157:
59:
41:
215:. He called for specially trained troops that would "develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast". At first they were a small force of volunteers who carried out small raids against enemy occupied territory, but by 1943 their role had changed into lightly equipped assault Infantry which specialised in spearheading amphibious landings.
361:
and the amalgamated No.50/51 Commandos. For reasons of security, the unit was organised into four battalions and were re-designated as such. No. 7 Commando became 'A' Battalion, No. 8 (Guards) became 'B' Battalion, No. 11 (Scottish) became 'C' Battalion and No. 50/52 became 'D' Battalion. As 'D'
832:
1060:
478:
1197:
1187:
825:
1192:
269:. The course in the Scottish Highlands concentrated on fitness, speed marches, weapons training, map reading, climbing, small boat operations and demolitions both by day and by night.
818:
1207:
1202:
971:
239:
180:
781:
212:
1084:
276:
of assault infantry to spearhead future Allied landing operations. Three units were left un-brigaded to carry out smaller-scale raids.
283:
Commando depot was formed with the responsibility of training and supplying reinforcements for the commando units in the Middle East.
800:
762:
743:
130:
453:
443:
996:
991:
986:
976:
900:
315:
1089:
1079:
1074:
265:
and remained on their regimental roll for pay. All volunteers went through the six-week intensive commando course at
1094:
905:
358:
1033:
538:
513:
503:
458:
403:
1017:
915:
528:
98:
1161:
299:
in August 1940, from volunteers from units serving in the Middle East and a small number of veterans from the
245:
By the autumn of 1940 more than 2,000 men had volunteered for commando training, and what became known as the
1166:
1069:
890:
354:
258:
246:
548:
498:
1012:
568:
433:
88:
1151:
940:
473:
249:
was formed into 12 units called commandos. Each commando would number around 450 men commanded by a
1156:
1146:
438:
383:
261:. Commandos were all volunteers seconded from other British Army regiments and retained their own
810:
508:
448:
423:
312:
304:
250:
227:
188:
84:
841:
796:
777:
758:
739:
558:
553:
543:
523:
518:
483:
463:
428:
398:
393:
300:
208:
176:
296:
1110:
533:
493:
468:
323:
308:
272:
By 1943 the commandos had moved away from small raiding operations and had been formed into
102:
1049:
935:
930:
925:
910:
563:
413:
363:
330:
235:
192:
106:
156:
895:
885:
880:
875:
870:
865:
860:
855:
488:
408:
388:
350:
346:
334:
231:
110:
94:
46:
1181:
375:
338:
140:
64:
1130:
1120:
981:
966:
961:
956:
418:
292:
280:
223:
1125:
266:
262:
172:
120:
1115:
342:
318:, No. 50 Commando had an establishment of a small Headquarters and three
196:
74:
273:
219:
254:
218:
The man initially selected as the overall commander of the force was
378:
were awarded to the
British Commandos during the Second World War.
319:
184:
814:
238:. Keyes resigned in October 1941 and was replaced by Admiral
366:
and were disbanded after the survivors returned to Egypt.
329:
In
February 1941, No. 50 Commando was amalgamated with
322:. Each Troop had four sections of one officer and 25
183:. The commando was formed in 1940, from volunteers in
774:
Encyclopaedia of Elite Forces in the Second World War
16:
Commando unit of the
British army during World War II
1198:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1941
1188:
Commando units and formations of the United
Kingdom
1139:
1103:
1058:
1042:
1026:
1005:
949:
848:
207:The commandos were formed in 1940, by the order of
151:
146:
136:
126:
116:
80:
70:
52:
34:
26:
21:
191:. Shortly after formation it was amalgamated with
1193:Military units and formations established in 1940
842:British Commando units of the Second World War
826:
689:
687:
337:was formed to carry out raids in the eastern
8:
1208:1941 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
936:No. 62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force)
833:
819:
811:
333:, when a force of commandos under Colonel
257:of 75 men and further divided into 15-man
1203:1940 establishments in the United Kingdom
181:British Army during the Second World War
677:
675:
629:
627:
625:
585:
18:
226:himself a veteran of the landings at
7:
736:No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando 1942–45
291:No. 50 Commando was formed in the
152:Combined Operations Shoulder Patch
14:
504:North-West Europe 1942, 1944–1945
791:Moreman, Timothy Robert (2006).
155:
57:
39:
997:No. 48 (Royal Marine) Commando
992:No. 47 (Royal Marine) Commando
987:No. 46 (Royal Marine) Commando
982:No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando
977:No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando
972:No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando
967:No. 42 (Royal Marine) Commando
962:No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando
957:No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando
901:No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
311:in 1940. Under the command of
1:
362:Battalion they fought in the
253:. They were sub divided into
479:Middle East 1941, 1942, 1944
345:' was drawn from 'A' Troop,
326:. A total of 371 all ranks.
1090:4th Special Service Brigade
1085:3rd Special Service Brigade
1080:2nd Special Service Brigade
1075:1st Special Service Brigade
734:van der Bijl, Nick (2006).
454:Landing at Porto San Venere
1224:
1095:Special Air Service Troops
906:No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
772:Haskew, Michael E (2007).
195:and became 'D' Battalion,
1162:No. 1 Demolition Squadron
1034:Royal Air Force Commandos
793:British Commandos 1940–46
1157:Special Raiding Squadron
1018:British commando frogmen
916:No. 14 (Arctic) Commando
1167:Long Range Desert Group
1070:Special Service Brigade
891:No. 8 (Guards) Commando
753:Chappell, Mike (1996).
341:. This force known as '
247:Special Service Brigade
1140:Other Commando forces:
755:Army Commandos 1940–45
1152:Special Boat Squadron
1013:Royal Naval Commandos
795:. Osprey Publishing.
757:. Osprey Publishing.
738:. Osprey Publishing.
89:Close-quarters combat
941:Middle East Commando
499:North Africa 1941–43
1147:Special Air Service
702:Chappell, pp.15–16.
303:who had escaped to
279:In December 1940 a
131:Combined Operations
651:van der Bijl, p.12
564:Valli di Comacchio
514:Pursuit to Messina
313:Lieutenant Colonel
251:lieutenant colonel
85:Amphibious warfare
1175:
1174:
783:978-1-84415-577-4
776:. Pen and Sword.
660:Moreman, pp.84–85
459:Landing in Sicily
359:No. 11 (Scottish)
301:Spanish Civil War
240:Louis Mountbatten
209:Winston Churchill
163:
162:
1215:
1027:Royal Air Force:
835:
828:
821:
812:
806:
787:
768:
749:
721:
718:
712:
709:
703:
700:
694:
691:
682:
679:
670:
667:
661:
658:
652:
649:
643:
640:
634:
631:
620:
617:
611:
608:
602:
599:
593:
590:
544:Steamroller Farm
494:Normandy Landing
177:British Commando
159:
141:Second World War
103:Forward observer
63:
61:
60:
45:
43:
42:
19:
1223:
1222:
1218:
1217:
1216:
1214:
1213:
1212:
1178:
1177:
1176:
1171:
1135:
1099:
1054:
1050:No. 30 Commando
1038:
1022:
1001:
945:
931:No. 52 Commando
926:No. 51 Commando
921:No. 50 Commando
911:No. 12 Commando
844:
839:
809:
803:
790:
784:
771:
765:
752:
746:
733:
724:
719:
715:
710:
706:
701:
697:
693:Chappell, p.15.
692:
685:
680:
673:
668:
664:
659:
655:
650:
646:
641:
637:
632:
623:
618:
614:
609:
605:
600:
596:
591:
587:
578:
573:
372:
364:battle of Crete
331:No. 52 Commando
289:
236:First World War
205:
193:No. 52 Commando
169:No. 50 Commando
166:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
92:Coastal raiding
91:
87:
58:
56:
40:
38:
22:No. 50 Commando
17:
12:
11:
5:
1221:
1219:
1211:
1210:
1205:
1200:
1195:
1190:
1180:
1179:
1173:
1172:
1170:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1149:
1143:
1141:
1137:
1136:
1134:
1133:
1128:
1123:
1118:
1113:
1107:
1105:
1104:Ad hoc Forces:
1101:
1100:
1098:
1097:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1066:
1064:
1056:
1055:
1053:
1052:
1046:
1044:
1043:Joint Service:
1040:
1039:
1037:
1036:
1030:
1028:
1024:
1023:
1021:
1020:
1015:
1009:
1007:
1003:
1002:
1000:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
974:
969:
964:
959:
953:
951:
947:
946:
944:
943:
938:
933:
928:
923:
918:
913:
908:
903:
898:
896:No. 9 Commando
893:
888:
886:No. 7 Commando
883:
881:No. 6 Commando
878:
876:No. 5 Commando
873:
871:No. 4 Commando
868:
866:No. 3 Commando
863:
861:No. 2 Commando
858:
856:No. 1 Commando
852:
850:
846:
845:
840:
838:
837:
830:
823:
815:
808:
807:
801:
788:
782:
769:
763:
750:
744:
730:
723:
722:
713:
711:Chappell, p.48
704:
695:
683:
671:
662:
653:
644:
635:
621:
612:
603:
594:
584:
577:
574:
572:
571:
566:
561:
556:
551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
526:
521:
516:
511:
506:
501:
496:
491:
486:
481:
476:
471:
466:
461:
456:
451:
446:
441:
439:Greece 1944–45
436:
431:
429:Djebel Choucha
426:
424:Dives Crossing
421:
416:
411:
406:
401:
396:
391:
386:
380:
376:Battle honours
374:The following
371:
370:Battle honours
368:
355:No. 8 (Guards)
347:No. 3 Commando
335:Robert Laycock
288:
285:
232:Zeebrugge raid
213:Prime Minister
204:
201:
164:
161:
160:
153:
149:
148:
144:
143:
138:
134:
133:
128:
124:
123:
118:
114:
113:
111:Reconnaissance
95:Desert warfare
82:
78:
77:
72:
68:
67:
54:
50:
49:
47:United Kingdom
36:
32:
31:
28:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1220:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1194:
1191:
1189:
1186:
1185:
1183:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1142:
1138:
1132:
1129:
1127:
1124:
1122:
1119:
1117:
1114:
1112:
1109:
1108:
1106:
1102:
1096:
1093:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1062:
1057:
1051:
1048:
1047:
1045:
1041:
1035:
1032:
1031:
1029:
1025:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1010:
1008:
1004:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
973:
970:
968:
965:
963:
960:
958:
955:
954:
952:
950:Royal Marine:
948:
942:
939:
937:
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
907:
904:
902:
899:
897:
894:
892:
889:
887:
884:
882:
879:
877:
874:
872:
869:
867:
864:
862:
859:
857:
854:
853:
851:
849:British Army:
847:
843:
836:
831:
829:
824:
822:
817:
816:
813:
804:
802:1-84176-986-X
798:
794:
789:
785:
779:
775:
770:
766:
764:1-85532-579-9
760:
756:
751:
747:
745:1-84176-999-1
741:
737:
732:
731:
729:
728:
720:Moreman, p.94
717:
714:
708:
705:
699:
696:
690:
688:
684:
681:Moreman, p.18
678:
676:
672:
669:Moreman, p.19
666:
663:
657:
654:
648:
645:
642:Moreman, p.12
639:
636:
630:
628:
626:
622:
619:Chappell, p.6
616:
613:
607:
604:
601:Chappell, p.3
598:
595:
592:Chappell, p.5
589:
586:
583:
582:
575:
570:
567:
565:
562:
560:
557:
555:
552:
550:
547:
545:
542:
540:
537:
535:
532:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
512:
510:
507:
505:
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
490:
487:
485:
482:
480:
477:
475:
472:
470:
467:
465:
462:
460:
457:
455:
452:
450:
447:
445:
444:Italy 1943–45
442:
440:
437:
435:
432:
430:
427:
425:
422:
420:
417:
415:
412:
410:
409:Burma 1943–45
407:
405:
402:
400:
397:
395:
392:
390:
387:
385:
382:
381:
379:
377:
369:
367:
365:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
340:
339:Mediterranean
336:
332:
327:
325:
321:
317:
314:
310:
309:French defeat
306:
302:
298:
294:
286:
284:
282:
277:
275:
270:
268:
264:
260:
256:
252:
248:
243:
241:
237:
233:
229:
225:
221:
216:
214:
210:
202:
200:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
165:Military unit
158:
154:
150:
145:
142:
139:
135:
132:
129:
125:
122:
119:
115:
112:
108:
104:
100:
99:Direct action
96:
90:
86:
83:
79:
76:
73:
69:
66:
55:
51:
48:
37:
33:
29:
25:
20:
920:
792:
773:
754:
735:
727:Bibliography
726:
725:
716:
707:
698:
665:
656:
647:
638:
633:Haskew, p.48
615:
610:Moreman, p.8
606:
597:
588:
580:
579:
484:Monte Ornito
373:
328:
316:George Young
290:
278:
271:
244:
217:
211:the British
206:
179:unit of the
168:
167:
127:Part of
65:British Army
1131:Timberforce
1121:Layforce II
1111:Forfarforce
1006:Royal Navy:
569:Westkapelle
539:Sicily 1943
534:Sedjenane 1
524:St. Nazaire
509:Norway 1941
404:Argenta Gap
389:Alethangyaw
324:other ranks
293:Middle East
281:Middle East
224:Roger Keyes
137:Engagements
1182:Categories
1126:Northforce
1059:Brigades (
576:References
549:Syria 1941
474:Madagascar
307:after the
267:Achnacarry
263:cap badges
203:Background
305:Palestine
287:Formation
189:Palestine
173:battalion
121:Battalion
30:1940–1941
1116:Layforce
434:Flushing
384:Adriatic
343:Layforce
274:brigades
259:sections
230:and the
228:Galipoli
197:Layforce
147:Insignia
75:Commando
554:Termoli
529:Salerno
297:Geneifa
234:in the
220:Admiral
175:-sized
107:Raiding
35:Country
799:
780:
761:
742:
559:Vaagso
489:Myebon
469:Litani
449:Kangaw
419:Dieppe
320:Troops
255:troops
171:was a
62:
53:Branch
44:
27:Active
581:Notes
519:Rhine
464:Leese
414:Crete
399:Anzio
394:Aller
351:No. 7
185:Egypt
1061:List
797:ISBN
778:ISBN
759:ISBN
740:ISBN
222:Sir
187:and
117:Size
81:Role
71:Type
295:at
1184::
1063:):
686:^
674:^
624:^
357:,
353:,
349:,
242:.
199:.
834:e
827:t
820:v
805:.
786:.
767:.
748:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
