41 commando

41 COMMANDO
Operations Most Secret .. SOE: The Malayan Theatre
Operations Most Secret .. SOE: The Malayan Theatre
By Ian Trenowden
Jock Lewes - Co-Founder of the SAS
Jock Lewes - Co-Founder of the SAS
By John Lewes
41 COMMANDO
'B' (RM) Commando was raised at Pembroke Dock on 7 October 1942, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel P W O'H.Phibbs, from the men of the 8th Royal Marine Battalion. It was the second Royal Marine commando battalion formed after its sister 'A' (RM) Commando. Both commandos were based on the Isle of Wight and soon after the commando was renamed No. 41 (Royal Marine) Commando. It fought with the Special Service Brigade in the Allied invasion of Sicily and later during the Salerno landings, where they suffered heavy casualties including two second-in-commands and most of the Troop Commanders. The Unit's Chaplain, the Revd John Wallis RN, was awarded the DSC for "outstanding courage and devotion to duty shown ... in tending the wounded and bringing in casualties under heavy fire from the Enemy". The Medical Officer, Surg Lt Ernest Davies was also awarded the DSC for bravery and devotion to the wounded. The Unit returned to the United Kingdom in January 1944, in preparation for the Normandy landings. It was part of the 4th Special Service Brigade and landed at Normandy on the west of Sword Beach on 6 June 1944, D-Day, and then took part in the capture of Douvres Radar Station on 17 June. It later took part in the battle of the Scheldt in November 1944. It then served on the Meuse (Maas) for the remainder of the war and then occupation duties in Germany.

On 20 January 1946, 41 Commando was disbanded.
Recent contents

  1. RM CDOS Pryor, Frederick William

    SURNAME Pryor FORENAME Frederick William UNIT 41 Commando RANK Sergeant NUMBER CH/X 104490 DATE OF DEATH 10th June 1944 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery,Hampshire E.65.7 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Frederick and Winifred Pryor,East Finchley,Middlesex award...

  2. RM CDOS Proctor, John Webster

    SURNAME Proctor FORENAME John Webster UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 106796 DATE OF DEATH 10th September 1943 AGE 34 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery,Italy I.E.34 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of William and Jessie Daer Proctor,Kirkintilloch,Dunbartonshire died Salerno

  3. RM CDOS Price, Kenneth

    SURNAME Price FORENAME Kenneth UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 104025 DATE OF DEATH 11th July 1943 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Syracuse War Cemetery,Sicily,Italy III.D.7 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Robert Henry and Mary Hannah Price,Buckley,Flintshire died Sicily

  4. RM CDOS Price, John Arthur William

    SURNAME Price FORENAME John Arthur William UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 111922 DATE OF DEATH 21st October 1944 AGE GRAVESITE Brugge General Cemetery,Belgium Plot 63 Row 5 Grave 9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Arthur James and Edith...

  5. RM CDOS Poultney, Ronald

    SURNAME Poultney FORENAME Ronald UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 104049 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Hermanville War Cemetery,France 1.A.6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Thomas and Esther Elizabeth Poultney,Leek,Staffordshire KIA Normandy

  6. RM CDOS Pope, William

    SURNAME Pope FORENAME William UNIT 41 Commando (S Troop) RANK Marine NUMBER CH/X 107152 DATE OF DEATH 12th April 1945 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery,Netherlands 5.A.12 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Albert William and Amy Pope,Dagenham,Essex died from a...

  7. RM CDOS Peat, John William

    SURNAME Peat FORENAME John William UNIT 41 Commando RANK Corporal NUMBER PO/X 3475 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Southampton (Hollybrook) Cemetery,Hampshire Sec.M.12 Grave 126 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION husband of Florence Peat,Sunderland,Co.Durham died...

  8. RM CDOS Pearson, John Cameron

    SURNAME Pearson FORENAME John Cameron UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lieutenant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 9th June 1944 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Hermanville War Cemetery,France 1.H.13 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Lt-Col.G.C. and Mrs Pearson,Jordans,Buckinghamshire died Normandy

  9. RM CDOS Pearce, Patrick Kenneth

    SURNAME Pearce FORENAME Patrick Kenneth UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER EX/3107 DATE OF DEATH 22nd March 1945 AGE 27 GRAVESITE Maasdriel (Veld-Driel) Roman Catholic Churchyard,Netherlands Plot 1 Row A Grave 1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Thomas and Louisa...

  10. RM CDOS Parr, Albert John

    SURNAME Parr FORENAME Albert John UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lieutenant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 22nd March 1945 AGE GRAVESITE Uden War Cemetery,Netherlands 6.B.9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION died Holland

  11. RM CDOS Parkinson, John Archibald

    SURNAME Parkinson FORENAME John Archibald UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 113753 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Bayeux War cemetery,France XI.B.6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Archibald and Ivy Florence Parkinson,Brighton,Sussex KIA Normandy

  12. RM CDOS Page, Henry

    SURNAME Page FORENAME Henry UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 4323 DATE OF DEATH 7th November 1944 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery,Netherlands 15.C.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Edward and Mrs Page,Barry Dock,Glamorgan KIA Walcheren

  13. RM CDOS O'Brien, Kenneth William John Croft

    SURNAME O'Brien FORENAME Kenneth William John Croft UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER CH/X 104568 DATE OF DEATH 12th September 1943 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery,Italy V.A.37 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of W. and Mrs O'Brien,Fallowfield,Manchester died Salerno

  14. RM CDOS Nunney, Ronald Harry

    SURNAME Nunney FORENAME Ronald Harry UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 105243 DATE OF DEATH 12th September 1943 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery,Italy V.B.6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Robert Henry and Kathleen Mary Nunney,Shepherd's Bush,London died Salerno

  15. RM CDOS Nicholson, Robert Fisher

    SURNAME Nicholson FORENAME Robert Fisher UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 100815 DATE OF DEATH 13th January 1945 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Ballycairn Presbyterian Churchyard,Co.Down,Northern Ireland Grave 16 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Richard Fisher and Hannah...

  16. RM CDOS Newham, Percy Robert (Bob)

    SURNAME Newham FORENAME Percy Robert (Bob) UNIT 41 Commando RANK Colour Sergeant NUMBER PO/X 4908 DATE OF DEATH 11th July 1943 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Syracuse War Cemetery,Sicily,Italy III.B.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Percy Robert and Ellen Newham husband of Ruby Agnes...

  17. RM CDOS Murray, John

    SURNAME Murray FORENAME John UNIT 41 Commando RANK Sergeant NUMBER PO/X 106800 DATE OF DEATH 7th August 1944 AGE 32 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery,France IVA.O.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of John and Jane Rankine Murray husband of Agnes Murray,Barrhead,Renfrewshire...

  18. RM CDOS Moses, Byron

    SURNAME Moses FORENAME Byron UNIT 41 Commando (P Troop) RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 103430 DATE OF DEATH 5th November 1944 AGE GRAVESITE Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery,Netherlands 15.B.2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION KIA Walcheren

  19. RM CDOS McNeill, James

    SURNAME McNeill FORENAME James UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER CH/X 112098 DATE OF DEATH 7th June 1944 AGE 19 GRAVESITE La Delivrande War Cemetery,France IX.A.4 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of James and Marion McNeill,Glasgow died Normandy

  20. RM CDOS McKenna, Joseph

    SURNAME McKenna FORENAME Joseph UNIT 41 Commando RANK Corporal NUMBER PO/X 111077 DATE OF DEATH 15th February 1945 AGE GRAVESITE Werkendam Protestant Cemetery,Netherlands Row 7 Grave 6 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION died Holland
Top