1 COMMANDO
The No. 1 Commando was a unit of the British Commandos and part of the British Army during the Second World War. It was raised in 1940 from the ranks of the existing independent companies. Operationally they carried out a series of small scale cross channel raids and spearheaded the Operation Torch landings in North Africa. They were then sent to the India as part of the 3rd Commando Brigade and took part in operations in the Burma Campaign. During the Second World War, only eight commandos were recipients of the Victoria Cross; two of the eight were from No. 1 Commando. After the war they were sent to reoccupy Hong Kong before being amalgamated with No. 5 Commando to form No. 1/5 Commando. The amalgamated No. 1/5 Commando was disbanded in 1947.
OPERATIONS:
Compared to the other commando formations, No. 1 Commando got off to a late start. It had to wait for its men to arrive from the independent companies, who continued to guard the British coastline in the face of a potential German invasion. Operations No.1 Commando participated in included Operation Chopper, a raid on the French coast on the night of 27/28 August 1941. There followed Operation Myrmidion, a raid on Bayonne over the period of 2–7 April 1942 which was eventually aborted.
The commando next supplied a troop for the St. Nazaire Raid, a successful attack on the heavily defended docks of St. Nazaire in France on the night of 28 March 1942. During the raid Sergeant Thomas Frank Durrant won the Victoria Cross. The award was unique: he is the only soldier to receive the Victoria Cross for a naval action, and in that it was recommended by the enemy.
The commando then withdrew from raiding operations to prepare for the Operation Torch landings in North Africa in November 1942.[10] During Operation Torch No. 1 Commando became the first unit to wear the commando green beret. During the Tunisia Campaign the commando got involved in first battle of Sedjenane between February and March 1943.
After a short stay regrouping in England the command sailed for India. From September 1944 it fought as part of 3 Commando brigade in Burma and the Arakan. One notable engagement was battle of Hill 170 at Kangaw. Kangaw became one of the most intense battles of the whole Burma campaign and during the fighting Lieutenant George Arthur Knowland earned the commando's second Victoria Cross.
In March 1945 the commando withdrew back to India to prepare for Operation Zipper, the planned invasion of Malaya. The war ended before the Zipper landing could take place, and the commando went to liberate Hong Kong instead.
SURNAME
Brown
FORENAME
Henry
UNIT
Royal Army Service Corps, attached No1. Commando
RANK
Quartermaster Serjeant
NUMBER
S/115193
AWARD
Member of the Order of the British Empire
PLACE
1946
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
attended Alexandra Park Council School
resided 16 Wellington Grove...
SURNAME
Lloyd
FORENAME
Leonard
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
4078866
DATE OF DEATH
4th June 1942
AGE
21
GRAVESITE
Blaenavon Cemetery,Monmouthshire Sec. B Grave 793
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit South Wales Borderers
former Monmouthshire Regiment
born...
SURNAME
Davies
FORENAME
Norman
UNIT
1 Commando and 1 Commando Brigade Signals
RANK
Signalman
NUMBER
2588380
DATE OF DEATH
24th March 1945
AGE
GRAVESITE
Reichswald Forest War Cemetery,Germany 62.A.12
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Corps of Signals
born Middlesex...
SURNAME
Bleakley
FORENAME
Charles
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Fusilier
NUMBER
4208516
DATE OF DEATH
18th September 1942
AGE
GRAVESITE
Ince-in-Makerfield Cemetery,Lancashire Sec. A Grave 1031
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Welch Fusiliers
born Wigan,Lancashire
son of...
SURNAME
Webber
FORENAME
Ernest George William
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
1154962
DATE OF DEATH
12th May 1945
AGE
21
GRAVESITE
Kirkee War Cemetery,India 1.H.10
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Wiltshire Regiment
born Birmingham
son of Frank Clare and Frances...
SURNAME
Sutherland
FORENAME
Alexander
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
3970806
DATE OF DEATH
4th March 1943
AGE
27
GRAVESITE
El Alia Cemetery,Algeria 12.K.27
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Welch Regiment
born Cardiff,Glamorgan
resided Cardiff,Glamorgan
son of...
SURNAME
Reid
FORENAME
George
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
3778097
DATE OF DEATH
27th June 1943
AGE
29
GRAVESITE
Birkenhead (Landican) Cemetery,Cheshire C.of E. Sec. 2 Grave 541
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit King's Regiment (Liverpool)
born Birkenhead,Cheshire...
SURNAME
Looker
FORENAME
Ronald Arthur
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
5384112
DATE OF DEATH
22nd January 1945
AGE
23
GRAVESITE
Rangoon Memorial,Myanmar Face 15
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit 1 Bn Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
born Oxfordshire...
SURNAME
Harvey
FORENAME
Reginald
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
5826853
DATE OF DEATH
28th February 1943
AGE
25
GRAVESITE
Medjez-el-Bab Memorial,Tunisia Face 16
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Suffolk Regiment
born Suffolk
son of Walter and Ada...
SURNAME
Beech
FORENAME
James Frederick
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
14404860
DATE OF DEATH
5th August 1945
AGE
21
GRAVESITE
Kirkee War Cemetery,India 9.G.14
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Sussex Regiment
born London SE
son of Frederick William Thomas and...
SURNAME
Jones
FORENAME
Ivor
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Lance Corporal
NUMBER
3914469
DATE OF DEATH
28th August 1942
AGE
GRAVESITE
Pen-y-Cae (Salem) Baptist Chapelyard,Denbighshire New Sec. Row B Grave 19
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit South Wales Borderers
born...
SURNAME
Goodwin
FORENAME
Charles Gordon
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Corporal
NUMBER
T/214905
DATE OF DEATH
22nd June 1942
AGE
19
GRAVESITE
Grimsby (Scartho Raod) Cemetery,Lincolnshire Sec. 79 Row B Grave 5
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Army Service Corps
son of John...
SURNAME
Bennion
FORENAME
Thomas James
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Corporal
NUMBER
14241783
DATE OF DEATH
17th March 1945
AGE
29
GRAVESITE
Chittagong War Cemetery,Bangladesh 2.C.11
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Royal Armoured Corps
born Staffordshire
son of James Owen and...
SURNAME
Seys
FORENAME
Robert William
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Lance Sergeant
NUMBER
175245
DATE OF DEATH
27th August 1942
AGE
25
GRAVESITE
Lyne (Holy Trinity) Churchyard,Surrey South of Church
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Middlesex Regiment
born Berkshire
resided...
SURNAME
Thursby
FORENAME
John Fortescue
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Second Lieutenant
NUMBER
337612
DATE OF DEATH
18th June 1945
AGE
19
GRAVESITE
Kirkee War Cemetery,India 9.G.9
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit King's Shropshire Light Infantry
born 13.12.1925 Shropshire...
SURNAME
Croft
FORENAME
Sir James Herbert,11th Baronet
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Captain
NUMBER
38190
DATE OF DEATH
15th August 1941
AGE
34
GRAVESITE
Croft Castle,Yarpole,near Leominster,Herefordshire family grave
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit King's Shropshire Light...
SURNAME
Lucas
FORENAME
Percy
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
3768364
DATE OF DEATH
29th August 1944
AGE
31
GRAVESITE
Madras War Cemetery,Chennai,India 8.D.5
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit King's Regiment (Liverpool)
born Liverpool
resided Liverpool
SURNAME
Rudman
FORENAME
James Thomas
UNIT
1 Commando
RANK
Private
NUMBER
5734313
DATE OF DEATH
15th November 1945
AGE
33
GRAVESITE
Kirkee War Cemetery,India 9.F.13
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
parent unit Dorsetshire Regiment
born Wiltshire
son of Thomas and Thursa...
SURNAMEWilliams FORENAMEJohn Arthur UNIT1 Commando RANKPrivate NUMBER4032283 AWARDMilitary Medal PLACENorth Africa 1943 ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONparent unit King's Shropshire Light Infantry
SURNAMEBeattie FORENAMEJames Simpson UNIT1 Commando RANKCorporal NUMBER14241854 AWARDMilitary Medal PLACENorth Africa 1943 ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONparent unit Royal Scots
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