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| Small Scale Raiding Force | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Small Scale Raiding Force |
| Dates | 1940–1942 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Type | Special forces |
| Role | Coastal raiding, reconnaissance, sabotage |
| Notable commanders | Lieutenant Colonel Robert Laycock |
Small Scale Raiding Force The Small Scale Raiding Force was a British commando unit active during the Second World War that conducted coastal raids, reconnaissance, and sabotage against Axis positions in occupied Europe and the Mediterranean. Formed from volunteers drawn from British Army regiments and colonial units, it operated alongside formations such as Special Air Service, Special Operations Executive, Commandos (United Kingdom), and Long Range Desert Group in campaigns connected to the Western Desert Campaign, Battle of the Atlantic, and operations in Norway and the Channel Islands.
The unit originated in 1940 amid strategic initiatives by figures including Winston Churchill, Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham, and staff from Combined Operations Headquarters to develop irregular strike capability after the Fall of France and during the Battle of Britain. It drew on concepts tested by earlier units like No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, Layforce, and experimental detachments linked to Australian Independent Companies, and was established under officers influenced by planning in Middle East Command and directives from the Prime Minister. Early administrators coordinated with agencies such as War Office and liaison officers from the Ministry of Defence precursor structures.
Structured as small, highly mobile detachments, the force comprised volunteers from regiments including Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), Royal Marines, London Irish Rifles, and colonial units such as the Royal West African Frontier Force. Command elements included officers seconded from Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, and officers trained at School of Military Intelligence-linked courses. Naval coordination involved personnel from Royal Navy destroyer flotillas and crews of MTB flotillas, while air liaison used crews from Royal Air Force squadrons. Intelligence support was provided by operatives formerly attached to MI9 and MI6.
Training emphasized amphibious assault, silent infiltration, demolition, and escape-and-evasion techniques influenced by doctrine from Combined Operations Headquarters, SAS, and SOE. Exercises were held in locales such as Aldershot Garrison, Fortrose, and training areas near Portsmouth and Plymouth, incorporating instructors linked to Royal Engineers, Royal Navy Special Boat Service precursors, and airborne advisers from Parachute Regiment. Tactics included night raids using Motor Launch, Motor Torpedo Boat, and midget craft similar to designs tested by Donald Campbell-era trials; demolition methods referenced works by Major John Durnford-Slater and specialists from Royal Engineers.
The force executed raids in the English Channel, Norwegian Campaign coastal areas, and the western Mediterranean. Operations paralleled actions like the St. Nazaire Raid, Operation Claymore, and reconnaissance efforts supporting Operation Torch planning. Specific missions involved seaborne insertions and demolitions against German coastal installations, port facilities, and shipping clusters tied to convoys targeted in the Battle of the Atlantic. Joint missions coordinated with units from Special Boat Section, No. 62 Commando, and intelligence from Norwegian resistance cells and French Resistance networks.
Equipment mirrored that of contemporary special forces: small arms such as the Lee–Enfield, Thompson submachine gun, Sten gun, and silenced pistols; demolition charges and time pencils supplied via Royal Ordnance Factory depots; and folding boats and collapsible kayaks similar to those trialed by Ian Fleming-connected units. Logistic support used destroyers and smaller craft from Harwich Force and Mediterranean Fleet, with bases and staging areas at ports like Gibraltar, Algiers, and south coast harbors such as Falmouth and Portland Harbour.
Operations incurred fatalities, captures, and equipment losses comparable to other special operations units. Personnel losses occurred during engagements with German coastal defenses, interception by Kriegsmarine patrols, and compromised intelligence leading to arrests by Geheime Feldpolizei and Gestapo in occupied territories. Aircraft and naval assets supporting missions also suffered losses during air and sea actions tied to the broader Battle of the Mediterranean and Atlantic convoy battles such as those involving Admiral Karl Dönitz's U-boat fleet.
The unit influenced postwar special forces doctrine and contributed personnel to formations including the reconstituted Special Air Service and the evolving Special Boat Service. Its approaches to amphibious raids, joint operations, and small-unit sabotage fed into Cold War-era doctrines in organizations like United States Navy SEALs, French Commandos Marine, and Commonwealth special operations units. Veterans held posts in institutions such as the Imperial War Museum and helped document irregular warfare in memoirs alongside works by contemporaries like Noel Coward and military historians from Institute of Contemporary History.
Category:British Commando units of World War II