No 8 Commando
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Displaying 1 - 84 of 84'Layforce'
Three UK based Army Commando units, Nos. 7, 8, and 11 Commandos, were combined within 'Force Z' for operations initially envisaged against Rhodes in the Eastern Mediterranean. Other elements of the Force included a number of men from No.3 Commando and the Canoe section of No.8 (Guards) Commando. They departed from the Isle of Arran on the 31st January 1941, and arrived at Suez on the 7th March.
8 Commando
The Commando was formed on the 23rd June 1940 reaching full strength in September at Burnham on Crouch, Essex. Mostly made up of members of the various Guards Brigades, it became unofficially known as No 8 (Guards) Commando.
8 Commando Nominal Roll
In 1946 the Army Council decided that the Army Commandos were to be disbanded and no provision was allowed or made for any depository or office which would have at least contained a complete Roster of Names of the men who served in the various units.
ALLEN, Reginald Arthur

ALLOTT, Richard Knowles Brian
ALMONDS, John Edward
BAKER, Kenneth
Corporal Kenneth Baker was killed in action during operations in Libya with Layforce. Son of Thomas and Sarah Baker, of Torrington, Devon; husband of Sylvia Emily Jane Baker, of Torrington.
BARNES, George

BENNETT, Robert
BLAKENEY, James
BOLLAND, Stanley

BOOTH, John Hamilton
BOWERS, John Henry

- 03.1936 enlisted as a regular soldier [1].
- 09.1939 posted to France with British Expeditionary Force [1].
BREMNER, George
BREWITT, John
BRITTLEBANK, John
BROOK, Harold
BROUGH, William Gordon
BROWN, Leslie Jock

BUCHANAN, Harry Alexander Desmond
BUNN, Gerrard John Gunton
Lance Corporal Gerrard Bunn was attested into the Coldstream Guards on 9 January 1932. He was wounded serving in No.8 Commando on 17 August 1941 during operations in Cyrenaica. He transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals on 29 June 1942.
BUXTON, Leslie, J.
- 18 January 1943 reported missing during operations in Libya later found to be a prisoner of war [2][3].
CAMPBELL, Robin Francis
CARTWRIGHT, Leonard Richard
CAWSEY, Francis William
COCKBILL, Edward James
COTTON MINCHIN, Douglas James Maurice

COULDREY, Edwin Robert
DALY, Dermot Ralph
DICKASON, Samuel Edgar
-
13 June 1970 appointed M.B.E. (Civil Division) whilst Chief Office Clerk, House of Commons Library [2].
DRONGIN, Anthony
Regimental Sergeant Major Anthony Drongin of No 8 Commando gave up his rank to join L Detachment SAS when 8 Commando was disbanded. He served as a Corporal and is reported to have died of wounds inflicted during SAS operations near Benghazi.
DUNNE, Philip Russell Rendell
EDSALL, Keith Valentine
ETHELSTONE, Harry
Private Harry Ethelstone was reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations at Crete, later found to be a prisoner of war. Originally shown on Casualty Lists as No.7 Commando attached 'A Bn., Layforce this was amended to No.8 Commando attached 'A' Bn., Layforce.
FASSAM, Joseph William

FEEBERY, Cyril

FLAHERTY, Robert Henry
GALL, Victor, G.

GILLINGHAM, Reginald John
GOLDSMITH, Ernest Edward William Frederick
GOODE, Frederick Charles

Corporal Goode from Birmingham was captured on 3 August 1942 during operations in Burma with Special Service Detachment 2. Previously served with the Commandos in the Middle East. Liberated from Rangoon Jail in 1945.
HANBURY-TRACY, Richard Algernon Frederick
HARROLD, Edward Thomas Hornsby
HEADLAND, Thomas Herbert
Lance Sergeant Thomas Headland died as a result of an accident during operations in Syria. Son of John Robert and Eliza Elisabeth Headland, of Woodford, Northamptonshire.
Sources
CWGC.
Casualty Lists 1939-45 / National Archives file WO 417/30.
HEARN, William Herbert
HILDYARD, Thomas Fenton
HUGHES, George
Post war member of the Commando Association from North Wales
Sources
Commando Association newsletter 51 (1970).
JENKINS, W.G.
KEALY, Michael Robert Bayley
LACEY, Leonard Frank
LAWRENCE, Christie Norman
Christie Norman Lawrence was commissioned Second Lieutenant 9 March 1940. Reported missing 2 June 1941 during operations in Crete later confirmed to be a prisoner of war. He escaped and joined General Mihailovic's Chetnik Forces in Yugoslavia. Later recaptured and transported to Germany.
LAYCOCK, Robert Edward

Born 1907; educated at Eton College and Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst; joined Royal Horse Guards, Mar 1927, 2nd Lt, 1927; Lt 1930; Capt 1934; married Angela Claire Louise (née Dudley Ward), 1935; instructor on anti-gas and air defence measures, School of Military Engineering, Chatham, Dec 193
LEWES, John Steel
LILLEY, Ernest Thomas
He had previously served in No. 8 Commando [2].
MAYNARD, John Edward Trestrail

MCDOUGALL, William Lawrence
MCKAY, Alec


MILLER, John
MOORE, Sidney Henry
O'REILLY, John Myles
O'SHEA, James Andrew
PORTESS, George Thomas
Guardsman George Thomas was reported a prisoner of war in 1942 during operations in Cyrenaica. Post war member of the Commando Association from Brigg, Lincolnshire.
PROWSE, Alfred Charles
RICHARDSON, Arthur
RILEY, Charles George Gibson
SCANES, Lewis Ralph
SENIOR, Fred

SHERWOOD, James Barlow Brookes

SHORTALL, James Patrick
SILLETT, Thomas John
SLADE, E.A.H.
SMITH, Henry John
SMITH, Lionel Eric
Post war member of the Commando Association from Farnborough, Hampshire.
Sources
Obituaries in Commando Association newsletter 86 (1988).
SMITH, William James
STAPLES, Montague
STONE, Sidney James
Sergeant Sidney Stone was serving with "L" Detachment, S.A.S. Bde Special Air Service Regiment, A.A.C. at the time of his death, having previously served in No. 8 Commando.
SUTHERLAND, David George Carr (Lt Col)
TANNER, Ralph Esmond Selby
TERRY, John Leslie
TUFNELL, Kenneth Edward Mortimer
15 February 1943 Tunisia 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards awarded the Military Cross having left the Commando. Post war member of the Commando Association.
WELLS, Percy Arthur
WILSON, Robert
WRIGHT, Henry Walter

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