Exploring this Archive

The Commando Veterans Archive website has grown since its inception to hold a valuable wealth of information on the Commandos, both units and individuals from their formation right up to the present day. The site is now used by authors and programme makers as a reference resource. Alongside of this family members find it useful when researching their relatives or friends service in the Commandos.  
 
View some frequently asked questions here FAQ's.

This website is made up of three sections. 
  • Our Archive [you are here] has links to all Commando related content. Included are Rolls of Honour, and also our Nominal Rolls which are updated as and when we receive evidence of Commando service 
  • Our Forum has all the thousands of questions asked, and information posted, since the website came into being;
  • Our Gallery of over 11,000 images is one major part of the website. However there is a considerable amount of valuable information included elsewhere.
Additionally there are thousands of biography entries on individuals and these can be accessed via our Personnel A-Z  [go to A-Z Personnel....] or other pages shown on the navigational panel. These are a work in progress and many more names will be found in the individual unit nominal rolls.
 
[Note: Anything highlighted has more information, or will take you to specific pages.]

Service Numbers
Our nominal rolls sometimes show service numbers against names. These should be treated as possible but not confirmed. They are often transcribed from war diaries or lists provided by veterans themselves and occasionally errors are found.
 
Searching the website content
  • The Google Custom Search box can be found at the top of Forum and Gallery pages. This searches the entire website.
  • The Gallery additionally has its own unique search facility. This will only search the already identified images in the gallery. 
  • The Main Archive additionally has its own unique search facility.  This will search all the content entered within there, any content listed on the links in the navigation panels at the side, and the thousands of pages included within it. This would include Rolls of Honour, Nominal Rolls, etc.  It will NOT search the Gallery or the Forum.
The Commando Veterans Archive Forums.
  • We do NOT hold Service Records.
  • If you wish to provide information, or ask specific questions, whether on individuals, units, campaigns, equipment, insignia etc, you must register and post a message on our website forum. 
  • Our website forums have expanded to be a very worthwhile and interesting research facility.
  • The forums are for information exchange and family members and friends also correspond through them with information and details where possible.
The Commando Veterans Archive Gallery
  • The gallery contains over 11,000 photos of commandos and commando related events etc. The majority of these photos have never been seen before and have been supplied by, family members of, or former commandos. 
  • Many family members have discovered their relatives, fathers or grandfathers image in this gallery. For some it is the very first time they have seen a photo of their relative serving in the commandos.  This is a most thrilling event for most people and provides evidence for them of what for some is a family rumour or story.
  • Please browse the gallery and see what you can find. We are always trying to add names to unknown faces in the photos so if you spot a face you know simply register on the gallery and add a comment to the photo. Please be 100% sure and do not guess. If in doubt leave it out.
Adding Photos
  • If you have a photo you think may be of interest for our gallery, register on the forum and post it as an attachment to a forum message you create with the details about the photo and your connection to it if this is not already known to us.
  • It will then be reviewed by administrators. A credit must be applied to photos in our gallery so include your full name.
  • Photos must be under 1 mb or 1000kb's in size.
  • If posting a resized image please add if you have a higher resolution copy available if needed.
Adding Comments to photos
  • If you have information about the content of, or individuals in, a photo, register on the gallery, go to the image, and add your comment.
When reading documents on this site.
Whilst every effort has been made to maintain accuracy when transcribing documents to this site we are aware that mistakes can be made. Therefore we strongly advise researchers etc. to, where possible, view the original document at source and confirm accuracy, and copyright,  for yourself before using the information for any future publication. 
 
Please enjoy the site.
John Mewett, Commando Veterans Archive Website Manager.
 

Ask Questions / Add Information / Add Photos

Use the Archive Forum for research enquiries, or to add information or photos. [register now]
Read some frequently asked questions here [FAQ's].
Contact the Archive via the [contact form].
 
All content is researched and administered by the Commando Veterans Archive.