No 14 Commando
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15'Norway - Operation Checkmate'
Wednesday, April 28, 1943
Location
Kopervik
Norway
59° 17' 1.3452" N, 5° 18' 24.7572" E
A combined operations raid on Axis shipping in the harbour at Kopervik, Norway. This raid was a No 14 Commando operation. The raiders managed to sink several ships using limpet mines, but were eventually captured and initially taken to Haugesund for interrogation before being transported to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.
'Norway - Operation Crackers'
Monday, February 22, 1943
An intelligence gathering operation originally planned to include the destruction of observation posts in the Norwegian fjords, but due to bad weather the raiders took over an unmanned observation post for a week of intelligence gathering before making good their escape.
14 Commando
This was a very short lived Commando unit raised for the specific purpose of operations in Norway. Mountbatten wrote to the Chiefs of Staff in November 1942 expressing his view for the need of Arctic specialists from any source for winter operations in Norway. They agreed and No.14 Commando was formed on the 3rd December 1942, initially under Lt Col. E.A. M. Wedderburn, Royal Scots, with a total of 15 Officers and 40 OR's including some Canadian RNVR's. Their first HQ was at Ewe Bank Cottage, Beauly, Inverness-shire.
BURGESS, Neville Arthur
Able Seaman
C/JX354547
No 14 Commando
HMS Fox, RN
Executed
Able Seaman Neville Burgess was one of the raiding party at Kopervik, Norway (Operation Checkmate). Captured and later executed at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Son of Arthur and Doris Burgess, of Beverley, Yorkshire.
COX, Victor John
Sergeant
5671612
No 12 Commando
Somerset Light Infantry
Executed
Sergeant Victor John 'Jack' Cox, No 12 Commando, was assigned to No.14 Commando for Operation Checkmate. He was captured on the raid at Kopervik in Norway on 29th April 1943. Sergeant Cox was imprisoned and later executed after being taken to Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp and shot.
GODWIN, John
Lieutenant
No 14 Commando
Mentioned in Despatches
Executed
Lieutenant John Godwin, a veteran of Operation Crackers * [view], was an Argentinian in the RNVR. Commanding Officer of the raiding party at Kopervik, Norway.
HAIG-THOMAS, David
Lieutenant
120492
No 4 Commando
No 14 Commando
Royal Army Service Corps
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lieutenant David Haig-Thomas, No. 4 Commando 'C' troop, was initially reported missing believed killed during operations at Normandy, later confirmed to have been killed in action.
HAWKINS, Patrick, T.H.
Sergeant
2573910
No 14 Commando
Royal Armoured Corps
Sergeant Patrick Hawkins was reported missing 13 July 1943 during operations in Sicily, later found to be a prisoner of war.
Sources
Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/66 and WO417/93.
HISCOCK, Harold
Petty Officer
LT/JX 217862
No 14 Commando
HMS Quebec / Royal Naval Patrol Service
Executed
Petty Officer Harold Hiscock, a Canadian from Newfoundland, was one of the raiding party at Kopervik, Norway (Operation Checkmate). He was captured and later executed at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp.
KERR, Joseph Robert
Sergeant
No 14 Commando
No 5 Commando
The death of Sergeant Joseph Robert Kerr (14 & 5 Cdos) of Hensingham, Whitehawn, Cumbria, was announced in Commando Association newsletter 68 issued March 1979.
MAYOR, Keith
Able Seaman
D/JX 363471
No 14 Commando
HMS Fox, RN
Mentioned in Despatches
Executed
Able Seaman Keith Mayor was one of the raiding party at Kopervik, Norway (Operation Checkmate). He was captured and later executed at Belsen Concentration Camp having been transferred there from Sachsenhausen. He has no known grave. Son of John and Gertrude L.
ROE, Alfred John
Petty Officer Motor Mechanic
P/MX 98752
No 14 Commando
HMS Fox, RN
Mentioned in Despatches
Died on war service
Patty Officer Alfred Roe was one of the raiding party at Kopervik, Norway. He was captured and later died of typhus at Belsen Concentration Camp having been transferred there from Sachsenhausen. Husband of Dorothy Elizabeth Roe, of Manor Park, Slough, Buckinghamshire.
RUSSELL, Harold
Private
13045086
No 14 Commando
No 3 Commando
Pioneer Corps
Private Harold Russell was wounded 14 July 1943 during operations at Agnone, Sicily, and the bridge at Malati (3 Commando Bridge). Post war member of the Commando Association residing in Oldham, Lancashire.
Sources
Sources
WEST, Andrew Anthony
Able Seaman
D/JX363264
No 14 Commando
HMS Fox, RN
Executed
Able Seaman Andrew West was one of the raiding party at Kopervik, Norway (Operation Checkmate). He was captured and later executed at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. Son of Patrick West, and of Sarah West, of Glasgow.
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