No.4 Army Commando

Employed As Highly-Trained Infantry

The previous page was: "No.3 Army Commando"

Formed in 1940, early in the Second World War. Although it was raised to conduct small-scale raids and harass garrisons along the coast of German-occupied France, this Unit was mainly employed as a highly-trained infantry assault unit.

The unit's first operation was the successful raid on the Lofoten Islands in March 1941. The next two planned operations were both cancelled and it was not until 1942, that No.4 Commando took part in another raid, 'Operation Abercrombie' a raid on the French coastal town of Hardelot.

Later the same year No.4 was one of three commando units selected for the Dieppe raid. Under the command of Lord Lovat, No.4 Commando landed on the right flank of the main landings and successfully silenced a German gun battery.

This was the only complete success of the operation, which was eventually aborted following heavy losses.

As part of the 1st Special Service Brigade, No.4 Commando took part in the Normandy Landings in June 1944. Landing on Sword beach 30 minutes before the rest of the Brigade.

Their first objectives were to capture a strong point and gun battery in Ouistreham. After the Commandos eliminated these positions they rejoined the Brigade, reinforcing the 6th Airborne Division at the Orne bridges.

Before the invasion the brigade had been informed that they would stay in France for only a few days. The commando remained there for a further 82 days, protecting the beachhead's left flank.

During that period, No.4 Commando endured over 50 percent casualties. Finally withdrawn to Britain in September 1944, they were reassigned to the 4th Special Service Brigade for the assault on Walcheren island.

At the end of the war No.4 Commando became part of the occupation force in Germany, but together with all other Army Commando Units they were disbanded in 1946.

No.3 Army Commando

No.4 Commando Formed In Weymouth

On the 21st July 1940, when the first intake of 500 volunteers arrived No.4 Commando was formed. The unique nature of the commandos immediately became apparent when every man was held responsible for finding his own quarters.

As commandos were expected to be fighting troops, they had no administrative personnel, such as clerks and cooks for example. To assist them with living 'off camp', with no cook house all ranks were given a daily allowance and a ration card, the allowance being 67 pence for officers and of 34 pence for other ranks.

This arrangement meant that commandos lived on civilian rations, while the rest of the armed forces had the more plentiful military scale of rations.

Lieutenant-Colonel C.P.D Legard and the Regimental Sergeant Major W. Morris held their first parade on 22 July 1940, at Weymouth Pavilion. The volunteers were informed of the intended role for the Commandos.

They were informed that training would be "tough and demanding and any men who could not measure up to the standard required would be returned to their parent unit without any leave of appeal".

Training started immediately and concentrated on physical fitness, weapons training, movement across country including cliff climbing, obstacle crossing and raiding operations.

Weapons training was limited by the lack of anything other than the personal weapons; rifles and pistols; that each man had brought with him. Machine guns or anything heavier were not available at the time.

In August 1940, some officers and non-commissioned officers were sent to Achnacarry in the Scottish Highlands on a Commando course. These men were then responsible for teaching the rest of the unit.

No.4 Commando remained at Weymouth until 13th October 1940, when it boarded trains for Scotland. Arriving on the River Clyde at 06:00 the next day, they were sent on board "H.M.S. Glengyle" an Infantry landing ship.

The "Glengyle" sailed on 18th October, for Inveraray, to conduct training for the first time with Assault Landing Craft. The move to Scotland became permanent and No.4 Commando were based at Ayr.

Each troop would comprise three officers and 62 other ranks; this number was set so each troop would fit into two Assault Landing Craft.

The new formation also meant that two complete Commando units could be carried in the 'Glen' type landing ship and one unit in the 'Dutch' type landing ship.

Lofoten Islands Operation Claymore

No.4 Commando were informed they would be going to Troon in Scotland for an exercise. The next day the unit boarded "H.M.S. Queen Emma" but on 22nd February 1941, after they anchored at Scapa Flow, their real objective was divulged.

Together with No.3 Commando they were to conduct 'Operation Claymore' a raid on the Lofoten Islands. Claymore's main objective was to stop the manufacture of fish oil and its exportation to Germany, where it was used in making explosives.

Extra training commenced on board ship, including how the men were to get to their boat stations to disembark. Each troop also rehearsed its own part in the mission. Lectures were given in escape and evasion and troop commanders and NCO's were given small silk maps of Norway to help with any escape attempt.

Another item of escape equipment issued was a pair of trouser fly buttons that, when placed one on top of the other, became a small compass.

Claymore took place on 4th March 1941. The Germans were caught unprepared and the landings were unopposed. Within an hour No.4 Commando had taken all its objectives.

The raid was a success: 11 fish oil factories and storage tanks were destroyed, 10 ships sunk, 225 prisoners taken with an unknown number of German sailors killed on the sunken ships. An added bonus were the 315 Norwegian volunteers brought back to join the Free Norwegian Forces.

Operation Puma

After returning from Norway, training started for 'Operation Puma' the occupation of the Canary Islands. The operation was planned following intelligence that Spain was going to join the war on the side of the Axis forces.

The intention was to prevent Germany using the islands as a U-Boat base. The force assembled included five commando units, an army brigade, two Royal Marine brigades and supporting arms.

Training for 'Operation Puma' culminated in landing exercises in the Hebrides from the Landing Ship, Infantry "H.M.S. Royal Scotsman'.

The operation was renamed 'Operation Pilgrim' and after a number of delays was put on hold by the Chiefs-of-Staff. On 13th September, a token force including a troop from No.4 Commando was dispatched to West Africa. The troop was based in Sierra Leone and Nigeria until returning to Britain in February 1942, after the cancellation of the operation.

While this was happening a new second in command (2IC) was appointed, Major Charles Vaughan, and a Captain Lord Lovat joined the unit as the training officer. Lovat had been attached to the Lofoten raid as an observer and had applied for a posting to the Commandos.

Operation Bludgeon

In February 1942, A, B and C Troops were dispatched to the Outer Hebrides under the command of Captain Lord Lovat for extra training. Returning to Troon in March, they were immediately sent to Dartmouth, Devon where they embarked on "H.M.S. Prins Albert'.

Once on board they were informed about 'Operation Bludgeon' and started mission training. The objective of this raid was a large building that was a short distance inland from the Dutch coast, and that was used by senior German officers.

For the duration of the operation B Troop were issued with flamethrowers to set the building on fire. After several days training, the Commandos moved around the coast and anchored in the Thames waiting for the order to go. The operation was eventually cancelled, due to the increased German E-Boat activity in the area of the landing.

St Nazaire Raid

The St Nazaire raid had the objective of destroying the Normandie dry dock, which would prevent its use by any large German warship if that had been damaged or in need of repair.

The majority of land force for the raid was supplied by No.2 Commando, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Newman. However the Special Service Brigade headquarters, used the raid to provide experience for their other units and 92 men were drawn from, No's 1, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 12 Commandos to go on the raid.

The No.4 Commando contingent was 12 other ranks commanded by Lieutenant H Pennington. They had all previously served in the Royal Engineers and had left under the imprsssion they were going on a Harbour Demolition Course.

After their training at Cardiff and Southampton Docks only six of the 12 were selected to go on the raid. Three of the six including Lieutenant Pennington were killed before they were able to land, when their Motor Launch was engaged by the German coastal defence batteries.

The other men who had not been selected for the raid were returned to No.4 Commando.

Operation Abercrombie

'Operation Abercrombie' was a raid on the French coastal town of Hardelot. Only B and C Troops supported by detachments from the Royal Engineers and the Carleton and York Regiment of Canada participated.

The raid was under the overall command of Lord Lovat, with the objective of capturing prisoners and causing as much damage as possible. For this raid they were going to try a different system to cross the channel.

Instead of using Infantry Landing Ships to cross the Channel they would be taken across on Motor Gun Boats towing Assault Landing Craft. The combined force left Dover on 19th April 1942.

En route, one LCA sank with the loss of two commandos who were manning a Bren gun in the bow. The raid was called off and they returned to Dover. A replacement LCA was obtained and they returned to France on 21st April.

This time the crossing was uneventful and the Commandos made a successful landing. However, the two Commando troops were discovered cutting the barbed wire beach obstacles and German machine guns opened fire.

The raiders did carry out a reconnaissance of the area but were unable to capture any prisoners. The commandos returned without loss, but one man was wounded in the leg. The smaller Canadian detachment was unable to locate the target beach and returned to Britain.

After the raid there was another change in command. Lieutenant- Colonel Lister left to form No.10 (Inter-Allied) Commando and Major Vaughan became the temporary commanding officer.

Vaughan left shortly afterwards to take over command of the Commando Depot at Achnaccarry and was succeeded by Lord Lovat with Major Derek Mills-Roberts becoming the Second-In-Command.

Dieppe

No.4 Commando made the crossing to Dieppe on board "H.M.S. Prins Albert. The crossing was uneventful and at 04:50 just before daybreak Group one landed unopposed.

Using two Bangalore torpedos to blow a hole in the barbed wire, they managed to scale the cliffs. As they approached the battery at 05:45 it opened fire on the main landing force coming ashore at Dieppe.

This was 30 minutes before Group one was expected to be in a position but Mills-Roberts responded by speeding up the advance to get their guns into action sooner.

Once in position they opened fire on the battery with their mortars, Bren machine guns and sniper rifles. One of the mortar bombs landed inside the battery and exploded the stored charges, putting the guns out of action.

Group two had an opposed landing being greeted by machine gun fire from the two pillboxes guarding the beach. Leaving a section from A Troop to deal with them the rest of the Group ran the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the rear of the battery, bypassing German infantry positions on the way.

The A Troop section having finished off the pillboxes, set out for Orange one beach, ambushing a German patrol on route. While this was happening Lovat and the other two troops, were preparing to assault the battery from different directions.

The men from B Troop approached from behind the anti-aircraft tower, as they could still see some Germans moving about on it, they detached three men to deal with them. At the same time they stumbled across and captured a machine gun post.

At 06:15 the assault started, F Troop discovered a group of Germans forming up to put in their own assault on the fire base. Charging into them they were dispersed without loss to the Commandos.

The troop continued their advance, moving between some buildings and an orchard, when they were themselves caught in the open by heavy gun fire. Two men in the lead the troop commander Captain Pettiward and Lieutenant McDonald were killed while Troop Sergeant Major Stockdale was wounded.

It was during this action that the already wounded Captain Porteous, acting as the liaison officer between the two groups was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Lord Lovat And No.4 Commando

After the Dieppe raid the two Groups were in position, when a pre -arranged strafing attack by the Royal Air Force commenced, this signalled an increasing in the rate of fire from Group one.

At 06:30 a very flare fired by Lovat signalled the start of the assault. Group one ceased firing and B and F Troops charged the battery with bayonets fixed.

The objective for B Troop was the battery buildings, while F Troop targeted the guns. Captain Porteous now commanding F Troop was wounded again, this time in the thigh but urged his men on.

He was shot for the third time and passed out just as the guns were captured. Demolition experts from F Troop destroyed the guns with pre-formed charges while B Troop searched the battery buildings for intelligence materials.

Carrying their wounded with them and escorting prisoners both troops withdrew through the fire base. Still in contact with the Germans both groups of commandos made it to Orange One beach and at 08:15 were taken off by the LCAs. They crossed the channel without incident arriving at Newhaven docks at 17:45 the same day.

D-Day

Unusually each man could chose whether to would wear a steel helmet or the Commando green beret. No.4 Commando were in the second wave and landed behind the initial assault battalion, from the East Yorkshire Regiment, part of the 3rd Infantry Division.

Captain Porteous described how their dead and wounded were "just swilling around in the water." Captain McDougal later wrote, "as we were coming ashore the assault troops were committing suicide by trying to dig in on the beach."

"In passing I kicked the nearest man telling him to keep going. The man was dead. So was the man next to him and a third was seriously wounded by machine gun fire."

The Commandos followed their drills and cleared the beach as quickly as possible. Once clear they headed for their assembly area, which was also the Commando medical post. Leaving their rucksacks behind, they set off along the Lion sur Mer road towards their objectives.

Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson had decided that the two French troops should take the lead into Ouistreham, followed by the six British troops. The French were unopposed apart from some mortar rounds and machine gun fire as they neared their objective.

No.8 French Troop occupied the houses at the front and the sides of the Casino strong point. An assault to capture the Casino was driven back. While this was going on the other French troop, No.1, approached the Casino from the rear.

Taking up firing positions they too started to engage the strong point but their fire had almost no effect. The French commander Capitaine de frégate Philippe Kieffer was just about to order an all out assault by both troops, when reports that British amphibious tanks were in Ouistreham reached him.

Sending a guide to bring one forward, the tank arrived in front of the Casino and proceeded to destroy the German gun emplacements.

Within 30 minutes of the tanks' arrival, all the strong point guns were silenced and No.1 Troop had assaulted and captured their objective. With its capture the French Commandos were now in control of the western suburbs of Ouistreham.

The rest of No.4 Commando was moving along the Lion sur Mer road towards their objective the gun battery. The battery was located at the extreme left of the landing beaches.

The Orne canal formed its northern boundary and the Casino strong point was to the south. It was surrounded by barbed wire and had three machine gun posts. Two of the posts faced where the canal joined the sea and the third faced up the canal towards the port.

To the west of the battery were the houses of the town and the port area of Ouisterham. The order of march was: C Troop to deal with any opposition on route, D Troop who were to force an entrance into the battery, A Troop to provide covering fire for the assaulting troops.

In the assault E Troop would take the left hand guns, and F Troop the right. Bringing up the rear was the headquarters and the heavy weapons troop. The heavy weapons troop set up a fire base to support both the French and British attacks if needed.

Progress along the road was rapid with only intermittent artillery fire slowing them down. As they advanced, a tank from the 13th/18th Royal Hussars joined them, just in time to engage German snipers who had started shooting at E and F Troops.

As C Troop reached the forming up point for the assault it met heavy machine gun fire from the gun battery. A Troop bypassed them to occupy houses to cover the assault.

The next to arrive was D Troop, which had a special ladder to cross the anti-tank ditch around the battery. Realising that the man carrying the ladder had been killed crossing the beach and the ladder left behind, they looked for another way to cross.

They discovered wooden planks bridging the gap that the defenders used to access the town. D Troop crossed and captured the machine gun posts around the battery. With the machine guns taken, E and F Troops began their assault.

The attack was successful but they discovered the guns were only wooden dummies made from telegraph poles. The real guns had been removed three days previously and positioned further inland.

Having captured its objectives, No.4 Commando reformed and set out to join the rest of the brigade, about 6 miles (9.7 km) away. Lieutenant-Colonel Dawson was wounded during the fighting and Major Menday temporarily took command.

The march inland to the Orne bridges was uneventful and upon arrival No.4 Commando dug in on a ridge of high ground to the east of the River Orne towards Sallenelles. Their new position was 2 miles (3.2 km) towards Sallenelles beside the Hauger château.

Not long after they arrived and started digging in, the gliders of the 6th Airlanding Brigade began landing to their rear.

The Orne Bridgehead

Expecting a Germans counter attack, protective trenches were completed by nightfall. The first night 6/7 June was uneventful and "stand to" was 04:30, but there were still no signs of a German attack. During the day there was some sniping in the morning and in the afternoon E and F Troop were subjected to a mortar barrage.

By now the trenches were complete with overhead protection and arranged to give an all-round defence. In the French troops' area some activity was observed and Menday, still in command, suspected an attack from the direction of Sallenells.

Nothing come of that but in the evening of 7th June, some dive bombers strafed the brigade position. By the end of the second day there was still no signs of the expected German ground attack.

That night was also uneventful but just after stand to on 8th June, German infantry were observed advancing through the woods to their front. Holding fire until the last minute, the Germans were beaten back but A Troop found themselves surrounded on three sides and forced to withdraw.

That night the Germans attacked again, this time targeting C Troop, but were again driven back. Shortly thereafter a group from No. 45 Royal Marine Commando arrived and reported that the Germans had broken through and were on the road behind No.4 Commando.

Captain Porteous and D Troop moved down the road to deal with them. Outnumbered two to one D Troop charged, killing some and forcing the rest to withdraw.

The next morning 10th June, from 09:30 to 10;00 the No.4 Commandos position was subjected to heavy artillery and mortar bombardment. For the two hours before this, No.6 Commando was heavily bombed, which was followed up by a ground assault that lasted until midday.

Suspecting an attack on their own position No.4 Commando stood to. The attack did not materialise until 17:00, when massed German infantry were observed forming up in front of F Troop. At the same time an artillery Forward Observation Officer arrived from brigade, he contacted the 25 pounder guns attached to the 6th Airborne Division and requested 12 rounds of rapid fire.

The rounds landed on target and another 12 were called for, breaking the German attack. The British artillery was not alone— since digging in, the Commandos had been on the receiving end of artillery and mortars which was steadily taking its toll in casualties.

E Troop for example were now under the command of a section sergeant and had only 20 men left from a complement of 65.

Elsewhere the Germans were attacking A, C and the French troops. C Troop had ambushed the Germans, moving forward to attack and then fought off a second attack. The attack on the French position was supported by a tank, which they only managed to knock out with a PIAT after it had got behind them.

In both these attacks the Commandos were involved in hand-to-hand combat to keep the Germans from overrunning their positions. From 11th June, the German pressure on the Commando line lessened.

They were still subject to artillery and mortar fire but there were no more infantry attempts to dislodge them. In the days since landing No.4 Commando had taken 50 percent casualties.

Before the landings the 1st Special Service brigade had been informed they would be withdrawn in a few days, after the Allies had broken out from the beachhead. Problems capturing Caen meant the Commandos and airborne division had to remain to secure the left flank along the line of the Orne.

They did not get relieved for 82 days, during which they not only held the left flank but on 18 August started their own break out. With No.4 Commando leading the first village liberated was Bavent followed by Beaumont en Auge.

Breuzville was entered over the night of 25/26th August, and Boulleville the following day. Here they remained until 6th September, when the brigade was withdrawn and sent back to Britain, for 14 days leave.

Walcheren

Battle of the Scheldt, Battle of Walcheren Causeway, and 'Operation Infatuate'. On their return from leave, No,4 Commando had been made back up to full strength with casualty replacements.

The commando were informed they would be joining the 4th Special Service Brigade to replace No.46 Royal Marine Commando. When they arrived in Belgium they discovered that the brigade was already well into training for 'Operation Infatuate'.

This was an assault landing on the island of Walcheren to open the sea route into Antwerp. The city had already been liberated but the northern bank of the Scheldt was still in German hands, enabling them to sink shipping trying to use the port.

The First Canadian Army would attack across the causeway from the east. In support of them 4th Special Service Brigade would carry out an assault from the sea. The majority of the brigade would land at Westkapelle, No.4 Commandos objective was further south at Flushing, with the 155th (South Scottish) Brigade landing behind them.

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4 Commando No.7 Army Commando

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