No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando | |
---|---|
Active | 1940–1946 |
Country | Combined Operations |
Engagements | Second World War
|
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Augustus Charles Newman VC OBE TD Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill DSO* MC* Lieutenant Colonel Francis West Fynn MC |
Insignia | |
Combined Operations Shoulder Patch |
No. 2 Commando was a
Background
The commandos were formed in 1940, by the order of Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister. He called for specially trained troops that would "develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast".[4] At first they were a small force of volunteers who carried out small raids against enemy occupied territory,[5] but by 1943 their role had changed into lightly equipped assault Infantry which specialised in spearheading amphibious landings.[6]
The man initially selected as the overall commander of the force was
By the autumn of 1940 more than 2,000 men had volunteered for commando training, and what became known as the
By 1943 the commandos had moved away from small raiding operations and had been formed into brigades of assault infantry to spearhead future Allied landing operations. Three units were left un-brigaded to carry out smaller-scale raids.[12] In 1943 the commando formation was also standardised, into a small headquarters, 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, in turn, were divided into three ten man sub-sections. The Heavy Weapons Troop was made up of 3 inch Mortar and Vickers machine gun teams.[13]
Operational history
The first No 2 Commando, under the command of
St Nazaire raid
The
The main commando force was 100 men from No.2 Commando. In addition to demolition tasks, they were to assault the harbour gun positions and provide covering fire for the demolition parties. Demolition Parties from No.2 Commando were supported by those drawn from
Mediterranean theatre
With the capture of Lieutenant Colonel Newman at St Nazaire the commando unit received a new commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill, in April 1942.[15] The commando was sent to the Mediterranean Theatre as part of 2nd Special Service Brigade and in July 1943 landed at Catania during the Allied invasion of Sicily.[25] No. 2 Commando had a quiet time in the Sicily campaign and their only noteworthy action was landing in advance of the British Eighth Army at Scaletta about 15 miles (24 km) south of Messina on 15 August. Here they engaged the German rearguard and then on 16 August were involved in house to house fighting in Scaletta itself.[15]
Salerno
After Sicily was secured, the Allied invasion of Italy followed, beginning 3 September 1943. No. 2 Commando landed at Vietri sul Mare at 03:30 hours, their initial target was a German gun battery. After the commandos scaled the cliffs they discovered the battery was undefended; they moved towards Vietri itself, and the town was secured two hours later. Establishing their headquarters there, they then opened Marina beach for further landings.[26]
No. 2 Commando was next ordered to capture a German observation post outside of the town of La Molina which controlled a pass leading down to the Salerno beach-head. No. 2 and No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commandos, infiltrated the town and captured the post, taking 42 prisoners including a mortar squad.[27] On 11 September the commandos made contact with the U.S. Army Rangers who had landed to their west.[15] On 13 September the commando defended the village of Dragone against the attacking German paratroopers and panzergrenadiers. The battle cost the commando 28 dead and 51 wounded.[15] After a day's rest following the battle the commando moved to Mercatello, about three miles east of Salerno. Together with No. 41 (RM) Commando, they were tasked by Brigade to "sweep the area and clean out the German forces". Having completed the requested "sweep", the commando returned, bringing with them 150 captured Germans.[15]
Both commandos were then ordered back to occupy the area known as the "pimple". Over the next days the commando losses grew and included the then-Duke of Wellington.[28] Finally relieved on 18 September they were withdrawn to Sicily. During the Salerno operations No. 2 and No. 41 (RM) Commandos had 367 killed, wounded or missing out of the 738 who had made the landing.[15]
Yugoslavia
A depleted No. 2 Commando landed on the Yugoslavian island of Vis 16 January 1944; almost half the commando, consisting of replacements and training staff, remained in Italy. They would remain in the area for the next six months and carried out a number of operations including raids on German garrisons, attacking shipping, making assaults on fixed positions and even helping in the construction of an airfield.[15] Between 26 January and 4 February the commando attacked the German garrison near Milna on the island of Hvar four times. On 19 March the 110 men from No. 2 Commando attacked the village of Grohote killing six and capturing 102 Germans with the loss of one man.[15] By May 1944 No. 2 Commando had been joined on the island of Vis by No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando, No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando, some men from the Highland Light Infantry and a Royal Artillery detachment. On 2 June Lieutenant Colonel Jack Churchill, in command of both Royal Marine commandos and a group of Yugoslav Partisans in an assault on German fortifications, was captured after having been knocked unconscious. He was replaced as commanding officer by Lieutenant Colonel Francis West Fynn.[15] After the commando marched past Marshal Josip Broz Tito at an airfield they had helped construct on 23 June they returned to Italy.[15]
Albania
On their return from Yugoslavia the commando were based near
Comacchio
On their return to Italy No. 2 Commando and the rest of 2 Commando Brigade was gathered together for Operation Roast the battle at Comacchio lagoon. Their task was to capture a spit of land which extended from Lake Comacchio to the Adriatic Sea, with possible further exploitation northwards.[15][29] No. 2 Commando started the attack at 19:00 hours 1 April 1945 by boat across Comacchio lagoon; they reached the opposite shore at 05:00 hours 2 April and approached the Germans from the rear and started their attack. All the Brigade objectives were achieved, with all the German forces south of Porto Garibaldi captured or destroyed. Fighting continued until mid April when No. 2 Commando were withdrawn having lost 23 men in the operation.[15] The German forces in Italy surrendered on 2 May 1945.[15]
Legacy
After the Second World War all the British Army Commandos were disbanded and the commando role was taken over by the Royal Marines.[30] However the present day Parachute Regiment, Special Air Service, and Special Boat Service can all trace their origins to the commandos.[31][32][33]
Battle honours
The following Battle honours were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.[34]
- Adriatic
- Alethangyaw
- Aller
- Anzio
- Argenta Gap
- Burma 1943–45
- Crete
- Dieppe
- Dives Crossing
- Djebel Choucha
- Flushing
- Greece 1944–45
- Italy 1943–45
- Kangaw
- Landing at Porto San Venere
- Landing in Sicily
- Leese
- Litani
- Madagascar
- Middle East 1941, 1942, 1944
- Monte Ornito
- Myebon
- Normandy Landing
- 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
References
Notes
- ^ a b "2 Commando | Commando Veterans Archive". www.commandoveterans.org. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ Shott & McBride, p.4
- ^ Moreman, p.91
- ^ Chappell, p.5
- ^ Chappell, p.3
- ^ Moreman, p.8
- ^ Chappell, p.6
- ^ a b c Haskew, p.48
- ^ Moreman, p.12
- ^ "A timeline of Commando Training | Commando Veterans Archive". www.commandoveterans.org. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ van der Bijl, p.12.
- ^ Moreman, pp.84–85
- ^ van der Bijl, p.28
- ^ Moreman, p.15
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "History of No. 2 Commando". Commando Veterans Association. Archived from the original on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 27 April 2010.
- ^ Messenger, p. 165
- ^ History of the Second World War Magazine series Part 31 p.846
- ^ Miller, p.41
- ^ Ford, p.19
- ^ Moreman, p.66
- ^ "Remembering St Nazaire raid". BBC. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
- ^ Neillands, p.46.
- ^ Neillands, p.53.
- ^ a b "No. 37134". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 1945. pp. 3171–3172.
- ^ Parker p.133
- ^ Tomblin, p.266
- ^ Parker pp.136–137
- ^ Tomblin, p.273
- ^ "Commandos - United We Conquer | Commando Veterans Archive". www.commandoveterans.org. Retrieved 25 March 2017.
- ^ Lord & Graham, pp.216–317
- ^ Otway, pp.31–32
- ^ Breuer, pp.46–47
- ^ Molinari, p.22
- ^ Moreman, p.94
Bibliography
- van der Bijl, Nick (2006). No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando 1942–45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-999-1.
- Breuer, William B. (2001). Daring missions of World War II. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN 978-0-471-40419-4.
- Chappell, Mike (1996). Army Commandos 1940–45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-579-9.
- Haskew, Michael E (2007). Encyclopaedia of Elite Forces in the Second World War. Pen and Sword. ISBN 978-1-84415-577-4.
- Lord, Cliff; Watson, Graham (2004). Royal Corps of Signals. Helion & Company Limited. ISBN 1-874622-92-2.
- Messenger, Charles (1991). The Last Prussian: A Biography of Field Marshal Gerd von Rundstedt, 1875–1953. Brassey's. ISBN 978-0-08-036707-1.
- Miller, Russell (1981). The Commandos. Time-Life Books. ISBN 0-8094-3399-0.
- Molinari, Andrea (2007). Desert Raiders: Axis and Allied Special Forces 1940–43. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-006-2.
- Moreman, Timothy Robert (2006). British Commandos 1940–46. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-986-X.
- Neilands, Robin (2005). The Dieppe Raid. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-34781-5.
- Otway, Lieutenant-Colonel T.B.H. (1990). The Second World War 1939–1945 Army – Airborne Forces. Imperial War Museum. ISBN 0-901627-57-7.
- ISBN 0-85045-396-8.
- Tomblin, Barbara (2004). With utmost spirit: Allied naval operations in the Mediterranean, 1942–1945. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2338-0.