"between 1940–1944, mostly small affairs involving between 10 and 25 men. Some of the larger raids involved one or more commando units. In March 1942, No. 2 Commando plus demolition experts from seven other Commando units took part in Operation Chariot, also known as the St. Nazaire Raid. The destroyer HMS ""Campbeltown"", accompanied by 18 smaller ships, sailed into St. Nazaire where ""Campbeltown"" was rammed directly into the Normandie dock gates. The Commandos engaged the German forces and destroyed the dock facilities. Eight hours later, delayed-action fuses set off the explosives in the ""Campbeltown"", which wrecked the dock gates and"
"Operation Collar (commando raid) Operation Collar was the codeword for the first commando raid, conducted by the British forces, during the Second World War. The location selected for the raid was the Pas-de-Calais department on the French coast. The British Commandos had not long been formed and were not yet trained, so the operation was given to No. 11 Independent Company under the command of Major Ronnie Tod. The raid's objective was the reconnaissance of four locations and the capture of prisoners. Over the night of 24/25 June 1940, 115 men of No. 11 Independent Company carried out the operation,"
"indiscriminately, preferring to murder their enemies rather than take prisoners. Operation Collar (commando raid) Operation Collar was the codeword for the first commando raid, conducted by the British forces, during the Second World War. The location selected for the raid was the Pas-de-Calais department on the French coast. The British Commandos had not long been formed and were not yet trained, so the operation was given to No. 11 Independent Company under the command of Major Ronnie Tod. The raid's objective was the reconnaissance of four locations and the capture of prisoners. Over the night of 24/25 June 1940, 115"
"Lieutenant Colonel Charles Newman, who was the commanding officer of No. 2 Commando, which provided the main assault force for the raid. Involving the ramming of a destroyer, into the gates of the drydock at St. Nazaire in France in order to prevent it being used as a base for the ""Tirpitz"", the raid was later described as the ""greatest raid of all"". In early 1942, the British began an operation to seize the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. Due to heavy German U-boat and aerial activity in the Mediterranean the main shipping route to India at the"
"which could have been detrimental to the Allies' strategy. Operation Hardtack (commando raid) Operation Hardtack was the name of a series of British Commando raids during the Second World War. The operation was conducted by No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando, No. 12 Commando and the Special Boat Service, and took place on the Channel islands and the northern coast of France in December 1943. Most of the raids consisted of ten men of various ranks, carried by Motor Torpedo Boats and dories, except for one operation, which was an airborne landing. The raids were ended by order of Major General Robert"
"Operation Fahrenheit Operation Fahrenheit was a British Commando raid during the Second World War. It was carried out by a small group of men from No. 12 Commando and No. 62 Commando over the night of 11/12 November 1942. Captain O B 'Micky' Rooney and six Non-commissioned officers from No. 6 Commando, with two men from No. 62 Commando formed the raiding party. The objective of the raid was to capture German servicemen for interrogation by attacking a signals station at Pointe de Plouezec on the north Brittany coast. One raiding party left Dartmouth on the 11 November in Motor"
"Operation Hardtack (commando raid) Operation Hardtack was the name of a series of British Commando raids during the Second World War. The operation was conducted by No. 10 (Inter-Allied) Commando, No. 12 Commando and the Special Boat Service, and took place on the Channel islands and the northern coast of France in December 1943. Most of the raids consisted of ten men of various ranks, carried by Motor Torpedo Boats and dories, except for one operation, which was an airborne landing. The raids were ended by order of Major General Robert Laycock because they caused the enemy to bring reinforcements,"
"No. 62 Commando No. 62 Commando or the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) was a British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The unit was formed around a small group of commandos under the command of the Special Operations Executive (SOE). They carried out a number of raids before being disbanded in 1943. The commandos were formed in 1940 by order of Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister. He called for specially trained troops who would ""develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast"". At first they were a small force of volunteers who"
"twice). Operation Forfar Operation Forfar was the name given to a series of British Commando raids on the French coast during World War II. The raids were part of Operation Starkey, a military deception intended to draw out the Luftwaffe. The purpose of these raids was to identify German coastal units and to gain technical intelligence on German equipment, creating the impression of pre-invasion reconnaissance. In January 1943 Allied high command put off the invasion of France until the following year, and by April had decided to focus on the Mediterranean. The newly appointed Chief of Staff to the Supreme"
"be put out of action, any offensive sortie by the ""Tirpitz"" into the Atlantic could be much more dangerous for her and probably not worth the risk. After Operation Rheinübung on 18–27 May 1941 – in which the ""Bismarck"" and the heavy cruiser ""Prinz Eugen"" were to have ended their operational raid at Saint-Nazaire, but which resulted in the sinking of and the sinking of the ""Bismarck"" – the need for the Allies to take the Joubert lock out of operation was increased. A force of 611 British Commandos launched the St. Nazaire Raid against the shipyards of Saint-Nazaire, codenamed"
"Operation Forfar Operation Forfar was the name given to a series of British Commando raids on the French coast during World War II. The raids were part of Operation Starkey, a military deception intended to draw out the Luftwaffe. The purpose of these raids was to identify German coastal units and to gain technical intelligence on German equipment, creating the impression of pre-invasion reconnaissance. In January 1943 Allied high command put off the invasion of France until the following year, and by April had decided to focus on the Mediterranean. The newly appointed Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied"
"consequences reaching into the Cold War. Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the Allied invasion of Southern France on 15August 1944. The operation was initially to take place in conjunction with Operation Overlord, the Allied landing in Normandy, but a lack of resources led to cancellation of the second landing. By July 1944, the landing was reconsidered, as the ports of Normandy did not have the capacity to supply Allied forces adequately. Concurrently, the French High Command pushed for a revival of the operation that would include large numbers of French troops. As a"
"Operation Dragoon Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the Allied invasion of Southern France on 15August 1944. The operation was initially to take place in conjunction with Operation Overlord, the Allied landing in Normandy, but a lack of resources led to cancellation of the second landing. By July 1944, the landing was reconsidered, as the ports of Normandy did not have the capacity to supply Allied forces adequately. Concurrently, the French High Command pushed for a revival of the operation that would include large numbers of French troops. As a result, the operation was finally approved"
"Operation Claymore Operation Claymore was the code name for a British commando raid on the Lofoten Islands in Norway during the Second World War. The Lofoten Islands were an important centre for the production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war economy. The landings were carried out on 4 March 1941, by the men of No. 3 Commando, No. 4 Commando, a Royal Engineers Section and 52 men from the Norwegian Independent Company 1. Supported by the 6th Destroyer Flotilla and two troop transports of the Royal Navy, the force made an unopposed landing and generally continued"
"Operation Claymore Operation Claymore was the code name for a British commando raid on the Lofoten Islands in Norway during the Second World War. The Lofoten Islands were an important centre for the production of fish oil and glycerine, used in the German war economy. The landings were carried out on 4 March 1941, by the men of No. 3 Commando, No. 4 Commando, a Royal Engineers Section and 52 men from the Norwegian Independent Company 1. Supported by the 6th Destroyer Flotilla and two troop transports of the Royal Navy, the force made an unopposed landing and generally continued"
"Operation Huckaback Operation Huckaback was a British Commando raid during the Second World War. The raid was carried out by No. 62 Commando also known as the Small Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) over the night of 27/28 February 1943. The raid was originally planned for the night of 9/10 February 1943, as simultaneous raids on Herm, Jethou and Brecqhou. The objective was to take prisoners and gain information about the situation in the occupied Channel Islands. It was to be carried out by 42 men from the SSRF and No. 4 Commando, but was cancelled because of bad weather. Huckaback"
"Operation Anklet Operation Anklet was the codename given to a British Commando raid during the Second World War. The raid on the Lofoten Islands was carried out in December 1941, by 300 men from No. 12 Commando and the Norwegian Independent Company 1. The landing party was supported by 22 ships from three navies. At the same time, another raid was taking place in Vågsøy. This raid was Operation Archery, on 27 December 1941, and Operation Anklet was seen as a diversionary raid for this bigger raid, intended to draw away the German naval and air forces. After the British"
"Operation Anklet Operation Anklet was the codename given to a British Commando raid during the Second World War. The raid on the Lofoten Islands was carried out in December 1941, by 300 men from No. 12 Commando and the Norwegian Independent Company 1. The landing party was supported by 22 ships from three navies. At the same time, another raid was taking place in Vågsøy. This raid was Operation Archery, on 27 December 1941, and Operation Anklet was seen as a diversionary raid for this bigger raid, intended to draw away the German naval and air forces. After the British"
"Operation Checkmate (commando raid) Operation Checkmate was the codename for a raid on shipping at Haugesund, Norway in April 1943 during the Second World War by British Commandos. The raiding party consisted of seven men of No. 14 (Arctic) Commando who managed to sink one ship using limpet mines. While waiting in hiding for the transport back to the United Kingdom they were captured on 14 and 15 May 1943 and eventually taken to Sachsenhausen and Belsen concentration camps where six of them were executed, victims of the Commando Order. The seventh man died of typhus. Operation Checkmate was the"
"preventing further damage and losses. Operation Bristle Operation Bristle was a British Commando raid over the night of the 3/4 June 1942 during the Second World War. The target of the raid was a German radar site, at Plage-Ste-Cecile between Boulogne and Le Touquet. The raiding force which was provided by No. 6 Commando was defeated by the strong German defences. During the return voyage at around dawn the naval force was attacked by German fighter aircraft which damaged two Motor Launches and one Motor Gun Boat, killing one Commando and two naval personnel and wounding another 19; only the"
"Operation Acid Drop Operation Acid Drop was a British Commando raid during the Second World War. This was the first commando raid carried out by No. 5 Commando and consisted of two simultaneous operations over the night of 30/31 August 1941. Each raid consisted of one officer and 14 men, their targets were the beaches at Hardelot and Merlimont in the Pas-de-Calais, France with the aim of carrying out reconnaissance and if possible, to capture a German soldier. It was a hit and run type raid with only 30 minutes ashore but in the event neither party encountered any Germans."
"Operation Acid Drop Operation Acid Drop was a British Commando raid during the Second World War. This was the first commando raid carried out by No. 5 Commando and consisted of two simultaneous operations over the night of 30/31 August 1941. Each raid consisted of one officer and 14 men, their targets were the beaches at Hardelot and Merlimont in the Pas-de-Calais, France with the aim of carrying out reconnaissance and if possible, to capture a German soldier. It was a hit and run type raid with only 30 minutes ashore but in the event neither party encountered any Germans."
"Operation Aquatint Operation Aquatint was the codename for a failed raid by British Commandos on the coast of occupied France during the Second World War. The raid was undertaken in September 1942 on part of what later became Omaha Beach by No. 62 Commando, also known as the Small Scale Raiding Force. Prior to the operation, a raid on the French coastal town of Dieppe had placed the German occupying forces on a high state of alert, and this ultimately contributed to Aquatint's failure. The commandos were also unable to identify their correct landing place due to the darkness. Within"
"Operation Bristle Operation Bristle was a British Commando raid over the night of the 3/4 June 1942 during the Second World War. The target of the raid was a German radar site, at Plage-Ste-Cecile between Boulogne and Le Touquet. The raiding force which was provided by No. 6 Commando was defeated by the strong German defences. During the return voyage at around dawn the naval force was attacked by German fighter aircraft which damaged two Motor Launches and one Motor Gun Boat, killing one Commando and two naval personnel and wounding another 19; only the arrival of Royal Air Force"
"Operation Jubilee order of battle Operation Jubilee was the Allied code name for the raid at Dieppe on the French coast on August 19, 1942. The following order of battle lists the significant military units that participated in the battle, or were available as reserve. The landing force commander was Major General John Hamilton Roberts, the commander of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division. Notes: The naval forces were under the command of Captain John Hughes-Hallett of the Royal Navy. Supporting elements came from Royal Navy Coastal Forces The Allied air forces were under the command of Air Vice Marshal Trafford"
"destroying the battery or taking any prisoners but they did obtain documents and other information. Operation Sunstar Operation Sunstar was a Second World War raid on Houlgate in Normandy, France over the night of 22/23 November 1941. British Commandos of No. 9 Commando took part in the raid their objective was the Batterie de Tournebride on the ""Butte de Houlgate"". Ninety men of No.9 Commando travelled across the English Channel on HMS ""Prince Leopold"" and landed at the bottom of the Vaches Noires. The ship also transported four Assault Landing Craft which were used for the landing, four Motor Gun"
"Operation Crossbow Crossbow was the code name of the World War II campaign of Anglo-American ""operations against all phases of the German long-range weapons programme. It included operations against research and development of the weapons, their manufacture, transportation and their launching sites, and against missiles in flight"". The original 1943 code name ""Bodyline"" was replaced with ""Crossbow"" on November 15, 1943. Post-war, Crossbow operations became known as Operation ""Crossbow"" as early as 1962, particularly following the 1965 film of the same name. In May 1943 Allied surveillance observed the construction of the first of 11 large sites in northern France"
"Lieutenant of Lancashire. At 1:30am on 28 March 1942 Roy was on the deck of the , an old First World War , formerly the , with her Oerlikon 20 mm cannon blazing at the German guns only a few yards away. The ship was loaded with 4.5 tons of explosives on its way to ram the dock gate in St. Nazaire port during the St Nazaire Raid, as part of Operation Chariot. The raid was described by Winston Churchill as ""a deed of glory intimately involved in high strategy"". The kilt-wearing Roy, nicknamed ""The Laird"", and his 14-man assault"
"Operation Roundup (1942) Operation Roundup was the codename for a 1942 plan for an invasion of Northern France by Allied forces during World War II. The plan, for an invasion in the spring of 1943, overseen by Brigadier General Dwight D. Eisenhower, reflected American enthusiasm for an early entry into Europe. Senior British commanders and politicians were reluctant to commit themselves to the invasion plan; mindful of the painful losses during the Battle of the Somme (on the first day of the battle, the British Army lost almost 60,000 men) and the Battle of Passchendaele in the First World War,"
"No. 12 Commando No. 12 Commando was a battalion-sized commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. Formed in 1940 in Northern Ireland, they carried out a number of small-scale raids in Norway and France between 1941 and 1943 before being disbanded and its personnel dispersed to other commando units. The commandos were formed in 1940, by the order of Winston Churchill the British Prime Minister. He called for specially trained troops that would ""develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast"". At first they were a small force of volunteers who carried out small raids"
"became Operation Overlord. Operation Roundup (1942) Operation Roundup was the codename for a 1942 plan for an invasion of Northern France by Allied forces during World War II. The plan, for an invasion in the spring of 1943, overseen by Brigadier General Dwight D. Eisenhower, reflected American enthusiasm for an early entry into Europe. Senior British commanders and politicians were reluctant to commit themselves to the invasion plan; mindful of the painful losses during the Battle of the Somme (on the first day of the battle, the British Army lost almost 60,000 men) and the Battle of Passchendaele in the"
"2nd Special Air Service Regiment. Appleyard did not survive the war. He was returning from a Special Air Service mission when his plane was reported missing. It was the same day that Captain Hayes was executed in Paris. Operation Aquatint Operation Aquatint was the codename for a failed raid by British Commandos on the coast of occupied France during the Second World War. The raid was undertaken in September 1942 on part of what later became Omaha Beach by No. 62 Commando, also known as the Small Scale Raiding Force. Prior to the operation, a raid on the French coastal"
"known as the Bruneval Raid, was the codename for a raid by Combined Operations in 1942. Their objective was a German ""Würzburg"" radar installation at Bruneval in France. Due to the extensive coastal defences erected by the Germans to protect the array, it was thought a commando raid from the sea would incur heavy losses, and give the garrison sufficient time for the radar equipment to be destroyed. It was therefore decided that an airborne assault followed by sea-borne evacuation would be the ideal way to surprise the garrison and seize the technology intact. On the night of 27 February,"