No. 3 Commando

No. 3 Commando
Malindine, E G (Lt), War Office official photographer · Public domain · source
Unit name	No. 3 Commando
Dates	1940–1946
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Commandos
Role	Raid and amphibious assault
Size	Battalion-equivalent
Garrison	United Kingdom
Battles	Second World War

No. 3 Commando was a British Army commando unit raised during the Second World War that conducted amphibious raids, combined-arms assaults, and special operations in Europe and the Mediterranean. Formed from volunteers drawn from the British Army, Royal Marines, and other services, the unit served alongside formations such as the Special Air Service, Long Range Desert Group, SAS Regiment, and elements of the Force 136 and participated in operations involving the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and allied armies including the United States Army and Free French Forces. No. 3 Commando’s service spanned campaigns in the Norwegian Campaign, Syria–Lebanon Campaign, Battle of Crete, North African Campaign, and the Sicily Campaign.

Formation and Early History

Raised in 1940 following directives from Winston Churchill and the War Cabinet to form assault troops, No. 3 Commando was part of the initial wave of the British commando movement alongside units such as No. 1 Commando, No. 2 Commando, and No. 4 Commando. Its formation drew volunteers from regiments including the Coldstream Guards, Parachute Regiment aspirants, and personnel from the Royal Fusiliers and Royal Scots Fusiliers, influenced by early irregular successes like those of the Finnish Army in 1939–40 and the doctrine development by figures linked to Admiral Sir Roger Keyes and Lord Mountbatten. Early deployments included preparatory raids in the North Sea and operations in support of Operation Menace-style missions and later actions tied to Mediterranean strategy.

Training and Organisation

Training establishments such as the Special Training Centre and facilities at Achnacarry provided the commando course model that No. 3 Commando adopted, incorporating methods developed by instructors associated with the Commandos (United Kingdom), the Small Arms School Corps, and liaison officers from the Royal Marines School of Music-adjacent facilities. Organisation mirrored battalion structures with troops and sections akin to the King's Regiment (Liverpool), and coordination with the Royal Engineers, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, and Royal Signals for assault, demolition, and communications tasks. Training emphasised amphibious landings alongside training vessels from the Royal Navy and combined-arms rehearsals with units such as the 7th Armoured Division and 1st Infantry Division.

Operations and Deployments

No. 3 Commando took part in raids and campaigns ranging from the early Norwegian operations through Mediterranean landings and the Allied invasion of Sicily and actions in the Italian Campaign. Deployments saw coordination with the Mediterranean Fleet, convoys escorted by the HMS Ark Royal and other carriers, and air support from squadrons of the Royal Air Force including elements of RAF Coastal Command. The unit operated in joint operations with forces like the Free French Naval Forces, elements of the United States Navy, and local resistance movements such as the French Resistance and Yugoslav Partisans.

Notable Actions and Battles

No. 3 Commando participated in major and lesser-known actions, including amphibious raids in the Norwegian Campaign, the seizure of key positions during the Battle of Crete, raids in the Syria–Lebanon Campaign against Vichy French forces, and spearheading landings during the Allied invasion of Sicily where coordination with the Eighth Army and Allied Force Headquarters was critical. The unit’s operations often intersected with notable campaigns like the North African Campaign and engagements near strategic points referenced in operations such as Operation Husky and associated landings linked to commanders from the 21st Army Group and liaison with the Special Boat Service.

Personnel and Commanders

Personnel were drawn from across the British Isles and the wider British Commonwealth, with volunteers from units such as the Royal Welch Fusiliers, Royal Ulster Rifles, and colonial regiments influenced by recruitment patterns seen in formations like the Indian Army and Canadian Army. Commanders and notable officers had links with senior figures in the commando movement and broader Allied command structures including ties to personnel connected with Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, and operatives who later served in staff roles at Combined Operations Headquarters and other joint organisations.

Equipment and Insignia

Equipment included small arms and support weapons standard to British forces of the era such as the Lee-Enfield, Sten gun, and the Bren light machine gun, alongside demolition stores and specialist amphibious craft like landing craft associated with the Royal Navy and interoperable with vehicles from formations including the Royal Engineers. Insignia and dress drew on commando traditions also seen in units like the Royal Marines, with cap badges and shoulder titles reflecting ties to the broader Commandos (United Kingdom) and ceremonial associations with figures linked to Winston Churchill’s wartime directives.

Disbandment and Legacy

Following the end of the Second World War, No. 3 Commando was disbanded in the postwar reductions that affected units across the British Army and Commonwealth forces, contemporaneous with reorganisation in formations such as the Territorial Army and the rationalisation that produced newer special forces doctrines influencing the Special Air Service and Special Boat Service. Its legacy influenced postwar special operations doctrine, memorials in towns linked to veterans and campaigns like those commemorated by Imperial War Museums and historic campaigns curated by institutions such as the National Army Museum and veterans’ associations that preserved links to battles like Crete and Sicily.

Category:Commandos (United Kingdom) Category:Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in World War II