Three UK based Army Commando units, Nos. 7, 8, and 11 Commandos, were initially combined within 'Force Z' for operations initially envisaged against Rhodes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Other elements of the Force included a number of men from No.3 Commando and the Canoe section of No.8 (Guards) Commando. They sailed from the Isle of Arran on the 31st January 1941, and arrived at Suez on the 7th March.
In 1946 the Army Council decided that the Army Commandos were to be disbanded and no provision was allowed or made for any depository or office which would have at least contained a complete Roster of Names of the men who served in the various units.
These are some of the operations that No 11 Commando took part in, either on their own, or as part of a Combined Operations assault. No 11 Commando became part of Layforce.
Pte. Adams was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. Ainslie, 2 troop, was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. Baillie was killed during operations at Litani River.
Lance Corporal Alexander Ballantyne was killed whilst assigned from the Commando to Middle East Detachment 2, later redesignated 2nd Special Service Detachment (SSD 2), in Burma.
Some additional detail can be found on this link to a message on our Forum.
Cpl. Bertie was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Best was killed during operations at Litani River.
Gnr. Burrows was killed during operations at Litani River.
Sgt. Burton was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Campbell was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Chantrell was killed during operations at Litani River.
Sgt. Chisholm was killed during operations at Litani River.
Cpl Cohen was killed during operations at Litani River.
Lieut. Coode, 1 troop, was killed during operations at Litani River.
LBdr. Cooke was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. Craig was killed during operations at Litani River.
Cpl. Dibb was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Dinsdale was killed during operations at Litani River.
Lieutenant George Duncan served in No 11 Commando. We have a possible photo of him in our gallery which we would like verified by family in due course.
His gallantry medals were awarded after leaving the Commando and whilst he was further attached to the Special Boat Section *.
In addition there is reference in a book to a Lt Duncan MC as being a prisoner of war in Camp 21, Chiete, Italy in 1943. **
LCpl. Eardley was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Fraser was killed during Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ.
Pte. Gallagher was killed during operations at Litani River.
Gnr. Gibbs was killed during operations at Litani River.
Cpl. Greig was killed during operations at Litani River.
Dvr. Hamilton was killed during operations at Litani River.
Private Robert Hamilton died during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Harland was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. Hughes died in North Africa.
Pte. Hurst was killed during operations at Litani River.
Cpl. Jones was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. King was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Kinghorn was killed during operations at Litani River.
Second Lieutenant Denis Knight died during the period the Commando were based for training on the Isle of Arran. He was found with a gunshot wound to his head in the dwelling house in Lamlash where he was billeted. Cause of death given by Captain J. P. Baird RAMC. Certified by William Grant, Procurator Fiscal.
LCpl. Lang was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Lister was killed during operations at Litani River.
LBdr. Macarthur was killed during operations at the Litani River.
Lance Corporal Donald MacQuarrie, 8 troop, died during operations in North Africa.
LCpl. McAuley was killed during operations at Litani River.
Cpl. McGuire was killed during operations at Litani River.
Cpl. McKay was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. McKeown was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Mullen was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Murphy was killed during operations at Litani River.
Sgt. O'Sullivan was killed during operations at Litani River.
LBdr. Oliphant died of wounds received during operations at Litani River.
Ramleh War Cemetery was used "by various Commonwealth hospitals posted in turn to the area for varying periods." (Source: CWGC)Cpl. Padbury was killed during operations at Litani River.
Lieut. Parnacott, 4 troop, was killed during operations at Litani River.
Lt Col. Pedder was commissioned as an officer on the 27th August 1924 and served with the Highland Light Infantry until the outbreak of WW2.
Commanding Officer, No. 11 (Scottish) Commando, which later became "C" Battalion of Layforce, he was killed in action during the raid at Litani River, Syria.
Fus. Plunkett was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. Purse was killed during operations at Litani River.
2/Lt. Richards, 5 troop, was killed during operations at Litani River. The CWGC date of death is the 9th June. The No 11 Commando War Diary records Lt Richards as dying of wounds. That entry is dated the 10th June at 0100.
Private Leslie Robb died during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Rooney was killed during operations at Litani River.
Captain Sceales had served as OC 7 troop whilst attached to the Commando before rejoining his Regiment.
Promoted Major, he was killed during operations with the 1st Bn. A&SH at Cassino. He is named on the casualty lists from the 1st Argyll's regimental history for their period in Italy.
Corporal Thomas Scott served in 11 Commando 10 troop. [1]
In October 1945 it was announced that he had been awarded the George Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field. [2]
There is an SOE file held in his name at the National Archives. The file is closed until January 2031. [3]
The death of Cpl. Tom Scott GM, of Westfield, Bathgate, West Lothian, was announced to members in Commando Association newsletter 82 issued March 1986.
Sgt. Smith was killed during operations at Litani River.
Gnr Smith died whilst a prisoner of war.
Historical information for Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery.
Those buried here died while prisoners of war during the German occupation, most of the graves coming from the cemetery at the large camp at Lamsdorf, Stalag VIIIB (after 1943 known as Stalag 344), where there was a hospital of 450 beds used only for Commonwealth prisoners. (Source : CWGC.)
Cpl. Stevenson was killed during operations at Litani River.
Sig. Styles was killed during operations at Litani River.
Pte. Thomspson was killed during operations at Litani River.
LCpl. Titterton was killed during operations at Litani River.
The full circumstances of the death of Cpl. Wallace are not known to this archive.
Sgt. Wood was killed during operations in North Africa.
Spr. Woodnutt was killed during operations at Litani River.
Joe Rogers MM
No 2 Commando
Bob Mewett
No 12 & No 1 Commando
Mick Collins
No 5 Commando
