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Commando: Memoirs of a Fighting Commando in World War Two

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In 1940, shortly after the disaster at Dunkirk, the British Army commenced the formation of the Commando units. With Winston Churchill's enthusiastic blessing, volunteers were called for, men of "the hunter class", ...to form special raiding companies that would harass the German occupation forces in Europe. Volunteers were to be the sort of men who had exceptional initiative, physical-fitness, and tenacity. This was a signifigant step in establishing modern military special-operations, and the Commandos' influence in that field is still evident 70 years later.

Here we have the account of the very first volunteer, John Durnford-Slater. Originally an artillery officer, Durnford-Slater formed #3 Commando, the first of many such units to form in Britain's armed forces. 3 Commando made the first awkward raid on Guernsey, followed by significantly more successful actions in Norway (Lofoten, Largs, Vaagso). 3 Commando participated in the disasterous raid on Dieppe, and narrowly escaped being completely destroyed at sea, when a patrol of German naval vessels shredded their ship and landing-boats. 3 Commando prevailed, to see action in North Africa, Italy, France, and eventually Germany.

With much affection for his personnel, Durnford-Slater's narrative is generously supplied with anecdotes and reminiscences, both humorous and tragic, of the many exceptional and valorous men who served under his command:

-Bill Lloyd: Both of his ankles were broken by the blast of a mortar bomb (one ankle had a compound fracture!), while fighting in Sicily. He mounted a bicycle, ...and continued to lead his Commandos in an attack! Sadly, he died on that mission.
-Peter Long: Captured during the fighting in Sicily, he later escaped from a p.o.w. camp in CENTRAL GERMANY, ...and actually managed to trek all the way through occupied Europe to Gibraltar, ...and returned to #3 Commando!
-Three other Commandos who had been captured on Sicily, escaped from the p.o.w. train in the Brenner Pass. They walked some 600 miles across Italy to rejoin the Allied forces!
-Jack Churchill: An eccentric modern-day warrior, he was originally Durnford-Slater's Executive Officer. Armed only with a Scottish broadsword, "Mad Jack" captured German personnel on Vaagso. He also made the only confirmed archery kill of the war, shooting a sentry with his longbow, on another mission.
Jack Churchill was later appointed to command #2 Commando.

What an epic tale!

In the memoirs of Brigadier John Durnford -Slater titled "Commando", the reader gets an epic story of war and ascension through the ranks of one of the Allies most elite organizations. Slater is a soldier's soldier and his attitude towards king and country is exemplary concerning the elite Commando units of the British Army.

His book is also a multi-faceted look at nearly the entire length of England's war against Germany. Slater provides a look at the war as both the ground level commando engaging the enemy in daring raids, as well as the upper level Brigadier consorting with England's most prestigious generals and dignitaries such as Monty and Churchill. He does this with an obvious pride in serving with the best his country has to offer, but also lacking the pretension and pomposity that many associated with senior level British officers. Though Slater is extremely disciplined, he is essentially an innovator who often butted heads with some of the priggish Generals who he repeatedly refers to as "obstructionists.''

At Churchill's insistence, Slater and his fellow Commandos would become groundbreaking practitioners of the amphibious assault, deep penetration raid, close quarters combat, able to handle any specialized or difficult task. After reading Slater's account, it becomes clear that much of the amphibious strategy that was used on D Day and even in the Pacific was tested with Commandos with their daring raids in Norway. They truly were the pioneers that laid the framework for the Allied counteroffensive that was to win the war. The Commandos also served an essentially abstract purpose, in that they provided the English people with hope after the crushing defeat of 1940. The raids were huge morale boosters and the exploits of Commandos were highly publicized throughout England and other Allied countries.

Slater was a career officer in the British Army stationed in India and was serving in an artillery unit in England during Dunkirk. His fervor to fight is apparent from the outset as he dashes to his commanders after learning of the formation of elite Commando units. He is given control of Number 3 Commando and they go to work immediately with a raid on a French island off of Normandy. The lack of preparation truly showed, and nothing of value was accomplished. It is not until these units were properly trained and bonded together that any positive results were produced from the raids, initially in Norway at Lofoten and Vaagso. There is some fierce combat in the later, as the author and his men get to implement their groundbreaking tactics and theories that would essentially be grandfather to America's Ranger and Seal outfits.

Slater and his men also see action at Dieppe, although this doomed raid was perhaps only valuable in the lessons learned about the dangers of a cross channel attack. Soon the men are shifted to the Mediterranean theatre, were they are absorbed by 8th Army comprised of regular infantry Divisions, but would serve like the Airborne Divisions in spearheading the assault with daring attacks developed from the many Commando raids. Slater's account of Sicily is probably the best combat section as his men attempt to hold a bridge on the Catania road in the early days of the island battle.

After Sicily, Slater is celebrated as a true leader of men and promoted to lead a Commando Brigade in Italy, before returning to prepare for D Day. There are some great pages from fellow Commando Peter Young describing the assault at Sword Beach, but most of the NW Europe campaign is from the General's perspective, unlike the early part of Slater's war. A great and groundbreaking memoir.