43 cdo Commachio

Valetta Canal a Few miles north of Ravenna,

The previous page was: "41 Commando Walcheren"

In a country of lakes whose quiet surfaces reflect the calm of pine woods, lies the lagoon of Lake Commachio. It is separated from the sea by a narrow spit of land running north towards the Valetta Canal from a point close to where the river Reno makes its way between high banks into the Adriatic Sea.

This desolate part of the world, where Garibaldi stumbled ashore with a dying woman in his arms, was to be the scene of one of the strangest battles of the war. It was fought by the Second Commando Brigade, under the command of Brigadier R. J. F. Todd, D.S.O. No.43 Commando Royal Marines and No.40 Commando Royal Marines formed half of the Brigade.

The enemy were noted for maintaining one of the most stubborn lines of defences the Allied had come across. Kesselring had held Alexander and his armies at bay for more than a year.

41-Walcheren

war was now in its sixth year

As usual the brigade found itself short of transport and equipment. This hoary administrative problem still remained unsolved although the 'War' was now in its sixth year. The lack of these services affected only the comfort of the Commandos not their fighting abilities.

They were set the task of capturing the spit of land separating Lake Commachio from the sea. It was thought the enemy forces upon it numbered about twelve hundred, with the bulk of them positioned to the south of a subsidiary canal, which linked the lagoon to the sea.

Their positions were known by code names, from the bible. To the south of the river Mark and Mathew kept guard; Joshua stood upon the tongue; on the eastern side were Ezra and Amos; with Jeremiah and Samuel well to the north. Each of these strong points represented formidable strong points, facing eastwards; most of them were protected by minefields and barbed wire.

43 Commando had captured Joshua

The plan was for No. 43 Commando Royal Marines to attack Joshua. Then turn west to cross the river and clear the south-eastern corner of the spit.

They pushed forward towards the tongue of land dividing the river Reno from the sea. They caught the enemy entirely by surprise using Lifebuoys, the code name for flame throwers, and after some fire the garrison surrendered.

When 43 Commando had captured Joshua, the position on the tongue; the prisoners were taken off of their hands; and they prepared to cross the Reno.

This was successfully accomplished in the face of some opposition in collapseible assault boats erected on the bank. A bridgehead was formed and more prisoners were taken.

On the next day the advance north along the spit continued, with No. 43 Commando Royal Marines on the right. On their left the other units of No. 2 Commando's advance was supported with tanks.

Passing an extensive minefield

43 cdo after passing an extensive minefield threw the enemy out of the houses he was holding at Scaglioca.

Beyond it, the ground between this town and the Valetta Canal had been stripped of cover. 'C' Troop in the lead were immediately pinned down, though some of them, led by Corporal Thomas Hunter, reached a dyke.

He could see the enemy they were holed up in a group of houses near the south side of the Valetta Canal. He realised that his Troop had no cover; they would be mowed down or receive heavy casualties by the Spandau machine guns facing them.

Quickly he grabbed the Bren gun and magazine pouches, put them on, and then he charged two-hundred yards across open ground with the Bren gun blazing away at his hip.

Three Spandaus from the buildings ahead opened up and six more from the north side of the canal joined in. Enemy mortars started firing at the Commandos trapped in the open, and running behind Hunter; shells from the batteries were also landing close by.

Corporal Hunter attracted most of the enemy fire; but he was moving too quickly to make an easy target for them.

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Hunter captured three Spandaus

His determined charge firing at the hip and changing magazines while he was charging, demoralised the enemy before him.

He showed total disregard for his own safety or the intense enemy fire that was aimed at him; his actions were for his men's safety alone.

On his own he captured three Spandaus, and cleared the three houses. Six German soldiers surrendered to him; with the remainder fleeing across a foot bridge to get over the other side of the canal.

The Troops dashing behind Hunter then became the targets for the Spandaus on the north bank. Again he offered himself as a target; laying in full view on a heap of rubble in front of the Germans. He returned the fire at the six other Spandaus and the German Troops in the pill boxes.

By then the majority of his men were in the safety of the houses. He called for more magazines, and shouted encouragement to the men who were still advancing. He fired at the Spandau positions with great accuracy up to the last. When he was finally hit in the head with a burst from one of the Spandaus killing him instantly.

Well done Commandos

Cpl Hunter was posthumously awarded the

Victoria Cross

The operation had been remarkably successful. A large and useful tract of land had been seized on the right flank of Alexandra's armies, sixteen officers and nine-hundred and thirty other ranks of the enemy were prisoners of war.

It was later discovered that there were three battalions, two troops of artillery, and a company of machine gunners, they had been virtually destroyed. Twenty pieces of artillery, six mortars, a number of rocket weapons had also been captured.

Lieutenant-General Richard McCreery in a message wrote: "your success has helped my whole army plan." "Well done, Commandos."

The next Link below will be: "44 Commando RM Burma"

43 Commando Commachio 44 Commando RM Burma

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