division on Sword Beach. Their main objective was to fight through to the 6th Airborne Division that had landed overnight and was holding the northern flank and the bridges over the Orne River. The 1st Special Service Brigade remained in Normandy for ten weeks, sustaining 1,000 casualties, including the brigade commander, Brigadier Lord Lovat.

The 4th Special Service Brigade was split up. No. 48 (RM) landed on the left flank of Juno Beach and No. 41 (RM) landed on the right flank of Sword Beach. No. 48 (RM) landed in front of the St. Aubin-sur-Mer strong point and lost forty percent of its men. No. 41 (RM) assaulted Lion-sur-Mer but was beaten back. No. 47 (RM) landed on Gold Beach at 09:50 near the town of Asnells. Five of the Landing Craft Assault vehicles carrying them ashore were sunk by mines and beach obstacles resulting in the loss of 76 of the 420 men in the Commando. These losses delayed their advance to their primary objective, the port of Port-en-Bessin, which they captured on 7 June.

Burma

British soldiers wading ashore from landing craft, in the background is a tree lined beach

3rd Commando Brigade coming ashore during the Burma Campaign

In the Burma Campaign the 3rd Commando Brigade participated in coastal landings during the Allied Southern Front offensive of 1944/1945. Culminating in the battle of Hill 170 at Kangaw. Here Lt G Knowland of 4 Troop No 1 Army Commando was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. The Commandos' victory in the 36 hour battle for Hill 170 had cut off the escape of the 54th Japanese Division. Further amphibious landings by the the 25th Indian Infantry Division and the overland advance of the 82nd (West Africa) Division made the Japanese position in the Arakan untenable and they ordered a general withdrawal to avoid the complete destruction of the Twenty-Eighth Japanese Army. The brigade was then withdrawn back to India for to prepare for Operation Zipper, the planned invasion of Malaya. The war ended before the Zipper landings could take place and the brigade was sent to liberate Hong Kong instead.

Legacy

At the end of the Second World War all the British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and some Royal Marine Commandos were disbanded, leaving only three Royal Marine Commandos and one brigade. As of 2010 the British Commando force is 3 Commando Brigade, which consists of both Royal Marine and British Army components. Other units of the British armed forces that can trace their origins to the British Commandos of the Second World War are the Parachute Regiment, the Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service.

Of the Western nations represented in No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando only Norway did not develop a commando force. The French troops were the predecessors of the Naval commandos. The Dutch Troop were the predecessors of the Korps Commandotroepen and the Belgian Troops were the predecessors of the Paracommando Brigade.

The United States Army Rangers can also trace their origins to the British Commandos. The Rangers were formed on 7 June 1942. Their first volunteers were from troops stationed in Northern Ireland. On 28 June they were sent to train at the Commando depot at Achnacarry, where they were taught commando tactics and techniques. Their first mission was during the Dieppe raid when 50 rangers were attached to No. 4 Commando.

The men serving with the commandos were awarded 479 decorations for valour during the Second World War. This includes eight Victoria Crosses awarded to all ranks. Officers were awarded 37 Distinguished Service Orders with nine bars for a second award and 162 Military Crosss with 13 bars. Other ranks were awarded 32 Distinguished Conduct Medals and 218 Military Medals.

In 1952 the Commando Memorial was unveiled by the Queen Mother. It is now a Category A listed monument in Scotland, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces raised during Second World War. Situated around a mile from Spean Bridge village, it overlooks the training areas of the Commando Training Depot established in 1942 at Achnacarry Castle.

Notes

Footnotes

Citations

References

• van der Bijl, Nick (2006). No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando 1942-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841769991.
• Binney, Marcus (2006). Secret War Heroes. London: Hodder and Stoughton. ISBN 9780340829103.
• Brayley, Martin; Chappell, Mike (2001). British Army 1939–45 (1): North-West Europe. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1841760528.
• Chappell, Mike (1996). Army Commandos 1940–1945. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1855325799.
• Dunning, James (2003). The Fighting Fourth: No. 4 Commando at War 1940–45. Stroud, England: Sutton. ISBN 9780750930956.
• Haskew, Michael E (2007). Encyclopaedia of Elite Forces in the Second World War. Barnsley: Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781844155774.
• Jones, Tim (2006). SAS Zero Hour: the Secret Origins of the Special Air Service. London: Greenhill Books. ISBN 1853676691.
• Joslen, H. F. (1990). Orders of Battle, Second World War, 1939–1945. London: Naval & Military Press. ISBN 1843424746.
• Laffin, John (1999). Raiders: great exploits of the Second World War. Stroud: Sutton. ISBN 0750915250.
• Macksey, Kenneth (1990). Commando: hit-and-run combat in World War II. Chelsea: Scarborough House. ISBN 0812829735.
• Macksey, Kenneth; Woodhouse, William (1991). The Penguin Encyclopedia of Modern Warfare: 1850 to the Present Day. London; New York: Viking. ISBN 0670826987.
• Messenger, Charles (1991). The Last Prussian: a Biography of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, 1875-1953. London; Washington: Brassey's. ISBN 0080367070.
• Messenger, Charles (2004). The D Day Atlas. London: Thames & Hudson. ISBN 500251231. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: length (help)
• Moreman, Timothy Robert (2006). British Commandos 1940-46. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 184176986X.
• Morgan, Mike (2000). Daggers drawn: Second World War Heroes of the SAS and SBS. Stroud: Sutton. ISBN 0750925094.
• Parker, John (2000). Commandos: The Inside Story of Britain's Most Elite Fighting Force. London: Headline. ISBN 9780747270089.
• Rottman, Gordon L (1987). US Army Rangers & LRRP Units 1942-87. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0850457955.
• Saunders, Hilary St. George (1971). The Green Beret: The Commandos at War. London: Four Square Books. ISBN 0450010074.
• Saunders, Paul (2005). The British Channel Islands under German occupation, 1940-1945. Jersey: Jersey Heritage Trust. ISBN 0953885836.
• Shortt, James; McBride, Angus (1981). The Special Air Service. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0850453968.
• Icon Group (2008). Commandos: Webster's Quotations, Facts and Phrases. San Diego: ICON Group International. ISBN 0546696457.
• Zuehlke, Mark (2005). Juno Beach: Canada's D-Day Victory - June 6, 1944. Vancouver, B.C.: Douglas & McIntyre. ISBN 1553650913.

External links

• Combined Operations
• Commando Veterans Association
• 30 Commando Assault Unit - Ian Fleming's 'Red Indians'
• No. 6 (Army) Commando
• No, 47 (Royal Marine) Commando Association