In June 1940 the first of the new army commando units were also being raised. A few months later on 11 October 1940 the Independent Companies were reorganised into Special Service (SS) Battalions merging with some of the new Commando units.
No.1 Independent Company formed from 52nd Lowland Division. Part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940.
No.2 Independent Company formed from 53rd Welsh Division. Part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940.
No.3 Independent Company formed from 54th East Anglian Division. Part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940.
Transcript of a report to the Essex Regiment by Lt Clibborn after the particpation of No. 3 Independent Company in the expedition to Norway as part of Scissors Force.
Contact us with details to have an a name included, or provide additional information.
Surname | Forenames | Rank | S/N | Additional |
---|---|---|---|---|
Ashcroft | Arthur, 'The Hawk' | Pte | 2929623 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop PoW St Nazaire |
Aspey | William | Pte | 2930678 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop |
Auld | Luke, Patchcott | Pte | 2931015 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X; Cpl ME Cdo Depot; SBS; PoW Escapee |
Backhouse | Charles, R. | Pte | 2931647 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Force X; 1st SAS, PoW escapee |
Baldwin | CQMS | 9th King's | ||
Baybutt | Jack, F. | Pte | 2929879 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn. ; returned to unit |
Black | Graeme, Delamere | 2/Lieut | 106240 | 2/4th S.Lancs; 2 Platoon Cdr; ScissorForce; 2 Cdo executed Op Musketoon - DSO, MC |
Blissett | D.A. | 2/Lieut | 5th King's | |
Blissett | H.H. | Capt | 90331 | Intel; 2 Cdo; 1 SS Bde Maj. - MiD |
Blythe | William, 'Bil' | Pte | 2930644 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop PoW St Nazaire |
Broome | Richard, Frank, 'Dickie' | 2/Lieut | 85468 | 1/4th S. Lancs; Sec Cdr 2 Platoon; Scissors Force; Force X; OC 2 Cdo 5 Tp; kia Salerno |
Brown | Louis, Walter, 'Ben' | LCpl | 2929147 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire |
Bruce | Kenneth, 'Ken' | Sgt | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; later TSM 5 Troop 2 Cdo until 1942 | |
Burke | Edward, 'Tiny' | Pte | 2929845 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop |
Campbell | J | Pte | 2929397 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit. |
Carnston | J.B. | Lieut | 5th King's; No.1 Platoon Cdr. | |
Cheetham | Jack, F. | Pte | 2930999 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire |
Clarke | John, 'Nobby' | Pte | Liverpool Scots; ScissorsForce; Force X | |
Clarke | R.S. | Pte | 2929615 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit |
Coates | Edward | Cpl | Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; Force X; 2 Cdo 5 Troop | |
Copland | William,Oranmore, 'Bill' | Captain | 50169 | 2 I/C 4 Ind Coy then OC from Sept41; ScissorsForce; 2 I/C No.2 Cdo; PoW St Nazaire - DSO |
Cox | Hugh | Pte | 2931801 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop St Nazaire |
Davidson | Andrew | Lieut | Liverpool Scots; 3 Platoon Cdr; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Tp injured 1941 mcy acc reurned to Liverpool Scots | |
Day | Stanley, Ambrose | Lieut | 70873 | 55th Div Signals; Adjutant 4 Ind Coy; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire awarded MC |
Dorman | S.L. | 2/Lieut | 55th Div. RE | |
Dougal | D | Pte | 2928382 | Posted from ITC Camerons; HQ Sigs; returned to unit |
Drennan | A. Leslie | Pte | 2929199 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn |
Douglas | Edward, 'Ted' | Pte | 2927913 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop St Nazaire |
Evans | K.R.H. | 2/Lieut | 2/4th S.Lancs; 2 Sec Cdr 2 Platoon | |
Forshaw | Leslie, 'Les' | Pte | 2930952 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X |
Frost | G.L. | 2/Lieut | 1/4th S.Lancs; Sec cdr 2 Platoon | |
Fryer | Bennet, William, 'Ben' | Pte | 2931435 | Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop |
Geddes | Robert, C.E.B. | Pte | 2929914 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit |
Gerrie | R | Pte | 2930581 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit; transferred to CMP |
Gwynne | John, Edward, Herbert | Pte | 2929834 | Liverpool Scots; No.2 Cdo 5 troop; kia St Nazaire - MiD |
Harding | H. John | LCpl | 2931062 | Liverpool Scots 1st Bn |
Hayes | A.F. 'Nat' | Pte | 2929843 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn |
Hoare | Albert | LCpl | 2929174 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit; later joined No.5 Cdo |
Holt | Frederick | Pte | 2929875 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire |
Homer | Levi, 'Leo' | Pte | 2930668 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop |
Honey | Peter | Pte | 2930015 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; MM with No.2 Cdo 5 troop PoW St Nazaire |
Hooper | Richard, Henry | 2/Lieut | 70956 | 5th King's; Cdr Support Sec Platoon; ScissorForce, 2 Cdo, Op Archery, St Nazaire - MC |
Horrobin | Leslie, G.J. | Pte | 2929849 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit |
Houghton | J.B. | Lieut | 130206 | see record for Johnson-Houghton |
Hughes | William, A. 'Bladder' | Pte | 2929408 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire |
Hurst | Edward | Pte | 2931768 | Q.O.C.H; 2 Cdo 5 Troop St Nazaire |
Jackson | Terence, 'Terry' | Cpl | 2929594 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; left to OCTU |
Jameson | James, A. | Pte | 2929294 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit |
Johnson | J | Pte | 2931063 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissor Force; returned to unit; transferred to CMP |
Johnson-Houghton | Joseph, Blundell | Lieut | 130206 | South Lancs; ScissorsForce, St Nazaire, Captain awarded MC, executed Op Musketoon |
Jones | Colin | Pte | 2931662 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire |
Jones | Harry | Pte | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; to A.A.C; PoW at Arnhem | |
Kelly | D.J. | Pte | 292262 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit |
Knowles | John, A. 'Johnny' | Pte | 2931031 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 4 troop PoW St Nazaire |
Layton | Thomas, A. | Cpl | Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; returned to unt | |
Lima | Cyril, V. | Pte | 2929262 | Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Troop |
Lowson | Robert, Charles, 'Bob' | Pte | 2929977 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Force X; MM with SAS |
Mackenzie | G | Pte | 2929775 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit |
Marples | N.I. | Pte | 2 Platoon 4 Ind.Coy | |
Martin | Robert, George, 'Twim' | Pte | 2930946 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; died May 1940 Scissors Force |
Mason | John | Cpl | ||
Matthews | H.K. | 2/Lieut | 5th King's; Sec Cdr 1 Platoon | |
McAllister | Kenneth, 'Ken Mac' | Pte | 2929412 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; later TSM of 5 Troop 2 Cdo |
McCormack | Thomas, 'Tom' | Pte | 2930404 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop kia St Nazaire |
McGarrity | John, 'Sleuth' | LCpl | 2929120 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; Force X; 2 Cdo |
McIver | A.I. | Captain | RAMC attached 2nd Bn Liverpool Scots; Medical Officer Scissors Force | |
McMorron | Jack, E. | Pte | 2929386 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn |
Milnes | Graham | Pte | 2929965 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit |
Mitchell | Eric | Pte | 2931218 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Force X |
Moffat | 'Cocky' | Pte | Attached from QOCH | |
Moodie | J. 'Jock' | Cpl | 3053415 | Posted from ITC Camerons |
Morgan | Richard, Fuller | 2/Lieut | 105100 | S.Lancs; Support Section; 2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire - MiD |
Moss | Alan | Sgt/RSM | 2930992 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 1st RSM of No.2 Cdo; kia St Nazaire |
Murdoch | Sydney | Pte | 2929161 | Liverpool Scots 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop; PoW St Nazaire |
Nethercott | T | Pte | 2929569 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit |
Norris-Jones | W | 2/Lieut | RE; Support Section | |
Page | William, 'Mate', 'Bill' | Pte | 2931157 | Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; Force X; PoW CasList WO417/92 |
Patterson | John, Rimmer | A/Major | 29978 | Liverpool Scots; OC 4 Ind Coy; Scissors Force; Sept.1940 posted back to Liverpool Scots later Lt. Col 1st Bn |
Peachey | Frederick | Pte | 3654154 | S/Lancs; 2 Cdo; St Nazaire; MM and bar |
Perkins | Leonard, 'Perky Len' | Pte | 2930945 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo awarded MM and MiD |
Porter | K | A/Sgt | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; to HQ ; 1944 2nd Lt RAC | |
Proctor | John, David | 2/Lieut | 117903 | 1st Bn Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; St Nazaire seroiusly wounded; CBTC |
Prout | C. Leslie, 'Jed' or 'Arab' | Pte | 2929485 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; Force X |
Purvis | J | LCpl | 3185932 | Posted from ITC Camerons; returned to unit |
Quayle, DCM | R.H. | LCpl | 3763380 | King's Regt; returned to unit |
Raisbeck | Robert | Pte | Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; Force X | |
Randall | Donald, Charles, 'Don' | LCpl | 2929382 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; HQ Sigs; PoW St Nazaire; awarded DCM |
Rennie | James, Jim' | Cpl | 2930599 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn |
Richardson | S | Pte | 2929794 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit |
Roberts | Harold, 'Aggs' | Pte | 2931676 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; PoW St Nazaire |
Rogers | Joseph, Gerard, Anthony, 'Joe' | Pte | 2933493 | Liverpool Scots; 2 Cdo 5 Troop St Nazaire; awarded MM Splije, Albania, 1944 |
Rolph | Norman | Pte | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X | |
Roy | Donald, William | 2/Lieut | Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; Sec Cdr 3 Platoon; Scissors Force; OC 2 Cdo 5 Tp at St Nazaire POW awarded DSO | |
Sherman | Thomas, 'Tom' | Sgt | 3772771 | King's Regt; Scissors Force; TSM 4Troop 2 Cdo; Vaagso, St Nazaire; to OCTU; Later Hon Col RM Reserve OBE |
Sinclair | 'Lofty' | Pte | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn | |
Smith | Jack | Pte | Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; Force X; batman to Lt Taylor | |
Smith | James, 'Jim' | Pte | 3654054 | S/Lancs; 2 Cdo kia Salerno |
Smith | John | Pte | Liverpool Scots | |
Sowerbutts | E.G. | Pte | 2930775 | Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn |
Stalker | William, James | Pte | 2931430 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X |
Stewart | John, Alexander | Pte | 2931169 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; kia Salerno with No.2 Cdo |
Stubs | Arnold | Pte | S/Lancs | |
Sumner | Frank | Pte | 2930811 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn |
Taylor | Lawrence, 'Larry' | 2/Lieut | 2nd Bn Liverpool Scots; 3 Platoon Sec. Cdr; ScissorForce; Force X; Capt No.2 Cdo 5 troop | |
Taylor | Stanley, 'Stan' | Pte/Cpl | 2929159 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; Force X |
Vanderwerve | John, Edward | 2/Lieut | 9th King's; No.1 Platoon Sec. Cdr; 2 Cdo kia St Nazaire | |
Whelan | George, Leslie, 'Les' | Pte | 2930965 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire |
White | W.H. | 2/Lt | 9th King's; No.1 Platoon Sec Cdr | |
Whittle | Frank | WO2 CSM | 5th Kings | |
Wilcock | Richard, 'Dick' | Pte | 2931468 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire |
Wilkes | Frederick, 'Fred' | Pte | 2931680 | Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire |
Wilkinson | Cyril | Pte | 2929839 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Troop |
Wilson | Gerry, 'Tug' | Pte | 2929369 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn |
Wynne | Hugo | Pte | 2929646 | Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Troop |
A list of names of a few of those from No.4 Independent Company who went on to serve in 5 Troop No.2 Commando and stayed on afterwards or moved elsewhere. Collection of Lance Sergeant Joseph Rogers MM, No.2 Commando 5 Troop. Contains links on the header to pages within the Commando Veterans Archive.
Photo courtesy of Mrs Desiree Roderick MBE.
Standing l-r : Cap. Donald Roy; Lt. Joseph Houghton; Lt. Richard Broome; Lt. John Proctor; Lt. Richard Morgan; Lt. John Vanderwerve;; Lt Wright; Capt. Larry Taylor.
Seated l-r : Capt. A. McKeiver (also seen spelt as McIver, McIvor); Capt. Graeme Black; Capt. Stanley Day; Major Bill Copland; Capt. Andrew Davidson; Capt. Richard Hooper; Capt. Harold H. Blissett
Most of these Officers went on to serve in No.2 Commando.
Lieutenant Donald Roy became Captain of 5 troop No.2 Commando. He was taken POW during the St Nazaire raid. He was i/c of an Assault Party on board HMS Campbeltown.
Lieutenant Joe Houghton joined No 2 Commando. He took part in the St Nazaire raid as head of the Protection Party on board ML443. After returning to the UK he rejoined No 2 Commando and took part in Operation Musketoon. He was captured and later executed whilst a POW.
Lieutenant Richard Broome later became Captain of 5 troop No 2 Commando. He was killed in action during Operation Avalanche at Salerno.
Lieutenant John Proctor served as a Lt in 5 troop No 2 Commando and took part in the St Nazaire raid as part of Capt Roy's Assault Party on HMS Campbeltown. He was seriously wounded resulting in one of his legs amputated. Evacuated back to the UK on one of the 3 ML's that returned, he later served on the staff at the C.B.T.C.
Lieutenant R. F. 'Dickie' Morgan joined No.2 Commando 2 troop. He was i/c of a protection squad for the demolition team on board ML262. POW at St Nazaire.
Lieutenant John Edward Vanderwerve joined No.2 Commando and was killed in action during the St Nazaire raid. He was i/c of a protection squad for the demolition team on board ML306.
Captain Larry Taylor joined No 2 Commando and then went overseas with Force 'X' to Malta. He was involved with covert operations from submarines during this period. He later returned to 5 troop No 2 Commando as their Captain after Captain Dickie Broome was killed at Salerno. He died not long after the war on the 25/1/1949.
Captain A. McKeiver (also seen as McIvor and McIver) was the Medical Officer for No 4 Independent Company.
Captain Graeme Black joined No 2 Commando and took part in Operation Musketoon. He was captured and later executed whilst a POW.
Captain Stanley Day was the Adjutant of No 4 Independent Company and became Adjutant of No 2 Commando. He was in Lt. Colonel Newman's HQ party at St Nazaire and taken POW.
Major Bill Copland became the 2nd i/c of No.2 Commando and was taken POW on the St Nazaire raid.
Capt. Andrew Davidson joined 5 troop No 2 Commando after Norway. He was injured in a motorcycle accident in 1941 eventually rejoining the 1st Bn. Liverpool Scottish Regt.
Captain Richard Henry 'Dickie' Hooper MC joined No.2 Commando. He took part in the raids on Vaagso and on St Nazaire i/c of an assault squad on ML156. He returned to the UK and remained with No 2 Commando throughout the remainder of the war.
Captain Harold H. Blissett joined No 2 Commando and remained with them until being appointed to the staff of No.1 Special Service Brigade HQ as Brigade Major during the invasion of North West Europe.
No.5 Independent Company formed from 56th London Division. Part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940.
No.6 Independent Company formed from 9th Scottish Division.
No.7 Independent Company formed from 15th Scottish Division.
No.8 Independent Company formed from 18th Eastern Division.
No.9 Independent Company formed from 38th Welsh Division.