30 Commando Assault Unit

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'30 Commando Assault Unit'

nb. The following history is from different named sources and should not be taken as the "Official" history. 

In Sep 1942, the Director of Naval Intelligence authorised the formation of the Special Intelligence Unit, composed of 33 (Royal Marines) Troop, 34 (Army) Troop, 35 (RAF) Troop and 36 (Royal Navy) Troop. The Special Intelligence Unit was later renamed 30 RN Commando (Special Engineering Unit), and was redesignated 30 Assault Unit in December 1943 **.

'30 Commando IX Group'

30 Commando Information Exploitation Group
 
30 Commando was formed in WW2 and serves today as the ‘eyes and ears’ of 3 Commando Brigade.
 
30 Commando is a diverse, ever-evolving unit, made up of the best and the brightest Britain has to offer. Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron deploys ahead of the main force for reconnaissance behind enemy lines. A team of Royal Marines Mountain Leaders in the main, they operate in small groups, providing the initial battle picture to 3 Commando Brigade.
 

'The Asti Seven 30AU'

Extract from Commando Association newsletter 85 issued September 1987

 
Peter Jemmet (30 Cdo) writes: -" The Asti Seven ".
 
These seven members of No. 2 Section, 30 Commando (Special Operations), parachuted into the Asti area of N.W. Italy, ending the war in Turin (1945). They were:-
 
  • Major Strachan,
  • Lieut. Paterson,
  • Sgt. Eddie Smith, MM.,
  • Sgt. John Fairey
  • Pte. Denman
  • Pte. Anderson
  • Pte. Dan Whitcombe.

ALLMARK, A.

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Last known address: Swinton, Lancs. Post war member of the original Commando Association. [Source: CA Lost Legion 1]
 

BENTLEY, Lennard

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds

Marine Lennard Bentley died during operations at Normandy, France. He died when anti personnel bombs were dropped from enemy aircraft. Also killed were Lieutenant Ionides and Corporal Wright. 

BRADSHAW, Leslie Charles

Marine Les Bradshaw
40RM Commando
Royal Marines
Military Medal (MM)
Marine Leslie Bradshaw, 10 Platoon, 'X' Coy, was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe. He later served in 30 Commando.
Recommendation
Operation Jubilee (Dieppe Area) 19th August 1942.

COATES, John Gordon

No 10 Commando
30 Commando Assault Unit
Intelligence Corps
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
1942 Intelligence Officer No.10 (Inter Allied) Commando.
1943 Operations Officer 30 Commando AU Italy and Corsica
1944 Special Operations Executive.
Captain John Coates, attached SOE, was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Field.
Recommendation

COWAN, Kenneth

Marine Kenneth Cowan
30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Died on war service
Marine Kenneth Cowan, from Belfast, died in an accident.
 
Extract from the Belfast Telegraph Monday 29 January 1945

CUFF, Kenneth

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines

Also served 48RM Commando. Post war member of the Commando Association from Nottingham.

Sources
Commando Association newsletter 93 and 108.
Commando Association list of RM Commandos.

KRUTHOFFER, John Frederick Peter

40RM Commando
30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Mentioned in Despatches
Sergeant John Kruthoffer, 40RM Commando and a veteran of the Dieppe raid [1], received a Mention in Despatches for good service in operations in the Mediterranean in 1944 [2].
  • Commissioned and posted to 30 Commando Assault Unit towards the end of 1944  [3].

LINCOLN, Fredman Ashe

30 Commando Assault Unit
Mentioned in Despatches
Captain Fredman Ashe Lincoln QC was a mine warfare expert in WW2, a commando in the Mediterranean and Germany, and one of the country’s senior lawyers after the war [1]. A member of the Bar Council,  the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the World Jewish Congress, and the World Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists [1a].

MCDAID, Francis

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Armoured Corps
Killed in action or died of wounds
Trooper Francis McDaid, 34 Army Troop, was killed during operations on Leros when his unit was attacked and bombed by enemy aircraft. 
 

MORGAN, Albert Stuart

Albert Morgan 30 Commando
30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)
Marine (Acting Lance Corporal) Albert Morgan was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for good services in operations leading to the liberation of France. He enlisted from the Wallasey Constabulary and served with 30 Commando in the Mediterranean, and as a photographer in 'X' Troop on D Day. Post war he resumed his role as a Police Constable in Wallasey.

NORTHERN, Samuel Bernard

40RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Marine Samuel Northern died during operations at Dieppe.
 
The CWGC shows his unit as HMS Locust.  This was the name of the ship that carried about 200 Royal Marine Commandos on the raid at Dieppe.
 

O'CALLAGHAN, Frank John

40RM Commando
Royal Marines
Killed in action or died of wounds
Marine Frank O'Callaghan was killed [1] by a sniper while attached to 30 Commando AU during operations at Normandy. He had previously served with 40RM Commando [2].
 
Sources
[1] CWGC
[2] The book Attain by Surprise edited by David Nutting.

QUILL, Raymond Humphrey

Colonel Raymond Humphrey Quill
30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)
Legion of Merit (USA)
Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Humphrey Quill was the Commanding Officer of 30 Assault Unit from November 1944. A veteran of World War 1 he had served with the RM Brigade at the Dardanelles 1914/15 and on board HMS Lord Nelson from October 1916 to November 1918 [1]. 
  • 28 March 1935 (Major) appointed Member of the Royal Victorian Order [2].

REEVES, A.

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines

Post war member of the Commando Association from Worplesdon nr. Guildford.

Sources
Commando Association newsletter 93.
Commando Association list of RM Commandos.

SMEE, C.R.

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines

Served in HQ Troop. Post war member of the Commando Association from Birmingham.

Sources
Commando Association newsletter 93.
Commando Association list of RM Commandos.

WOOLLEY, Arthur Rupert (Lt. Col)

30 Commando Assault Unit
Royal Marines
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Arthur Woolley joined the Royal Marines on 1 December 1939 and after his basic training was posted to the 5th Batallion Royal Marines Brigade.
  • Promoted Temporary Captain April 1940, Acting Temporary Major November 1941, and Second in Command of 5RM in June 1942.

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