150:
360:
the forward defensive pits unchallenged. In the end they advanced to within 30 yards of the headquarters before they were challenged, and when they finally were, the force rushed the
Italian defenders with sub machine guns and grenades and quickly overwhelmed them. They then withdrew from the position just before the Italians could call down an artillery barrage and returned to the garrison holding Tobruk. They suffered five casualties in the raid, one of whom later died of his wounds.
41:
345:, an attempt to relieve the garrison. Within this situation it was decided that the commandos in Tobruk could be used to carry out raids against the positions facing them. In the middle of the month the detachment from No. 8 (Guards) Commando began carrying out patrols in an effort to become familiar with the terrain and to practice moving at night. It was then decided that they would carry out the a
261:, Scotland where they were billeted by the townspeople and remained for about a month. The next move was to the town of Lamlash, on the island of Arran. Shortly after arriving there, though, Laycock had to disband an entire troop—No. 8 Troop—and most of the men were "returned to unit" as he felt that their training had not been up to standard.
368:
Soon afterwards the Tobruk raid No. 8 (Guards) Commando was disbanded. Its parent formation, Layforce, suffering from the losses suffered in the early raids and the evacuation from Crete, and stymied by lack of resources, changing strategic needs and a lack of enthusiasm for their employment by parts
359:
On the night of 17/18 July the detachment attacked the
Italian position. It proved to be highly successful, being well-planned and executed. Using the cover of darkness and a carefully laid deception plan, the commandos managed to sneak up behind the Italians position on the hills, and move thorough
256:
Initially, training was fairly rudimentary and consisted mainly of "forced marches and heavy pressure"; however, more evolved training in operating with assault landing craft was undertaken later on and No. 8 Commando moved up to the small seaside town of Largs, on the coast in
330:, before they too were evacuated. By that time, however, there were few vessels left and as a consequence many of the unit's men were left behind and subsequently captured. Of the 800 men from Layforce that were sent to Crete, only about 200 escaped.
325:
Throughout a period of five days from 27–31 May they fought a series of rearguard (following behind the main retreating friendly force in order to prevent an advancing enemy force taking the retreating force from behind) actions around
252:
In
January 1941 the special service battalion organisation was disbanded and the commando designation was readopted. As a result, No. 8 (Guards) Commando were split from No. 3 Commando and raised back up to battalion strength.
1004:
1232:
513:
249:
into a single special service battalion known as the 4th
Special Service Battalion, under Laycock's command. As a part of this organisation, the unit’s name was changed to 'B' Special Service Company.
1374:
1359:
997:
322:
with 'A' Battalion (No. 7 Commando) and 'D' Battalion (Nos. 50 and 52 Commandos) in an effort to stem the tide of the German attack on the island long enough for the garrison to be evacuated.
1369:
1364:
990:
1384:
353:. The position, which was known as the Twin Pimples, consisted of two small hills that sat close together and from where the Italians were able to observe the Allied lines.
1379:
1143:
356:
It was to be a raid that was typical of what the men had been trained for, but which they had rarely been able to conduct since arriving in the Middle East.
264:
Nevertheless, the unit continued to train and at this time No. 8 Commando formed an experimental section, known as the
Folboat Section, under Lieutenant
169:
196:
before being disbanded in late 1941. After this, many of its personnel went on to serve in other commando units formed in the area, including the
972:
932:
913:
369:
of the
British high command, became ineffective and was itself disbanded in August. Shortly after this, though, upon the insistence of Sir
333:
Following the evacuation from Crete, a detachment from No. 8 (Guards) Commando consisting of five officers and 70 other ranks was sent to
1256:
377:
was raised from the remnants of
Layforce and some of No. 8 (Guards) Commando's personnel transferred this unit, while others, including
386:
894:
875:
488:
478:
1168:
1163:
1158:
1148:
1072:
218:
1261:
1251:
1246:
1266:
1077:
295:
1205:
573:
548:
538:
493:
438:
318:, but on 27 May 1941, after a previously unsuccessful landing attempt two days earlier, a detachment landed on
1189:
1087:
563:
1333:
1338:
1241:
398:
230:
583:
533:
245:. In October 1940, as part of a reorganisation of the Commando formations, the unit was amalgamated with
1184:
603:
468:
286:
On 31st
January 1941, with an establishment of 38 officers and 502 other ranks, they set sail for the
1323:
1112:
638:
508:
394:
374:
628:
No. 3 Commando formed 'A' Special
Service Company in this organisation. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. ix.
1328:
1318:
473:
418:
390:
342:
197:
982:
543:
483:
458:
382:
188:
to know there was a commando formation in the theatre of war. The commando participated in the
1013:
968:
947:
928:
909:
890:
871:
593:
588:
578:
558:
553:
518:
498:
463:
433:
428:
370:
346:
222:
173:
165:
112:
1282:
568:
528:
503:
184:. On arrival they became known as 'B' Battalion in an attempt at deception, not wanting the
97:
1221:
1107:
1102:
1097:
1092:
1082:
598:
448:
338:
319:
315:
303:
299:
238:
234:
189:
107:
102:
149:
1067:
1057:
1052:
1047:
1042:
1037:
1032:
1027:
961:
637:
The
Folboat Section was later designated the Special Boat Section, a forerunner to the
523:
443:
423:
378:
291:
265:
246:
214:
131:
40:
1353:
410:
269:
242:
389:
and Roger Courtney went on to become part of other special forces units such as the
350:
273:
53:
1302:
1292:
1153:
1138:
1133:
1128:
453:
287:
226:
185:
177:
1297:
951:
1287:
307:
258:
181:
87:
327:
311:
334:
193:
172:. The Commando was formed in June 1940 primarily from members of the
413:
were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.
925:
Commandos: The Inside Story of Britain's Most Elite Fighting Force
986:
268:, who had convinced Laycock of the usefulness of the two-seat
887:
Commando: Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in World War Two
314:-sized force. They did not take part in the unsuccessful
761:
759:
176:. It was one of the units selected to be sent to the
16:
Commando unit of the British army during World War II
1375:
Military units and formations disestablished in 1941
349:
that was dominating the forward areas of the Indian
1360:
Commando units and formations of the United Kingdom
1311:
1275:
1230:
1214:
1198:
1177:
1121:
1020:
142:
137:
125:
120:
93:
83:
75:
67:
59:
49:
34:
26:
21:
960:
1370:Military units and formations established in 1940
310:and were redesignated 'B' Battalion of Laycock's
870:. Elite Series # 64. London: Osprey Publishing.
1365:Battalions of the British Army in World War II
1014:British Commando units of the Second World War
998:
803:
801:
791:
789:
8:
1385:1941 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
1108:No. 62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force)
1005:
991:
983:
722:
720:
641:that currently exists. Parker 2000, p. 32.
217:it was formed mainly from volunteers from
1380:1940 establishments in the United Kingdom
967:. Men at Arms # 116. Osprey Publishing.
170:British Army during the Second World War
653:
621:
959:Shortt, James; McBride, Angus (1981).
843:Shortt and McBride 1981, p. 6 & 9.
18:
944:The Green Beret: The Commandos at War
942:Saunders, Hilary St. George (1959) .
7:
272:by carrying out a mock raid on the
337:, which was at the time was under
14:
539:North-West Europe 1942, 1944–1945
148:
39:
885:Durnford-Slater, John (2002) .
678:Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. ix–x.
1169:No. 48 (Royal Marine) Commando
1164:No. 47 (Royal Marine) Commando
1159:No. 46 (Royal Marine) Commando
1154:No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando
1149:No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando
1144:No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando
1139:No. 42 (Royal Marine) Commando
1134:No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando
1129:No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando
1073:No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando
946:. Londono: Four Square Books.
341:. In June the Allies launched
1:
514:Middle East 1941, 1942, 1944
221:, and included men from the
1262:4th Special Service Brigade
1257:3rd Special Service Brigade
1252:2nd Special Service Brigade
1247:1st Special Service Brigade
889:. London: Greenhill Books.
696:Durnford-Slater 2002, p. x.
489:Landing at Porto San Venere
347:raid on an Italian position
1401:
1267:Special Air Service Troops
1078:No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
1334:No. 1 Demolition Squadron
1206:Royal Air Force Commandos
906:British Commandos 1940–46
735:Chappell 1996, pp. 15–16.
1329:Special Raiding Squadron
1190:British commando frogmen
1088:No. 14 (Arctic) Commando
868:Army Commandos 1940–1945
1339:Long Range Desert Group
1242:Special Service Brigade
1063:No. 8 (Guards) Commando
963:The Special Air Service
866:Chappell, Mike (1996).
774:Parker 2000, pp. 50–52.
714:Parker 2000, pp. 31–32.
399:Long Range Desert Group
231:Somerset Light Infantry
213:Raised in June 1940 by
162:No. 8 (Guards) Commando
22:No. 8 (Guards) Commando
1312:Other Commando forces:
79:~ 500 officers and men
1324:Special Boat Squadron
1185:Royal Naval Commandos
923:Parker, John (2000).
908:. Osprey Publishing.
904:Moreman, Tim (2006).
816:Chappell 1996, p. 17.
807:Saunders 1959, p. 60.
795:Saunders 1959, p. 59.
783:Saunders 1959, p. 57.
765:Chappell 1996, p. 16.
753:Saunders 1959, p. 55.
744:Saunders 1959, p. 52.
660:Saunders 1959, p. 23.
1113:Middle East Commando
687:Moreman 2006, p. 15.
669:Moreman 2006, p. 12.
639:Special Boat Service
534:North Africa 1941–43
395:Special Boat Section
375:Middle East Commando
306:they became part of
143:Combined Operations
1319:Special Air Service
834:Parker 2000, p. 54.
825:Parker 2000, p. 53.
726:Parker 2000, p. 32.
391:Special Air Service
343:Operation Battleaxe
198:Special Air Service
705:Parker 200, p. 31.
599:Valli di Comacchio
549:Pursuit to Messina
383:Randolph Churchill
270:collapsible canoes
164:was a unit of the
1347:
1346:
974:978-0-85045-396-6
934:978-0-7472-7008-9
915:978-1-84176-986-8
494:Landing in Sicily
371:Winston Churchill
296:No. 11 (Scottish)
223:Household Cavalry
174:Brigade of Guards
166:British Commandos
156:
155:
113:Twin Pimples raid
1392:
1199:Royal Air Force:
1007:
1000:
993:
984:
978:
966:
955:
938:
919:
900:
881:
853:
850:
844:
841:
835:
832:
826:
823:
817:
814:
808:
805:
796:
793:
784:
781:
775:
772:
766:
763:
754:
751:
745:
742:
736:
733:
727:
724:
715:
712:
706:
703:
697:
694:
688:
685:
679:
676:
670:
667:
661:
658:
642:
635:
629:
626:
579:Steamroller Farm
529:Normandy Landing
304:No. 52 Commandos
282:Crete and Tobruk
168:and part of the
152:
98:Second World War
44:
43:
19:
1400:
1399:
1395:
1394:
1393:
1391:
1390:
1389:
1350:
1349:
1348:
1343:
1307:
1271:
1226:
1222:No. 30 Commando
1210:
1194:
1173:
1117:
1103:No. 52 Commando
1098:No. 51 Commando
1093:No. 50 Commando
1083:No. 12 Commando
1016:
1011:
981:
975:
958:
941:
935:
922:
916:
903:
897:
884:
878:
865:
861:
856:
851:
847:
842:
838:
833:
829:
824:
820:
815:
811:
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799:
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782:
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773:
769:
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748:
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682:
677:
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668:
664:
659:
655:
646:
645:
636:
632:
627:
623:
613:
608:
407:
387:George Jellicoe
366:
284:
239:Royal Artillery
235:Royal Engineers
219:London District
211:
206:
190:Battle of Crete
159:
144:
127:
108:Siege of Tobruk
103:Battle of Crete
38:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1398:
1396:
1388:
1387:
1382:
1377:
1372:
1367:
1362:
1352:
1351:
1345:
1344:
1342:
1341:
1336:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1315:
1313:
1309:
1308:
1306:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1290:
1285:
1279:
1277:
1276:Ad hoc Forces:
1273:
1272:
1270:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1249:
1244:
1238:
1236:
1228:
1227:
1225:
1224:
1218:
1216:
1215:Joint Service:
1212:
1211:
1209:
1208:
1202:
1200:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1181:
1179:
1175:
1174:
1172:
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1125:
1123:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1115:
1110:
1105:
1100:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1080:
1075:
1070:
1068:No. 9 Commando
1065:
1060:
1058:No. 7 Commando
1055:
1053:No. 6 Commando
1050:
1048:No. 5 Commando
1045:
1043:No. 4 Commando
1040:
1038:No. 3 Commando
1035:
1033:No. 2 Commando
1030:
1028:No. 1 Commando
1024:
1022:
1018:
1017:
1012:
1010:
1009:
1002:
995:
987:
980:
979:
973:
956:
939:
933:
920:
914:
901:
895:
882:
876:
862:
860:
857:
855:
854:
845:
836:
827:
818:
809:
797:
785:
776:
767:
755:
746:
737:
728:
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707:
698:
689:
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671:
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620:
619:
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601:
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581:
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571:
566:
561:
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551:
546:
541:
536:
531:
526:
521:
516:
511:
506:
501:
496:
491:
486:
481:
476:
474:Greece 1944–45
471:
466:
464:Djebel Choucha
461:
459:Dives Crossing
456:
451:
446:
441:
436:
431:
426:
421:
415:
411:Battle honours
409:The following
406:
405:Battle honours
403:
379:David Stirling
365:
362:
316:raid on Bardia
283:
280:
266:Roger Courtney
247:No. 3 Commando
215:Robert Laycock
210:
207:
205:
202:
157:
154:
153:
146:
145:Shoulder Patch
140:
139:
135:
134:
132:Robert Laycock
129:
123:
122:
118:
117:
116:
115:
110:
105:
95:
91:
90:
85:
81:
80:
77:
73:
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65:
64:
61:
57:
56:
51:
47:
46:
45:United Kingdom
36:
32:
31:
28:
24:
23:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1397:
1386:
1383:
1381:
1378:
1376:
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1371:
1368:
1366:
1363:
1361:
1358:
1357:
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1147:
1145:
1142:
1140:
1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1126:
1124:
1122:Royal Marine:
1120:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
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1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1025:
1023:
1021:British Army:
1019:
1015:
1008:
1003:
1001:
996:
994:
989:
988:
985:
976:
970:
965:
964:
957:
953:
949:
945:
940:
936:
930:
926:
921:
917:
911:
907:
902:
898:
896:1-85367-479-6
892:
888:
883:
879:
877:1-85532-579-9
873:
869:
864:
863:
858:
852:Moreman, p.94
849:
846:
840:
837:
831:
828:
822:
819:
813:
810:
804:
802:
798:
792:
790:
786:
780:
777:
771:
768:
762:
760:
756:
750:
747:
741:
738:
732:
729:
723:
721:
717:
711:
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702:
699:
693:
690:
684:
681:
675:
672:
666:
663:
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585:
582:
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562:
560:
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555:
552:
550:
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545:
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540:
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535:
532:
530:
527:
525:
522:
520:
517:
515:
512:
510:
507:
505:
502:
500:
497:
495:
492:
490:
487:
485:
482:
480:
479:Italy 1943–45
477:
475:
472:
470:
467:
465:
462:
460:
457:
455:
452:
450:
447:
445:
444:Burma 1943–45
442:
440:
437:
435:
432:
430:
427:
425:
422:
420:
417:
416:
414:
412:
404:
402:
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348:
344:
340:
336:
331:
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323:
321:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
290:. Along with
289:
281:
279:
277:
276:
271:
267:
262:
260:
254:
250:
248:
244:
243:Royal Marines
240:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
208:
203:
201:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
158:Military unit
151:
147:
141:
136:
133:
130:
124:
119:
114:
111:
109:
106:
104:
101:
100:
99:
96:
92:
89:
86:
82:
78:
74:
70:
66:
62:
58:
55:
52:
48:
42:
37:
33:
29:
25:
20:
1062:
962:
943:
927:. Headline.
924:
905:
886:
867:
848:
839:
830:
821:
812:
779:
770:
749:
740:
731:
710:
701:
692:
683:
674:
665:
656:
633:
624:
519:Monte Ornito
408:
367:
358:
355:
351:18th Cavalry
332:
324:
285:
274:
263:
255:
251:
212:
161:
160:
84:Part of
54:British Army
1303:Timberforce
1293:Layforce II
1283:Forfarforce
1178:Royal Navy:
604:Westkapelle
574:Sicily 1943
569:Sedjenane 1
559:St. Nazaire
544:Norway 1941
439:Argenta Gap
424:Alethangyaw
364:Disbandment
288:Middle East
227:Foot Guards
192:and around
186:Axis forces
180:as part of
178:Middle East
94:Engagements
1354:Categories
1298:Northforce
1231:Brigades (
859:References
584:Syria 1941
509:Madagascar
128:commanders
121:Commanders
649:Citations
616:Footnotes
209:Formation
30:1940–1941
1288:Layforce
469:Flushing
419:Adriatic
308:Layforce
275:Glengyle
259:Ayrshire
241:and the
182:Layforce
138:Insignia
88:Layforce
63:Commando
952:1260659
589:Termoli
564:Salerno
397:or the
328:Sphakia
312:brigade
204:History
126:Notable
71:Raiding
35:Country
971:
950:
931:
912:
893:
874:
594:Vaagso
524:Myebon
504:Litani
484:Kangaw
454:Dieppe
393:, the
373:, the
335:Tobruk
300:No. 50
194:Tobruk
50:Branch
27:Active
611:Notes
554:Rhine
499:Leese
449:Crete
434:Anzio
429:Aller
339:siege
320:Crete
292:No. 7
1233:List
969:ISBN
948:OCLC
929:ISBN
910:ISBN
891:ISBN
872:ISBN
302:and
76:Size
68:Role
60:Type
1356::
1235:):
800:^
788:^
758:^
719:^
401:.
385:,
381:,
298:,
294:,
278:.
237:,
233:,
229:,
225:,
200:.
1006:e
999:t
992:v
977:.
954:.
937:.
918:.
899:.
880:.
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