Independent Companies and Special Service Battalions
Raised in April 1940 from volunteers serving in the Territorial Army. There were 11 Independent Companies formed, the 11th being only for one specific operation. The first 5 Independent Companies sailed to Norway in May 1940 under the name Scissors Force to join Operation Avonmouth - the British Expeditionary Force.
Each Company consisted of 21 Officers and 268 OR's.
- No.1 Independent Company from 52nd Lowland Divn.,
- No.2 Independent Company from 53rd Welsh Divn.,
- No.3 Independent Company from 54th East Anglian Divn.,
- No.4 Independent Company from the 55th (West Lancs) Division. At the time the 55th were a two Brigade Motor Divn consisting of 164 Bde. : 9th Btn. Kings Regt, 1/4th Btn The South Lancs Regt, and 2/4th Btn. the South Lancs. Regt; 165 Bde. : 5th Btn. Kings Regt, 1st Btn. Liverpool Scottish QOCH, and 2nd Btn. Liverpool Scottish QOCH.
- No.5 Independent Company from the 56th (1st London) Divn.,
- No.6 Independent Company from the 9th Scottish Divn.,
- No.7 Independent Company from the 15th Scottish Divn.,
- No.8 Independent Company from the 18th Eastern Divn.,
- No.9 Independent Company from the 38th Welsh Divn.,
- No.10 Independent Company from the 66th East Lancs Divn.
- No.11 Independent Company formed 14 June 1940 under Major R. Tod. with 350 OR's.
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.
- 1st Special Service Bn., A and B Coys., formed from Nos.1,2,3,4,5,8 and 9 Independent Companies.
- 2nd Special Service Bn. formed from No.6 and 7 Independent Companies and the only recently formed No.9 and 11 Commandos;
- 3rd Special Service Bn. formed from Nos.4 and 7 Commando;
- 4th Special Service Bn. formed from Nos.3 and 8 Commando;
- 5th Special Service Bn. formed from Nos.5 and 6 Commando.
The Independent Companies were short lived and by the end of the year most had ceased to exist. Also by February 1941 these Special Service Battalions were considered too large and unwieldy. They were therefore reorganised back into Commando Units which were smaller and more workable.
At the same time No.2 Commando which was originally raised as a Parachute Commando was re-designated as 11 Special Air Service Bn. In February 1941 a new No.2 Commando was raised from the 1st Special Service Bn., 'B' Company, under Lt Col. Newman at Paignton.
It should be noted during this period of change a detachment of 64 from the 1st Special Service Bn. had already departed for submarine operations in Malta, and in January 1941 a much larger force from 2, 3, and 4 Special Service Bn.'s had departed for a Middle East deployment known as Layforce. As a result Army Casualty Records for Layforce [more....] recorded a few individuals by their now defunct Special Service Battalion designation at the time of departure rather than by their current designated Commando unit within Layforce.
Roll of Honour
No. 1 Independent Company
No. 2 Independent Company
No. 3 Independent Company
No. 4 Independent Company
No. 5 Independent Company
Special Service Battalions
1 Independent Company
No.1 Independent Company formed from 52nd Lowland Division. Part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940.
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Archive pages:
2 Independent Company
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. 2 Independent Company Roll of Honour
2/Lieut. T.H. DAVIES
2/Lieut. G.W. DILLWYN-VENABLES-LLEWELYN
CQMS. I.W. LAVENDER
Sgt. C.W. BALDWIN.
Cpl. E. GODSELL
LCpl. D. MCGIILL
LCpl. D.G.W. VINCENT
LCpl. J.H. WINTLE
Fus. R.H. ALLEN
Pte E.S. BAKER
Pte. W.B.M. BATH
Fus. G.L. BLACK
Pte. R.E. CAPES
Fus. E.J. ROBERTS
Spr. L. THOMAS
Fus. G.L. TRAYLOR
Fus. W.H. WALKER
Linked Content:
Archive pages:
3 Independent Company
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.
Linked Content:
Archive pages:
Report by Lt. Clibborn
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.
No3 Independent Coy
The Town Hall
Hamilton
Lanarkshire
11.6.40
The Adjutant
2/4 Essex Regt
Langton Park
Co.Durham
No3 Independent Company arrived in Scotland yesterday in the Norwegian convoy, which was announced in the newspapers & wireless as having arrived safely.
Personnel of 2/4 Essex Regt are safe & well. There were however some casualties. Killed Pte Bixby [view]. Wounded Sgt White [view] also mentioned in despatches, Cpl Parker, L/C’s Bookham and Barnbrook, Pte Lowry, Pte Massey. Pte Dunn was slightly hurt, but returned to duty some days later. Pte Massey is the only one who was not already convalescent before we left Norway. Wounded men did not return with the main body & have presumably been sent to a convalescent home in this country.
These casualties are out of all proportion to those sustained by No 3 Coy as a whole. Our Platoon happened to be sent out on duty in M.T. & were machine gunned by an enemy recce plane, on a narrow road, clear of snow itself but bounded by deep snow on either side. Sgt White displayed great bravery & initiative in attending to wounded and although wounded himself, driving them approximately 35 miles to the base. Pte Bixby was driving the ‘bus and was killed outright. Pte Massey was shot through both legs during a withdrawal. All other casualties occurred during the incident described above.
Our job was never that of an Independent Company, in fact our original scheme was cancelled before we sailed. We worked all the time as ordinary infantry & as such took part in four engagements. All were rearguard actions against greatly superior forces. In the first two actions we were at strategic bridges with the 5th Scots Guards & our job of holding up Jerry for a time after blowing these bridges was carried out according to plan and with very few casualties. The last two battles found us in reserve positions, or some distance from Jerry, though with nothing between us. In the third action we were subjected to an hours continuous aircraft machine gunning as we lay in reserve in a wood. Strangely there were no casualties, though bullets struck up the earth all around us, and smacked into the trees. We got used to this sort of thing when we had had it about 3 times. Some of the marches were pretty cruel, but the 2/4 Essex men kept up well & were cheerful & full of grit. Under fire they behaved very well and obeyed all orders.
Our weapons were obviously unsuited to the country, though the BREN gun was deadly. Jerry used ‘Tommy guns’ a great deal, never at close quarters where we were concerned, which was probably lucky for us. As it is our opinion of his shooting is very low.
Our zone of operations was within the Arctic Circle, in the Saltdal, which lies south east of the town of Bodo, now a mass of ruins.
Officers and men are now all very fit & are stationed at Hamilton awaiting our next move.
I have spoken over the telephone with CSM O’Connor this afternoon & found out you had moved. Hoping to see you all again if possible.
WC Clibborn 2Lt
Source
Gary Cootes (on forum) & Essex Regiment files ER3356.1/2
Linked Content:
Archive pages:
4 Independent Company
In April 1940 HQ 55th (West Lancs) Division issued Divisonal Operation Order 5 authorising the formation of No.4 Independent Company. At the time the 55th Divsion was a two Brigade Motor Division consisting of units from the 164th and 165th Brigades.
164 Brigade consisted of the 9th Bn. Kings Regiment, 1/4th Bn. and 2/4th Bn. of the South Lancs. Regiment;
165 Brigade consisted of the 5th Bn. Kings Regiment, 1st Bn. and 2nd Bn. of the Liverpool Scottish Queens Own Cameron Highlanders.
No. 4 Independent Company was part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940. Many joined No.2 Commando when it was reformed in February 1941 under Lt. Col. A.C. Newman.
Archive pages:
4 Independent Company Nominal Roll
This nominal roll has been compiled from detail within this archive added to that provided many years ago by Dennis Reeves, Honorary Curator of the Liverpool Scottish Museum Archive, and compiler of the book Special Service of A Hazardous Nature: The Story of the Liverpool Scottish Involvement in Special Forces Operations in the WW2.
It is not complete. Many went on to serve in No.2 Commando.
It is not complete. Many went on to serve in No.2 Commando.
Contact us with details to have an a name included, or provide additional information.
Commanding Officer: Major John Rimmer Patterson until Sept.1940.
Second in Command: Captain William Oranmore Copland, assumed command Sept.1940
|
Surname
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Forenames
|
Rank
|
S/N
|
Additional
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Arthur, 'The Hawk'
|
Pte
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2929623
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
William
|
Pte
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2930678
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop
|
|
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Luke, Patchcott
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Pte
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2931015
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X; Cpl ME Cdo Depot; SBS; PoW Escapee
|
|
|
Charles, R.
|
Pte
|
2931647
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Force X; 1st SAS, PoW escapee
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|
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Baldwin
|
|
CQMS
|
|
9th King's
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|
Baybutt
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Jack, F.
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Pte
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2929879
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn. ; returned to unit
|
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Graeme, Delamere
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2/Lieut
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106240
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2/4th S.Lancs; 2 Platoon Cdr; ScissorForce; 2 Cdo executed Op Musketoon - DSO, MC
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|
|
Blissett
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D.A.
|
2/Lieut
|
|
5th King's
|
|
H.H.
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Capt
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90331
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Intel; 2 Cdo; 1 SS Bde Maj. - MiD
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|
|
William, 'Bil'
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Pte
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2930644
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
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
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|
|
Louis, Walter, 'Ben'
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LCpl
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2929147
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
Bruce
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Kenneth, 'Ken'
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Sgt
|
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; later TSM 5 Troop 2 Cdo until 1942
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Edward, 'Tiny'
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Pte
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2929845
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop
|
|
|
Campbell
|
J
|
Pte
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2929397
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit.
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|
Carnston
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J.B.
|
Lieut
|
|
5th King's; No.1 Platoon Cdr.
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Jack, F.
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Pte
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2930999
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire
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|
|
John, 'Nobby'
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Pte
|
|
Liverpool Scots; ScissorsForce; Force X
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|
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Clarke
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R.S.
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Pte
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2929615
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit
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|
Edward
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Cpl
|
|
Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; Force X; 2 Cdo 5 Troop
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|
|
William,Oranmore, 'Bill'
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Captain
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50169
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2 I/C 4 Ind Coy then OC from Sept41; ScissorsForce; 2 I/C No.2 Cdo; PoW St Nazaire - DSO
|
|
|
Hugh
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Pte
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2931801
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop St Nazaire
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|
|
Davidson
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Andrew
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Lieut
|
|
Liverpool Scots; 3 Platoon Cdr; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Tp injured 1941 mcy acc reurned to Liverpool Scots
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Stanley, Ambrose
|
Lieut
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70873
|
55th Div Signals; Adjutant 4 Ind Coy; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire awarded MC
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|
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Dorman
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S.L.
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2/Lieut
|
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55th Div. RE
|
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Dougal
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D
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Pte
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2928382
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Posted from ITC Camerons; HQ Sigs; returned to unit
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Drennan
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A. Leslie
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Pte
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2929199
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn
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Edward, 'Ted'
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Pte
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2927913
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop St Nazaire
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|
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Evans
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K.R.H.
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2/Lieut
|
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2/4th S.Lancs; 2 Sec Cdr 2 Platoon
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Leslie, 'Les'
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Pte
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2930952
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X
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|
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Frost
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G.L.
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2/Lieut
|
|
1/4th S.Lancs; Sec cdr 2 Platoon
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|
Bennet, William, 'Ben'
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Pte
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2931435
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Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop
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|
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Geddes
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Robert, C.E.B.
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Pte
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2929914
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit
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|
Gerrie
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R
|
Pte
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2930581
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit; transferred to CMP
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|
John, Edward, Herbert
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Pte
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2929834
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Liverpool Scots; No.2 Cdo 5 troop; kia St Nazaire - MiD
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|
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Harding
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H. John
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LCpl
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2931062
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Liverpool Scots 1st Bn
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Hayes
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A.F. 'Nat'
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Pte
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2929843
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn
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Hoare
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Albert
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LCpl
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2929174
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit; later joined No.5 Cdo
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Frederick
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Pte
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2929875
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire
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|
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Levi, 'Leo'
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Pte
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2930668
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 troop
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|
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Peter
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Pte
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2930015
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; MM with No.2 Cdo 5 troop PoW St Nazaire
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|
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Richard, Henry
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2/Lieut
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70956
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5th King's; Cdr Support Sec Platoon; ScissorForce, 2 Cdo, Op Archery, St Nazaire - MC
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|
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Horrobin
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Leslie, G.J.
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Pte
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2929849
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit
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|
J.B.
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Lieut
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130206
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see record for Johnson-Houghton
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|
|
William, A. 'Bladder'
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Pte
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2929408
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire
|
|
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Edward
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Pte
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2931768
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Q.O.C.H; 2 Cdo 5 Troop St Nazaire
|
|
|
Jackson
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Terence, 'Terry'
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Cpl
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2929594
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; left to OCTU
|
|
Jameson
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James, A.
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Pte
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2929294
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit
|
|
Johnson
|
J
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Pte
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2931063
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissor Force; returned to unit; transferred to CMP
|
|
Joseph, Blundell
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Lieut
|
130206
|
South Lancs; ScissorsForce, St Nazaire, Captain awarded MC, executed Op Musketoon
|
|
|
Colin
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Pte
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2931662
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
Jones
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Harry
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Pte
|
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; to A.A.C; PoW at Arnhem
|
|
Kelly
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D.J.
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Pte
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292262
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; returned to unit
|
|
John, A. 'Johnny'
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Pte
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2931031
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo 4 troop PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
Layton
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Thomas, A.
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Cpl
|
|
Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; returned to unt
|
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Cyril, V.
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Pte
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2929262
|
Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Troop
|
|
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Robert, Charles, 'Bob'
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Pte
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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
|
|
Robert, George, 'Twim'
|
Pte
|
2930946
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; died May 1940 Scissors Force
|
|
|
James
|
Cpl
|
2930943
|
Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; returned to unit
|
|
|
John
|
Cpl
|
4119997
|
Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn. 'C' Coy; returned to unit
|
|
|
Matthews
|
H.K.
|
2/Lieut
|
|
5th King's; Sec Cdr 1 Platoon
|
|
Kenneth, 'Ken Mac'
|
Pte
|
2929412
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; later TSM of 5 Troop 2 Cdo
|
|
|
Thomas, 'Tom'
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Pte
|
2930404
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; 2 Cdo 5 Troop kia St Nazaire
|
|
|
John, 'Sleuth'
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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
|
|
Eric
|
Pte
|
2931218
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Force X
|
|
|
Moffat
|
'Cocky'
|
Pte
|
|
Attached from QOCH
|
|
Moodie
|
J. 'Jock'
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Cpl
|
3053415
|
Posted from ITC Camerons
|
|
Richard, Fuller
|
2/Lieut
|
105100
|
S.Lancs; Support Section; 2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire - MiD
|
|
|
Alan
|
Sgt/RSM
|
2930992
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 1st RSM of No.2 Cdo; kia St Nazaire
|
|
|
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
|
|
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
|
|
Frederick
|
Pte
|
3654154
|
S/Lancs; 2 Cdo; St Nazaire; MM and bar
|
|
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Leonard, 'Perky Len'
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Pte
|
2930945
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; 2 Cdo awarded MM and MiD
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|
|
Porter
|
K
|
A/Sgt
|
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; to HQ ; 1944 2nd Lt RAC
|
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John, David
|
2/Lieut
|
117903
|
1st Bn Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; St Nazaire seroiusly wounded; CBTC
|
|
|
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
|
|
Robert
|
Pte
|
|
Liverpool Scots; Scissors Force; Force X
|
|
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Donald, Charles, 'Don'
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LCpl
|
2929382
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; HQ Sigs; PoW St Nazaire; awarded DCM
|
|
|
James, Jim'
|
Cpl
|
2930599
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn
|
|
|
Richardson
|
S
|
Pte
|
2929794
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; returned to unit
|
|
Harold, 'Aggs'
|
Pte
|
2931676
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
Joseph, Gerard, Anthony, 'Joe'
|
Pte
|
2933493
|
Liverpool Scots; 2 Cdo 5 Troop St Nazaire; awarded MM Splije, Albania, 1944
|
|
|
Norman
|
Pte
|
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X
|
|
|
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
|
|
|
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
|
|
Jack
|
Pte
|
|
Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn; Force X; batman to Lt Taylor
|
|
|
James, 'Jim'
|
Pte
|
3654054
|
S/Lancs; 2 Cdo kia Salerno
|
|
|
Smith
|
John
|
Pte
|
|
Liverpool Scots
|
|
E.G.
|
Pte
|
2930775
|
Liverpool Scots 2nd Bn
|
|
|
William, James
|
Pte
|
2931430
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; Scissors Force; Force X
|
|
|
John, Alexander
|
Pte
|
2931169
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; kia Salerno with No.2 Cdo
|
|
|
Stubs
|
Arnold
|
Pte
|
|
S/Lancs
|
|
Frank
|
Pte
|
2930811
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn
|
|
|
Lawrence, 'Larry'
|
2/Lieut
|
|
2nd Bn Liverpool Scots; 3 Platoon Sec. Cdr; ScissorForce; Force X; Capt No.2 Cdo 5 troop
|
|
|
Stanley, 'Stan'
|
Pte/Cpl
|
2929159
|
Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; Force X
|
|
|
John, Edward
|
2/Lieut
|
|
9th King's; No.1 Platoon Sec. Cdr; 2 Cdo kia St Nazaire
|
|
|
George, Leslie, 'Les'
|
Pte
|
2930965
|
Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire
|
|
|
White
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W.H.
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2/Lt
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9th King's; No.1 Platoon Sec Cdr
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Whittle
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Frank
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WO2 CSM
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5th Kings
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Richard, 'Dick'
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Pte
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2931468
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire
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Frederick, 'Fred'
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Pte
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2931680
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Liverpool Scots. 2nd Bn; No.2 Cdo PoW St Nazaire
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Wilkinson
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Cyril
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Pte
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2929839
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Troop
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Wilson
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Gerry, 'Tug'
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Pte
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2929369
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn
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Wynne
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Hugo
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Pte
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2929646
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Liverpool Scots. 1st Bn; Scissors Force; 2 Cdo 5 Troop
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2 Commando 5 Troop and 4 Independent Company
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.
Names
Arthur Ashcroft, Ted Douglas, John Gwynne, Pete Honey, Bob Lowson, Ken McAllister, Don Randall, Alan Moss, Jones, Len Perkins, Donald Roy, Larry Taylor, John Proctor, Joe Houghton, Tom McCormack, Les Wheelan, Bill Hughes, Bill Stalker, Joe Rogers.
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4 Independent Company 1940 image
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.
5 Independent Company
No.5 Independent Company formed from 56th London Division. Part of Scissors Force, a section of the British Expedition to Norway in May 1940.
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6 Independent Company
No.6 Independent Company formed from 9th Scottish Division.
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7 Independent Company
No.7 Independent Company formed from 15th Scottish Division.
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8 Independent Company
No.8 Independent Company formed from 18th Eastern Division.
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9 Independent Company
No.9 Independent Company formed from 38th Welsh Division.
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10 Independent Company
No.10 Independent Company was formed from 66th East Lancs. Division in May 1940.
- May 1940 Commanding Officer was Major L de C. Robertson and they were based in the Johnstone, Renfrewshire area that month.
- 4 June 1940 the Company moved to Lochailort for a Cadre course and Individual/specialist training. They remained at Lochailort for the rest of the month.
- 8 July 1940 the Company moved to Achdalieu Lodge, Corpach, continuing collective and individual training especially in boat drills and landings followed by a period of leave.
- 1 August 1940 Major A.C.W. May, MC, assumed command of the unit at Achdalieu. The Company now consisted of a Headquarters and 3 platoons each of 3 sections.
- 24 August 1940 the Company moved by road to Scapa Flow and embarked aboard HMT Sobieski. They sailed to Freetown, Sierra Leone, arriving there on 14 September. After this they sailed to Dakar but did not disembark. After a period at sea off the coast, they were ordered back and returned to Freetown where they set up their base at Lumley Camp nearby.
- 11 October 1940 the Company left Freetown to return to the UK. They were on board 4 vessels. Major May MC with 6 officers, and 89 OR's on HM AMC Alacantara, Capt. C.J.B. Pollitt with 3 Officers and 61 ORs on the SS City of Canterbury, Capt. A.W.I.B. Black with 6 officers and 80 ORs on HMT Reina del Pacifico, and 5 OR's on board the SS Adda.
- 18 October 1940 HMT Reina del Pacifico anchored at Gibraltar, and the following day 496 civilians were embarked, along with 5 Italian Officers and 40 Italian ratings from a sunken Italian submarine. They left Gibraltar for England arriving at Liverpool on the 25th. From there Major May and his contingent from the Company proceeded by train to Spean Bridge finally arriving at Glenfinnan House on the 29th October. Over the next few days the other ships docked with their contingents moving to Fort William and Achnacarry House.
- 6 October 1940 orders were received for No 10 Independent Company to be disbanded. Major A.C.W. May MC was to take command of the Training and Holding Wing (located at Achdalieu Lodge and Achnacarry House) of the STC. (ref War Office letter 3/1890/AG17/A).
- The purpose of this Training and Holding Wing was to train and hold recruits for the Special Service Battalions. All ranks of the 10th were given the option of returning to their Regiments, or of joining the Holding Wing, or Staff of the Training and Holding Wing if suitable. The Company Office was situated at Granite House, Fort William.
- November 1940 the men from the 10th Ind Coy were sent in sections for periods of leave whilst the reorganisation was taking place.
- 2 December 1940 No 10 Independent Company ceased to exist, and personnel not yet disposed of were transferred to the Holding Wing, STC Achnacarry.
- 12 Officers were posted to the Holding Wing : Maj. A.C.W. May MC, Capt's A.W.I.B. Black, C.J.B. Pollitt, C.G. Craven, C. Smalley; Lt's H. Hollins, M. Whitelock, J. Duncan, W.R.H. Hay, M. Callaghan. A.R.H. Kellas, G.R.C. Stewart.
- 6 Officers were returned to their Regiment or Corps.
- 69 OR's volunteered for the Holding and Training Wing, with 164 being returned to their Corps or Regiment.
[Source for all the above information comes from the No 10 Independent Company War Diary held at the National Archives ref. WO.218/17]
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11 Independent Company
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'Malta detachment - Force X'
A detachment of 4 Officers and some 60 OR's formed December 1940 from volunteers within 'B' Company No.1 Special Service Battalion. They trained at Gourock using Submarines and Folbots. After training the group embarked from Greenwich on board HMS Bonaventure joining the convoy Force H for Malta.
On arrival the Force came under naval command at the base of the 10th (Malta) Submarine Flotilla, Officer Commanding Captain George Simpson RN. They were redesignated as No.1 Section Egyptian Detail. Their own base was Manoel Island, Malta, from where they engaged in clandestine operations from submarines including HMS Upholder, HMS Upright, HMS Utmost, and HMS Triumph.
After a few months some of the Force was dispersed to other specialist units or returned to the UK. By this time 'B' Company No.1 Special Service Bn., had been redesignated as No. 2 Commando.
Captain Larry Taylor remained with a Force of about 20 men conducting operations until August after which those left were dispersed mainly to the SBS or SAS.
Amongst the Detchment's Officers were Lt. Richard Broome and Lt. Dudley Schofield.
Amongst the OR's:
LSgt. Robert Brown;
Pte's Luke Auld, John 'Nobby' Clark, Les Forshaw, Bob Lowson, Bill Page, John McGarrity, Les Prout, Norman Rolph, Bill Stalker, Eric Mitchell, Jack Smith (Capt. Taylor's batman); and Rfn. Albert Andrews.
Source
Dennis Reeves, Liverpool Scots Regimental Museum.
IWM Interview with William Francis 'Tan' Rudge.
Recommendation for awards written by Captain George Walter Gillow Simpson, RN (Schofiled , De Nobriga, and others)
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'Veterans return to Norway'
Extract from Commando Association newsletter 95 (1992).
RETURN TO NORWAY
Harry Pitman (No.1 Commando and No. 2 Independent Company) and John Wall (No. 5 Commando and No. 4 Independent Company) returned to Norway in May as the guests of the Norwegian No.14 Infantry Regiment to attend a ceremony in the Saltdal area, and a historical seminar. At the ceremony 30 Norwegian veterans received war medals for the service they gave throughout the war. This was followed by a lecture on the events in Saltdal in 1940.
Harry Pitman (No.1 Commando and No. 2 Independent Company) and John Wall (No. 5 Commando and No. 4 Independent Company) returned to Norway in May as the guests of the Norwegian No.14 Infantry Regiment to attend a ceremony in the Saltdal area, and a historical seminar. At the ceremony 30 Norwegian veterans received war medals for the service they gave throughout the war. This was followed by a lecture on the events in Saltdal in 1940.
Later, Harry and John dined with Rear Admiral Thommessen, Deputy Chief of North Norway and Commander of the Naval Forces in North Norway, before joining a small group to take part in a historical seminar at a typical Norwegian wooden house behind a white water river in a snow capped mountainous area. Various defensive sites of the 1940 battles were visited and many local inhabitants turned up to add their versions of what happenned.
At one defensive site - Pothus - Harry was able to describe his activities during those days. A local farmer produced a Lee Enfield rifle that his father had recovered from the scene, and Harry and John were able to determine from the Regimental brass disc, still attached to the butt, that the rifle (No.160) had belonged to a member of the 6th Batt. Royal Welsh Fusiliers !
A visit was paid to the military section of the cemetery in Rognan where Harry laid a wreath at the memorial stone. This moving ceremony was attended by many Norwegians. A particularly memorable time for Harry and John was when they were taken along the Junkers Valley up to the Swedish frontier post and shown the last part of the route that was taken by two members of the successful Glomfjiord raiding party in their escape into Sweden (Operation Musketoon).
On the return to Bodo through Fauske, Harry and John were taken to the Fauske Radio Station (minus its large tower) where John remained behind in 1940 for a short time to direct stragglers towards Bodo. A set of webbing equipment (1940 vintage) was presented to the military museum in Bodo and the Curator said how appreciative he was for the gift.
Harry and John are loud in their praise for the hospitality they received and the unexpected VIP treatment when flying to and from Bodo by Army charter planes from and to Oslo.
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