View source for No. 3 Commando

{{short description|British commando unit of the Second World War}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=No. 3 Commando
|image=[[File:Commandos archery.jpg|250px|alt=A black and white photograph of three British soldiers advancing beside a wooden house. The lead soldier is carrying a Thompson submachine gun and is peering around the corner of the house, while the other two are carrying rifles.]]
|caption=Commandos take cover during Operation Archery, a raid on the Lofoten Islands
|dates=1940–1946
|country={{flag|United Kingdom}}
|allegiance=
|branch={{army|United Kingdom}}
|type=[[British Commandos|Commando]]
|role= Special Forces
|size=470–535 men all ranks<ref>Durnford-Slater 2003, pp. ix–xvi.</ref>
|command_structure= [[1st Special Service Brigade]]
|garrison=
|garrison_label=
|nickname=
|motto=
|colors=
|colors_label=
|march=
|mascot=
|equipment=
|equipment_label=
|battles=[[World War II|Second World War]]
* [[Operation Ambassador]]
* [[Operation Claymore]]
* [[Operation Archery]]
* [[Dieppe raid|Operation Jubilee]]
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Operation Husky]]
* [[Operation Overlord]]
* [[Operation Plunder]]
|anniversaries=
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
|disbanded= 4 January 1946
<!-- Commanders -->
|commander1=
|commander1_label=
|commander2=
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|commander3=
|commander3_label=
|notable_commanders= [[John Durnford-Slater]]<br />[[Peter Young (historian)|Peter Young]]
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=[[File:British Commandos Patch.svg|70px|alt=Insignia of Combined Operations units it is a combination of a red Thompson submachine gun, a pair of wings, an anchor and mortar rounds on a black backing]]
|identification_symbol_label=Combined Operations<br> Shoulder<br> Patch
}}
'''No. 3 Commando''' was a [[battalion]]-sized [[British Commandos|Commando]] unit raised by the [[British Army during the Second World War]]. Formed in July 1940 from volunteers for special service, it was the first such unit to carry the title of "Commando". Shortly afterwards the unit was involved in a largely unsuccessful raid upon the German-occupied Channel Island of [[Operation Ambassador|Guernsey]].

In 1941 they were involved in successful raids on the [[Operation Claymore|Lofoten Islands]] and [[Operation Archery|Vaagso]], in Norway, before taking part in the costly [[Dieppe raid]] in August 1942, where the unit was tasked with knocking out a German coastal artillery battery on the eastern flank of the main landings, although due to a chance encounter in the Channel with a German convoy, a large majority of the unit failed to make it ashore.

In early 1943, the unit was sent to [[Gibraltar]] before moving to [[North Africa]] in April from where they were involved in the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]] and operations in [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy]] prior to being withdrawn to Britain to prepare for [[Operation Overlord]]. On [[Normandy landings|D-Day]] they went ashore on 6 June 1944 as part of the [[1st Special Service Brigade]] tasked with linking up with the [[6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|6th Airborne Division]] on the eastern flank of [[Sword Beach|Sword]] before being withdrawn. Later they took part in the Allied counterattack during the [[Battle of the Bulge|Ardennes Offensive]] in early 1945 before taking part in the advance into Germany as part of [[Operation Plunder]].

Following the end of the war, No. 3 Commando carried out occupation duties in [[Germany]] before it was disbanded on 4 January 1946.
{{TOC limit|2}}

==History==
===Formation and early raids===
Formed in [[Plymouth]] in late June 1940 following the [[Dunkirk evacuation]], under the command of Lieutenant Colonel [[John Durnford-Slater]], No. 3 Commando was the first British unit to use the title of "Commando".<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 12.</ref><ref>Chappell 1996, p. 52 & 57.</ref><ref group="Note">No. 3 Commando is considered to be the first Commando unit raised, as at the time No. 1 and No. 2 Commando did not exist as the intention was to raise them as airborne units later, while other Commando units were raised shortly after. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 12; Saunders 1959, pp. 22–23.</ref> By 5 July 1940 they had been fully raised<ref name=Durnford15>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 15.</ref> and a little more than a week later they carried out one of the first Commando raids of the war. This raid, known as [[Operation Ambassador]], which had been hastily organised at the behest of the British prime minister, [[Winston Churchill]], was probing raid on the German-occupied island of [[Guernsey]].<ref>Chappell 1996, p. 45.</ref><ref name="Saunders 1959, pp. 21–22">Saunders 1959, pp. 21–22.</ref> As a result of a number of mishaps and hurried planning, the raid proved to be unsuccessful.<ref name="Saunders 1959, pp. 21–22"/><ref>Laffin 1999, p. 13.</ref>

[[File:No. 3 Commando ski training 22 March 1942.jpg|thumb|left|No. 3 Commando ski training in Scotland]]

In October 1940, as part of a reorganisation of the Commando formations, the unit was amalgamated with [[No. 8 (Guards) Commando]] into a single special service battalion known as the 4th Special Service Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel [[Robert Laycock]].<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. ix–x.</ref> As a part of this organisation, the unit's name was changed to 'A' Special Service Company.<ref name=Durnfordix>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. ix.</ref> At the end of 1940, the special service battalions were reorganised into a headquarters and two Commandos and the name of the unit reverted to No. 3 Commando. In January 1941 the special service battalions were broken up, the Commandos were delinked and raised back to full battalion-sized units themselves.<ref name=Chappell7/><ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. x.</ref>

In March 1941, 250 officers and men from No. 3 Commando took part in the first large-scale Commando raid, which was launched on four ports in the [[Lofoten Islands]] in Norway.<ref>Chappell 1996, p. 12.</ref> The raid, codenamed [[Operation Claymore]], proved to be a considerable success, resulting in the capture of a number of wheels of the German [[Enigma machine|Enigma encoding machine]] which helped the Allies to decode German radio traffic later in the war, as well as the destruction of a considerable amount of petrol and oil and the capture of several hundred Germans.<ref>Chappell 1996, pp. 12–13.</ref>

===Vaagso===
[[Image:Wounded being helped onto a landing craft.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A black and white photograph of a wounded soldier being helped to a landing craft by two other soldiers|A wounded soldier is being helped onto a [[Landing Craft Assault]] (LCA).]]
On 27 December 1941, the Commandos carried out another raid in Norway, this time on the port of Vaagso ([[Norwegian language|Nor]]: [[Vågsøy (island)|Vågsøy]]) and the island of Maaloy ([[Måløyna|Måløy]]) known as [[Operation Archery]].<ref name=Chappell14>Chappell 1996, p. 14.</ref> Under overall operational command of Brigadier Joseph (Charles) Haydon who directed the operation from [[HMS Kenya|HMS ''Kenya'']], Nos. 5 and 6 Troops under Major [[Jack Churchill]] landed on Maaloy while Durnford-Slater led Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 Troops ashore on Vaagso. In addition to the troops from No. 3 Commando, there were two troops from [[No. 2 Commando]] acting as the floating reserve.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 75–76.</ref><ref group="Note">There were also medical and engineer personnel from No. 4 and No. 6 Commandos. Chappell 1996, p. 14.</ref>

Following a brief naval bombardment the troops on Maaloy succeeded in securing the island;<ref name=Chappell14/> however, the four troops in Vaagso experienced considerable resistance from the German garrison and their attack up the main street briefly stalled before Durnford-Slater signalled Haydon requesting the floating reserve be released to him and No. 6 Troop under [[Peter Young (historian)|Peter Young]] were ferried across from Maaloy.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 81–82.</ref>

Overhead a considerable air battle ensued, while in the anchorage the naval force continued to bombard the shore line and attack German shipping in the port.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 84–85.</ref> On the shore the fighting in the streets continued for a number of hours and as the Commandos advanced up the main street intelligence teams searched buildings for valuable documents before demolition teams planted explosives and destroyed them.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 86.</ref> Finally, by 13:45 the order for the Commandos to withdraw was given.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 84.</ref> Withdrawing by troops back down the road, they moved back to the landing craft and by 14:45 they had re-embarked, taking a number of German prisoners and Norwegian volunteers with them.<ref name=Chappell14/><ref>Saunders 1959, p. 51.</ref>

The overall losses for the Commandos were 19 killed and 57 wounded,<ref name=Chappell14/> the majority of which were from No. 3 Commando while 120 Germans were killed and a further 98 captured.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 88.</ref><ref group="Note">Naval casualties consisted of two killed and six wounded, while eight [[Royal Air Force]] aircraft were shot down. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 88.</ref>

===Dieppe===
In August 1942 No. 3 Commando was involved in the ill-fated [[Dieppe raid|Operation Jubilee]], an exploratory raid on [[Dieppe, Seine-Maritime|Dieppe]] in [[France]]. The plan called for a frontal assault on the port by the [[2nd Canadian Infantry Division|Canadian 2nd Division]]. Before this would take place, however, Troops from No. 3 and 4 Commandos would land at beaches on the eastern and western flanks and neutralise two German artillery batteries that were covering the main anchorage.<ref>Ford 2003, pp. 30-33.</ref> No. 3 Commando was assigned the task of attacking the Goebbels Battery, landing on the eastern flank, under Durnford-Slater's command.<ref>Ford 2003, p. 33.</ref> The battery was located near Berneval-le-Grand, about half a mile from the sea with steep cliffs in front of it. It was decided that No. 3 Commando would land on two beaches to the east and west of the battery, from which gullies rose towards the battery and which would provide concealment while the Commandos approached the battery.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 91–92.</ref>

[[Image:No. 3 Commando men after Dieppe raid.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A black and white photograph showing soldiers wearing combat equipment sitting in a small watercraft beside a pier|Men from No. 3 Commando arrive back at Newhaven following the Dieppe raid.]]

As the convoy of landing craft and other vessels ferried the Commandos across the English Channel; however, they had a chance encounter with a German tanker escorted by a number of armed trawlers which proceeded to fire upon them. In the confusion that followed a number of the landing craft were damaged and forced to turn back, while others were reported as missing and believed sunk.<ref>Ford 2003, pp. 41–43.</ref><ref group="Note">Of the 23 landing craft that originally set out, four had been forced to turn back with engine trouble before the run in with the German convoy, eight were forced to turn back due to damage as a result, four were sunk, and seven were originally thought missing but eventually made the coast. Saunders 1959, p. 89.</ref> As a result the decision was made to abandon the attack.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 105.</ref>

Nevertheless, unbeknown to their commanders and each other, and having lost communications, the seven landing craft that had been reported missing made for their assigned beaches, determined to press on with the attack.<ref name=Ford43>Ford 2003, p. 43.</ref> In the end two parties landed, one party consisting of six craft carrying approximately 120 men under Captain R.L Willis landed on the beach opposite Le Petit Berneval to the east of the battery—Yellow I—while the other, consisting of only one craft of 20 men from No. 6 Troop under Major Peter Young landed to the west at Yellow II.<ref name=Ford43/>

Of the 120 men that landed at Yellow I, 37 were killed, 81 were captured, mostly after having been wounded, and just one managed to evade capture and return to Britain.<ref name=Ford44>Ford 2003, p. 44.</ref> Among those that were killed was Lieutenant [[E. V. Loustalot|Edward Loustalot]], a United States Army Ranger, who was the first American soldier to be killed in the European theatre of operations.<ref>Ford 2003, p. 45.</ref><ref>Saunders 1959, p. 90.</ref><ref group="Note">For the raid 42 officers and men from the [[1st Ranger Battalion (United States)|US 1st Ranger Battalion]] were attached to No. 3 Commando. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. xiii.</ref> The smaller party, under Young, however, fared better and managed to advance within {{convert|200|yd|m}} of the battery, however, due to lack of numbers they were unable to launch an assault on the battery and instead proceeded to harass the gunners for a number of hours and distract them from their purpose of firing on the anchorage before they were forced to withdraw.<ref>Saunders 1959, pp. 7–11.</ref> They succeeded, albeit briefly, to divert the guns from their task of firing on the ships off the coast.<ref name=Ford44/> Major Young's withdrawal was effected with such haste, and under such heavy fire, that he did not have time to board the Motor Launch (ML346, commanded by Lt A.D. Fear DSC RNVR) on which he returned home; he was towed part of the way, in the water, clinging to a line attached to the stern of the ship.

===Sicily and Italy===
After the Dieppe raid, a long period of lull followed for No. 3 Commando during which time they were based around [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]] and were brought back up to strength with an intake of 120 former policemen who had volunteered for service with the Commandos and had just completed their training at the Commando Depot at [[Achnacarry]] in Scotland.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 109.</ref> In January 1943, however, the unit received orders to move to [[Gibraltar]], where they were stationed as a precaution in case Germany decided to invade Spain.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 116.</ref><ref name=Saunders131>Saunders 1959, p. 131.</ref> While there the commanding officer, John Durnford-Slater, carried out reconnaissance of potential targets in Spain from the air and sent officers on leave across the border to gather intelligence.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 117.</ref>

[[Image:Commando landings Sicily 9 10 July 1943.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A black and white photograph showing a warship firing its armament at positions on the foreshore, while in the distance landing craft move towards the beach|A destroyer fires on [[Axis powers|Axis]] positions while Commandos carry out landings on the beach during [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Operation Husky]].]]

In April 1943 the unit was moved to North Africa, landing at [[Algiers]]<ref name=Saunders131/> before later moving to [[Alexandria]] where they began preparing for operations as part of [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Operation Husky]], the Allied invasion of Sicily.<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 132.</ref> On 10 July 1943, landing ahead of the main force near [[Cassibile (village)|Cassibile]], a few miles south of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] on the Sicilian coast, half of No. 3 Commando—Nos. 4, 5 and 6 Troops, under the command of Durnford-Slater, carried out a night time attack on an Italian artillery battery without suffering a single casualty.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 135.</ref><ref>Saunders 1959, p. 136–137.</ref> Meanwhile, Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Troops under the command of Peter Young, carried out a landing at Scoglio Imbiancato, a beach near [[Fontane Bianche]], which was unopposed but a series of navigational delays meant that they landed later than planned. Nevertheless, the two forces managed to link up before capturing the town of [[Cassibile (village)|Cassibile]] later that night.<ref name=Saunders137>Saunders 1959, p. 137.</ref>

On 13 July, the Commandos embarked once more upon the ''Prince Albert''<ref name=Saunders137/> with the task of landing in the Bay of Agnone, behind enemy lines and capture the Ponte dei Malati bridge and hold it, intact, until the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division|50th Division]], which formed the vanguard of the advancing [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]], under [[General (United Kingdom)|General]]  [[Bernard Montgomery]], could relieve them.<ref>Saunders 1959, pp. 138–139.</ref> It was described as the "most perilous enterprise of its career".<ref name=Saunders137/>

The landing took place in two waves due to a shortage of landing craft.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 139.</ref> The first wave hit the beach near [[Agnone Bagni]], about {{convert|7|mi|km}} from the bridge, at 22:00 hours and took fire from the Italian defenders almost immediately. Under the leadership of Durnford-Slater, Young and Lieutenant George Herbert, all experienced combat officers, the Commandos eventually managed to fight their way off the beach and push inland. The second wave followed a few hours later, also under fire, and despite one of the eight landing craft running aground on some rocks, most of the men were also able to get off the beach.<ref>Saunders 1959, pp. 140–141.</ref>

The Commandos were involved in a number of minor skirmishes as they advanced towards the bridge, however, by 03:00<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 141.</ref> on 14 July the lead elements reached the north-east end of the bridge, where Durnford-Slater halted the men to re-organise before launching the assault.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 142.</ref> Shortly after the assault began, with No. 4 Troop leading the way. Within ten minutes the pillboxes had been cleared and No. 3 Commando, had taken control of the bridge.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 143.</ref>

With a strength that continued to grow until there was about 350 men around the bridge, the charges that had been placed on the bridge were removed<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 143.</ref> and No. 3 Commando settled in to defend the bridge as they waited for 50th Division to arrive. Over the course of the next few hours they were subjected to mortar fire and shelling from a [[Panzer IV]] tank.<ref group="Note">Both Saunders and Durnford-Slater incorrectly identify this as a Tiger; however, David List, who edited the updated version of Durnford-Slater's memoirs clarifies that this tank had to have been a Panzer IV as the Germans did not have any Tigers in the area at the time. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. xv.</ref> Eventually, as casualties mounted and their reinforcement became overdue the Commandos were forced to abandon the position, nevertheless they had prevented the bridge from being blown up and it was eventually recaptured as the Eighth Army arrived a short time later. The unit, however, suffered heavily for the success, suffering 30 killed, 66 wounded and 59 missing or captured.<ref name=Saunders147>Saunders 1959, p. 147.</ref> The bridge was later renamed No. 3 Commando Bridge in their honour.<ref name=Saunders147/>

At the end of the Sicilian campaign Durnford-Slater took over command of a brigade-sized element consisting of No. 3 and [[40 Commando|No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando]] and the [[Special Raiding Squadron]] and as a result Peter Young took over command of the unit.<ref name=Durnford150>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 150.</ref><ref group="Note">Durnford-Slater subsequently was promoted to [[brigadier]] and became Deputy Commander of the Commando Group, a divisional sized headquarters responsible for all British commando units—both Army and Royal Marines—and in this role he was charged with carrying out planning Commando operations for D-Day and beyond. Durnford-Slater 2000, p. 171; Laffin 1999, p. 18.</ref> Following this, in late August 1943, after receiving replacements from [[No. 12 Commando]]<ref>Durnford-Slater 2000, p. xv.</ref> which was in the process of being disbanded, the unit carried out a number of reconnaissance operations across the Strait in preparation for the [[Allied invasion of Italy|invasion of Italy]].<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 151.</ref>

On 8 September, two troops from No. 3 Commando took part in a dawn landing at Porto San Venere (now [[Vibo Marina]] in [[Calabria]]) as part of the main invasion, helping to clear the quay. The rest of unit arrived shortly afterwards and then they moved on to [[Vibo Valentia]], where they waited for further orders.<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 156.</ref> On 19 September, No. 3 Commando received orders to proceed to [[Bari]] along with the rest of Durnford-Slater's brigade. Arriving there on 30 September, two days later 180 men from No. 3 Commando, organised into four troops under Captain Arthur Komrower,<ref group="Note">Peter Young was in hospital at the time, recovering from injuries he received during one of the reconnaissance raids undertaken prior to the invasion of Italy, although he did return in time to take command of the unit in [[Termoli]] during the German counterattack. Saunders 1959, p. 175.</ref> embarked from [[Manfredonia]] as part of the attack force tasked with [[Battle of Termoli|capturing the port of Termoli]].<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 171.</ref> 

The detachment from No. 3 Commando went ashore in the first wave, securing a bridgehead through which the rest of the force proceeded to advance. By 08:00 on 3 October Termoli had been captured; however a counterattack by [[16th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|16th Panzer Division]] continued until early on 6 October,<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 175.</ref> during which No. 3 Commando defended an exposed forward position in what Durnford-Slater described as "probably their finest performance of the war".<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 165.</ref> Shortly after they received orders to return to the United Kingdom in order to prepare for the [[invasion of Normandy]].<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 170.</ref>

===D-Day and beyond===
After returning from Italy, No. 3 Commando became part of the [[1st Special Service Brigade]], commanded by Brigadier [[Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat|The Lord Lovat]].<ref>Moreman 2006, p. 91.</ref> It marked the end of the unit's independence, as from then they were part of a larger organisation,<ref name=Durnford185>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 185.</ref> and the role of the Commandos had evolved from small scale raiding and precision operations, to more large scale operations in which they were mainly used as highly trained infantry assault units.<ref>Chappell 1996, p. 3.</ref><ref>Laffin 1999, p. 18.</ref>

On D-Day, the 1st Special Service Brigade was tasked with linking up with the [[6th Airborne Division]] on the eastern flank of [[Sword Beach|Sword]] and securing the high ground near La Plein.<ref name=Durnford185/> No. 3 Commando landed at La Breche, west of [[Ouistreham]] at 09:05<ref name=pegasus>{{cite web|url= http://www.pegasusarchive.org/normandy/war_3cdo.htm|title=No. 3 Commando (June 1944)|publisher=Pegasus Archive|access-date=12 August 2009}}</ref> coming ashore in the second wave. They were engaged before they hit the beach, and three of the landing craft that the Commandos were travelling in were hit by high-velocity shells. Casualties were high, with No. 6 Troop suffering at least 20 wounded, but in the end they were lower than had been expected.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 188–189.</ref>

Despite one of the landing craft running aground on a false beach, the majority of the unit crossed the beach and reached the form-up point about {{convert|1,000|yd|m}} inland.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 189.</ref> Apart from the men from No. 6 Troop which had been wounded in their landing craft, the commanding officer, Peter Young, found that his command was largely intact. Nevertheless, he was unable to begin the advance immediately as the narrow route upon which they were to march was blocked by [[No. 6 Commando]]. As a result they were held up in the form-up point for a while, where they were subjected to more German mortar fire.<ref name=Durnford190>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 190.</ref>

[[Image:1stspecairforcenormandy.jpg|thumb|left|alt=A black and white photograph of a jeep with soldiers sitting on top and standing beside it. The soldiers sitting on the jeep are three German soldiers and one British soldier who is interrogating the Germans. On the bonnet of the jeep is small motorcycle, while in the background is a Horsa glider|Commandos from the 1st Special Service Brigade with captured German soldiers near Ranville on 7 June 1944]]

Later, No. 3 Commando resumed the advance, passing through [[45 Commando|No. 45 (Royal Marine) Commando]]'s positions in Collevile and marching along the road to [[Saint-Aubin-d'Arquenay]] where they met up again with No. 6 Commando. From there they advanced quickly to the [[Pegasus Bridge|bridge]] that spanned the [[River Orne]], where they linked up with the airborne and glider troops that had seized the bridge in the early hours of the morning.<ref name=Durnford191>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 191.</ref>  Crossing the bridge, which was still under fire from enemy snipers, Peter Young made contact with the airborne headquarters and was told to take the unit to Le Bas de [[Ranville]] instead of advancing on [[Cabourg]]. Detaching No. 3 Troop to capture [[Amfreville, Calvados|Amfreville]] and [[Le Plein, Calvados|Le Plein]], the rest of the No. 3 Commando took up positions as ordered, but were shortly relieved and were able to rejoin No. 3 Troop, tasked with holding the high ground around Le Plein.<ref name=Durnford191/>

[[File:6thbritairbornenormandytrench.jpg|thumb|right|Commandos of 1st Special Service Brigade digging in near [[Horsa glider]]s on 6th Airborne's lodgement zone east of the River Orne, 7 June 1944.]]
On 7 June, a combined force from Nos. 4 and 5 Troops under command of the second-in-command, Major John Pooley, carried out an attack on the [[Battle of Merville Gun Battery|Merville battery]] near the coast where there were still guns firing on the landing beaches.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 193.</ref> The battery had been taken the previous day by a force from the [[9th Parachute Battalion]], but had been reoccupied later by the Germans<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 241.</ref> and it was heavily defended by mortars and landmines. Approaching from the south, No. 4 Troop moved across the open ground before taking up position behind the hedgerows 300 yards from the battery and from where laid down covering fire for No. 5 Troop which approached from the east with fixed bayonets.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 194.</ref>

After a stubborn defence, in which a number of Commandos, including Pooley, were killed, they took the battery, however, shortly afterwards they were counterattacked by German force supported by self-propelled artillery.<ref name=Saunders242>Saunders 1959, p.  242.</ref> Casualties during this attack were high and eventually the Commandos were forced to withdraw back to La Plein.<ref name=Saunders242/>

Following this the unit became involved in largely defensive operations as the 1st Special Service Brigade dug in.<ref name=Durnford197>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 197.</ref> Nevertheless they kept up the pressure on the Germans by carrying out offensive patrols, small scale raids and sniping.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 199.</ref> In mid-July a breakout from the beachhead was attempted and the 1st Special Service Brigade moved through the Le Bois de [[Bavent]], a large wooded area, as the Germans began to withdraw.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 202.</ref> No. 3 Commando was involved in this advance, moving to [[Varaville]] where they caught up with the German rearguard and proceeded to clear the village. The advance continued into the following month and on 19 August they were ordered to seize the high ground to the north of [[Dozule]]. Attacking at night, the brigade advanced with No. 3 Commando leading the main body behind the vanguard and was able to infiltrate the German positions before the lead sections ran into the German headquarters units.<ref name=Durnford203>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 203.</ref>

Over the next five days, the brigade advanced a further {{convert|40|mi|km}} before a halt was finally called on 26 August 1944.<ref name=Durnford203/> On 7 September, No. 3 Commando, along with the rest of the 1st Special Service Brigade, were withdrawn from the line and returned to the United Kingdom to prepare to be redeployed to the Far East for operations against the Japanese.<ref name=Saunders289>Saunders 1959, p. 289.</ref> They had been in action continuously for 83 days.<ref name=Saunders289/> Shortly after this, No. 3 Commando's commanding officer, Peter Young, was promoted to [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] and left to take command of the [[3rd Commando Brigade]] in Burma. As a result, Arthur Komrower took command of No. 3 Commando.<ref name=Saunders289/><ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 204.</ref>

===Final operations===
[[Image:British commandos in the shattered outskirts of Wesel.jpg|right|thumb|alt=A black and white photograph of a battle scene in which two Vickers machine guns are firing from behind cover of a pile of rubble. Each machine gun is crewed by two men, a firer and an observer with a pair of binoculars. Another soldier is looking on from behind the crews|Men from the 1st Commando Brigade fight on the outskirts of Wesel 1945.]]
Throughout 1944, plans were made to send the brigade, which had been renamed the 1st Commando Brigade, to the Far East; however, the effect of the German [[Ardennes Offensive]] resulted in these being cancelled.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 212.</ref> In January 1945, under the command of Brigadier [[Derek Mills-Roberts]], No. 3 Commando was deployed to Asten on the [[Meuse River|Maas]].<ref name=Saunders289/> Later in the month, the unit took up positions at [[Maaseik|Maeseyck]] and on 24–25 January, with snow falling on the streets and a heavy German artillery barrage on the town, they took part in an assault on [[Linne]].<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 213.</ref> The assault was only partially successful and due to the destruction of the bridges that spanned the frozen Montforterbeek Canal, the Allies were unable to bring up armour to support No. 3 Commando which had moved across the ice on foot. When the Germans brought up their own tanks, the advance came to a halt.<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 290.</ref>

The Commandos were forced to spend the night freezing in the open in a ditch. The following day, after sappers from the [[Royal Engineers]] managed to erect a temporary bridge across the canal, a number of [[Churchill tank|Churchill]] and [[Sherman tank]]s from the [[8th Hussars]] managed to get across and No. 1 and No. 6 Troops climbed on top and advanced across the open ground and into the centre of the town.<ref name=Saunders291>Saunders 1959, p. 291.</ref>

A brief period of lull followed as the 1st Commando Brigade prepared to resume operations<ref name=Saunders291/> and on 13 February they were relieved in Linne by [[46 Commando|No. 46 Royal Marine Commando]] and went back to Maasbrecht for a rest.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 214.</ref> The rest did not last long, however, and later in the month they relieved the marines at Smakt and began preparing for [[Operation Plunder]], the crossing of the [[Rhine]]. At 22:00 on 23 March 1945, No. 3 Commando crossed the river in [[Landing Vehicle Tracked|Buffalo landing vehicles]] and began moving on [[Wesel]], where, on 25 March they cleared the centre of the town and captured a large number of German prisoners.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 216–217.</ref><ref>Saunders 1959, pp. 296–297.</ref>

After this the brigade continued to advance, moving through [[Ruddenburg]] and [[Greven]] before carrying out an attack on Osnabrück, which No. 3 Commando led, on 4 April 1945.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 217.</ref> The next day, they crossed the [[Weser River]] in assault boats and under the cover of darkness carried out a flanking manoeuvre on the Germans occupying the town of Leese. As other elements from the brigade attacked from the east, No. 3 Commando, now under the command of Peter Bartholomew<ref name=Saunders296>Saunders 1959, p. 296.</ref> after Komrower had been posted to the Commando Training Depot, carried out a follow-up operation to the north.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 218.</ref> The operation was an attack on a factory that had been producing [[V-2]] rockets and after No. 3 Commando had captured it with the support of a number of tanks, a search found a number of these weapons, along with about 100 scientists who had been working in the factory.<ref name=Saunders300>Saunders 1959, p. 300.</ref>

The advance continued throughout the month and by 29 April, No. 3 Commando crossed the [[Elbe]] and carried out an attack on Lauenberg.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 220.</ref> No. 6 Commando led the assault, with Brigade Headquarters and No. 3 Commando following shortly behind them and established themselves on the high ground, before being clearing operations in Lauenberg itself.<ref name=Saunders302>Saunders 1959, p. 302.</ref> By the end of the month all German opposition in the area had ceased and it marked the end of No. 3 Commando's offensive operations.<ref name=Saunders302/> On 7 May, when the Germans surrendered, No. 3 Commando was firmly established in [[Lübeck]], where they began the next phase of their service history as occupation troops.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 221.</ref>

===Disbandment===
After undertaking occupation duties in Germany after the war, No. 3 Commando was finally disbanded on 4 January 1946 while at [[London Victoria station|Victoria Station]].<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. xvi.</ref> During the course of their operational service, members of the unit received the following decorations: 6 Distinguished Service Orders, 23 [[Military Cross]]es, 33 [[Military Medal]]s, 6 [[Distinguished Conduct Medal]]s, 18 [[Mention in Despatches|Mentions in Despatches]], and 1 [[George Medal]]. One member of the unit was also appointed as a [[Member of the Order of the British Empire]].<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 231–234.</ref><ref>Laffin 1999, p. 19.</ref>

==Structure==
The Commando units went through a number of organisational structures as the concept was refined and their roles became clearer throughout the course of the war. Upon formation, No. 3 Commando had an establishment of 535 all ranks organised into ten troops each with 50 men underneath a headquarters troop.<ref name=Durnfordix/> In late 1940, the Commando units were merged into a special service brigade which was made up of five special service battalions, each of which were made up of two company-sized elements. By the end of the year, this was changed again as the battalions were organised around a headquarters and two Commandos.<ref name=Chappell7>Chappell 1996, p. 7.</ref> The special service battalion organisation was discontinued in March 1941, and the unit establishment was set at 470 all ranks, with a headquarters troop of 80 officers and men and six troops of three officers and 62 other ranks.<ref name=Chappell7/><ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. xi.</ref>

==Commanding officers==
* Lieutenant Colonel John Durnford-Slater, DSO and Bar: July 1940&nbsp;– August 1943;<ref name=Durnford15/>
* Lieutenant Colonel [[Peter Young (historian)|Peter Young]], DSO, MC & 2 Bars: August 1943&nbsp;– September 1944;<ref name=Durnford150/>
* Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Komrower, DSO: September 1944&nbsp;– April 1945;<ref name=Saunders289/>
* Lieutenant Colonel Peter Bartholomew, DSO: April 1945&nbsp;– January 1946.<ref name=Saunders296/><ref name=Saunders300/>

==Battle honours==
The following [[battle honour]]s were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.<ref>Moreman, p.94</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* [[Dodecanese Campaign|Adriatic]]
* [[Burma Campaign|Alethangyaw]]
* [[Operation Plunder|Aller]]
* [[Operation Shingle|Anzio]]
* [[Battle of the Argenta Gap|Argenta Gap]]
* [[Burma Campaign|Burma 1943–45]]
* [[Battle of Crete|Crete]]
* [[Dieppe Raid|Dieppe]]
* [[Operation Overlord|Dives Crossing]]
* [[Tunisian Campaign|Djebel Choucha]]
* [[Battle of the Scheldt|Flushing]]
* [[Dodecanese Campaign|Greece 1944–45]]
* [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Italy 1943–45]]
* [[Battle of Hill 170|Kangaw]]
* [[Italian Campaign (World War II)|Landing at Porto San Venere]]
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Landing in Sicily]]
* [[Operation Plunder|Leese]]
* [[Operation Litani|Litani]]
* [[Battle of Madagascar|Madagascar]]
* [[Mediterranean, Middle East and African theatres of World War II|Middle East 1941, 1942, 1944]]
* [[Operation Shingle|Monte Ornito]]
* [[Burma Campaign|Myebon]]
* [[Normandy Landing]]
* [[North African Campaign|North Africa 1941–43]]
* [[North-West Europe 1944-45|North-West Europe 1942, 1944–1945]]
* [[Operation Claymore|Norway 1941]]
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Pursuit to Messina]]
* [[Operation Varsity|Rhine]]
* [[Operation Chariot|St. Nazaire]]
* [[Allied invasion of Italy|Salerno]]
* [[Tunisia Campaign|Sedjenane 1]]
* [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Sicily 1943]]
* [[Tunisian Campaign|Steamroller Farm]]
* [[Syria-Lebanon Campaign|Syria 1941]]
* [[Battle of Termoli|Termoli]]
* [[Operation Archery|Vaagso]]
* [[Operation Roast|Valli di Comacchio]]
* [[Battle of the Scheldt|Westkapelle]]
{{div col end}}

==Notes==
'''Footnotes'''
{{reflist|group=Note}}

'''Citations'''
{{reflist|30em}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book|last=Chappell|first=Mike|title=Army Commandos 1940–1945|year=1996|series=Elite Series # 64|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=London|isbn=1-85532-579-9}}
* {{cite book|last=Durnford-Slater|first=John|title=Commando: Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in World War Two|orig-year=1953|year=2002|publisher=Greenhill Books|location=London|isbn=1-85367-479-6}}
* {{cite book|last=Ford|first=Ken|title=Dieppe 1942|year=2003|series=Campaign # 127|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Botley, Oxford|isbn=1-84176-624-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Laffin|first=John|title=Raiders: Great Exploits of the Second World War|year=1999|publisher=Sutton|location=Stroud |isbn=978-0-7509-1525-0}}
* {{cite book|last=Moreman|first=Tim|title=British Commandos 1940–46|year=2006|publisher=Osprey Publishing|location=Botley, Oxford |isbn= 978-1-84176-986-8}}
* {{cite book|last=Saunders|first=Hilary St. George|title=The Green Beret: The Commandos at War|orig-year=1949|year=1959|publisher=Four Square Books|location=London |oclc=1260659}}
{{refend}}

{{British Commando units of the Second World War|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1940]]
[[Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1946]]
[[Category:Commando units and formations of the United Kingdom|3]]
[[Category:1940 establishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1946 disestablishments in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Burma in World War II]]