Crossing the Seine on 31 August at Duclair, in the next 5 days the Brigade liberated Pavilly, Yerville, Motteville, Yvêtot, Bermonville and Valmont. During the rest of September, after a spell policing Le Havre, the Brigade contained the German forces isolated in Dunkirk taking over from 2 Canadian Division. The port’s surroundings were actively patrolled by the commandos before they in turn passed these duties to a composite force with carriers, and prepared for the Walcheren landings.
Training near Ostend during October when ‘No.4’ replaced ‘No.46(RM)’, the Brigade rehearsed landings in their amphibious vehicles and trained drivers for the Weasels allocated to them. They were joined by two Troops of 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando, a squadron of the Lothian Tank Regiment with Flails, an Assault Regiment with AVREs, two Field Companies RE, 114th Pioneer Company, and the 10th Canadian Field Dressing Station. Their landings on Walcheren are described in Chapter 11.
The Brigade left Walcheren on 12 November and after a rest period near Breskens they moved at the end of the month to defend the Scheldt islands. They were stationed around Goes on South Beveland during December, with some redeployment when the German offensive opened later that month. In February active patrolling begain in a series of raids against Schouwen, Overflakkee and Tiengemeten islands (north of the Beceland islands) withe the intention of moving north across the channels of the estuary if the Germans had evacuated the islands. Several raids over 2 miles (3 + km) from their bases showed little German activity, but the Brigade actions further east on the Maas, when 47(RM) Commando had already been detached to join 1 Cdo Bde, was more active. Here south-east of Rotterdam and running east to west the Waal with the Mass 5 to 10 miles (8-16km) further south, forms part of the Rhinek estuary rivers. ‘No.41(RM)’ and later ‘No.48(RM)’ were detached for a time on the Maas front, serving under command of 116 Infantry Bde.
The Brigade provided mobile reserves behind a Belgian battalion and 600 Dutch resistance fighters, while raiding into the Biesbosch complex of islands in the Maas/Merwede triangle of waters. The last raid ws made on 22 April finding little opposition. Firing ceased on 1 May except for defensive and counter battery fire against definite targets, for the Allies were airdropping food to the starving population of north-west Holland.
The Brigade moved to Minden (German) late in May, here some reinforcements for 1 Commando Bde were drawn from 4 Bde in June expecting to see service in the Far East. After various guard duties the Brigade returned to the UK and was disbanded early in 1946.
1 Commando
First formed in the summer of 1940, some men transferred as parachute volunteers to the airborne. 90 men raiding Pointe de Saire (Courselles) from a small LSI were mistakenly landed at St Aubin on night 27/8 September 1941, the eastern force was driven off by machine gun fire but the western force ambushed a German cycle patrol and brought off an enemy body after 25 minutes ashore. The following April they sailed to the River Adour south of Bordeaux but did not land dur to estuary sandbars. In June 1942 they landed in the Boulogne/Le Touquet area penetrating 500 yards. The Commando in the Torch landings (North Africa) with attached American troops, came ashore on 8 November 1942 in the Algiers area, see Chapter 8.
During December 1942 the Commando were in the Allied line and in the next few months took part in overland raids and patrols based for part of the time in the area of Sedjenane. Returning to the UK on 24 April 1943, they prepared for operations in the Far East with 3 Commando Brigade. Delayed with their ship was bombed in the Mediterranean they did not reach Ceylon until September 1944, joining 3 Commando Brigade two months later.
Landing in Burma early in November 1944 they spent a short period with the XV India Corps carrying out eight patrols and experiencing the Japanese tactics in jungle warfare.
In early January they landed on the Myebon peninsula. Eight days later, 22 January, they came ashore as the assault Troops in taking Hill 170 when the Brigade landed near Kangaw. Moving in single file they secured the southern slopes but were held by enemy fire, however later that day they took the rest of this ridge-hill. On 31 January they beat off a major conter-attack, and in heavy fighting next day succeeded in holding nearly all the ridge against a series of attacks that lasted all day. The Commando moved with 3 Brigade to Hong Kong and was merged in the 1/5 Cdo before being disbanded in 1946.
2 Commando
Intended as a parachute unit on formation in July 1940, this Commando was later reformed for amphibious operations. The major part of two Troops went to Vaagsö with 3 Cdo in late December 1941. Drawn largely from 54 (East Anglian), 55 (Liverpool) and the London Divisions, the Cdo under Lieutenant Colonel A. C. Newman VC, TD, DL (Essex Regiment) provided the principal force for the successful St Nazaire raid in August 1942 (Chapter 2).
Reformed under Lieutenant-Colonel J.M.T.F. Churchill MC by the summer of 1943, the Commando arrived at Gibralter (22 July 1943) and on 15 August they landed near Cap D’Ali (Sicily) as part of a force intended to cut off the German coast road retreat to Messina. They met little opposition spearheading the raiding force’s drive into Messina, as the Germans had evacuated the area. In September they landed in Salerno Bay (Italy) and were virtually unopposed in coming ashore at Marinak, but in the following week helped to hold the defile of La Molina against German counter-attacks.
After a spell of rest near Catania and a recruiting campaign among troops in the Mediterranean threatre, the Commando arrived at the island of Vis (Dalmation coast) on 16 January 1944. From here they raided—often in company with Yugoslav partisans—first attacking the German outpost near Milna (a port on the island of Hvar) taking five German prisoners on 27 January. On 28 and 30 January further reconnaissance patrols landed on Hvar, on 3/4 February No.2 Troop landed against a German platoon outpost at Grablje (Hvar) and captured the Germans’ two fortified houses. Lieutenant Barton landed on the island of Brac, staying several days on a recce in mid-February. Posing as a shepherd, he infiltrated the German HQ area in the village of Nerejisce and with two partisans broke into the German CO’s billet where the Lieutenant—using his Sten gun—shot the German in his bedroom. Escaping with the partisans, Barton was safely returned by them to Vis. The Lieutenant went back to Brac on 27 February and his small recce patrol captured a German outposts. Seven Americans of the Special Operations Group landed the same day on Hvar and outshot the only German patrol they met. Several recces were made on Solta during the next few weeks in preparation for a major raid.
The Solta landings were made on 17 March by two Troops of 2 Commandos, ‘No.43 (RM)‘s’ Heavy Weapons Troop, two units of the American Special Operations Group (100 all ranks) and 3 captured Italian 47mm (1.7in) mountain guns manned by anti-aircraft gunners—a force of 43 officers and 450 ORs. They landed successfully and with their partisans guides made a night approach through steep hillside vineyards. The enemy had been alerted before the Commandos’ supported fire and a well-timed air attack enabled the raiders to breakk into the small garrison town of Grohote. The German CO was captured in the street fighting and persuaded his men to surrender, 104 prisoners were taken and four Germans killed. The Commando and Americans lost two men killed and 14 wounded. On 110 May a force of partisans with Commando support accounted for most of the other garrisons on this island.
The Commando helped the partisans in further reconnaissance raids on Korcula, Mljet and other islands during this spring (1944). On 23 May 2 Commando, with ‘No.43 RM’, made an unsuccessful raid to Mljet where the expected German garrison could not be cornered and the commandos withdrew having taken some casualties from enemy fire. Early in June the Cdo landed on Brac (page 225) as part of a force including 1,300 partisans and Colonel Jack Churchill was captured. The Commando returned to Vis where they were later inspected by Marshal Tito before returning to Italy to rest and refit under Lieutenant-Colonel F. W. Fynn MC who had been Colonel Jack Churchill’s 2i/c. In July he led them ashore 4 miles (6km) south of Spilje near the village of Himara in Albania, as part of a force of 12 officers and 70
0 men he commanded, including C Company of the 2nd Highland Light Infantry, the LRDG, a medical detachment and a press unit. The Germans had been warned of the landing and were ready to defend their four strong points. After repeated attacks on so stoutly defended a position, the Force withdrew and two days later partisans took the Spilje garrison when the German defenders were down to 32 tired men. In September the Commando landed at Sarande to support Albanian—and later Greek—partisans, see 2 SS Brigade’s history.
After their return to Italy they were concentrated with 2 SS Bde near Ravenna in February 1945. Their part in the March 1945 assault across Lake Comacchio is described in Chapter 9. After this action the Cdo with ‘no.43 (RM)’ operated in the flats south of Argenta as part of V Corps drive through the Argenta gap.
After the German surrender in Italt the Commando served with the occupation forced during the winter of 1945 and were disbanded the following year.
3 Commando
Formed at Plymouth early in July 1940 under Lieutenant-Colonel J.F. Durnford-Slater DSO who was appointed one of the first Commando COs on 28 June. He led 40 men of the 150-strong force raiding Guernsey some three weeks later. Ten of the first 35 officers were regulars and until the reorganisation early in 1941, the Commando—like others formed in 1940—trained independently. In March 1941 they landed unopposed in the Lofoten Islands, the following December they made the first opposed major raid to Caagsö—both actions are described in Chapter 2.
The Commando’s target at Dieppe in August 1942 was the Berneval battery because—their CO has written—they were good at climbing cliffs. Enemy action at sea led to only a few men getting ashore but they successfully disrupted the battery’s fire (see Chapter 5).
Brought up to strength in the autumn of 1942, the Commando relieved ‘No.9’ at Gibraltar in February 1943. Here they were availabe for raids should Spain enter the war to help Germany. They were relieved by 2 Commando after several weeks and went to North Africa to train for the Sicily landings, these and their actions in Italy are described in Chapters 8 and 9—the landing near Cassibile (Sicily) to take the battery north-west of this town; the outflanking landingk to Malati bridge, their last operation in Sicily marked by a memorial stone inscribed ‘No.3 Commando bridge’; patrols landed to recce Bova Marina 27/8 August 1943; the early September landing at San Venere in the Toe of Italy; and the action at Termoli in a landing to outflank the German positions on the Biferno river.
Returning to the UK, in the winter of 1943/4 they prepared for the Normandy landings under Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Young DSO, MC. On 6 June 1944 they followed ‘No.45(RM)’ and ‘No.6’ across the beaches at La Breche west of Ouistreham. The Commando took their place in the Orne line, from here on the afternoon of D + 1 (7 June) they put in a two-Troop attack on the Merville battery but after an initial success they were driven back by SP guns, one patrol led by Lieutenant H.T. Williams were all killed or wounded whle stalking these guns. In the following weeks the Commando showed their excellent fire discipline, often waiting until an enemy patrol was almost on top of their positions before opening fire to destroy the enemy. They made the advance with 1 SS Bde east of the Dives.
In September they returned to the UK, but were back in the Allied line on 16 January 1945 at Asten. Their first action was 10 miles west of the Siegfried Line at Linne (Holland).
The Commando crossed the Rhine in LVTs on the night of 23/4 March, passing through the leading commando of 1 Cdo Bde into Wesel they cleared an area of the north and north-west suburbs with 46(RM) AND 45(RM) Commandos on their left cutting off the town’s garrison from reinforcements. On 3 April in heavy spring rain showers they were 19 hours on the move, before putting in a night attack on osnabruck from high ground north-west of the town. They met little resistance although others found serious opposition. The town fell to the Brigade next day. The Commando then found good billets with their HQ in a mansion and many men in a brewery.
After following ‘No.6’ across the Weser, the Commando moved through woods on 8 April to attack a V-2 rocket factory a mile north of Leese. Capt. J. Alderson MC was killed and the CO—Lieutenant-Colonel Bartholomew—climbed on a tank in an exposed position, while he directed its fire and other tanks’ shots until resistance ceased.
Taking the lead for the Brigade’s crossing of the Aller on 12 April, No.6 Troop in the van crossed the demolished first span of the railway bridge lying the fields a mile down river from Essel. While silently crossing the still intact river spans, 5 men were wounded but the bridge was taken and demolition charges removed.
The Commando’s last action was in clearing Lauenburg with the Brigade on 29 April. After service with the occupation force, the Commando was disbanded in 1946.
4 Commando
Formed in July 1940, the Commando’s medical teams were among the first to see action at Vaagsö in December 1941. From time to time the Commando provided men for raids, and in August they made a perfect flank guard’s assault on the coastal battery west of Dieppe—see Chapter 5.
Their next major action was the Normandy landings 6 June 1944 when, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R.W.P. Dawson, the Commando took the Quistreham battery before moving to the Orne river line and two months active patrolling.
A detachment was sent (with some men of 6 Commando) to guard General Montgomery’s Headquarters for several weeks.
On 18 August the Commando made a 3-hour march, having by-passed the wood on their front, to reach Bavent village evacuated by the Germans that morning. At 2000 hours on 20 August, Troop leaders were briefed for the night march to L‘Epine, their starting point for the assault on the road crossing near Deauville on the plateau beyond the Dives river. The light was fading as the men were briefed for the complicated route to follow, passing over a duckboard bridge across the River Dives to a difficult scramble up the far bank. They reached the start line after a nightmare march although no enemy opposed them until they came to a strip of road some 400 yards from their crossroads objective. Next day they marched on to the plateau and a welcome lack of mosquitoes. They passed through the burning Pont L‘Eveque, prepared for anothe infiltration, but the Germans had withdrawn and in bright sunshine they marched to Beuzeville. Three miles beyond the town each Troop was given an area with barns where they slept on straw 15 hours a day from 28-31 August.
After returning to the UK they came back to mainland Europe in October joining 4 SS Bde to prepare for the Walcheren assault. Their landing at Flushing was a fine example of the exploitation of opportunity, for no detailed landing point could be fixed before they crossed the Scheldt. After the actions on Walcheren and a short rest at Ostend, the Commando raided a German HQ on Schouwen getting ashore unopposed on this island in the Maas. They killed four paris of sentries but were driven off the island by superior numbers.
The Commando was disbanded on 1 July 1946.
5 Commando
Formed in July 1940 largely from regulars and reservists who had escaped from Dunkirk. On 30/31 August 1941 30 men of the Commando landed at Merlimont Plage (south of Hardelot) and got ashore at two points but found no enemy. Four of the Commando were killed at St Nazaire, Sergeant F.A. Carr RE was awarded the DCM and Lieut S.W. Chant the MC, for their part in this raid. Two months later the Commando landed on Madagascar with the 5 Division to secure this French colony from possible Japanese invasion. After the men had ‘a run ashore’ in Durban the fast and slow convoys sailed north to meet at dusk on 4 May off Diego Suarez, before a destroyer led them through the reefs into this naval base’s outer anchorage where the landing craft were launched at 620. The Commando reached the town without serious loss but the artillery could not be landed until nightfall as their LST HMS Bachequero could not find a steep enough shore and when she did so there was no road inland from this beach. At Antsirane 50 Royal Marines got into the town by determination and good fortune, after landing from a destroyer under fire, and ‘took the Frenchman’s eyes off the ball’. By daybreak the Vichy forces surrendered. They had lost 150
killed and 500 wounded in these actions and two more landings—by 29 Brigade—were during the next 5 months before the island was secured. By then the Commando was back in the UKL where under Lieutenant-Colonel Shaw they became part of 3 SS Bde. Colonel Shaw wa ‘a first rate officer’ in the opinion of a fellow CO.
They reached Bombay with 44(RM) Commando on 22 January 1944 and early in March landed at Alethangyaw where they were ashore several days near this Arakan village before returning to the main XV Corps’ positions. On 23 March they were again in this coastal strip and in a series of patrols they took machine-gun posts on several hills near Maungdaw (120 miles south of Chittagong). Withdrawn to Silchar with other forces waiting a possible Japanese advance through north-west Burma, before the Commando was withdrawn to Ceylon joining the rest of 3 Cdo Bde.
Their part in the landing at Myebon and Kangaw during January 1945 is described in Chapter 12. They were withdrawn with the Brigade to Poona (India) kand disbanded from Hong Kong in 1946 as 1/5 Cdo.
6 Commando
Formed at Scarborough in the summer of 1940 under Lieutenant-Colonel T.E. Fetherstonhaugh OBE, this Commando—like several others—spent some months standing by for possible raids to the Atlantic islands, and in December 1941 they embarked for a raid with half of 12 Commando against Floss (Norway). The raid was called off due to navigational difficulties but there were 17 casualties, including 6 men killed when a press camera-man moved some grenades and a 36 grenade went off before it could be hurled clear of a hatchway. Sailing to River Ardour estuary with 1 Commando in April 1942, they did not land. On 3/4 June 250 of the Commando landed north of Plage St Cecily, but their radark station target was heavily defended. The raiders nevertheless got ashore although their approach was detected.
Commandos and Rangers of World War II Page 41
