Useful Tip: If you don’t find what you are looking for here, use the search facility on the panel to the right below 'Whats New'. The image gallery and forum also have their own search facilities.
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.
"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them."
These are the main operations that No 3 Commando took part in, either on their own, or as part of a Combined Operations assault. They are in date order and form part of our overall history of No 3 Commando. No 3 Commando were part of 1 Special Service/Commando Brigade from Autumn 1943.
Click on the links for more detail about each.
Gunner John Abbott was awarded the MM in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe.
Spr Adderley was killed during operations at Dieppe.
Trooper Victor Adderton was awarded the MM in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe.
Pte Anderson was killed during operations at Dieppe.
LCpl Baker, 1 troop, was killed during operations at Agnone and 3 Commando Bridge.
Pte Barrett was killed during operations at Dieppe.
RSM Beesley died whilst a prisoner of war in Poland having been captured during operations at Dieppe.
His nephew William Patterson adds
LCpl Bowler was killed during operations in the area of Chateau d'Amfreville, Normandy.
Pte Boyce was killed during operations at St Nazaire. He was one of the commando contingent on ML 262.
Cpl Boyle was killed during operations at Agnone and the Punta dei Malati Bridge.
LCpl Bridle was killed during operations in the area of Chateau d'Amfreville, Normandy.
Pte Broadbent was killed during operations at Dieppe.
Pte Broster was killed during operations at Dieppe.
Pte Bryan was killed during operations at Dieppe.
Lt Butler, 5 troop, was killed during operations at Agnone and the Punta dei Malati Bridge.
Guardsman Leslie 'Jock' Campbell, 3 troop, was killed during operations at Normandy on D Day [1]. The grave where he was first buried is shown in a film taken at Pegasus Bridge on the 28th July 1944 and now on the IWM website [view film]. [2].
Pte Cardozo was killed on D Day during operations at Normandy.
LCpl Carlisle was killed during operations at Vaagso.
Pte Catterall was killed during operations at Termoli.
Lt Cave, 5 troop, was killed during operations at Agnone and the Punta dei Malati Bridge.
Pte Chillingworth died of wounds during operations at Normandy.
Enlisted 4th November 1940 and after volunteering for the Commandos, was posted to the Commando Depot on the 12th October 1942, joining No 3 Commando on the 11th November 1942. Source: Extract from service record in gallery entry.
After a brief spell as 2i/c No 5 Commando, the then Major John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill (later affectionately known by some as Mad Jack) moved to 2i/c No 3 Commando. Shortly after Lt Col Newman was taken prisoner at St Nazaire in 1942, Major Churchill was promoted Lt Col. to replace him as OC No 2 Commando. Lt Col Churchill remained OC until he was also taken prisoner in 1944.
An account by Bob Bishop No 2 Commando from his history of No 2:
There is a1942 photo of 4 troop with a Commando surname M'Clelland in the 3 Commando gallery but we cannot say as yet if this man is identical.
Troop Sergeant Major Vernon Coaker was killed during operations on D Day.
We have numerous photos in our gallery of him in both 3 and 4 troops and it is clear that he had served in the Commando since at least June 1942 (the first dated photo). Although we have only listed the two operations where we have confirmed references that he served, it is likely that he would have been with No 3 Commando on all their operations since at least June 1942.
Pte Coffin was killed during operations at Normandy in the Chateau d'Amfreville area.
Sgt Cork was killed during operations at Vaagso.
Pte Cotterell was killed during operations at Normandy in the Chateau d'Amfreville area.
Pte Coulson was killed during operations at Normandy.
In the book Storm from the Sea, the author, Brig Peter Young, describes a Commando named Cox as being batman to Major Walter Skrine, and both being severely wounded during the landings at Agnone.
LSgt Culling, 2 troop, was killed during operations at Vaagso.
Fusilier Joseph Davies died of wounds inflicted during operations at the River Alller, Germany.
Sources CWGC No 3 Cdo. War Diary Appendix D (No.1) List of Battle Casualties April 1945. National Archives WO/218/83.Pte Davies was killed during operations at Normandy in the area of Chateau d'Amfreville.
Pte Davis was killed during operations at Agnone and 3 Commando Bridge.
Corporal John Davison, No 3 Commando, was awarded the MM in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Italy. [1]
He was later selected for officer training. Officer Cadet John Cyril Davison was commissioned to be 2nd Lt., with the East Lancashire Regiment on the 28th July 1944. New service no. 326323.
The death of Lieut. John Cyril (Jack) Davison MM, of Birkinhead, Wirral, was announced in Commando Association newsletter 78 issued March 1984. [2]
LBdr Day was killed during operations in the area of Cassible, Sicily.
Gdsm. Dean, 3 troop, was killed during operations on D Day at Normandy.
Corporal Joah Selwyn Denham was awarded the MM in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Italy [1]. On the 30th August 1944 Cpl. Denham, M.M. was granted an Immediate Emergency Commission from the ranks in the rank of 2nd Lieutenant [2].
Post war his death was announced in Commando Association newsletter 106 issued March 1998. He is listed there as Capt. Joseph Selwyn Denham (1 Bde HQ. & 3 Cdo) of Birchwood, Lincs.
Temp. Captain Philip Dunne, Special Service Bde. HQ., was awarded the MC for his gallantry during the Salerno Landings.
On the 28th June 1940 Captain J.F. Durnford-Slater was appointed Lieut. Colonel and ordered to raise and command No 3 Commando after volunteering for Special Service whilst Adjutant of the 23rd Medium and Heavy Training Regt., RA.
Trooper Dennis Earl was captured during the fighting in Sicily.
Commando Son Safe:- Only four days after hearing that their son, Trpr. Dennis Victor Earl, of the Commandos, was missing in Sicily, his parents Mr. and Mrs. Earl have received a card from him saying he is quite fit and uninjured in an Italian prisoner of war camp. Trpr. Earl was captured in the fighting in Sicily in the middle July. The youngest son of an ex-police sergeant, he was a member of the Bristol Police Force.
LSgt Edmunds was killed during operations at Amfreville.
The circumstances of the death of Pte. William Edwards are not known at this stage.
Lieut. Bill Etches served with No.3 Commando during the Lofoten and Vaagso raids in Norway 1941, and on the St Nazaire raid in France, 1942. During Operation Chariot at St Nazaire Lieut. Lieut. Etches was assistant to Capt. Montgomery, RE, supervising demolition parties in the dry dock area.
Fus. Evans, 5 troop, was killed during operations at Normandy to clear the Merville Battery. He is identified in a photo of No 3 Commando 5 troop May 1944 in our archive gallery.
Pte Evans was killed during operations at Vaagso.
Pte Evans was killed during operations at Agnone and 3 Commando Bridge.
The circumstances of the death of Pte Ferguson are not known.
At the time of his death No 3 Commando were back in the UK and billeted in Worthing. They were engaged in training for the invasion in June, and spent time away at other places such as CTC Dorlin for this.
Pte Fisher was killed during operations at Dieppe.
Cpl Floyd was killed during operations at Termoli.
Pte Freeston was killed during operations at Agnone and 3 Commando Bridge.
LSgt Geear, 4 troop, was killed during operations at Vaagso.
Cpl Gerrard was killed during operations at Dieppe.
Captain John Giles, 3 troop, was killed during operations at Vaagso. He had served with No 3 Commando since their first raid on Guernsey.
John Giles received his first commission into the Gloucestershire Regiment and won the heavy-weight boxing championship of the Army Southern Command. He also played rugby for Clifton Rugby Football Club.
His brother 2/Lt. Bruce Giles also served in No 3 Commando and was at Vaagso.
Private John Gillard died during the period his Commando were engaged in operations at Wesel.
Pte Goody was killed during operations at Normandy on D Day.
Gdsm. Gowans was killed during operations at Normandy.
LSgt Grant was killed during operations at Amfreville.
Pte Greig is buried in a War Cemetery in India. The exact circumstances of his death are not known at this stage by this archive. At the time of his death No 3 Commando were based in Worthing, UK.
His name is not on the Westminster Abbey Commando Roll of Honour, however his secondary unit is shown as No 3 Commando on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission database.
It should be noted that 3 Commando Brigade (Nos 42RM, 44RM, 1, and 5 Commandos) were in India at this time.
Pte Grieve was killed during operations at Termoli.
Gdsm. Griffiths was killed during operations at Normandy.
Joe Rogers MM
No 2 Commando
Bob Mewett
No 12 & No 1 Commando
Mick Collins
No 5 Commando
