62 Commando Small Scale Raiding Force
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 - 22 of 22'French coast - Operation Farenheit'
Wednesday, November 11, 1942
Location
Pointe du Plouezec
France
48° 45' 16.5924" N, 2° 55' 47.2476" W
An overnight intelligence gathering raid on a signals station on the French coast at Pointe de Plouézec. The raiding force set out from Dartmouth harbour on board MTB 344, commanded by Lt. Cdr. Freddie Bourne RN and crew, accompanied by a small number of commandos who used a Dory to land.
Officers included Major Geoffrey Appleyard, Captain's Peter Kemp and Captain Oswald Rooney. Commando NCO's included amongst others Sgt Sam Brodison, Sgt. Barry, and LCpl Ellis Howells.
'Small Scale Raiding Force'
The Small Scale Raiding Force (also known as 62 Commando) were trained in Commando style combat together with aspects of seamanship in the use of small craft such as Dory's. Formed at Fareham and commanded by Major Gus March-Phillipps, DSO, MBE, until he was killed during a raid in France in September,1942. They based themselves at Anderson Manor, Dorset, and recruited from units such as the SOE and the SBS, included foreign nationals, and were often supported by Commandos, in particular individuals from No.12 Commando.
ADDERTON, Victor
Private
4974035
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
Military Medal (MM)
Victor Adderton enlisted on 13 May 1935. During WW2 he volunteered for the Commandos. Private Adderton, No.3 Commando, was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the combined attack on Dieppe [1][1a][2].
BRODISON, Samuel James
Company Sergeant Major (later RSM)
6977705
No 10 Commando
No 12 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Irish Fusiliers
Military Medal (MM)
Company Sergeant Major Samuel Brodison was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service carrying out beach obstacle reconnaissance in France during May 1944 (Operation Tarbrush) [1][2].
Recommendation
CAMPBELL, Thomas
Gunner
14317288
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Artillery
Hamilton Burgh Police
Thomas Campbell from Blantyre was a Hamilton Burgh Police Officer who volunteered for the Commandos as part of the Police Intakes to the Commando Depot (Commando Basic Training Centre), Achnacarry. Service included No.3 Commando and 62 Commando (S.S.R.F.). Member of the Commando Association.
COCHRANE, John Paul
Lieutenant
254800
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
SAS
General List
Toronto Scottish Regiment
FITZPATRICK, Michael Benedict
Corporal
321375
No 3 Commando
SAS
Royal Armoured Corps (Lancers)
Military Medal (MM)
Executed
Corporal Michael Fitzpatrick MM was executed whilst
FOSTER, William Johnstone
Sergeant
829582
No 3 Commando
SAS
Royal Artillery
Executed
Sergeant William Foster from Workington was taken prisoner of war and executed whilst serving with the 2nd Special Air Service Regiment.
- 6 October 1933 attested into the Royal Artillery.
GRANT, Archibald Campbell
Private
14317292
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Royal Army Service Corps
Ayrshire Constabulary
Archibald Campbell Grant joined the Police in 1938 and was a Police Constable in Troon, Ayrshire in 1942 before volunteering for the Commandos. He was in the 3rd Police Intake to the Commando Depot (Commando Basic Training Centre) at Achnacarry.
HERSTELL, Ernest Maxwell
Gunner
14317992
SAS
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Artillery
Bristol City Police
Killed in action or died of wounds
Gunner Ernest Herstell was reported wounded and missing 29 May 1943 during operations with the 2nd SAS at Pantelleria, an island between Sicily and Tunisia (Operation Snapdragon). He was later presumed to have died of wounds and has no known grave.
HOWELLS, Ellis
Lance Corporal
3910267
No 12 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
SBS
South Wales Borderers
Special Air Service Regiment
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lance Corporal Ellis Howells was killed in action having left the Commandos and joined the 1st Special Boat Service, S.A.S. Regiment, Army Air Corps. He died during an attack on a railway bridge at Limpljani in the former Yugoslavia.
HUGHES, Richard Kenneth
Lance Sergeant
14200849
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
SAS
South Wales Borderers
Service Record
12.02.1942 enlisted 60th (Welsh) Holding Unit; trade on enlistment - Printer.
22.07.1942 transferred to S.W.B. and posted 4th Monmouthshires.
10.10.1942 posted Commando Depot, Achnacarry.
10.11.1942 posted No.3 Commando.
14.02.1943 posted No.14 Commando.
12.02.1942 enlisted 60th (Welsh) Holding Unit; trade on enlistment - Printer.
22.07.1942 transferred to S.W.B. and posted 4th Monmouthshires.
10.10.1942 posted Commando Depot, Achnacarry.
10.11.1942 posted No.3 Commando.
14.02.1943 posted No.14 Commando.
KEMP, Peter Mant MacIntyre
Major
107025
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Intelligence Corps
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
An extract from Fighting Heroes of the Intelligence Corps
by Harry Fecitt MBE TD, (ex-22 Intelligence Company and various armies)
LEHNIGER, Richard
Served as :
LEONARD
Private
13801849
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Pioneer Corps
Killed in action or died of wounds
62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force). Operation Aquatint.
Son of Gustav and Gisela Lehniger; husband of Julie Lehniger, of Yeovil, Somerset. Born at Petschau, Bohemia.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives file WO417/100.
MARCH-PHILLIPPS, Gustavus Henry
Major
39184
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Artillery
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Commanding Officer 62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force).
Killed in action Operation Aquatint. Posthumous Mention in Despatches.
Son of Lisle and Isabel Forbes March-Phillipps; husband of Marjorie Frances Esclairmonde March-Phillipps, of Chelsea, London. Author of numerous published works.
OPOCZYNSKI, Abraham
Served as :
ORR, Adam
Sergeant
6387010
13801810
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Pioneer Corps
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Served under an alias. Special Operations Executive attached Small Scale Raiding Force for Operation Aquatint during which he was taken prisoner. 1945 reported missing whilst in captivity, later presumed killed in action. Recommended for the Military Medal, awarded posthumous Mention in Despatches.
ROBINSON, Joseph Henry
Sergeant
894174
No 12 Commando
SAS
Royal Artillery
'E' Troop No.12 Commando and SSRF.
1 April 1944 to 2 SAS, Army Air Corps.
24 September 1944 (Sergeant) (2 SAS) wounded during operations in North West Europe.
Sources
Royal Artillery Attestations Register 1939.
ROONEY, Oswald Basil
Captain (later Major)
121599
No 12 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers
[Photo and information courtesy of his son Chris Rooney].
21.09.1939, 21 Artist Rifles;
26.10.1939 posted Scots Guards;
06.02.1940 posted 5th Battalion Scots Guards. Sent to Chamonix in France as Ski Battalion;
20.04.1940 2nd Lieut. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Omagh;
20.04.1940 2nd Lieut. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, Omagh;
SHORTALL, James Patrick
Corporal
6464231
SAS
Royal Fusiliers
Executed
Corporal James Shortall was taken prisoner of war and executed whilst serving with the 2nd Special Air Service Regiment.
WILLIAMS, Allen Michael
Sergeant
6098196
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Queen's Royal Regiment
Killed in action or died of wounds
62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force). Operation Aquatint.
Son of Frederick and Louisa Martha Williams, of Sedlescombe, Sussex.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/60.
WINTER, Thomas William
Acting Company Sergeant Major
108938
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Army Service Corps
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Military Medal (MM)
Company Sergeant Major Thomas William Winter was reported missing 12 September 1942 later confirmed as a prisoner of war. He was taking part in Operation Aquatint, a raid by 62 Commando, known as the Small Scale Raiding Force, at Saint Honorine des Pertes, France, to capture German prisoners for intelligence gathering.
WROE, Colin
Private (later Sergeant)
14317913
No 3 Commando
No 14 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
SAS
Green Howards
Newark Borough Police, Nottinghamshire
Colin Wroe was a Police Constable who volunteered for the Commandos in 1942 joining the 3rd Police Intake at the Commando Depot (Commando Basic Training Centre) at Achnacarry.
Timeline
30.04.941 appointed probationary Constable, Newark Borough Police.
Ask Questions / Add Information / Add Photos
Use the Archive Forum for research enquiries [register now].
Read some frequently asked questions here [FAQ's].
Read some frequently asked questions here [FAQ's].
Contact the Archive to add information or photos via the [contact form].
All content is researched and administered by the Commando Veterans Archive.
