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| No. 2 Commando (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | No. 2 Commando |
| Caption | Men of No. 2 Commando, 1940 |
| Dates | 1940–1941 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Commando |
| Size | Battalion |
| Garrison | Colchester |
| Battles | Battle of France, Norwegian Campaign, Operation Collar |
No. 2 Commando (United Kingdom) was a British Army commando unit formed during the Second World War to conduct raids, reconnaissance and irregular warfare against Axis forces. Raised amid the aftermath of the Dunkirk evacuation and the influence of leaders and institutions advocating special operations, the unit trained for amphibious and airborne operations and participated in early raids and campaigns before reorganization into larger commando formations.
No. 2 Commando was created in 1940 following directives from Winston Churchill, operational concepts promoted by Lord Gort and organizational guidance from the newly formed Commando (United Kingdom) structure under Admiral Sir Roger Keyes and later Sir Dudley Pound. Recruitment drew volunteers from units such as the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers as well as individuals linked to the Special Operations Executive and veterans of the Battle of France. Early formation and deployment decisions were influenced by political pressure from David Margesson and military planning by the British War Office and the Combined Operations Headquarters.
Organizationally the unit mirrored a battalion-sized commando with troops and sections influenced by doctrines developed by Robert Laycock and training overseen by instructors from Achnacarry and the Special Boat Service. Training emphasized amphibious assaults, mountain warfare, demolition and small-unit tactics combining instruction from Lieutenant Colonel Robert Laycock-era methodologies, lessons from the Norwegian Campaign, and techniques used by No. 3 Commando, No. 1 Commando and No. 6 Commando. Physical conditioning, marksmanship with weapons like the Lee–Enfield and Sten submachine gun, fieldcraft with support from Royal Army Service Corps logistics, and navigation involving Royal Navy liaison were central to preparation.
No. 2 Commando saw early action in the Battle of France aftermath and in operations related to the Norwegian Campaign, operating alongside formations such as the British Expeditionary Force and coordinating with naval units including HMS Ark Royal detachments. The unit participated in early Combined Operations raids coordinated by Admiral Louis Mountbatten and the Combined Operations Headquarters, deploying in operations like Operation Collar and patrols in the English Channel and the North Sea. Deployments often placed the unit in joint operations with Royal Marines, Royal Navy boarding parties, and occasionally with elements of the Free French Forces and Polish Armed Forces in the West.
No. 2 Commando took part in raids and engagements tied to the nascent commando campaign, including actions linked to Operation Collar and diversionary raids informing later operations such as Operation Archery and Operation Chariot. Engagements involved close cooperation with ships like HMS Liverpool and coordination with air assets from the Royal Air Force, while tactical lessons informed subsequent raids by units including No. 4 Commando and No. 8 (Guards) Commando. The unit’s actions during raids contributed to the development of amphibious doctrine later applied in Operation Overlord planning.
Leadership of No. 2 Commando included officers drawn from across the British services and experienced figures associated with special operations, with command influenced by personalities connected to Combined Operations, Admiral Sir Roger Keyes, Admiral Louis Mountbatten, and staff officers from the War Office. Personnel included volunteers from regiments such as the Scots Guards, Royal Fusiliers, Irish Guards and specialists from the Royal Engineers and Royal Signals, while liaison and coordination involved figures from the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. Notable contemporaries in the wider commando movement included commanders from No. 2 Commando’s sister units such as No. 2 Special Service Battalion leaders and operators later associated with the Special Air Service and the Special Boat Service.
Equipment for No. 2 Commando reflected early-war British small arms and support weapons, including the Lee–Enfield, Bren light machine gun, Sten submachine gun, mortars like the 2-inch mortar, and anti-tank measures influenced by lessons from France 1940. Amphibious equipment included landing craft types developed by Combined Operations planners and support from vessels such as HMS Grasshopper and other destroyers. Insignia and dress combined elements of regimental accoutrements with special service symbols adopted across the Commando (United Kingdom) force, echoing the amblematic use of berets and shoulder titles seen in units like No. 4 Commando and No. 11 (Scottish) Commando.
No. 2 Commando was disbanded or reorganized in 1941 as the British commando force underwent consolidation into numbered brigades and specialized formations, its personnel redistributed to other commandos, the Special Air Service, and the Special Boat Service. The unit’s operational experience informed doctrine promulgated by Combined Operations Headquarters and influenced later amphibious operations such as Operation Torch and Operation Overlord, while veterans contributed to postwar special forces traditions preserved in associations linked to No. 1 Commando and regimental museums at locations like Colchester. Its legacy persists in studies of irregular warfare involving figures and institutions from the British wartime special operations community.