Sixty five commandos of 5 Troop No1 Commando took part in twin raids against the coast of Northern France, code named Operations Chopper and Deepcut.
One section led by Captain Tom Hemmimg landed at Luc sur Mer (Chopper) and suffered a number of casualties including two killed, Pte. Elwyn Edwards and LCpl Cyril Evans.
The other section led by Lieut. Scaramanga landed at St Vaast Bay (Deepcut) and ambushed a German cycle patrol.
An extract from Commando Association newsletter 15 issued March 1952 regarding Operation Chopper.
"Capt. T. Gordon Hemming (ex 1 & 2 Cdos) decided last summer to revisit the scene of a raid made by a section of 5 Tp. l Cdo on September 23rd, 1941, supposedly at St. Aubin-sur-mur. He saw the Mayor with a view to establishing the exact place of landing, but discovered after many enquiries that in fact the landing had taken place two towns to the east, at a place called Luc-sur-mer almost two miles from St. Aubin.
On interviewing the Mayor of Luc the Captain was treated with great friendship and given an official reception. He found that all the inhabitants remembered the night very well, and have erected a large Memorial Stone inscribed with the words "The First Commando Landing in Normandy".
It was also discovered that the graves of the two men lost on the raid, L/Cpl. Evans [view record] and Fus. Edwards [view record], were beautifully tended in the local cemetery."
