Commandos (United Kingdom)

Commandos (United Kingdom)
Phil Sangwell from United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0 · source
Unit name	Commandos (United Kingdom)
Caption	British commandos training during the Second World War
Dates	1940–1946
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	Kingdom of the United Kingdom
Branch	British Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force
Type	Special operations forces
Size	Varied; troop companies, brigades
Notable commanders	Admiral of the Fleet Roger Keyes, Major General Robert Laycock
Battle honours	Dieppe Raid, St Nazaire Raid, Normandy landings, North African Campaign, Burma Campaign

Commandos (United Kingdom) were specially trained British amphibious light infantry units formed in 1940 to conduct raids, reconnaissance, sabotage and irregular warfare against Axis-held territory during the Second World War. Raised by order of Prime Minister Winston Churchill and initially led by naval and army figures, the Commandos evolved from small raiding parties into brigade-sized assault formations that took part in major operations across Norway, the Mediterranean theatre, North Africa, the Western Front (World War II), and the Burma Campaign. Their development influenced postwar special forces and shaped doctrines used by units such as Special Air Service, Special Boat Service, and allied formations including United States Army Rangers and French Commandos Marine.

Origins and Formation

The Commandos were conceived after the 1940 Battle of France and evacuation at Dunkirk when Winston Churchill directed the creation of "specially trained troops of the hunter class" to strike at German-occupied coasts and disrupt Kriegsmarine operations. Initial organisation drew on figures from the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Marines; Admiral of the Fleet Roger Keyes and Lieutenant Colonel Robert Laycock were prominent in early advocacy and formation. Early units took inspiration from irregular warfare exemplars like the Irish War of Independence guerrillas and interwar raiding traditions such as the Royal Naval Division actions in the First World War. Volunteers were recruited from regiments across the British Isles and the wider British Empire, including contingents from Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and India.

Organisation and Training

Commandos were organised initially into numbered commando units and later into commando brigades under the command of the Directorate of Military Operations. A typical commando unit comprised troops and sections specialising in amphibious assault, demolition, signals, and mountain warfare; officers often came from the Officer Training Corps of universities or regimental cadres such as Grenadier Guards, Royal Fusiliers, and Scots Guards. Training centres were established at locations including Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands, which became synonymous with jungle, cliff, and river training exercises. Training emphasised marksmanship with weapons like the Lee–Enfield rifle and Sten gun, demolitions with plastic explosives, small-boat handling, climbing, and close-quarters battle; instructors had prior service in units such as the Royal Marines and SAS antecedents. Physical conditioning, navigation, and amphibious landings from craft such as Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel were central; liaison with Royal Navy Dockyards and Royal Air Force Coastal Command facilitated combined-arms exercises.

Operations and Campaigns

Commandos undertook a wide range of raids, assaults, and reconnaissance missions. Early notable raids included operations on the Norwegian coast during the Norwegian Campaign and the 1941 St Nazaire Raid (Operation Chariot) against the Normandie dry dock, for which members received awards like the Victoria Cross and Distinguished Service Order. Commandos participated in the ill-fated Dieppe Raid alongside units from the Canadian Army and Royal Air Force, and later took part in the North African campaign and Sicilian occupation during Operation Husky. On the Italian Front they operated in the Battle of Anzio and along the Adriatic Campaign, working with formations such as the Polish II Corps and Yugoslav Partisans. The 1944 Normandy landings saw commando brigades assigned to capture key coastal objectives on Gold Beach and Sword Beach and to clear the flanks of amphibious assaults. In the Far East, commandos fought in the Burma Campaign and executed riverine operations in the Irrawaddy River basin, coordinating with Chindits units and Royal Indian Navy elements.

Equipment and Tactics

Commandos employed specialised equipment and adapted tactics for amphibious and irregular warfare. They used small craft such as Fairmile motor launches, LCAs, and folding kayaks for covert insertion, and favoured compact weapons including the Sten submachine gun, Bren light machine gun, Webley revolver, and Allied-supplied M1 carbine. Demolition and sabotage utilised devices like the PIAT anti-tank weapon and shaped charges; communications relied on sets such as the Wireless Set No. 18. Tactically, Commandos emphasized speed, surprise, and flexibility—employing night raids, cliff assaults, beachhead seizures, and combined-arms coordination with Royal Navy ships, Royal Air Force squadrons, and armoured elements like units from the Royal Tank Regiment. Cloak-and-dagger reconnaissance missions often used disguises and local contacts, liaising with resistance movements including French Resistance and Greek Resistance groups.

Postwar Reorganisation and Legacy

After the Capitulation of Japan and demobilisation, most commando units were disbanded in 1946; however, their doctrine and veterans shaped postwar formations. The Special Air Service and Special Boat Service institutionalised commando tactics within peacetime structures, influencing NATO special operations doctrine and units such as the United States Navy SEALs and Australian SAS Regiment. Several wartime commandos transitioned into units within the Territorial Army and contributed to postwar operations in Malaya and Suez Crisis contingencies. The cultural and historical legacy endures through memorials, regimental museums like the Imperial War Museum, and commemorations of raids such as St Nazaire that continue to inform studies at institutions including the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and academic research on unconventional warfare.

Category:British Army formations of World War II Category:Special forces of the United Kingdom