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Displaying 1 - 197 of 197In 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 the main operations that No 4 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 4 Commando.
Click on the links for more detail about each.
The No 4 Commando War Diary covering D Day operations can be found here:
Sergeant William Adlam was awarded the Military Medal whilst serving with the Glosters as part of the British Expeditionary Force 1939-40 [1]. On his return to the UK he volunteered for the newly formed No 4 Commando and in November 1940 was attached to 'G' troop [2]. In August 1942 he took part in Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe raid [3].
Post war member of the original Commando Association with whom they lost contact.
Fusilier Joseph Ball was shot and killed in circumstances that remain to this day somewhat lacking of any official acount. It is believed that the fatal shot was fired by a patrol of the Dutch Navy.
Photos of his funeral are in our gallery. [Go to gallery.]
Private Hector Bennett died during operations at Normandy.
Lance Corporal John Bishop died during operations at Dieppe.
Pte J Burgess is listed in Commando Association Lost Legion No.2 which is of those they had lost contact with over the years.
Private Frederick Burkitt died during operations at Normandy.
Trooper Eric Cawthray died during operations at Normandy on D Day.
Fusilier Patrick Clarke died during operations at Normandy.
Fusilier George Collins died during operations at Normandy.
Rifleman John Cook died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
On the 21st September 1954 he was promoted Major in the Royal Pioneer Corps [3].
Trooper Frederick Cox died during operations at Normandy.
Rifleman George Craig died in the UK of wounds sustained during operations at Normandy.
Private Orlando Farnese died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Joe Farnworth's death was announced in Commando Association Newsletter 55 of 1972. His rank there is shown as Cpl. and he is additionally shown as serving in No 12 Cdo.
Private William Garthwaite, 'C' troop, died during operations at Dieppe.
Private Douglas Gillon died during operations in the Netherlands.
Private Samuel Goff, 'C' troop, a veteran of the Dieppe raid, died in the UK of wounds sustained during operations at Normandy.
Private Frederick Gooch died during operations at Dieppe.
Private James Groom died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Private Peter Gulvin died of wounds sustained during operations at Normandy.
Lieutenant David Haig-Thomas, No. 4 Commando 'C' troop, died during operations at Normandy on D Day. [1].
Lance Corporal Edward Heckman died during operations at Dieppe.
Private Kenneth Hellyer died in a training exercise accident.
Second Lieutenant Louis Hubert, 1st Batallion Fusiliers Marins Commando, badge no. 136, attached to No 4 Commando, died during operations at Normandy.
Corporal Walter Hughes died during operations in Normandy.
Private Harold Jennings died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Marine (Acting Temororary Corporal) Harold Jones, 4 Commando Brigade Signal Troop, was awarded the MM for "gallantry, determination and great devotion to duty during assault operations at Walcheren and Flushing whilst attached to No 4 Commando. "
Lance Corporal James Keenan died during operations at Dieppe.
Private John Knight died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Sergeant David Laing, 'E' troop, a veteran of the Dieppe raid, died during operations at Normandy.
Acting Lieutenant Colonel Legard was the first Commanding Officer of No.4 Commando on its formation in June 1940. He remained as such until replaced by Lieutenant Colonel Lister MC during the re-organisation into 3 Special Service Bn. towards the end of the year. He returned to the 5th Royal Inniskillings, retiring from service on 19 May 1949 and was granted the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
Lance Sergeant Frank Lloyd died during operations at Normandy.
Lord Lovat first enlisted in the Scots Guards in 1932, leaving the army in 1937. Two years later at the outbreak of war he rejoined the Army in the Lovat Scouts. Lord Lovat was part of a small but elite group of men who formed the idea of a Special Training Centre, agreed on the location, and devised and implemented a course of training once it was approved. This became the first of many Special Training Centres, STC Lochailort.
The training took place in and around the camp at Lochailort, Lord Lovat's role being Fieldcraft instruction.
Lieutenant John Macdonald, 'F' troop, died during operations at Dieppe.
Corporal Frederick Maskell died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Corporal Stanley Maule died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Sources
[1] CWGC.
Private Stanley McGann died in the UK of wounds received during operations at Dieppe.
Private William Meredith died during operations at Normandy.
Lance Corporal Alexander Mills died during operations at Dieppe.
Born in 1908; educated at Liverpool College and Oxford University; worked for his father's firm of solicitors, 1935; joined Supplementary Reserve of Officers, Irish Guards, 1936; joined 1 Bn, Irish Guards, 1939-1942, and served in Norway; transferred to special services No 4 Commando, 1942; took part in Dieppe Raid, Aug 1942; Lt Col, 1943; Commanding Officer, No 6 Commando, North Africa, 1943; Brig, 1944; commanded 1 Special Service Bde (later 1 Commando Bde), North West Europe, 1944-1945; accepted the surrender of FM Erhard Milch at Neustadt, May 1945; retired from Army, 1945; commanded 12
John Moss, serving under the alias of Taylor, died during operations at Dieppe.
"The 'Chief' dies aged 88
Published: 09:45 Friday 18 January 2008
They called him "Chief" until the end.
Lance Corporal Brian Mullen died during operations at Normandy on DDay. A talented artist and photographer LCpl Mullen had previously taken part in the Lofoten and Dieppe raids.
Lance Corporal Leonard Munns died during operations at Normandy.
Private Robert Ong died during operations at Normandy on D Day.
The Force consisted of Nos. 3 and 4 Commando, approximately 50 Royal Engineers, and a group from the Free Norwegian Forces. They were transported on board two converted ships, the Princess Beatrix and the Queen Emma, now loaded with LCA's or Landing Craft Assault vessels. Leaving from, and returning to Scapa Flow, they were escorted by 5 Royal Navy destroyers
Lance Corporal Stanley Orchin died in a training exercise accident.
Private Victor Palmer died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Sergeant John Park was a veteran of the Dieppe raid. At the time of Sgt. Park's death units from his Commando were engaged on raids along the French coast (Hardtack raids). It is believed he may have drowned during one such raid at Gravelines, France.
View an entry about this Commando on our Forum Sgt John Park No 4 Commando.
Private William Patmore died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Captain Harold Pennington, B.A. (Oxon.). Kitchener Scholar and Rugby Football Blue, died during Operation Chariot, the raid at St Nazaire.
Albert William Kenneth Phillott, then a Private and known as Ken, was one of the early volunteers to join No 4 Commando in 1940 aged 20. He was amongst a group of eight from the Glosters who served in 'G' (later 'B') troop of No 4. There is an image of this group in our gallery [view here].
Private Ian Ridland died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Sergeant George Scanlon, RAMC attached to No.4 Commando, a veteran of the Dieppe raid, was awarded the MM in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North West Europe.
Post war George Scanlon, a resident of Troon, was an active member of the Troon and District Branch (later the Central Ayrshire Branch) of the Commando Association being their Honorary Secretary in 1951. He died in 1969.
Corporal William Scrivens served with No.4 Commando taking part in both the Normandy and Walcheren operations. Post war member of the Commando Association he collapsed during a rugby match at East Grinstead whilst captaining the Seaford Rugby team and died shortly afterwards.
Gunner Frank Shaw, 'C' troop, died during operations at Normandy.
Trooper James Sibley died during operations at Normandy.
Private Sidney Skingley, 'C' troop, died during operations at Normandy.
Private Sydney Smallman died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Sources
CWGC.
[Image] From family via Forum posting by Stephane Saint-Martin.
Private Kenneth Stout died during operations at Normandy.
Captain Dofydd Style, known as David, was awarded the MC in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe [1].
This was the name that John Moss served under whilst in the Commando. View his full record here John Moss.
Lance Corporal Taylor, 3 Special Service Bn., was reported missing on 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete. He was later found to have been taken prisoner and transported to Stalag 4A in Germany.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/28 and WO417/36.
Prisoners of War Lists / National Archives file WO392/11.
Gunner Thomas Taylor, was a veteran of the Dieppe raid. The exact circumstances of his military service after Dieppe and his death in the UK in 1947 are not known to this archive.
Private Oliver Travers died during operations in Normandy.
Private Robert Tyson died during operations at Normandy.
Charles Edward Vaughan, born 1893, was originally attached to No.7 and No.4 Commando before taking up his role as the Commandant of the newly formed Commando Depot (CBTC) at Achnacarry.
Trooper Jack Wall died during operations at Normandy on D Day.
Guardsman John Walters died during operations at Normandy on DDay.
Rifleman Joseph Watters died during operations at Dieppe.
Lance Corporal John Whatley died during operation at Dieppe.
His brother Flying Officer William Denman Whatley also died in the war.
Guardsman Jack Whittaker died during operations at Dieppe.
Captain Thomas Williamson died during operations at Normandy on DDay
Joe Rogers MM
No 2 Commando
Bob Mewett
No 12 & No 1 Commando
Mick Collins
No 5 Commando