No 11 Commando
There may be content on individuals that is not listed here. If you do not find a name use the different Search options within the Site. Contact the Archive to have a name included.
Displaying 1 - 143 of 143'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.
'Rommel HQ - Operation Flipper'
Location
The raiding party landed 14 November. The attack on Rommel's HQ by units from Layforce took place 17 November. The raiding party included a group from No 11 Commando (see What Links Here above) led by Lt Col Keyes supported by others, including two from No 7 Cdo who had escaped from Crete, Sgt Fred Birch (No 7 Cdo & 51ME Cdo) and Cpl John Kerr (No 7 and 51ME Commando)
11 Commando

This Commando was formed on 23rd June 1940 in Galashiels. After formation it marched from Galashiels to Ayr and then on to the Isle of Arran for amphibious training.
11 Commando Nominal Roll
For historical & research purposes, we have tried to compile the names of all the volunteers for No.11 Commando which were obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Lists of Casualties, the No.11 Commando War Diary, papers from the National Archives and further research by members of the CVA and various other resources. In preparing this list, we acknowledge that it is very likely there are omissions.
11 Commando Operations
These are some of the operations that No 11 Commando took part in, either on their own, or as part of a Combined Operations assault. No 11 Commando became part of Layforce.
ABLEWHITE, C.A.
Wounded a second time on 15 December 1941 during operations in the Western Desert [2].
ADAMS, Jack

ADAMS, Jack (No.11 Cdo), newspaper report of his death

Report in the Perthshire Advertiser 19 July 1941 about Private Jack Adams, Black Watch attached to No.11 Commando killed in action during operations at Litani River, Syria.
AINSLIE, William Robson Milne

CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/30.
ANDERSON, John Clover


BAILLIE, Alexander Charles
Lance Corporal Alexander Baillie died during operations at Litani River, Syria.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
BALLANTYNE, Alexander A.
BARR, Edward
BARRAND, Peter Charles
BEATTIE, Alexander

Corporal Alexander Beattie was taken prisoner of war on 21 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ.
BERTIE, James John William
BEST, George
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
BLAIR, David Arthur

BOGLE, James

Private James Bogle was reported missing 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war. After his release in 1945 he served two years in Germany in the Scottish Rifles*.
BOULTON, David

BRADY, J.
Signalman J. Brady was wounded 9 June 1941 during operations at Litani River, Syria.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
BRUCE, Charles
Sergeant Charles Bruce, from Brechin, Angus, was reported missing 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war at Camp 59 in Italy from which he managed to escape back to allied lines after the Italian Armistice. Post war member of the Commando Association last residing in Australia.
BRYAN, Gerald Jackson

BULLOCK, Howard Ernest
BURROWS, Charles William
Gunner Charles Burrows from Beckenham, Kent, died during operations at Litani River, Syria.
BURTON, Kenneth Harwood
BUTLER, Howard Herbert Cosens
BYRNE, John Vincent

CAMPBELL, William
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
CARR, Richard Philip

CHANTRELL, William
CHEYNE, John

CHISHOLM, James Alexander
Sergeant James Chisholm died during operations at Litani River.
CLARK, P.
Private Clark was wounded 9 June 1941 during operations in Syria.
CODD, Lawrence Joseph
COHEN, Aaron Harry

COODE, Donald Alastair

COOKE, John
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
RA Casualty Card.
CRAIG, James Cross
DAVIDSON, Alexander

Private Alexander Davidson was reported missing 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war.
DAVIDSON, Alexander
DEAN, L.W.
DIBB, Edgar
DINSDALE, Henry
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/36.
DOVE, George

Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
[Image] CVA Gallery.
DRORI, Avishalom
Corporal Avishalom Druri was Jewish and from Palestine. He volunteered for the British Army and was first posted to the Pioneer Corps before being attached to 51 Middle East Commando. He later joined 'C' Battalion Layforce (No.11 Commando) and was taken prisoner of war during the raid on Rommel's HQ (Operation Flipper).
DUFFY, Joseph Aloysius
Private Joseph Duffy joined L Detachment, SAS, from No 11 Commando on the 28th August 1941 and was accidentally killed in training due to a parachute failure, along with his friend and fellow Seaforth Highlander, Private Kenneth Warburton. Location given as East side of the Great Bitter Lake. The pair became the Regiment's first casualties.
DUNCAN, George Ian Alistair

EARDLEY, Albert William

CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
RE Enlistment Register for 1939 (enlisted 26 April 1939)..
RE Casualty Card.
EARDLEY, Albert William (No.11 Cdo), newspaper report of his death

Report in the Staffordshire Sentinel newspaper 17 July 1941 about the death of Lance Corporal Albert Eardley who was killed in action during operations at Litani River, Syria.
EDMISTON, Gordon


FARMILOE, William Arthur


FRASER, Thomas Coupar

GALLAGHER, Denis

GALLAGHER, Denis (No.11 Cdo), newspaper report of his death

Lancashire Evening Post 29 September 1941. Newspaper report about the death of Private Denis Gallagher, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders attached to No.11 Commando, who was killed in action at Litani River.
GIBBS, William George

GLITHEROE, G.E.
Corporal Glitheroe was wounded on 9 June 1941 during operations at the Litani River in Syria.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
GORNALL, James
GREIG, Robert
GRIFFIN, Thomas Basil
GUNN, David
HAMILTON, Alexander

HAMILTON, Robert Scott
HANCOCK, Harry
HARLAND, Edwin
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
HARMER, Reginald

HUGHES, Albert Edwin
HURST, Ben
Private Ben Hurst was killed in action during operations at Litani River, Syria.
JOHNSTON, Robert

- 9 June 1941 (Private) wounded during Operation Exporter at Litani River, Syria.
JONES, Charles Ernest
JONES, G.
JONES, Harold
KEARNEY, Joseph Francis
KEITH, Douglas
KEYES, Lt Col. Geoffrey Charles Tasker, VC

KING, Ernest Taylor
KINGHORN, Robert
Private Robert Kinghorn was killed in action during operations at Litani River, Syria.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
KNIGHT, Denis Hammond
LAING, J.
Private Laing was reported wounded and missing 9 June 1941, and later a prisoner of war, during operations in Syria. In 1942 a further report stated he was now not a prisoner of war.
LANG, John

- Read more about John Lang on our Forum [HERE].
LAPPIN, James

LISTER, Richard
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/30.
LOCK, Charles

Corporal Charles Lock, 8 Troop, was reported missing 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war. Post war member of the Commando Association from Walmer, Kent.
LOW, Laurie

MACARTHUR, Robert
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/28.
MACQUARRIE, Donald Maclean


MCADAM, Leslie
MCAULEY, Michael
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
MCGONIGAL, Eoin Christopher

MCGUIRE, John
MCKAY, Robert
MCKENZIE, James Burnett
Private James McKenzie was reported missing in the Middle East 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war since 19 November 1941.
MCKEOWN, John
MCNINCH, William Matthew

Lance Sergeant William McNinch died during operations at Termoli Italy with the Special Raiding Squadron having left the Commando. A veteran of the Litani River raid he died when a shell hit the truck that he was sitting in. He was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of distinguished service during operations on the day before his death.
Recommendation
MELLOWS, Charles Henry

MORE, George Robert Melville Harvey


- January 1944 operating with the SOE in Serbia's Kopaonik Mountains [2].
- 1945 awarded a bar to his Military Cross for distinguished service [3][3a].
MULLEN, James Cassidy
MUNRO, George
MURPHY, James
MURRAY, Robert


Private Robert Murray, 8 Troop, was reported missing 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war. Post war member of the Commando Association.
NAPIER, Bevil Charles Alan

- August 1943 (Temporary Major) awarded the Military Cross for "gallant and distinguished service in the Middle East." (London Gazette 35077 and 36146.)
NICOL, Charles

Sergeant Charles Nicol was reported missing 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ, later found to be a prisoner of war.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/35 and WO417/95.
Prisoners of War Records / National Archives files WO392/1, WO392/11, and WO392/21.
[Image] CVA Gallery image of 8 Troop No.11 Commando.
NIXON, Malvern
O'SULLIVAN, William Martin

OLIPHANT, Archibald Johnston
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/26.
PADBURY, John
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/30.
PARNACOTT, Geoffrey Alfred Henry

PAXTON, Charles Henry
Private Charles Paxton, 10 Troop, was reported missing on 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ in Libya, and later found to be a prisoner of war.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/36.
Prisoners of War / National Archives files WO392/1, WO392/11, and WO392/21.
Photo of 10 Troop in Gallery.
PEDDER, Richard Robert Newsham (Lt Col)

PLUNKETT, John
POMFORD, Douglas
PURSE, Jack
RICHARDS, Charles Geoffrey

ROBB, Leslie
ROBERTSON, Andrew
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
ROFT, Peter W.
Private Peter Roft was wounded on 9 June 1941 during operations at the Litani River in Syria. Post war member of the Commando Association from Brechin, Angus.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
Obituaries in Commando Association newsletter 85.
ROONEY, Lawrence
RYAN, E.
SCEALES, James Stewart Macewan

Promoted Major he was reported wounded in 1944 during operations in Italy. On 12 May 1944 it was further reported that he was dangerously ill [1].
SCOTT, Thomas Fields

SEVERN, Clive

SINCLAIR, Archibald Roy McGregor
SMITH, John Rolland
SMITH, Peter
Gunner Peter Smith, from Glencraig in Fife, was reported missing in 1942 (full date not reported) during operations in the Middle East , later found to be a prisoner of war [1][1a]. He was subsequently killed as a result of aerial bombardment [2][2a].
STEVENSON, Thomas
STOCKS, Douglas

STYLES, Alexander Mundie
Signaller Alexander Styles died during operations at Litani River, Syria.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
TAIT, Duncan Robert

TERRY, Jack

TEVENDALE, Lewis Legertwood Legg

THOMPSON, Royce
Son of Harry and Charlotte Thompson, of Monk Bretton, Yorkshire.
TITTERTON, Cyril Arthur
Son of Arthur Titterton and of Mary Annie Titterton, (nee Ratcliffe); husband of Helen Titterton (nee Casson), of Skerton, Lancaster.
VARNEY, Frank Ernest

Lance Corporal Frank Varney, 10 Troop, was reported missing on 24 November 1941 after Operation Flipper, the raid on Rommel's HQ in Libya, and later found to be a prisoner of war.
WALLACE, Hugh
WARBURTON, Kenneth
WILSON, John Marshall Prentice
WILSON, M.S.
WOOD, Alfred Joseph

WOODNUTT, Desmond
Sapper Desmond Woodnutt died during operations at Litani River, Syria.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/27.
RE Enlistment Register for 1939 (enlisted 16 Oct. 1939).
RE Casualty Card.
WORRALL, Frederick William Gordon
YOUNGER, Matthew Scott

Matthew Younger was wounded 9 June 1941 during operations at Litani River, Syria. Post war member of the Commando Association.
Ask Questions / Add Information / Add Photos
Read some frequently asked questions here [FAQ's].