41 commando

41 COMMANDO
Operation Tombola
Operation Tombola
By Roy Farran
Ill Met by Moonlight
Ill Met by Moonlight
By W. Stanley Moss
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 Hey, Ashton Usher

    SURNAME Hey FORENAME Ashton Usher UNIT 41 Commando RANK Sergeant NUMBER PO/X 106797 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 33 GRAVESITE Hermanville War Cemetery,France 3.A.10 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of George Herbert and Martha Jane Usher Hey husband of Elsie Gordon...

  2. RM CDOS Haydon, Peter Hillyard

    SURNAME Haydon FORENAME Peter Hillyard UNIT 41 Commando RANK Captain NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 5th November 1944 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands 15.B.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Lt. Rollo Hillyard Stafford and Annie Gwendoline Haydon, Ecuador...

  3. RM CDOS Hay, John

    SURNAME Hay FORENAME John (Jack) UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 111511 DATE OF DEATH 1st November 1944 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands Spec.Mem. 6.C.9 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 27.12.1924 Darlington, County Durham, UK son of John...

  4. RM CDOS Hawkard, John Stuart

    SURNAME Hawkard FORENAME John Stuart UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lieutenant NUMBER PO/X 111009 (CWGC) DATE OF DEATH 10th September 1943 AGE 20 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery, Italy V.A.45 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Herbert and Florence Hawkard, Fairhaven, Lytham St Annes...

  5. RM CDOS Harvey, Maurice George

    SURNAME Harvey FORENAME Maurice George UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lieutenant NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 10th July 1943 AGE 19 GRAVESITE Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily, Italy III.B.10 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Harry Frederick George and Marie Josephine Harvey, Leigh-on-sea, Essex...

  6. RM CDOS Harris, Andrew

    SURNAME Harris FORENAME Andrew UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 108595 DATE OF DEATH 18th September 1943 AGE 41 GRAVESITE Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire Panel 93 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 24.02.1903 Farnham, Surrey, UK son of Eliza Harris, Farnham, Surrey...

  7. RM CDOS Hammond, James Frederick Maurice

    SURNAME Hammond FORENAME James Frederick Maurice UNIT 41 Commando RANK Sergeant NUMBER CH/X 104459 DATE OF DEATH 11th October 1944 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Brugge General Cemetery, Belgium Plot 63 Row 1 Grave 10 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 27.09.1921 Boothby Pagnell...

  8. RM CDOS Gilbert, Kenneth William

    SURNAME Gilbert FORENAME Kenneth William UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER CH/X 104417 DATE OF DEATH 12th September 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery, Italy V.A.44 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 06.03.1922, Chelmsford, Essex, UK son of Arthur Edward and Nellie...

  9. RM CDOS Garlick, Horace

    SURNAME Garlick FORENAME Horace UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER CH/X 105862 DATE OF DEATH 12th September 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery, Italy III.E.22 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 01.02.1921, Deptford, London, UK son of Alfred Thomas and Charlotte Mary...

  10. RM CDOS Ford, Francis Orme (Florrie)

    SURNAME Ford FORENAME Francis Orme (Florrie) UNIT 41 Commando (A Troop) RANK Captain NUMBER DATE OF DEATH 17th July 1943 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Chatham Naval Memorial,Kent 73.2 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION son of Rev.Roger Anson and Kathleen Orme Ford KIA Augusta, Sicily 40 Commando...

  11. RM CDOS Fisher, Edward

    SURNAME Fisher FORENAME Edward UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 105076 DATE OF DEATH 16th September 1943 AGE 23 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery, Italy III.E.5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 23.10.1919, Glinton, Northamptonshire, UK son of Fred and Emily T. Fisher...

  12. RM CDOS Finney, George Edward

    SURNAME Finney FORENAME George Edward UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 102675 DATE OF DEATH 24th March 1945 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery, Netherlands 15.A.5 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 09.08.1920, Longton, Staffordshire, UK son of John Joseph and...

  13. RM CDOS Finch, Ernest Walter

    SURNAME Finch FORENAME Ernest Walter UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER PO/X 108592 DATE OF DEATH 12th September 1943 AGE 21 GRAVESITE Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire Panel 93 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 05.02.1921, Guildford, Surrey, UK son of E.C. and Mrs...

  14. RM CDOS Fielding, Ronald

    SURNAME Fielding FORENAME Ronald UNIT 41 Commando RANK Sergeant NUMBER PO/X 106789 DATE OF DEATH 6th June 1944 AGE 29 GRAVESITE Hermanville War Cemetery, France 1.O.3 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 04.01.1915, Rochdale, Lancashire, UK son of Harold and Isabella Fielding...

  15. RM CDOS Felstead, Robert William

    SURNAME Felstead FORENAME Robert William UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PO/X 108004 DATE OF DEATH 10th September 1943 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire Panel 93 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 16.09.1921, Norwich, Norfolk, UK son of Richard and...

  16. RM CDOS Faulkner, John William

    SURNAME Faulkner FORENAME John William UNIT 41 Commando RANK Lance Corporal NUMBER PO/X 105886 DATE OF DEATH 10th September 1943 AGE 35 GRAVESITE Salerno War Cemetery, Italy V.B.12 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 25.06.1908, Irlam, Lancashire, UK son of John and Elizabeth...

  17. RM CDOS Eyres, George Henry

    SURNAME Eyres FORENAME George Henry UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 103852 DATE OF DEATH 10th July 1943 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Syracuse War Cemetery, Sicily, Italy III.C.14 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 19.12.1921, Manchester, Lancashire, UK son of George Henry and...

  18. RM CDOS Emerson, James

    SURNAME Emerson FORENAME James UNIT 41 Commando RANK Corporal NUMBER PO/X 105915 DATE OF DEATH 4th July 1944 AGE 22 GRAVESITE Ranville War Cemetery, France IA.M.11 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 13.09.1921, Rutherglen, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, UK died Normandy

  19. RM CDOS Elsom, Harold Edward

    SURNAME Elsom FORENAME Harold Edward UNIT 41 Commando (P Troop) RANK Company Sergeant Major (TSM) NUMBER CH/X 3109 DATE OF DEATH 20th February 1945 AGE 25 GRAVESITE Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset Sec.B Cons.grave 1609 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 02.09.1919, Stepney...

  20. RM CDOS Egan, John

    SURNAME Egan FORENAME John UNIT 41 Commando RANK Marine NUMBER PLY/X 103476 DATE OF DEATH 7th June 1944 AGE 24 GRAVESITE Hermanville War Cemetery, France 1.C.12 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION born 22.09.1922, Miltown, Malbury, Co. Clare, Ireland son of John and Norah Egan nephew...
Top