No 8 Commando

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'Layforce'

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.

8 Commando

History of the Unit

8 Commando

The Commando was formed on the 23rd June 1940 reaching full strength in September at Burnham on Crouch, Essex. Mostly made up of members of the various Guards Brigades, it became unofficially known as No 8 (Guards) Commando. 

8 Commando Nominal Roll

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. 

ALMONDS, John Edward

Sergeant John Almonds, known as Gentleman Jim, served in No.8 Commando and embarked with them to the Middle East as part of Layforce. When his Commando unit was being disbanded he transferred to the newly raised  'L' Detachment SAS [1]. 
  • Awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service during SAS operations at Nofilla Areodrome and Aghelia [2].

BOLLAND, Stanley

Stanley Bolland
Guardsman Stanley Bolland was serving with  "L" Detachment, S.A.S. Bde., Special Air Service Regiment, A.A.C. at the time of his death, having previously served in No. 8 Commando. He died during Operation Squatter, a raid on Axis airfields at Tmimi and Gazala, West of Tobruk in Libya.
 
Sources
CWGC.

BREMNER, George

Sergeant George Bremner, having left the Commando and joined the S.B.S., was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East [1].
 
Recommendation

BROOK, Harold

Lance Corporal Harold Brook died [1] during operations in France with 1st Special Air Service Regiment having left the Commandos. He was reported as missing in action during Operation Houndforce [2]. 
 

BROUGH, William Gordon

Lance Sergeant William Brough, formerly No.8 Commando and known as Jimmy, was awarded the MM whilst serving with the Special Air Service Brigade in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the field.
 
See more on this entry in our Forum [view].
 
Sources
London Gazettes Supp. 35799, page 5142.

BROWN, Leslie Jock

Cpl. Leslie Brown 1st SAS

Cpl. Leslie Brown was killed when his jeep patrol was attacked whilst en route to harass the enemy in Southern Tunisia. He was serving with 1st SAS  ('B' Sqn.) at the time of his death having left the Commandos. He had previously served in both No 8 Commando and 51ME Commando. 

COULDREY, Edwin Robert

Bombardier Edwin Couldrey died during operations in Burma [1]. He is listed on a Royal Artillery Casualty Card as a battle casualty [2].
He was one of the Commandos from No 8 who were attached to the Special Service Detachments (1 & 2) and  Military Mission 204 to the Far East and in a last letter home he had written that he was "going native." [3]. 
 
Sources
CWGC.

DICKASON, Samuel Edgar

Company Sergeant Major Samuel Dickason served in No. 8 and No.3 Commando [1].
 
  • 13 June 1970 appointed M.B.E. (Civil Division) whilst Chief Office Clerk, House of Commons Library [2].
Sources
[1] Commando Association newsletters 83, 87, 108.
[2] London Gazettes Supp. 45117, page 6378.
 

DRONGIN, Anthony

Regimental Sergeant Major Anthony Drongin of No 8 Commando gave up his rank to join L Detachment SAS when 8 Commando was disbanded. He served as a Corporal and is reported to have died of wounds inflicted during SAS operations near Benghazi.

[Sources: CWGC, CA Newsletter 119, SAS and LRDG Roll of Honour 1941-1947.]

FASSAM, Joseph William

Joseph William Fassam 1st SRS
Lance Bombardier Joseph Fassam died during operations at Termoli Italy with the Special Raiding Squadron having left the Commando.
Service 
No. 8 Commando;  
4 Special Service Battalion;
'B' Battalion Layforce;
Royal Artillery;
Middle East Commando, 'A' Squadron;
1st SAS;
Special Raiding Squadron.
 
Sources
CWGC.
[Service and Image] The SAS and LRDG Roll of Honour 1941 -1947.
 

HARROLD, Edward Thomas Hornsby

Corporal Edward Harrold drowned at sea. Specifics relating to his death are not known.
 
However at the time of his death No 8 Commando were training in Scotland at areas such as Inverary and the Isle of Arran.  A few under Lt. Roger Coutney were invoved in training in the use of Canoes and Folbots whilst on Arran.
 
Sources
CWGC
Data file for the Westminster Abbey Commando Roll of Honour.
 

LEWES, John Steel

Lieut. Lewes  was serving with  "L" Detachment, S.A.S. Bde., Special Air Service Regiment, A.A.C. at the time of his death. His previous service in No. 8 Commando is mentioned in various books but nothing official confirming this has yet been found by this archive.  His name is recorded here in the hope that this can be clarified in the future. He was killed during operations against an airfield at Nofilia. 
 

MILLER, John

Private John Miller was one of a contingent from Layforce (No 8 Commando)  who were attached to Middle East Detachment 2, later known as 2nd Special Service Detachment or SSD2, for operations in the Far East. He was reported missing and later presumed killed in action.
 
Sources
CWGC.
British Army Casualty Lists 1939-45.

RICHARDSON, Arthur

Company Sergeant Major Arthur Richardson was reported missing presumed killed in action during operations in Burma. He was one of a contingent from Layforce (No 8 Commando)  who were attached to Middle East Detachment 2, later known as 2nd Special Service Detachment or SSD2, for operations in the Far East.
 
Sources
CWGC.
British Army Casualty Lists 1939-45.
 

SENIOR, Fred

Fred Senior 1st SAS

LSgt. Fred Senior was killed when his jeep patrol was attacked whilst en route to harass the enemy in Southern Tunisia. He was serving with 1st SAS  ('B' Sqn.) at the time of his death having left the Commandos. He had previously served in both No 8 Commando and the Middle East Commando, and 'L' Detachment SAS.

SILLETT, Thomas John

Pte. Thomas Sillett died of illness (diptheria) whilst serving with 1st SAS, 'A' Sqn.  He had joined No 8 Commando in 1940 and embarked with them for the Middle East at the end of January 1941 as part of Layforce.  He later left the Commandos and joined 'L' Detachment SAS in June 1942.
 

SUTHERLAND, David (Lt Col)

(The following is from the Times obituary.)
 
LIEUTENANT David Sutherland and Royal Marine John Duggan were the only two to return from Operation “Anglo”, a raid on the Italian-occupied island of Rhodes by the Special Boat Service in September 1942. The SBS team was pursued relentlessly; it had attacked two airfields and destroyed aircraft positioned to support Rommel’s threatened advance on Cairo and to bomb supply convoys to beleaguered Malta. 

TERRY, John Leslie

Lance Corporal John Terry, 2 troop,  was killed by a locomotive during a night operations exercise. The Commando were based at Burnham on Crouch at the time.
 
Sources
CWGC
No 8 Commando War Diary entry 29th August 1940.  National Archives WO/218.
 

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