No 3 Army Commando

Many of the original members of this Commando had served with the British Expeditionary force in France and had been evacuated from Dunkirk. The Commando was formed in Plymouth on 23rd June 1940 the Commanding Officer was LtCol. J.F. Durnford –Slater.

No.3 was the first Commando unit ever to see action with the raid on Guernsey Operation ‘Ambassador’14/15 July 1940 with 11 Independent Company.
Operation ‘Claymore ‘was next in the Lofoton Islands in March 1941.
Other 3 Commando Operations were:
Vaagso ‘Archery’ 27th December1941
Elements were supplied for St.NazaireMarch 1942
Dieppe 19th August 1942……Heavy losses sustained

As a result of the losses at Dieppe the Commando was rested for replenishment and did not see action again until the Invasion of Sicily 10th July 1943. Seeing action at Termoli. After the actions in Italy the Commando returned to the UK for the preparation for the landings in Normandy and D-Day.

Critical actions fought by No 3 after D-Day was at the river Orne and the capture of the Merville Battery to the flank of the landing beaches. The Battery was captured but at great loss to No 3 Commando.
A brief replenishment in the UK followed at Worthing and then the unit was back in action again as part of the British Liberation army. .No3 taking part in the crossing of the river Maas, the clearing of the Maas Rhine Triangle, the capture of Osnabruck, crossing the Weser and Aller rivers and finally the crossing of the Elbe.
The Commando was disbanded along with other Army Commando units in November 1945.