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No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando

January 01, 1970

No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando was a battalion size formation in the British Commandos, formed during the Second World War. The Commando was assigned to the 3rd Special Service Brigade and served in the Burma Campaign.

No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando
Cap Badge of the Royal Marines
Active1 August 1943–1946 when renumbered 40 Commando
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Marines
TypeCommando
RoleAmphibious warfare
Close-quarters combat
Coastal raiding
Direct action
Jungle warfare
Raiding
Reconnaissance
SizeOne battalion
Part of3rd Special Service Brigade
Nickname(s)Four Four
Motto(s)Per Mare Per Terram (By Sea By Land) (Latin)
MarchQuick - A Life on the Ocean Wave
Slow - Preobrajensky
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Lieutenant Colonel FC Horton

Background edit

The British 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".[1] At first they were a small force of volunteers who carried out small raids against enemy occupied territory,[2] but by 1943 their role had changed into lightly equipped assault Infantry which specialised in spearheading amphibious landings.[3]

The man selected as the overall commander of the force was Admiral Sir Roger Keyes himself a veteran of the landings at Galipoli and the Zeebrugge raid in the First World War.[4] Initially the Commandos were a British Army formation the first Royal Marine Commando was formed in 1942.[5] The Royal Marine Commandos like all British Commandos went through the six-week intensive commando course at Achnacarry. The course in the Scottish Highlands concentrated on fitness, speed marches, weapons training, map reading, climbing, small boat operations and demolitions both by day and by night.[6] No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando was formed on 1 August 1943, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel F C Horton and consisted of seven Troops just over 400 men.[7] Each Troop consisted of three officers and 62 men in a small headquarters and two sections.[8] In 1943 the commando formation was also standardised, into a small headquarters, five fighting Troops, a Heavy Weapons troop and a signals platoon. The fighting Troops consisted of 65 all ranks divided into two 30 man sections which in turn were divided into three ten man sub sections. The Heavy Weapons Troop was made up of 3 inch Mortar and Vickers machine gun teams.[9]

No.44 (Royal Marine) Commando was raised in August 1943, from the 3rd Royal Marine Battalion under command of Lieutenant Colonel F C Horton. It served in the Far East with the 3rd Special Service Brigade. It took part in the Burma Campaign and was located in the Arakan during the Japanese U-Go Offensive, before carrying out a number of raids along the Burmese coastline. During the 1944–45 third Arakan offensive it took part in the landings at Myebon and the battle of Hill 170. It was then withdrawn to India to prepare for the invasion of Malaya Operation Zipper. The war ended before the operation began and the commando was diverted to reoccupy Hong Kong.[10]

Operations edit

Second World War edit

Early Commando units were all from the British Army but by February 1942, the Royal Marines were asked to organise Commando units of their own, and 6,000 men volunteered.[11]

In November 1943 No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando was assigned to the 3rd Special Service Brigade and sailed for the Far East and saw action against the Japanese in the Burma Campaign.[12] The other units in the brigade were No. 1 Commando, No. 5 Commando and No. 42 (Royal Marine) Commando.[13] No. 44 and No.5 Commandos arrived in the theatre together as No. 1 and No. 42 were delayed in Ceylon by transportation problems.[13] The commando spent some time at Cox's Bazar acclimatising before becoming operational. On 5 March 1944 No. 44 set up their base at Nhila on the Teknaf peninsula.[12]

Later the same month No. 44 took part in their first operations against the Japanese. These were two missions codenamed Operation Screwdriver. Their first operation 11 March was a landing from the sea at Alethangyaw their objective was to capture the town for the rest of the brigade to pass through into the surrounding hills to engage the enemy. The landing was met in force by machine gun emplacements and sniper fire and for the next 48 hours the Commando had a series of running battles with the Japanese and carried out a reconnaissance of the surrounding hills. The mission claimed 40–50 Japanese dead for the loss of four commandos missing believed dead.[14] Their second mission was crossing the Naf River by barge on 21 March with the objective of raiding Nahkaungdo, Lambaguna and Hinthaya. The operation, during which the unit chaplain, the Revd Harold Manger RNVR, was killed in action,[15] was a success: following a number of small skirmishes the Japanese were forced to bring up reinforcements and the Commando was withdrawn.[16]

1945 edit

 
Royal Marines landing on Ramree Island

On 3 January No. 44 were involved in a full scale amphibious landing with the rest of the brigade and a tank squadron in Operation Lightning at Akyab. The landings started at 12:30 hours and were completed by 13:50 hours. When they reached the town of Akyab they discovered the Japanese had withdrawn and there was no trace on the island of the supposed garrison of three battalions.[17] By the end of the month they were involved in the battle of Hill 170 this was one of the most intense battles of the whole Burma campaign.[18] In March 1945 the Commando was withdrawn back to India for to prepare for Operation Zipper, the planned invasion of Malaya. The war ended before the Zipper landing could take place and No. 44 was sent to liberate Hong Kong instead.[18]

Legacy edit

No. 44 (Royal Marine) Commando was renumbered 40 Commando when the 2nd Commando Brigade and its commando units including the then No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando were disbanded.[19] After the Second World War all the British Army Commandos were disbanded and the commando role was taken over by the Royal Marines.[20] However the present day Parachute Regiment, Special Air Service and Special Boat Service can all trace their origins to the Commandos.[21][22][23]

Battle honours edit

The following Battle honours were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.[24]

References edit

Notes

  1. ^ Chappell, p.5
  2. ^ Chappell, p.3
  3. ^ Moreman, p.8
  4. ^ Chappell, p.6
  5. ^ Fowler, p.5
  6. ^ van der Bijl, p.12
  7. ^ Haining, p.47
  8. ^ Chappell, p.7
  9. ^ van der Bijl, p.28
  10. ^ Moreman, p.93
  11. ^ Haskew, pp.48–49
  12. ^ a b Haining, p.48
  13. ^ a b Haining, p.46
  14. ^ Haining, pp.48–49
  15. ^ http://www.commandoveterans.org/HaroldManger44Commando
  16. ^ Haining, p.49
  17. ^ Haining, pp.54–55
  18. ^ a b "No. 1 Army Commando history". Commando Veterans Association. Retrieved 3 May 2010.
  19. ^ "Royal Marines Commando and Special Boat Service". Commando Veterans Association. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  20. ^ Lord & Graham, pp.216–317
  21. ^ Otway, pp.31–32
  22. ^ Breuer, pp.46–47
  23. ^ Molinari, p.22
  24. ^ Moreman, p.94

Bibliography

  • van der Bijl, Nick (2006). No. 10 Inter-Allied Commando 1942-45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-999-1.
  • Chappell, Mike (1996). Army Commandos 1940-45. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-579-9.
  • Fowler, Will (2009). Royal Marine Commando 1950-82: From Korea to the Falklands. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-372-8.
  • Haining, Peter (2006). The banzai hunters: the forgotten armada of little ships that defeated the Japanese, 1944-45. Robson. ISBN 1-86105-941-8.
  • Moreman, Timothy Robert (2006). British Commandos 1940-46. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-986-X.
  • Neilands, Robin (2005). The Dieppe Raid. Indiana University Press. ISBN 0-253-34781-5.
  • Shortt, James; McBride, Angus (1981). The Special Air Service. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0-85045-396-8.
  • Tomblin, Barbara (2004). With utmost spirit: Allied naval operations in the Mediterranean, 1942-1945. University Press of Kentucky. ISBN 0-8131-2338-0.

January 01, 1970
royal, marine, commando, battalion, size, formation, british, commandos, formed, during, second, world, commando, assigned, special, service, brigade, served, burma, campaign, badge, royal, marinesactive1, august, 1943, 1946, when, renumbered, commandocountryu. No 44 Royal Marine Commando was a battalion size formation in the British Commandos formed during the Second World War The Commando was assigned to the 3rd Special Service Brigade and served in the Burma Campaign No 44 Royal Marine CommandoCap Badge of the Royal MarinesActive1 August 1943 1946 when renumbered 40 CommandoCountryUnited KingdomBranchRoyal MarinesTypeCommandoRoleAmphibious warfareClose quarters combatCoastal raidingDirect actionJungle warfareRaidingReconnaissanceSizeOne battalionPart of3rd Special Service BrigadeNickname s Four FourMotto s Per Mare Per Terram By Sea By Land Latin MarchQuick A Life on the Ocean WaveSlow PreobrajenskyCommandersNotablecommandersLieutenant Colonel FC Horton Contents 1 Background 2 Operations 2 1 Second World War 2 2 1945 3 Legacy 4 Battle honours 5 ReferencesBackground editThe British 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 1 At first they were a small force of volunteers who carried out small raids against enemy occupied territory 2 but by 1943 their role had changed into lightly equipped assault Infantry which specialised in spearheading amphibious landings 3 The man selected as the overall commander of the force was Admiral Sir Roger Keyes himself a veteran of the landings at Galipoli and the Zeebrugge raid in the First World War 4 Initially the Commandos were a British Army formation the first Royal Marine Commando was formed in 1942 5 The Royal Marine Commandos like all British Commandos went through the six week intensive commando course at Achnacarry The course in the Scottish Highlands concentrated on fitness speed marches weapons training map reading climbing small boat operations and demolitions both by day and by night 6 No 44 Royal Marine Commando was formed on 1 August 1943 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel F C Horton and consisted of seven Troops just over 400 men 7 Each Troop consisted of three officers and 62 men in a small headquarters and two sections 8 In 1943 the commando formation was also standardised into a small headquarters five fighting Troops a Heavy Weapons troop and a signals platoon The fighting Troops consisted of 65 all ranks divided into two 30 man sections which in turn were divided into three ten man sub sections The Heavy Weapons Troop was made up of 3 inch Mortar and Vickers machine gun teams 9 No 44 Royal Marine Commando was raised in August 1943 from the 3rd Royal Marine Battalion under command of Lieutenant Colonel F C Horton It served in the Far East with the 3rd Special Service Brigade It took part in the Burma Campaign and was located in the Arakan during the Japanese U Go Offensive before carrying out a number of raids along the Burmese coastline During the 1944 45 third Arakan offensive it took part in the landings at Myebon and the battle of Hill 170 It was then withdrawn to India to prepare for the invasion of Malaya Operation Zipper The war ended before the operation began and the commando was diverted to reoccupy Hong Kong 10 Operations editSecond World War edit Early Commando units were all from the British Army but by February 1942 the Royal Marines were asked to organise Commando units of their own and 6 000 men volunteered 11 In November 1943 No 44 Royal Marine Commando was assigned to the 3rd Special Service Brigade and sailed for the Far East and saw action against the Japanese in the Burma Campaign 12 The other units in the brigade were No 1 Commando No 5 Commando and No 42 Royal Marine Commando 13 No 44 and No 5 Commandos arrived in the theatre together as No 1 and No 42 were delayed in Ceylon by transportation problems 13 The commando spent some time at Cox s Bazar acclimatising before becoming operational On 5 March 1944 No 44 set up their base at Nhila on the Teknaf peninsula 12 Later the same month No 44 took part in their first operations against the Japanese These were two missions codenamed Operation Screwdriver Their first operation 11 March was a landing from the sea at Alethangyaw their objective was to capture the town for the rest of the brigade to pass through into the surrounding hills to engage the enemy The landing was met in force by machine gun emplacements and sniper fire and for the next 48 hours the Commando had a series of running battles with the Japanese and carried out a reconnaissance of the surrounding hills The mission claimed 40 50 Japanese dead for the loss of four commandos missing believed dead 14 Their second mission was crossing the Naf River by barge on 21 March with the objective of raiding Nahkaungdo Lambaguna and Hinthaya The operation during which the unit chaplain the Revd Harold Manger RNVR was killed in action 15 was a success following a number of small skirmishes the Japanese were forced to bring up reinforcements and the Commando was withdrawn 16 1945 edit nbsp Royal Marines landing on Ramree Island On 3 January No 44 were involved in a full scale amphibious landing with the rest of the brigade and a tank squadron in Operation Lightning at Akyab The landings started at 12 30 hours and were completed by 13 50 hours When they reached the town of Akyab they discovered the Japanese had withdrawn and there was no trace on the island of the supposed garrison of three battalions 17 By the end of the month they were involved in the battle of Hill 170 this was one of the most intense battles of the whole Burma campaign 18 In March 1945 the Commando was withdrawn back to India for to prepare for Operation Zipper the planned invasion of Malaya The war ended before the Zipper landing could take place and No 44 was sent to liberate Hong Kong instead 18 Legacy editNo 44 Royal Marine Commando was renumbered 40 Commando when the 2nd Commando Brigade and its commando units including the then No 40 Royal Marine Commando were disbanded 19 After the Second World War all the British Army Commandos were disbanded and the commando role was taken over by the Royal Marines 20 However the present day Parachute Regiment Special Air Service and Special Boat Service can all trace their origins to the Commandos 21 22 23 Battle honours editThe following Battle honours were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War 24 Adriatic Alethangyaw Aller Anzio Argenta Gap Burma 1943 45 Crete Dieppe Dives Crossing Djebel Choucha Flushing Greece 1944 45 Italy 1943 45 Kangaw Landing at Porto San Venere Landing in Sicily Leese Litani Madagascar Middle East 1941 1942 1944 Monte Ornito Myebon Normandy Landing North Africa 1941 43 North West Europe 1942 1944 1945 Norway 1941 Pursuit to Messina Rhine St Nazaire Salerno Sedjenane 1 Sicily 1943 Steamroller Farm Syria 1941 Termoli Vaagso Valli di Comacchio WestkapelleReferences editNotes Chappell p 5 Chappell p 3 Moreman p 8 Chappell p 6 Fowler p 5 van der Bijl p 12 Haining p 47 Chappell p 7 van der Bijl p 28 Moreman p 93 Haskew pp 48 49 a b Haining p 48 a b Haining p 46 Haining pp 48 49 http www commandoveterans org HaroldManger44Commando Haining p 49 Haining pp 54 55 a b No 1 Army Commando history Commando Veterans Association Retrieved 3 May 2010 Royal Marines Commando and Special Boat Service Commando Veterans Association Retrieved 17 April 2016 Lord amp Graham pp 216 317 Otway pp 31 32 Breuer pp 46 47 Molinari p 22 Moreman p 94 Bibliography van der Bijl Nick 2006 No 10 Inter Allied Commando 1942 45 Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 84176 999 1 Chappell Mike 1996 Army Commandos 1940 45 Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 85532 579 9 Fowler Will 2009 Royal Marine Commando 1950 82 From Korea to the Falklands Osprey Publishing ISBN 978 1 84603 372 8 Haining Peter 2006 The banzai hunters the forgotten armada of little ships that defeated the Japanese 1944 45 Robson ISBN 1 86105 941 8 Moreman Timothy Robert 2006 British Commandos 1940 46 Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 84176 986 X Neilands Robin 2005 The Dieppe Raid Indiana University Press ISBN 0 253 34781 5 Shortt James McBride Angus 1981 The Special Air Service Osprey Publishing ISBN 0 85045 396 8 Tomblin Barbara 2004 With utmost spirit Allied naval operations in the Mediterranean 1942 1945 University Press of Kentucky ISBN 0 8131 2338 0 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title No 44 Royal Marine Commando amp oldid 1209106100, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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