62 Commando Small Scale Raiding Force

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'French coast - Operation Farenheit'

Wednesday, November 11, 1942

Location

Pointe du Plouezec
France
48° 45' 16.5924" N, 2° 55' 47.2476" W
An overnight intelligence gathering raid on a signals station on the French coast at Pointe de Plouézec. The raiding force set out from Dartmouth harbour on board MTB 344, commanded by Lt. Cdr. Freddie Bourne RN and crew, accompanied by a small number of commandos who used a Dory to land.
Officers included Major Geoffrey Appleyard, Captain's Peter Kemp and Captain Oswald Rooney. Commando NCO's included amongst others Sgt Sam Brodison, Sgt. Barry, and LCpl Ellis Howells.

'Small Scale Raiding Force'

The Small Scale Raiding Force (also known as 62 Commando) were trained in Commando style combat together with aspects of seamanship in the use of small craft such as Dory's. Formed at Fareham and commanded by Major Gus March-Phillipps, DSO, MBE, until he was killed during a raid in France in September,1942. They based themselves at Anderson Manor, Dorset, and recruited from units such as the SOE and the SBS, included foreign nationals, and were often supported by Commandos, in particular individuals from No.12 Commando.

ADDERTON, Victor

Victor Adderton MM 3 Commando
Private
4974035
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
Military Medal (MM)
Victor Adderton enlisted on 13 May 1935. During WW2 he volunteered for the Commandos. Private Adderton, No.3 Commando, was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in the combined attack on Dieppe [1][1a][2].

BRODISON, Samuel James

Sam Brodison
CSM Samuel Brodison MM 12 Commnando
Company Sergeant Major (later RSM)
6977705
No 10 Commando
No 12 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Irish Fusiliers
Military Medal (MM)
Company Sergeant Major Samuel Brodison was awarded the Military Medal in recognition of gallant and distinguished service carrying out beach obstacle reconnaissance in France during May 1944 [1][2].
Recommendation

CAMPBELL, Thomas

Gunner Thomas Campbell 3 Commando
Thomas Campbell in the Police
Gunner
14317288
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Artillery
Hamilton Burgh Police
Thomas Campbell from Blantyre was a Hamilton Burgh Police Officer who volunteered for the Commandos as part of the Police Intakes to the Commando Depot (Commando Basic Training Centre), Achnacarry. Service included No.3 Commando and 62 Commando (S.S.R.F.).

GRANT, Archibald Campbell

Archibald Grant 62 and 3 Commando
Private
14317292
No 3 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders
Royal Army Service Corps
Ayrshire Constabulary
Archibald Campbell Grant  joined the Police in 1938 and was a Police Constable in Troon, Ayrshire in 1942 before volunteering for the Commandos. He was in the 3rd Police Intake to the Commando Depot (Commando Basic Training Centre) at Achnacarry.

HERSTELL, Ernest Maxwell

Gunner
14317992
SAS
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
No 6 Commando
Royal Artillery
Bristol City Police
Killed in action or died of wounds
Gunner Ernest Herstell was reported wounded and missing 29 May 1943 during operations with the 2nd SAS at Pantelleria, an island between Sicily and Tunisia (Operation Snapdragon). He was later presumed to have died of wounds and has no known grave.

HOWELLS, Ellis

Ellis Howells 1st SBS
Lance Corporal Ellis Howes
Lance Corporal
3910267
No 12 Commando
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
SBS
South Wales Borderers
Special Air Service Regiment
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Lance Corporal Ellis Howells was killed in action having left the Commandos and joined the 1st Special Boat Service, S.A.S. Regiment, Army Air Corps. He died during an attack on a railway bridge at Limpljani in the former Yugoslavia.

LEHNIGER, Richard

Served as : 
LEONARD
Private
13801849
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Pioneer Corps
Killed in action or died of wounds
62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force). Operation Aquatint.
Son of Gustav and Gisela Lehniger; husband of Julie Lehniger, of Yeovil, Somerset. Born at Petschau, Bohemia.
 
Sources
CWGC.

MARCH-PHILLIPPS, Gustavus Henry

Major
39184
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Artillery
Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Commanding Officer 62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force).
Killed in action Operation Aquatint. Posthumous Mention in Despatches.

OPOCZYNSKI, Abraham

Served as : 
ORR, Adam
Sergeant
6387010
13801810
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
Pioneer Corps
Mentioned in Despatches
Killed in action or died of wounds
Served under an alias. Special Operations Executive attached Small Scale Raiding Force for Operation Aquatint during which he was taken prisoner. 1945 reported missing whilst in captivity, later presumed killed in action.

WILLIAMS, Allen Michael

Sergeant
6098196
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Queen's Royal Regiment
Killed in action or died of wounds
62 Commando (Small Scale Raiding Force). Operation Aquatint.
Son of Frederick and Louisa Martha Williams, of Sedlescombe, Sussex.
 
Sources
CWGC.

WINTER, Thomas William

Thomas William Winter MM
Acting Company Sergeant Major
108938
Small Scale Raiding Force (62 Commando)
Royal Army Service Corps
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)
Military Medal (MM)
Company Sergeant Major Thomas William Winter was reported missing 12 September 1942 later confirmed as a prisoner of war.

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