4th Special Service Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines
. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway
, the Channel Islands
, St. Nazaire, and the Middle East
, the Admiralty
dissolved the Marine Division in late 1942 and reorganized its amphibious assault infantry in to eight additional Commandos.
The Brigade landed in Normandy
on June 6, 1944 during Operation Overlord
and participated in the Battle of the Scheldt
and the assault of the Walcheren Islands
. On December 6, 1944 the Brigade was re named 4th Commando Brigade, removing the hated title Special Service and its association with the German SS
.
to Port-en-Bessin and the Americans on Omaha Beach
.
The newly raised 46 and 47 RM Commandos joined 41 RM Commando and it became apparent to the Allied planners that a fourth Commando was needed for the brigade’s mission, so in mid-March the remaining men of the Royal Marine Division and other volunteers began training to form No. 48 RM Commando in time for the invasion. The Brigade was expected to be in combat for at most a week before being returned home.
and then moved west to Lion-sur-Mer
then link up with their fellow commandos at Luc-sur-Mer
.
As they came ashore under moderate fire, they lost several men including their Regimental Sergeant Major
, the Naval Forward Observation Officer and the second in command.
Once clear of the beach defences they found themselves in a relatively quite sector. From their assembly area they marched down the coastal road toward Lion-sur-Mer joined by three AVRE
s. As P and Y troops approached the town a well-concealed German PaK 38
gun ambushed the tanks destroying all three and stalling the assault.
A and B troops had been moving ahead on to their second objective at the Chateau, but were attacked on their approach and forced back. Facing overwhelming defences and artillery, the commandos dug in and awaited reinforcements.
At 1330 Hours battalions of the Lincolnshire Regiment and the Royal Ulster Rifles
moved up to the Commando’s position bringing with them a replacement Naval Observation Officer. As soon as he arrived, the destroyer
s off shore began a one hour-long naval bombardment battering the strong point and chateau. It was now too late for the commandos to launch an effective assault so they dug in for the night.
When dawn broke the German artillery fire began once again pinning the commandos and supporting infantry for another two hours. Then they were subject to a bombing attack by German Heinkel
bombers which dropped anti-personnel bombs on to their position killing several men including their royal artillery observer and severely wounding the commanding officer, Lt Col Gray. Having already lost the second-in-command Major Barclay, command fell to the Adjutant
John Taplin. Under his command the Commando joined the Lincolnshire Regiment in the final assault on the strongpoint and chateau. Once the two units had defeated the position, 41 Commando moved out alone to Luc-sur-mer. They found the town undefended and dug in to wait for their comrades to join them from the Canadian beach.
48 RM Commando were to land at Nan Red sector of Juno Beach with the mission to assault the strongpoint at Langrune-sur-Mer
and then link up with 41 RM Commando sealing the breach between the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
and the British 3rd Infantry Divisions. On their approach to the shore, two of their ships struck underwater obstacles and sunk. Weighed down by their equipment, many of the marines drowned in the surf. Those that did make it ashore faced intense German small arms fire. The combined effect of these two situations was that only fifty percent of the commando made it off the beach to fight on east of Juno.
Once off the beach, 48 RM Commando advanced to their objective the heavily defended guns at Langrune. As they approached, the destroyer HMS Vigilant
bombarded the position, with little effect due to the heavy fortifications. The commandos found the strong point protected by snipers, mines, machine-guns and a 4 feet (1.2 m) concrete wall.
They were then joined by two Centaur Support Tanks
from the 1st Royal Marine Support Regiment, the first of these tanks moved toward the wall firing its 95mm howitzer
and obliterating a machine-gun bunker that had been covering the crossroads. The second Centaur began to move in to position, but struck a mine while approaching the wall forcing the crew to bail out and join the commandos.
With the Centaurs out of ammunition or disabled the attack faltered, B Troop raced across the intersection to an opposite house only to discover that it had been fortified with the windows and doors facing the strongpoint filled with concrete. The commandos had no choice but to bring down the wall. They set a charge at its base, but once again the explosive force was absorbed by the strength of the fortification.
The commandos next received news of the 21st Panzer Division’s counter-attack that had already stopped the British advance on Caen
and was pushing on toward Lion-sur-Mer. The commandos were ordered to cease the assault and take up defensive positions. The German Panzer grenadiers reached the German 716th Infantry Division positions still manned between the two units of the 4th Special Service Brigade.
The next event was the glider
assault landing of the 6th Airlanding Brigade
of the 6th Airborne Division to the east. Seeing the gliders landing, the German commander feared he would be outflanked and ordered his force to withdraw towards Caen. Had he pushed onward and attacked the commandos, Sword beach would have been isolated and the entire eastern flank of the Allied invasion may have collapsed.
In the morning the commandos were joined by a pair of Canadian M10 Wolverine
tank destroyers, which fired anti-tank rounds on the wall, for the next hour the M10s peppered the wall with solid shot and the fortification began to disintegrate. An Royal Marines Armoured Support Group
Sherman tank then appeared and opened fire on the wall and allowed the commandos to launch an assault. Advancing behind the Sherman, covered by its cannon and machine-guns, the commandos seized the interior of the strongpoint and spent the rest of the day silencing the remaining pockets of resistance around Langrune.
. Their task was to go inland then turn right (west) and make a ten-mile (16 km) march through enemy territory to attack the coastal harbour of Port en Bessin from the rear. This small port, on the British far right, was well sheltered in the chalk cliffs and significant in that it was to be a prime early harbour for supplies to be brought in including fuel by underwater pipe from tankers moored offshore.
On their approach they could see their preceding units were struggling. Due to intense fire, the Hampshires had landed one and a half miles further to the east than originally planned.
Ordered to avoid contact with the enemy and advance on Port en Bessin, the commanding officer Lt Col Phillips ordered his LCAs
to approach the beach behind the Hampshires near Roquettes
. The commando's landed under intense fire, five of their craft sunk before reaching the shore and almost all the others were damaged resulting in five officers, (including Lt Col Phillips, who would swim to shore by late in the day), and seventy one other ranks being reported missing.
Unable to locate Phillips, the second-in-command, Major P.M. Donnell led his men off the beach turned inland to avoid engaging the enemy. Behind the lines the commando moved quickly to Buhot where Phillips rejoined it after his long swim. For the next several hours the Commando stealthily pushed on occasionally encountering snipers and small units of unsuspecting rear guards from whom they captured several "spandaus" (MG-34 machine guns) and other small arms. As dusk descended upon the Commando they reached Point 72, the highest point on a ridge near Escures
, which they discovered was undefended. They dug in for the night and prepared for the attack on Port-en-Bessin at dawn.
Originally the attack on Port-en-Bessin was planned to be supported by American artillery, but having no working radio made this coordination impossible. The arrival of two French civilians, a replacement Forward Observation Officer, and a Gendarme
named Gouget assisted the planned assault the two civilians identified the German positions and the artillery officer repaired the unit’s wireless set allowing him to get through to the navy ships off shore.
At 1400 hours two Landing Craft Gun (Large), "LCG(L)", opened fire on the port and were joined by HMS Emerald
’s six-inch (152 mm) guns an hour later. By 1600 hours the city was hit by RAF Hawker Typhoon
air strikes and the Royal Artillery
bombarded the area with smoke in preparation for the commando's assault.
Gouget guided A and B troops through ditches surrounding the town, past the outer ring of gunpits, while X Troop fixed bayonets and charged the machine-gun nests quickly taking the positions.
Once the outer ring of defences had been breached, A Troop advanced on the western feature, but were repelled when two Kriegsmarine
Flak ships, that had moved in to the port on 5 June, opened fire on the men with their rapid fire cannons.
B Troop also launched an assault on the town itself, but were pinned down by a pillbox on the heights and machine-gun positions in houses throughout the village.
Philips next ordered his men to launch an assault on the Flak ships, but were once again repelled. Seeing their problem, the captains of HMS Ursa
and the Polish ship ORP Krakowiak approached the port, but were unable to open fire on the Flak ships, which were behind the port’s concrete and stone breakwater. The navy then formed boarding parties and launched their motorboats, which crossed the harbour net and attacked the Flak ships.
With the Flak ships silenced, B and Heavy weapons troops made their way up the eastern feature and assaulted the German blockhouse forcing the defenders to surrender. Sporadic fighting continued on until dawn of 8 June when the remaining defenders on the western feature surrendered.
On 9 June PLUTO
arrived in the form of an army port company and the petrol started to flow, supplying Allied vehicles across the Normandy front.
Station. This fortified position was the primary Luftwaffe
radar station in the area.
It was covered with gun pits, mine fields, tunnels, bunkers, five 5 cm anti-tank guns, a 7.5 cm field gun, and a ring of barbed wire twenty foot in height. The Brigade was to isolate the station which would allow other Allied forces to pass by and advance on Caen.
After securing the perimeter, 46, 47 and 48 RM Commando were sent to support the Canadians and Airborne divisions while 41 RM Commando stayed behind. For the next week the commandos continued to harass the strongpoint with occasional mortar fire, typhoons strikes, and volleys from two attached RMASG Centaurs. Although the site did not actively threaten Allied movements in the area it did provide radar-ranging information for Luftwaffe night fighters and constantly reported on British movements.
On June 17 the assault began with a bombardment from the Royal Artillery’s 7.2 inches (182.9 mm) guns and ships off shore. Under their new commander, Lt. Col Palmer, 41 RM Commando and forty-four armoured engineering vehicles attacked from the north while other tanks created a diversion from the southwest. The Sherman Crabs cleared the way through the minefields while the AVRE battered the bunkers with their cannons. The effect of such fire was devastating on the German defenders. When the commandos entered the entrenchment and opened fire, it was clear that the station could no longer be defended. The two hundred and twenty seven remaining Luftwaffe force surrendered and the last of the 4th Special Service Brigade’s D-Day objectives was finally achieved.
, where they joined 1st Special Service Brigade
and the 6th Airborne Division, under the command of Major General Gale
. The Brigade would remain in the Orne area until mid August while British Second Army
launched a series of assaults on Caen.
In mid August, following the capture of Caen, General Gale’s forces broke out of their positions and launched a major offensive. Before sunrise on August 20, 46 RM Commando launched an attack on the heights above Putot and the commandos seized the position overlooking the entire Dozulé
area. For the remainder of the day, 48 Commando pushed through the bocage
, without support, to Point 134 and Point 120 followed by 41 Commando. This location nearly cut off the Germans escape route from the town, realizing that they had been out flanked the Germans set the village ablaze and withdrew.
With Dozulé captured the Commandos pushed on through Beuzeville
to the Risle River. On many occasions the commandos and airborne troops would arrive in a village less than hour after the Germans had made a hasty withdrawal.
Following the capture of Pont-Audemer
, the 6th Airborne and 1st Special Service Brigade were relieved by the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and returned to England. Leaving behind the 4th Special Service Brigade which remained in the area for several weeks clearing pockets of resistance between the Seine
and Valmont
. They then took up the role of garrison troops in and around the shattered city of Le Havre
and finally moved out and took up positions near Dunkirk probing the German lines with small raids.
On September 27 the Brigade was withdrawn to an assembly area in De Haan, Belgium
. They then prepared for another amphibious assault, on the Dutch island of Walcheren
. The island lay at the mouth of the Scheldt River, which ran from Antwerp to the sea. Until the island and the northern banks of the river were occupied, the port of Antwerp could not be used to support the Allied advance. On October 3 Allied bombers breached the dykes at Westkapelle
, Flushing
, and Veere
, flooding the island leaving only a few dry areas around the perimeter of the island, greatly restricting the Germans’ freedom of movement.
The 4th Special Service Brigade formed the seaborne element of the attack while British and Canadian infantry attacked overland from the mainland. This time the commandos came ashore in Landing Vehicle Tracked
, which had already proven their value in the Pacific campaign
. 41 Commando was tasked with assaulting the town of Westkapelle
then to move north along the causeway to Domburg
. Just to their south 48 Commando took on a radar station and naval gun battery, while 47 completed the encirclement of the western part of the island by moving south towards Flushing
.
The brigade would spend the rest of the war making raids across the Maas River in Operation Incalculable and Operation Bogart.
After occupation duties in Germany the Brigade returned to the United Kingdom in 1946 and was disbanded.
s were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, St. Nazaire, and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
dissolved the Marine Division in late 1942 and reorganized its amphibious assault infantry in to eight additional Commandos.
The Brigade landed in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
on June 6, 1944 during Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
and participated in the Battle of the Scheldt
Battle of the Scheldt
The Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
and the assault of the Walcheren Islands
Battle of Walcheren Causeway
The Battle of Walcheren Causeway was an engagement of the Battle of the Scheldt between the 5th Canadian Infantry Brigade, elements of the British 52nd Infantry Division, notably the Glasgow Highlanders, and troops of the German 15th Army in 1944...
. On December 6, 1944 the Brigade was re named 4th Commando Brigade, removing the hated title Special Service and its association with the German SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
.
Formation
- Commander : Brigadier B. W. Leicester
- No.41 (Royal Marine) Commando, Lieutenant-Colonel E. C. E. Palmer
- No.46 (Royal Marine) Commando, Lieutenant-Colonel C. R. Hardy
- No.47 (Royal Marine) Commando, Lieutenant-Colonel C. F. Phillips
- No.48 (Royal Marine) Commando, Lieutenant-Colonel J. L. Moulton
- No.4 Army CommandoNo. 4 CommandoNo. 4 Commando was a battalion-sized British Army commando unit, formed in 1940 early in the Second World War. Although it was raised to conduct small-scale raids and harass garrisons along the coast of German-occupied France, it was mainly employed as a highly-trained infantry assault unit.The...
was attached for the Battle of the ScheldtBattle of the ScheldtThe Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
in place of No 46 RM - No. 10 (Inter-Allied) CommandoNo. 10 (Inter-Allied) CommandoNo. 10 Commando was a commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The first No. 10 Commando was proposed in August 1940, using volunteers from Northern Command, however there was such a poor response that No...
, elements attached.
Normandy
The Plan
The brigade task was to secure the flanks of the invasion beaches, linking up the British front from the Orne RiverOrne River
The Orne is a river in Normandy, within northwestern France. It discharges into the English Channel at the port of Ouistreham. Its source is in Aunou-sur-Orne, east of Sées...
to Port-en-Bessin and the Americans on Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
.
The newly raised 46 and 47 RM Commandos joined 41 RM Commando and it became apparent to the Allied planners that a fourth Commando was needed for the brigade’s mission, so in mid-March the remaining men of the Royal Marine Division and other volunteers began training to form No. 48 RM Commando in time for the invasion. The Brigade was expected to be in combat for at most a week before being returned home.
- No.41 (Rm) commando to land at far right of Sword beachSword BeachSword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
. - No.46 (RM) commando at Juno BeachJuno BeachJuno or Juno Beach was one of five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during the Second World War. The sector spanned from Saint-Aubin, a village just east of the British Gold sector, to Courseulles, just west of the British Sword sector...
to scale the cliffs on the left side of Ornne River estuary and to destroy a battery. - No.47 (Rm) Commando to go to the west flank of Gold beachGold BeachGold Beach was the code name of one of the D-Day landing beaches that Allied forces used to invade German-occupied France on 6 June 1944, during World War II....
. - No.48 (Rm) commando to go to Juno beach with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division3rd Canadian Infantry DivisionThe Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
and the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade-History:Soon after 3rd Canadian Tank Brigade assumed the designation in summer 1943 of the original 2nd Canadian Tank Brigade, the new 2nd Tank was redesignated and reorganized as 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade. Although reorganized as an armoured brigade, no motor battalion served under its command...
.
41 RM Commando Sword Beach
No 41 RM Commando was the senior unit in the Brigade, they landed at Hermanville-sur-MerHermanville-sur-Mer
Hermanville-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Sights:* 13th century church* Commonwealth war cemetery* Old village center...
and then moved west to Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer
Lion-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados département in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Geography:Lion-sur-Mer is located on the edge of the English Channel, more precisely on the Côte de Nacre , about North of Caen.The beach is made of fine sand and is bordered, to the west,...
then link up with their fellow commandos at Luc-sur-Mer
Luc-sur-Mer
Luc-sur-Mer is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Sights:* The "Maison de la Baleine". On January 15, 1885 a 40 ton and 19 meters long whale beached in Luc sur Mer...
.
As they came ashore under moderate fire, they lost several men including their Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major is an appointment held by warrant officers class 1 in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many Commonwealth nations, including Australia and New Zealand; and by chief warrant officers in the Canadian Forces...
, the Naval Forward Observation Officer and the second in command.
Once clear of the beach defences they found themselves in a relatively quite sector. From their assembly area they marched down the coastal road toward Lion-sur-Mer joined by three AVRE
Avre
Avre may refer to:*Avre , a river in northwestern France, tributary of the Eure*Avre , a river in northern France, tributary of the Somme*Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers, a military vehicle of the British Army...
s. As P and Y troops approached the town a well-concealed German PaK 38
PaK 38
The 5 cm PaK 38 was a German anti-tank gun of 50 mm calibre. It was developed in 1938 by Rheinmetall-Borsig AG as a successor to the 37 mm PaK 36, and was in turn followed by the 75 mm PaK 40.-Service:The PaK 38 was first used by the German forces during the Second World War...
gun ambushed the tanks destroying all three and stalling the assault.
A and B troops had been moving ahead on to their second objective at the Chateau, but were attacked on their approach and forced back. Facing overwhelming defences and artillery, the commandos dug in and awaited reinforcements.
At 1330 Hours battalions of the Lincolnshire Regiment and the Royal Ulster Rifles
Royal Ulster Rifles
The Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
moved up to the Commando’s position bringing with them a replacement Naval Observation Officer. As soon as he arrived, the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s off shore began a one hour-long naval bombardment battering the strong point and chateau. It was now too late for the commandos to launch an effective assault so they dug in for the night.
When dawn broke the German artillery fire began once again pinning the commandos and supporting infantry for another two hours. Then they were subject to a bombing attack by German Heinkel
Heinkel He 111
The Heinkel He 111 was a German aircraft designed by Siegfried and Walter Günter in the early 1930s in violation of the Treaty of Versailles. Often described as a "Wolf in sheep's clothing", it masqueraded as a transport aircraft, but its purpose was to provide the Luftwaffe with a fast medium...
bombers which dropped anti-personnel bombs on to their position killing several men including their royal artillery observer and severely wounding the commanding officer, Lt Col Gray. Having already lost the second-in-command Major Barclay, command fell to the Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
John Taplin. Under his command the Commando joined the Lincolnshire Regiment in the final assault on the strongpoint and chateau. Once the two units had defeated the position, 41 Commando moved out alone to Luc-sur-mer. They found the town undefended and dug in to wait for their comrades to join them from the Canadian beach.
48 RM Commando Juno Beach
Langrune-sur-Mer
-References:*...
and then link up with 41 RM Commando sealing the breach between the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
The Canadian 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Canadian Army from 1940 to c.1945.- History :The formation of the division was authorized on 17 May 1940...
and the British 3rd Infantry Divisions. On their approach to the shore, two of their ships struck underwater obstacles and sunk. Weighed down by their equipment, many of the marines drowned in the surf. Those that did make it ashore faced intense German small arms fire. The combined effect of these two situations was that only fifty percent of the commando made it off the beach to fight on east of Juno.
Once off the beach, 48 RM Commando advanced to their objective the heavily defended guns at Langrune. As they approached, the destroyer HMS Vigilant
HMS Vigilant (R93)
HMS Vigilant was an V-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F93....
bombarded the position, with little effect due to the heavy fortifications. The commandos found the strong point protected by snipers, mines, machine-guns and a 4 feet (1.2 m) concrete wall.
They were then joined by two Centaur Support Tanks
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
from the 1st Royal Marine Support Regiment, the first of these tanks moved toward the wall firing its 95mm howitzer
Ordnance QF 95 mm Howitzer
The Ordnance QF 95-mm Howitzer was a British Howitzer built in two versions during the Second World War. The Tank Howitzer version was accepted for service use, but an Infantry Howitzer version was not accepted for service use.-Design and development:...
and obliterating a machine-gun bunker that had been covering the crossroads. The second Centaur began to move in to position, but struck a mine while approaching the wall forcing the crew to bail out and join the commandos.
With the Centaurs out of ammunition or disabled the attack faltered, B Troop raced across the intersection to an opposite house only to discover that it had been fortified with the windows and doors facing the strongpoint filled with concrete. The commandos had no choice but to bring down the wall. They set a charge at its base, but once again the explosive force was absorbed by the strength of the fortification.
The commandos next received news of the 21st Panzer Division’s counter-attack that had already stopped the British advance on Caen
Caen
Caen is a commune in northwestern France. It is the prefecture of the Calvados department and the capital of the Basse-Normandie region. It is located inland from the English Channel....
and was pushing on toward Lion-sur-Mer. The commandos were ordered to cease the assault and take up defensive positions. The German Panzer grenadiers reached the German 716th Infantry Division positions still manned between the two units of the 4th Special Service Brigade.
The next event was the glider
Military glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
assault landing of the 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
of the 6th Airborne Division to the east. Seeing the gliders landing, the German commander feared he would be outflanked and ordered his force to withdraw towards Caen. Had he pushed onward and attacked the commandos, Sword beach would have been isolated and the entire eastern flank of the Allied invasion may have collapsed.
In the morning the commandos were joined by a pair of Canadian M10 Wolverine
M10 Wolverine
The M10 tank destroyer, formally 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage, M10 was a United States tank destroyer of World War II based on the chassis of the M4 Sherman tank. It was numerically the most important U.S...
tank destroyers, which fired anti-tank rounds on the wall, for the next hour the M10s peppered the wall with solid shot and the fortification began to disintegrate. An Royal Marines Armoured Support Group
Royal Marines Armoured Support Group
The current Royal Marines Armoured Support Group is an element of the Royal Marines which operates the Viking BvS 10, All Terrain Vehicle. It is the successor to the Royal Marines Armoured Support Company, and is in effect on permanent loan from operational command of 3 Commando Brigade to the...
Sherman tank then appeared and opened fire on the wall and allowed the commandos to launch an assault. Advancing behind the Sherman, covered by its cannon and machine-guns, the commandos seized the interior of the strongpoint and spent the rest of the day silencing the remaining pockets of resistance around Langrune.
46 RM Commando Juno Beach
The brigade’s reserve element, No. 46 RM Commando, landed on Juno beach at 0900 on 7 June and advanced on to Petit Enfer. The commandos faced stiff German resistance, but were able to force their way through the German positions and on to Luc-sur-Mer. There they met up with 41 RM Commando, linking Juno and Sword Beaches.47 RM Commando Gold Beach
No.47 (RM) Commando was the last British Commando unit to land and came ashore on Gold Beach east of Le HamelAsnelles
Asnelles is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
. Their task was to go inland then turn right (west) and make a ten-mile (16 km) march through enemy territory to attack the coastal harbour of Port en Bessin from the rear. This small port, on the British far right, was well sheltered in the chalk cliffs and significant in that it was to be a prime early harbour for supplies to be brought in including fuel by underwater pipe from tankers moored offshore.
On their approach they could see their preceding units were struggling. Due to intense fire, the Hampshires had landed one and a half miles further to the east than originally planned.
Ordered to avoid contact with the enemy and advance on Port en Bessin, the commanding officer Lt Col Phillips ordered his LCAs
Landing Craft Assault
The Landing Craft Assault was a British landing craft used extensively in World War II. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by John I. Thornycroft Ltd. During the war it was manufactured throughout...
to approach the beach behind the Hampshires near Roquettes
Roquettes
Roquettes is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
. The commando's landed under intense fire, five of their craft sunk before reaching the shore and almost all the others were damaged resulting in five officers, (including Lt Col Phillips, who would swim to shore by late in the day), and seventy one other ranks being reported missing.
Unable to locate Phillips, the second-in-command, Major P.M. Donnell led his men off the beach turned inland to avoid engaging the enemy. Behind the lines the commando moved quickly to Buhot where Phillips rejoined it after his long swim. For the next several hours the Commando stealthily pushed on occasionally encountering snipers and small units of unsuspecting rear guards from whom they captured several "spandaus" (MG-34 machine guns) and other small arms. As dusk descended upon the Commando they reached Point 72, the highest point on a ridge near Escures
Escurès
Escurès is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-References:*...
, which they discovered was undefended. They dug in for the night and prepared for the attack on Port-en-Bessin at dawn.
Originally the attack on Port-en-Bessin was planned to be supported by American artillery, but having no working radio made this coordination impossible. The arrival of two French civilians, a replacement Forward Observation Officer, and a Gendarme
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
named Gouget assisted the planned assault the two civilians identified the German positions and the artillery officer repaired the unit’s wireless set allowing him to get through to the navy ships off shore.
At 1400 hours two Landing Craft Gun (Large), "LCG(L)", opened fire on the port and were joined by HMS Emerald
HMS Emerald (D66)
HMS Emerald was an Emerald-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Armstrong , with the keel being laid down on 23 September 1918...
’s six-inch (152 mm) guns an hour later. By 1600 hours the city was hit by RAF Hawker Typhoon
Hawker Typhoon
The Hawker Typhoon was a British single-seat fighter-bomber, produced by Hawker Aircraft. While the Typhoon was designed to be a medium-high altitude interceptor, and a direct replacement for the Hawker Hurricane, several design problems were encountered, and the Typhoon never completely satisfied...
air strikes and the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
bombarded the area with smoke in preparation for the commando's assault.
Gouget guided A and B troops through ditches surrounding the town, past the outer ring of gunpits, while X Troop fixed bayonets and charged the machine-gun nests quickly taking the positions.
Once the outer ring of defences had been breached, A Troop advanced on the western feature, but were repelled when two Kriegsmarine
Kriegsmarine
The Kriegsmarine was the name of the German Navy during the Nazi regime . It superseded the Kaiserliche Marine of World War I and the post-war Reichsmarine. The Kriegsmarine was one of three official branches of the Wehrmacht, the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany.The Kriegsmarine grew rapidly...
Flak ships, that had moved in to the port on 5 June, opened fire on the men with their rapid fire cannons.
B Troop also launched an assault on the town itself, but were pinned down by a pillbox on the heights and machine-gun positions in houses throughout the village.
Philips next ordered his men to launch an assault on the Flak ships, but were once again repelled. Seeing their problem, the captains of HMS Ursa
HMS Ursa (R22)
HMS Ursa was a U-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was later converted into a Type 15 fast anti-submarine frigate, with the new pennant number F200.In September 1955 at Chatham dockyard...
and the Polish ship ORP Krakowiak approached the port, but were unable to open fire on the Flak ships, which were behind the port’s concrete and stone breakwater. The navy then formed boarding parties and launched their motorboats, which crossed the harbour net and attacked the Flak ships.
With the Flak ships silenced, B and Heavy weapons troops made their way up the eastern feature and assaulted the German blockhouse forcing the defenders to surrender. Sporadic fighting continued on until dawn of 8 June when the remaining defenders on the western feature surrendered.
On 9 June PLUTO
Pluto
Pluto, formal designation 134340 Pluto, is the second-most-massive known dwarf planet in the Solar System and the tenth-most-massive body observed directly orbiting the Sun...
arrived in the form of an army port company and the petrol started to flow, supplying Allied vehicles across the Normandy front.
Douvre Radar Station
After being rested and reinforced the Brigade less NO.41 Commando, moved south to the Douvre RadarRadar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
Station. This fortified position was the primary Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
radar station in the area.
It was covered with gun pits, mine fields, tunnels, bunkers, five 5 cm anti-tank guns, a 7.5 cm field gun, and a ring of barbed wire twenty foot in height. The Brigade was to isolate the station which would allow other Allied forces to pass by and advance on Caen.
After securing the perimeter, 46, 47 and 48 RM Commando were sent to support the Canadians and Airborne divisions while 41 RM Commando stayed behind. For the next week the commandos continued to harass the strongpoint with occasional mortar fire, typhoons strikes, and volleys from two attached RMASG Centaurs. Although the site did not actively threaten Allied movements in the area it did provide radar-ranging information for Luftwaffe night fighters and constantly reported on British movements.
On June 17 the assault began with a bombardment from the Royal Artillery’s 7.2 inches (182.9 mm) guns and ships off shore. Under their new commander, Lt. Col Palmer, 41 RM Commando and forty-four armoured engineering vehicles attacked from the north while other tanks created a diversion from the southwest. The Sherman Crabs cleared the way through the minefields while the AVRE battered the bunkers with their cannons. The effect of such fire was devastating on the German defenders. When the commandos entered the entrenchment and opened fire, it was clear that the station could no longer be defended. The two hundred and twenty seven remaining Luftwaffe force surrendered and the last of the 4th Special Service Brigade’s D-Day objectives was finally achieved.
6th Airborne Division
The Brigade less No 41 RM Commando moved to the Orne RiverOrne River
The Orne is a river in Normandy, within northwestern France. It discharges into the English Channel at the port of Ouistreham. Its source is in Aunou-sur-Orne, east of Sées...
, where they joined 1st Special Service Brigade
1st Special Service Brigade
The 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
and the 6th Airborne Division, under the command of Major General Gale
Richard Nelson Gale
General Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
. The Brigade would remain in the Orne area until mid August while British Second Army
British Second Army
The British Second Army was active during both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War the army was active on the Western Front and in Italy...
launched a series of assaults on Caen.
In mid August, following the capture of Caen, General Gale’s forces broke out of their positions and launched a major offensive. Before sunrise on August 20, 46 RM Commando launched an attack on the heights above Putot and the commandos seized the position overlooking the entire Dozulé
Dozulé
-See also:* Cross of Dozulé* Movement of Love Saint Juan Diego*Communes of the Calvados department-References:*...
area. For the remainder of the day, 48 Commando pushed through the bocage
Bocage
Bocage is a Norman word which has entered both the French and English languages. It may refer to a small forest, a decorative element of leaves, a terrain of mixed woodland and pasture, or a type of rubble-work, comparable with the English use of 'rustic' in relation to garden...
, without support, to Point 134 and Point 120 followed by 41 Commando. This location nearly cut off the Germans escape route from the town, realizing that they had been out flanked the Germans set the village ablaze and withdrew.
With Dozulé captured the Commandos pushed on through Beuzeville
Beuzeville
Beuzeville is a commune in the north-western part of the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.Located on the Lieuvin plateau, it is adjacent to the communes of Pont-l'Évêque, Honfleur and Deauville...
to the Risle River. On many occasions the commandos and airborne troops would arrive in a village less than hour after the Germans had made a hasty withdrawal.
Following the capture of Pont-Audemer
Pont-Audemer
Pont-Audemer is a commune in the Eure department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The commune was spared substantial damage to its historic buildings during the Battle of Normandy. Nowadays the half-timbered buildings and the canals running between them are a...
, the 6th Airborne and 1st Special Service Brigade were relieved by the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and returned to England. Leaving behind the 4th Special Service Brigade which remained in the area for several weeks clearing pockets of resistance between the Seine
Seine
The Seine is a -long river and an important commercial waterway within the Paris Basin in the north of France. It rises at Saint-Seine near Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres plateau, flowing through Paris and into the English Channel at Le Havre . It is navigable by ocean-going vessels...
and Valmont
Valmont
Valmont may refer to various incarnations of the character in the story Les Liaisons dangereuses .*Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont, a character in the 1782 French novel Les Liaisons dangereuses by Choderlos de Laclos....
. They then took up the role of garrison troops in and around the shattered city of Le Havre
Le Havre
Le Havre is a city in the Seine-Maritime department of the Haute-Normandie region in France. It is situated in north-western France, on the right bank of the mouth of the river Seine on the English Channel. Le Havre is the most populous commune in the Haute-Normandie region, although the total...
and finally moved out and took up positions near Dunkirk probing the German lines with small raids.
Walcheren Islands
De Haan, Belgium
De Haan is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of De Haan proper, Klemskerke, Vlissegem and Wenduine. On January 1, 2006 De Haan had a total population of 11,925...
. They then prepared for another amphibious assault, on the Dutch island of Walcheren
Walcheren
thumb|right|250px|Campveer Tower in Veere, built in 1500Walcheren is a former island in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Oosterschelde in the north and the Westerschelde in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus...
. The island lay at the mouth of the Scheldt River, which ran from Antwerp to the sea. Until the island and the northern banks of the river were occupied, the port of Antwerp could not be used to support the Allied advance. On October 3 Allied bombers breached the dykes at Westkapelle
Westkapelle
Westkapelle can refer to:* Westkapelle - a place in the municipality of Knokke-Heist in Belgium* Westkapelle - a place in the municipality of Veere in the Netherlands...
, Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
, and Veere
Veere
Veere is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands, on Walcheren island in the province of Zeeland.-Population centres :Aagtekerke , Biggekerke , Domburg , Gapinge , Grijpskerke , Koudekerke , Meliskerke , Oostkapelle , Serooskerke , Veere , Vrouwenpolder , Westkapelle...
, flooding the island leaving only a few dry areas around the perimeter of the island, greatly restricting the Germans’ freedom of movement.
The 4th Special Service Brigade formed the seaborne element of the attack while British and Canadian infantry attacked overland from the mainland. This time the commandos came ashore in Landing Vehicle Tracked
Landing Vehicle Tracked
The Landing Vehicle Tracked was a class of amphibious vehicles introduced by the United States Navy, Marine Corps and Army during World War II. Originally intended solely as cargo carriers for ship to shore operations, they rapidly evolved into assault troop and fire support vehicles as well...
, which had already proven their value in the Pacific campaign
Pacific Campaign
Pacific Campaign may refer to:* Pacific Campaign , fighting between the United States and Spain during the Spanish-American War...
. 41 Commando was tasked with assaulting the town of Westkapelle
Westkapelle
Westkapelle can refer to:* Westkapelle - a place in the municipality of Knokke-Heist in Belgium* Westkapelle - a place in the municipality of Veere in the Netherlands...
then to move north along the causeway to Domburg
Domburg
Domburg is a seaside resort on the North Sea, on the northwest coast of Walcheren in the Dutch province of Zeeland. It is a part of the municipality of Veere, and lies about 11 km northwest of the city of Middelburg, the provincial capital.-Demographics:...
. Just to their south 48 Commando took on a radar station and naval gun battery, while 47 completed the encirclement of the western part of the island by moving south towards Flushing
Flushing, Netherlands
Vlissingen is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. With its strategic location between the Scheldt river and the North Sea, Vlissingen has been an important harbour for centuries. It was granted city rights in 1315. In the 17th century...
.
The brigade would spend the rest of the war making raids across the Maas River in Operation Incalculable and Operation Bogart.
After occupation duties in Germany the Brigade returned to the United Kingdom in 1946 and was disbanded.
Battle honours
The following Battle honourBattle honour
A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or operation on its flags , uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible....
s were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.
- AdriaticDodecanese CampaignThe Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
- AlethangyawBurma CampaignThe Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
- AllerOperation PlunderCommencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
- AnzioOperation ShingleOperation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
- Argenta GapBattle of the Argenta GapThe Battle of the Argenta Gap was an engagement which formed part of the Allied spring 1945 offensive during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War...
- Burma 1943–45Burma CampaignThe Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
- CreteBattle of CreteThe Battle of Crete was a battle during World War II on the Greek island of Crete. It began on the morning of 20 May 1941, when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur...
- DieppeDieppe RaidThe Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
- Dives CrossingOperation OverlordOperation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
- Djebel Choucha
- FlushingBattle of the ScheldtThe Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
- Greece 1944–45Dodecanese CampaignThe Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
- Italy 1943–45Italian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
- KangawBattle of Hill 170The Battle of Hill 170 was a battle between the British 3rd Commando Brigade and the Japanese 54th Division during the Second World War. The battle was fought in January 1945, as part of the Burma campaign....
- Landing at Porto San VenereItalian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
- Landing in SicilyAllied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
- LeeseOperation PlunderCommencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
- LitaniOperation LitaniThe 1978 South Lebanon conflict was an invasion in Lebanon up to the Litani River carried out by the Israel Defense Forces in 1978. It was a military success for the Israeli Defense Forces, as PLO forces were pushed north of the river...
- MadagascarBattle of MadagascarThe Battle of Madagascar was the Allied campaign to capture Vichy-French-controlled Madagascar during World War II. It began on 5 May 1942. Fighting did not cease until 6 November.-Geo-political:...
- Middle East 1941, 1942, 1944
- Monte OrnitoOperation ShingleOperation Shingle , during the Italian Campaign of World War II, was an Allied amphibious landing against Axis forces in the area of Anzio and Nettuno, Italy. The operation was commanded by Major General John P. Lucas and was intended to outflank German forces of the Winter Line and enable an...
- MyebonBurma CampaignThe Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
- Normandy Landing
- North Africa 1941–43North African campaignDuring the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
- North-West Europe 1942, 1944–1945
- Norway 1941Operation ClaymoreOperation Claymore was the codename for a British Commandos raid on the Lofoten Islands in Norway during the Second World War. The Lofoten Islands were an important center for the production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war industry. The landings were carried out on 4 March 1941,...
- Pursuit to MessinaAllied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
- RhineOperation VarsityOperation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
- St. Nazaire
- SalernoAllied invasion of ItalyThe Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
- Sedjenane 1Tunisia CampaignThe Tunisia Campaign was a series of battles that took place in Tunisia during the North African Campaign of the Second World War, between Axis and Allied forces. The Allies consisted of British Imperial Forces, including Polish and Greek contingents, with American and French corps...
- Sicily 1943Allied invasion of SicilyThe Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
- Steamroller Farm
- Syria 1941Syria-Lebanon campaignThe Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
- Termoli
- VaagsoOperation ArcheryOperation Archery, also known as the Vaagso Raid, was a British Combined Operations raid during World War II against German positions on Vaagso Island , Norway, on 27 December 1941....
- Valli di ComacchioOperation RoastOperation Roast was a military operation by British Commandos at Comacchio lagoon in north east Italy during the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy in World War II.- Strategy :...
- WestkapelleBattle of the ScheldtThe Battle of the Scheldt was a series of military operations of the Canadian 1st Army, led by Lieutenant-General Guy Simonds. The battle took place in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands during World War II from 2 October-8 November 1944...
See also
- 1st Special Service Brigade1st Special Service BrigadeThe 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
- 2nd Special Service Brigade2nd Special Service BrigadeThe 2nd Special Service Brigade was formed in late 1943 in the Middle East and saw service in Italy, the Adriatic, the landings at Anzio and took part in operations in Yugoslavia....
- 3rd Special Service Brigade
- British CommandosBritish CommandosThe British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
- Royal MarinesRoyal MarinesThe Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...