Commandos - United We Conquer

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Welcome to the Commando Veterans Archive

The Commando Veterans Archive has been developed in order to appeal to all those who have an interest in the Commandos. The first Commando units formed were the Army Commando Units of WW2, formed in 1940. These were followed by the Royal Marine Commandos. The Navy and RAF also provided Commando personnel in WW2. If you have earned the right to wear the coveted Green Beret and be called Commando, or you are family or friends of the Commandos you are welcome to add to and enjoy the site.

Please feel free to pay tribute, research or simply satisfy the curiosity that you may have about the proud history of the Commandos.

Image above shows Royal Marines of 42 Commando forming part of a river patrol in Labuan, Brunei, December 1962. © IWM (A 34695)

Looking for Information?

We do NOT hold Service Records. If you wish to ask specific questions regarding the Commandos , whether on individuals, units, campaigns, equipment, insignia etc, please visit our website forums. Once your registration is approved, you will be able to create a post in the relevant forum and add the many questions that you may have.

This Archive contains 10,000 + images in our Photo Gallery [View] ; 2,700 + biography pages on individuals within our Content Glossary [View] ; and a vast amount of information elsewhere such as on our Forum, or held on our rolls of honour, nominal rolls, operations reports, etc. Touch/click on highlighted words, and on many photos, for additional content.

Read our guide on research, service records, and exploring our Archive [View].

Can you help with our Roll of Honour 1946 - 2017 ?

We now have a full Roll of Honour for WW2 on our website, and we are looking to include the same for all who have died since then. We have to date uploaded the details of over 450 Commandos who died between 1946 and 2017 onto our website, and more are being added daily. The criteria for inclusion is simply that they died in service. They all deserve to be remembered. Whilst the Armed Forces Memorial Roll of Honour provides much of the detail, it does not specify cause of death. This is what we hope you can help with.

If you have information that you consider worthy of inclusion about any individual, please post a message on our Forum with the details.

There are two ways to view our Roll of Honour from 1946 to present day. It can be viewed in decade order [View], or searched by name or date died [View].

Commando History and Training

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Whether you are considering a future military career in the Commandos, or simply curious, you should make yourself aware of the origins of their training.

This resume dispels some common myths, and explains how it developed into the present All Arms Commando Course. Included is a film about todays 'Pre Royal Marines Course', as well as another about WW2 Commando Training called "The Green Beret".

Click the image above to read more, or for images visit our WW2 Commando Training gallery [View].

Join the Commando Veterans Association

Download application forms here

You can join the Commando veterans Association as either a Full Member (Commandos) or Associate Member (families and friends).

Simply download the relevant application form, complete it in full and pop it in the post as directed on the form.

You will receive your membership pack including membership card and a copy of their most recent newsletter 'Dispatches' .

Commando Obituaries

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Do you have a name to add? Why not register on our Forum and post the details with the date deceased, and include a photo if you have one.

Lord Lovat Interview

An interview with Lord Lovat recorded in 1978 in Inverness. The first speaker is Henry Brown OBE who compiled this interview onto a tribute tape for the Army Commandos. Lord Lovat tells of some of his memories of D-Day as the Commander of 1 Commando Brigade who spearheaded the D-Day assault. The tape was kindly donated by Ray Brooks son of Ernie Brooks No 4 Commando, implemented by John Mewett, and converted to MP3 by Mike Thomas at Yellow Wall studios Lockington Liecs.

Listen to it HERE.

If your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio, right-click here and "save as" to download the file and play.

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Latest updates (see Recent Content for full list)

Died in service 1980 - 2017 content admin
PALMER, Keith content admin
NEWMAN, Guy Edward content admin
O'SULLIVAN, Paul Anthony content admin
Died in service 1946 - 1979 content admin
O'SULLIVAN, David Alan Anthony content admin

Register on our Forum and post any additional information that you may hold.

^{All content researched and administered by the Commando Veterans Archive www.commandoveterans.org}

Association Membership

Registering on the Commando Veterans Archive, or on the Commando Veterans Association Facebook page, does not make you a member of the Association. The Commando Veterans Assciation needs your support and membership. Find out more here.

Commando Veterans Archive