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Commandos
The Royal Marines Engineer Commando was formed on the 25th of October 1943 from units in the RM Battalions which were trained as assault engineers and in demolition.
The Royal Marines Commando was formed entirely from volunteers on the 14th of February 1942, briefly known as A RM Commando, it was designated 40 Royal Marines Commando in October 1942. They trained on the Isle of Wight with the Commandos being billeted in homes at Shanklin, Sandown and Ventnor. They saw action at Dieppe, St Benere, Termoli, Anzio, Dalmatian Islands, and Lake Comacchio. The unit was disbanded early in October 1946.
No. 8 Commando was formed from personnel of Household Cavalry, Foot Guards, Somerset Light Infantry, and Royal Marines. They operated as A Battalion in 6th Division, seeing action in Crete in May 1941 before moving to North Africa. They were disbanded in July 1941 with some personnel transferring to Middle East Commando.
10th February 1941 Operation Colossus
28th Sep 1941 Raid
19th Feb 1942 Demonstration
28th Feb 1942 Raid
28th Mar 1942 In Action
2nd Apr 1942 Raid
3rd Jun 1942 Raid
21 October 1942 Operation Torch planned
8th Nov 1942 In Action
15th November 1942 Airfield defences set up
1st Dec 1942 In Action
February 1943 Operation Longcloth
23rd of February 1943 Ops instructions received
24th of February 1943 Recce
25th of February 1943 Liaison
26th of February 1943 Action
1st Mar 1943 Infiltration
3rd Mar 1943 Withdrawal
7th May 1943 Exercise Thunder
15th August 1943 On the Move
16th August 1943 In Action
17th August 1943 Advance
4th Oct 1943 In Action
6th Oct 1943 Withdrawal
13th Jan 1945 Heavy Casualties
22nd January 1944 Battle of Anzio
14th Feb 1944 Posting
April 1944 Reliefs
1st May 1944 Planning
1st Jun 1944 Preparations
1st Jun 1944 Preparations
2nd Jun 1944 Preparations
3rd Jun 1944 Preparations
4th Jun 1944 Delay
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 On the Move
5th Jun 1944 Orders
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 Advance
6th June 1944 Pathfinders
6th June 1944 Landings
6th Jun 1944 Landings
6th Jun 1944 Landings
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 Under Fire
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 Orders
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th June 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 Landing
6th Jun 1944 Rough Sea
6th Jun 1944 Landing
6th Jun 1944 Landings
6th Jun 1944 Fighting
6th Jun 1944 In Action
6th Jun 1944 Obstacles
6th Jun 1944 Shelling
6th Jun 1944 Beach Landing
6th Jun 1944 Street Fighting
6th Jun 1944 On the Move
7th Jun 1944 In Action
7th Jun 1944 Attacks Made
7th Jun 1944 Prisoners Taken
7th Jun 1944 Attack Made
7th Jun 1944 Attack Made
7th Jun 1944 Enemy Active
7th Jun 1944 Advance
7th Jun 1944 Orders
7th Jun 1944 Attack Made
7th Jun 1944 Attack Made
7th Jun 1944 In Action
7th Jun 1944 Digging in
7th Jun 1944 Attack Made
7th June 1944 In Action
7th Jun 1944 In Action
8th Jun 1944 Radar Station
8th Jun 1944 Consolidation
8th Jun 1944 Attack Made
8th June 1944 Under Attack
8th Jun 1944 Counter Attack
8th Jun 1944 Enemy Attacks
8th Jun 1944 Patrols
8th Jun 1944 Advance
8th Jun 1944 Patrols Maintained
8th Jun 1944 Security
8th Jun 1944 In Action
8th Jun 1944 Counter Attacks
8th June 1944 Hard Fighting
8th Jun 1944 Under Attack
9th Jun 1944 Orders
9th Jun 1944 Orders
9th June 1944 Digging in
9th Jun 1944 Under Fire
9th Jun 1944 Hard Fighting
10th Jun 1944 Advance
10th Jun 1944 Under Attack
10th June 1944 Prisoners
10th Jun 1944 In Action
10th Jun 1944 Shelling
11th Jun 1944 Advance
11th Jun 1944 Patrols
11th June 1944 Shelling
11th Jun 1944 Heavy Shelling
12th Jun 1944 Reliefs
12th Jun 1944 Attack Made
12th June 1944 Shelling
12th Jun 1944 Attack Made
13th June 1944 Air Raids
13th Jun 1944 Prisoners
14th June 1944 Bombing and Straffing
14th Jun 1944 Rest Room Organised
15th Jun 1944 Little Information
15th Jun 1944 Quiet
16th Jun 1944 Attacks
16th Jun 1944 Recce
17th Jun 1944 Quiet
18th Jun 1944 In Action
18th Jun 1944 Raid
18th Jun 1944 Shelling
19th Jun 1944 In Action
19th Jun 1944 Quiet
20th Jun 1944 Shelling
20th Jun 1944 Orders Received
21st Jun 1944 Fighting Patrols
22nd Jun 1944 Short Shoot
23rd Jun 1944 Enemy Active
24th Jun 1944 Instructions
24th Jun 1944 Enemy Active
25th Jun 1944 Raid
25th Jun 1944 Experimental Gadget
26th Jun 1944 Postings
27th Jun 1944 Quiet
28th Jun 1944 Visit
29th Jun 1944 Raid
29th Jun 1944 Snipers
30th Jun 1944 Raid
30th Jun 1944 Quiet
1st July 1944 Patrol
2nd July 1944 Patrol
3rd July 1944 Broadcast Fails
4th July 1944 Attack Made
5th Jul 1944 Covering Party
6th Jul 1944 Quiet
7th Jul 1944 Air Raid
8th Jul 1944 Attack
9th Jul 1944 Fighting Patrol
10th Jul 1944 Shelling
11th Jul 1944 Quiet
12th Jul 1944 Inspection
13th Jul 1944 Quiet
14th Jul 1944 Memorial
15th Jul 1944 Awards
16th Jul 1944 Service
17th Jul 1944 Reorganisation
17th Jul 1944 Preparations
18th Jul 1944 Air Raid
19th Jul 1944 Unexploded Ordnace
20th Jul 1944 Postings
21st Jul 1944 Wet Day
22nd Jul 1944 Snipers and Patrols
23rd Jul 1944 Patrols
24th Jul 1944 Patrols
25th Jul 1944 Shelling
26th Jul 1944 Inspection
27th Jul 1944 Inspection
28th Jul 1944 Demonstration
29th Jul 1944 Postings
30th Jul 1944 Guard Duty
31st Jul 1944 Orders
1st Aug 1944 Recce Patrol
2nd Aug 1944 Positions Altered
3rd Aug 1944 Booby Traps
4th Aug 1944 Shelling
5th Aug 1944 Prisoners
6th Aug 1944 Artillery Active
7th Aug 1944 Skirmish
8th Aug 1944 Reorganisation
9th Aug 1944 Visit
10th August 1944 Shelling
11th August 1944 Shelling
12th August 1944 Shelling
13th August 1944 Shelling
14th August 1944 Visits
15th August 1944 Visits
16th August 1944 Preparations
17th August 1944 Move Forward
19th Aug 1944 Advance
21st Aug 1944 Advance
27th Oct 1944 Conferences
28th Oct 1944 Conferences
29th Oct 1944 Preparations
30th Oct 1944 Orders
30th Oct 1944 Preparations
31st Oct 1944 Orders
1st Nov 1944 Assault
1st Nov 1944 Assault Made
1st Nov 1944 On the Move
2nd Nov 1944 Advance
3rd Nov 1944 Tasks Completed
9th Nov 1944 Raids
20th Nov 1944 Parol
22nd Nov 1944 In Action
23rd Nov 1944 Prisoner
13th Dec 1944 Training
29th Dec 1944 Orders
1st Jan 1945 Preparations
2nd Jan 1945 On the Move
3rd Jan 1945 On the Move
3rd January 1945 Landing
3rd Jan 1945 Landings
4th Jan 1945 Conference
4th Jan 1945 Advance
5th Jan 1945 Patrols
6th Jan 1945 On the March
6th Jan 1945 Patrols
7th Jan 1945 Visits
8th Jan 1945 Orders
9th Jan 1945 Move Postponed
10th Jan 1945 Preparations
10th Jan 1945 Recce
11th Jan 1945 On the Move
12th Jan 1945 Into Position
12th Jan 1945 Landings
12th January 1945 On the Move
13th Jan 1945 In Action
13th Jan 1945 In Action
14th Jan 1945 Patrols
14th Jan 1945 Patrols
14th January 1945 Move
15th Jan 1945 Patrols
15th Jan 1945 Attack Made
15th January 1945 On the Move
16th Jan 1945 Patrols
16th Jan 1945 Advance
16th January 1945 On the Move
17th Jan 1945 Patrols
18th Jan 1945 Recce
18th Jan 1945 Patrols
19th Jan 1945 Orders
19th January 1945 In Action
20th Jan 1945 On the Move
20th Jan 1945 Preparations
20th January 1945 Relief
21st Jan 1945 On the Move
21st Jan 1945 On the Move
21st January 1945 Snow
22nd Jan 1945 On the Move
22nd Jan 1945 Advance
22nd January 1945 On the Move
23rd Jan 1945 Enemy Attack
23rd January 1945 In Action
23rd January 1945 Pinned Down
24th Jan 1945 Shelling
24th January 1945 Advance
25th Jan 1945 Shelling
25th January 1945 Advance
26th Jan 1945 Shelling
26th January 1945 Patrols
27th Jan 1945 Shelling
27th January 1945 Patrols
28th Jan 1945 Exchange of Fire
28th January 1945 Patrol
29th Jan 1945 Intermittent Shelling
29th January 1945 Shelling
30th Jan 1945 Orders
30th January 1945 Patrol
31st Jan 1945 In Action
31st Jan 1945 Enemy Attack
31st Jan 1945 Island Captured
31st January 1945 Patrol
1st Feb 1945 Moping up
1st Feb 1945 Reliefs
2nd Feb 1945 In Camp
3rd Feb 1945 Orders
4th Feb 1945 Service
5th Feb 1945 Address
7th Feb 1945 Reorganisation
8th Feb 1945 In Camp
9th Feb 1945 In Camp
10th Feb 1945 Change of Command
11th Feb 1945 In Camp
12th Feb 1945 On the Move
13th Feb 1945 On the Move
14th Feb 1945 Construction Work
15th Feb 1945 Construction Work
16th Feb 1945 Training
17th Feb 1945 In Camp
18th Feb 1945 In Camp
19th Feb 1945 Inspection
20th Feb 1945 Training
21st Feb 1945 Fire
22nd Feb 1945 Football
23nd Feb 1945 Football
24th Feb 1945 Competition
25th Feb 1945 Competition
26th Feb 1945 Training
27th Feb 1945 Visit
28th Feb 1945 Swimming
23rd March 1945 Crossing the Rhine
23rd Mar 1945 Advance
23rd Mar 1945 Advance
16th of April 1945 Relief
If you can provide any additional information, especially on actions and locations at specific dates, please add it here.
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Want to know more about Commandos? There are:1655 items tagged Commandos available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Second World War. |
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RE Hickey 3 Commando Special Service Battalion RE Hickey served with the 3 Commando Special Service Battalion British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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CJ Coughlin 3 Commando Special Service Battalion CJ Coughlin served with the 3 Commando Special Service Battalion British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch. Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.
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Joseph Alec Wells No: 6 Commando I would like any information with regard to my fathers military career I think he enlisted in 1938 possibly in the Royal Engineers transferred to the commandos. Eventually he was commissioned and joined the Beds and Herts Regiment as an Officer serving in Italy & Greece & possibly Yugoslavia. After the war he seved till 1949 in Q section? BAOR.
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L/Cpl. James Charles Soden Commandos  James Soden volunteered and did basic training at Eastney Barracks, Portsmouth and 7 weeks additional training at Achnacarry, Fort William, Scotland. Then to Leavesdon for transport training. Learning to drive bren gun carriers and tanks etc, under the instruction of CO Tallymash from Cheltenham & Sgt Major "Boy" Roy.
After training Jim left Avonmouth docks onto a troop carrier, a converted luxury liner called Volandam (a dutch packet). With thousands of all sorts of troops in a convoy of 30 ships escorted by the Royal Navy to South Africa to collect supplies, then through the Red Sea to Cario Egypt. Disembarking going through the desert, he was at Tobruk, El Alamein following the 8th Army to Sicily.
In Sicily he was based at Syracuse for a few months dealing with disgruntled locals and minor skirmishes. Then moved to Catania checking on the vodka and general duties for 1 month.
His unit was called back to Scotland for D Day preparations to a place called Gurrock, he said there was no landing stage for the ship to disembark us, just cliffs. We were told to climb as we were commandos. We waited and waited for D Day. Eventually got involved, swept through the Ardennes with a lot of fighting and trying to keep yourself alive.
Later to return to the UK to be demobbed in 1946 at Eastney Barracks Portsmouth.
Jim returned to a farming life in the Vale of White Horse Berkshire an still has a say in the running of the family farm today in 2020.
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Cpl. Robert Imperato 1st Btn. Welsh Regiment Robert Imperato enlisted into the 1st Battalion Welsh Regiment. He served in Palestine and Egypt until 1940. He then joined 50th ME Commando.
He was reported missing in action on the 1st of June 1941 on Crete. He had been injured in action and taken prisoner.
He spent the rest of the war in Stalag V111B/344.
He was involved in the long march.
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Pte. Lesley Frank Tett No.6 Commando Les Tett was born on 25h of March 1925. He enlisted on the 3rd of May 1943 and joined the Dorsetshire Regiment at the Infantry Training Centre in Wrexham then was sent to Achnacarry. He meet Elaine Kelly whilst in the Wrexham transit camp, they got married in 1946 and were sweethearts for 50 years In 1944 he was with No.1 Troop 6 Commando, and with No.4 Commando nominal for Normandy. He was wounded in action on D Day in Normandy. Les was promoted to Corporal in 1947 and served with the R.A.S.C. from 1947 to 1949.
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Mar. Harry William Shockley T Coy. No. 40 Commando (d.30th Dec 1942) Harry Shockley is the older brother of my grandmother. I heard my grandfather mention him when I was very young, always in a proud tone of voice.
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Pte. Thomas Young 2nd Btn. Seaforth Highlanders    Tom Young, (my father) joined the Seaforth Highlanders on 11th of August 1939 and was initially posted to 7th Battalion.
In July/August 1940, he volunteered for the No.11 (Scottish) Commando and on 7th of September 1940 was accepted and went for further training on the Isle of Arran, before sailing to Egypt via Cape Town. He served with this Commando unit until August 1941, being involved in the Battle of Litani River, Lebanon in June 1941.
When the 11th Commando was disbanded, he volunteered for and was accepted into the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) on 3rd of September 1941. He served with the LRDG until 19th of January 1943, mostly behind enemy lines.
He was then posted back to the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders, in Libya and Tunisia and was involved in the Sicily landings, being wounded in the battle for Sferro Hills.
He then returned to the UK and was involved in Operation Overlord, being evacuated back to the UK and treated in a Glasgow Hospital.
Tom's medals include the Africa Star with 8th Army clasp, the Italy Star, and the France/Germany Star.
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Pte. John Airy No. 3 Commando John Airy was a private in No. 3 Commando. His landing craft came ashore at Sword beach ten minutes behind Lovat and Millen. He didn't hear any pipes and his memories of landing was just the horrific scenes of carnage.
Fifty years after D-Day he recounted his recollections of the landing: "There was spasmodic shelling on the beach as we arrived. Many bodies lay sprawled all over the beach, as young men of the East Yorkshire Regiment who had been in the first wave of the landing, now lay mutilated or dying".
No. 3 Commando landed and marched inland to join up with Lovat's beloved No. 4 Commando. Before they had even spotted Lovat and his men, they could hear the bagpipes playing in front of them. Airy has pleasant memories of hearing 'Millin's cheerful playing' in the middle of the invasion.
Our next task was to meet up with the 6th Airbourne Division who were holding the bridgehead over the River Orme. By 2 p.m. with Lord Lovatt at our head, his piper playing a cheerful tune, we then crossed the bridge under heavy sniper fire.
Across the bridges, Airy volunteered for a stretcher party to move the wounded back down the line for safety. He came across a German patrol and was surrounded by Germans in a wood. Captured, Airy was transported across Germany into Poland, Stalag VIIIA. As a commando, the young private was interrogated and put into solitary confinement. He was then marched further across Poland, in ˜near artic conditions" and put to work in a Polish sugar factory for 12 hours a day. He laboured at the work camp for over a year and he received a ladle of soup and 1/5th of a loaf of bread per day.
In February 1945, the Russians freed the POWs and Airy made his way to the River Ebve where he was finally rescued by the Americans.
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Norman Basil West 47 Commando Norman West served with No. 47 Commando from 1st of August 1943 to January 1946.
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Recomended Reading.Available at discounted prices.
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Fighting with the CommandosNeil Barber & Stan Scott
the recollections of Stan Scott, No. 3 Commando
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