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COMBINED OPERATIONS
WEBSITE - MAIN
INDEX
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Links to around 150 pages about Combined
Operations in alphabetical order by subject matter (text links below)... or
try A-Z or the National flags.
- Combined Operations Pages
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Other Pages -
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Main Headings |
Web Pages - Click on
Blue Links to Open |
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Wolfe's Combined
Operation. |
How Wolfe's raid on Quebec in 1759 unwittingly set the
ground rules
for successful amphibious Combined Operations. |
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What is a Combined Operation? |
Brief description of a Combined Operation for those new to the subject.
The term Joint Forces Operations is used to describe similar operations
today. |
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No 1
Commando |
A brief history of No 1 Commando
from its formation in July 1940 to disbandment in 1946. |
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No 4
Commando |
A brief history of No 4 Commando from its formation on 4 March 1941
to disbandment in July 1945. |
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No 5 Commando |
A brief history of No 5 Commando
from formation in July 1940 to disbandment in January 1947. |
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No 9
Commando |
A brief history of No 9 Commando from their formation in
the summer of 1940 to disbandment in late 1946. |
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No
11 (Scottish) Commando - The Black Hackle |
No 11 (Scottish) Commando was formed in
July 1940. Its members were dispersed to other Commando units a little
over a year later. However, much of great interest was packed into this
period as this
20,000 word history by Graham Lappin describes. |
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45 (RM)
Commando |
This account of the early years of 45 Royal Marine Commando
draws heavily on the official publication 'The Story of 45 Royal Marine
Commando' written by the 45's officers and published privately for members of
the unit and their relatives. The book covers the history of the unit from its
formation in August 1943 until it returned from Germany in June 1945. The
account here concentrates on the amphibious landings on the beaches of Normandy
and the immediate aftermath. Intermingled with this account is the story of Marine Bernard
Charles Sydney Fenton provided by his son Bernard.
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Royal
Naval Commando (The Beach Commandos) |
Early amphibious raids by Army Commandos between l940 and
l942 proved a need for better intelligence on the landing beaches and
better control of the movement of men, vehicles and supplies on the
beaches during raids and landings. |
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Royal
Air Servicing Commandos |
Recruited from RAF service personnel by notices posted
at RAF Stations.. 'Volunteers wanted in all trades for units to be formed to
service aircraft under hazardous conditions.' ... i.e. on or near the
front line! |
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W Commando |
The story of Canada's Juno beach Commandos from training
in Scotland to Normandy on D-Day and beyond. |
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HQ
Ships |
HQ Ships. The vital Command, Control & Communications
role of Headquarters Ships off Normandy and during other amphibious landings.
They were technological marvels of the day. |
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Operation Overlord |
D Day, June 6 1944! Operation Overlord was the
culmination of years of planning and training by Combined Operation
planners along with others, notably the USA. |
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See Landing Craft
Below |
Most, if not all, accounts of Landing Craft include a
description of their role in the Normandy Landings. |
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Fighter Direction Tenders (FDTs) |
The story of the 3 radar, communications
and intelligence gathering vessels off the beaches of Normandy in June 1944 -
Fighter Direction Tenders (FDTs) 13, 216 & 217. |
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Diary of a Leading Aircraftsman |
These extracts
cover the service of LAC Leslie Armitage
on board Fighter Direction Tender (FDT)
216 off the American beaches of Utah and Omaha over a 10 day period from
June 5 1944. |
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Mulberry
Harbours |
The Allies needed secure sheltered harbour facilities within
days of the Normandy landings to supply their advancing forces until ports like Cherbourg were
captured. How did they erect two harbours, each the size of Dover, in just a few days
in wartime, when Dover took 7 years to construct in peacetime? |
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P.L.U.T.O |
The Pipeline Under
the Ocean was designed to supply petrol from storage tanks in southern England
to the advancing Allied armies in France in the months following D-Day.
This page tells the story of the planning, development, testing and
installation of the pipelines and of the contribution of PLUTO to the war effort. |
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Coastal Command's Anti-sub patrols |
Coastal Command's Anti-Submarine patrols on the
flanks of Combined Operations. |
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Royal Observer Corp Seaborne Ops |
796 talented people of the ROC participated in the D-Day
landings. They were, however, not part of the Combined Operations Command but
their uniforms comprised aspects of all three services.
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Normandy Poems |
5 thoughtful poems about
aspects of the Normandy landings. |
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Veterans' Photo Gallery |
Photos of veterans taken in recent times mostly at commemoration events. |
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Infamous Commando Order
[Hitler] |
As a result of an unfortunate incident on the
island of Sark a number of German soldiers
were shot with their hands tied behind their
backs. This apparent execution by a
Commando raiding party incensed Hitler who shortly afterwards issued his
infamous Commando Order.
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Western Front
Preparations
[Hitler] |
Hitler's Directive 51 - preparations for the
anticipated invasion from the west. This
ordered the transfer of men and materials from
the eastern front because the greater, and more immediate threat, was in the
west. |
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The Gratitude
of a Nation [Churchill] |
An expression of a Nation's
gratitude for the role of Combined Operations in planning and training for
the amphibious aspects of D-Day. |
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Insignia
Design & Development |
A
copy of an article entitled 'The Combined Operations
Badge, 1942-1946' by Terry Carney based on research
carried out at the National Archive, Kew,
London. Includes many drawings of early design ideas. |
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Insignia
Specimens |
Over 50 images of Combined Operations Insignia from the early 1940s to
the present day including some from overseas. Lieut D A Grant,
who suggested the design, could not have known how its use would spread around the
world and how it would endure over the decades to the present day. |
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Insignia in Use |
Old photos of veterans, tattooed arm, ship's funnel, scaled model
of craft,
Christmas card, Commando certificate etc - all clearly show the
ubiquitous Combined Operations Insignia in use. If you have any examples you're happy to share, please send them in
with a brief note for possible addition to this page. |
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Explanatory Note |
LCTs [Landing Craft Tank] were generally medium sized
landing craft which carried troops, tanks, lorries, equipment and
supplies directly onto the enemy held beaches. LSTs [Landing Ship Tank]
performed a similar role but were much larger and often carried small
Landing Craft Assault (LCAs) to the landing area before lowering them
into the water for their final approach to the beaches under their own
power. |
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9th LCT
Flotilla |
In Oct 1944 6 LCTs foundered off Lands End while under
tow with the loss of over 50 lives. This is the tragic story of "The
Lost LCT Flotilla." |
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814 HMLCV(P)
Flotilla |
814 HM Landing Craft Vehicle (Personnel) [814 HMLCV(P)] Flotilla took part in the D-Day landings.
These are the recollections and impressions of former Royal Marine Roy Nelson. |
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HDML 1301 |
The role of Harbour Defence Motor Launch 1301
in Operation Brassard, the invasion of Elba, and its
subsequent service and return to Holland for restoration. |
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HM LCT 318 |
This is the story of one Landing Craft Tank seen through the eyes of the
craft's electrician. It
saw action off
Dieppe, North Africa, Sicily, Italy and
Normandy. After such an illustrious wartime service the end came from an
unexpected source. This Mk3 HMLCT 318 was built by Teesside Bridge and Engineering Company and
launched on February 14th 1942. |
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HMLCT(4) 749 |
H.M. Landing Craft Tank 749 - HMLCT(4) 749 was
involved in the first assault wave onto Gold Beach on the morning of D-Day. It
was part of the 28th LCT Flotilla ‘D’ LCT Squadron. Its cargo
included specially adapted tanks (known as Hobart's Funnies) for the clearance
of beach obstacles in advance of troop landings. This was hazardous work
undertaken before enemy resistance in the area of the landing beaches
had been cleared. |
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HM LCT
795 |
This is the story
of HMLCT 795 from early training to D-Day and beyond seen through the eyes of the craft's electrician.
From the hazardous work off Normandy, where experiences shared bonded
the crew together, to an unexpected event that dispersed them without
ceremony. The author never met any of them again. |
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HM LCT 821 |
On D-Day Signalman
Eric J.
Loseby served with His Majesty's
Landing Craft Tank 821 of the 42nd
Flotilla of ‘I’ Squadron Landing Craft. This is his story. From training and over-wintering in the cold waters
around Scotland's northern shores to undertaking running repairs while
stranded on a Normandy beach, there were many hardships and dangers.
The common purpose of these non
specialised landing craft was to transport
the Allied armies, their weapons, equipment and supplies across the English
Channel. |
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HM LCT 861 |
HMLCT 861 was a unit of the 38th Flotilla of Assault
Group S3 Support Squadron. Their task on D-Day was to support the first
assault wave by providing withering fire onto enemy targets on or near
to the landing beaches and thereafter to discharge their cargo of tanks
and men onto the beaches. |
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HM
LCT 980 |
HMLCT 980 was one of hundreds of similar
vessels that saw action on the Normandy beaches in June 1944 and again at
Walcheren in Holland in Nov 1944. It gives a good description of the vessel, its
specifications, life
onboard after the action was over including
an ignominious end on the Thames.
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HM LCT 1171 & HM LCH 75 |
1171 survived the Normandy landings but broke her back,
split in two and sank on a routine return trip to UK shores. 75 was a HQ
vessel fitted out for Far East Service. The atomic bombs halted her
journey in the Middle East. A remarkable trip to the USA followed to
return this US owned vessel to its owners. |
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HM LCT 2304 |
D-Day. Two views of the same events from
the perspectives of a British Navy landing craft crew and their
'cargo' of US Army soldiers. |
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HM LCT 2331 |
- ditto - |
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HM LST427 |
A Photo Gallery of 49 rare photographs of 427 in action off Sicily,
Italy and Normandy.
The photographs were taken by Temporary Acting Lieutenant
Commander W.G.E. Rawlinson RNVR who commanded 427 during 1943- 45.
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HM LCF |
Landing Craft Flack bristled with gun turrets to
provide anti aircraft cover for other vessels off enemy held landing beaches. On
first seeing his craft the author mistook her for local bomb damage! A
light-hearted and humorous style belies the very dangerous situations he
found himself in and the death and destruction he witnessed. |
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HM LCF 7 |
The author faced death on many occasions and witnessed
much carnage. But, as he walked down LCF7s gangplank for the last time
with the thanks of the Captain and his fellow officers ringing in his
ears, he gave the customs officer a deferential wink and stepped ashore
with a heavy heart. |
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HM LBK 6 |
His Majesty's Landing Barge Kitchen 6 (HMLBK 6) provided
hot food off the Normandy beaches and continued in Navy use into the
21st century. On the LBK web page it is seen departing Portsmouth Naval
Base at 13.30 hours on May 10th 2007 under tow of a marine tug out of
Itchen. Read on to find out what happened next. |
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Landing Craft Support Squadron |
Support landing craft in the form of LCGs, LCFs and LCRs
(guns, flack and rockets) provided fire power to soften up entrenched
enemy positions on and near the beaches in advance of troop landings.
This account provides an insight into the establishment of a support
flotilla and its deployment. |
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Landing Craft
Squadron |
This is an incisive and often amusing account of a Landing
Craft Tank Squadron from early training in the harsh, cold winter of
1943/44 in the Moray Firth in Scotland to the hazardous landings on the
Normandy beaches on D-Day June 6 1944. It's told by the late Lieutenant
Commander of the squadron, MOW Miller, RN, later Commander. |
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LCA, LCM & LCI (L) |
Canadian Kendal Kidder trained and served on different
types of small landing craft;
Landing Craft Assault (LCA) Landing Craft Mechanised
(LCM) Landing Craft Infantry Large LCI (L). Their purpose and functions
are described on the web page. |
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LCS(M)s of the 524 LCA Flotilla |
LCS(M)s were manned by Royal Marines. Their primary task
was to assist in the establishment of beachheads for the oncoming waves of
regular troops about to land. Until the beaches and their environs were cleared
of the enemy the Royal Marines were exposed to heavy fire. |
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LST HMS Misoa |
Taken from
the shallow
waters of Venezuela's Lake Maracaibo
in South America, Misoa saw service off N
Africa, Pantellaria, Sicily, Italy and Normandy. These
are the wartime memories of a young Royal Navy
seaman who served on her. Although his ship didn't have the sleek lines and style of a cruiser, it
came through many actions relatively unscathed. |
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HM
LST Thruster |
HMLST(1) Thruster was built by Harland
and Wolf, Belfast, Northern Ireland and launched on September 24th 1942. She later took part
in the invasions of Sicily, Salerno, Anzio and Southern France. The
photographs on this page are a rare record of those times when the taking of
such photos was banned. |
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HMS
Royal Ulsterman |
An ex English Channel Ferry used to carry tanks, lorries,
men and equipment directly onto the beaches. Saw action off North
Africa, Pantellaria, Sicily, Italy and Normandy. |
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HMS
Empire Battleaxe |
The 'Empire' ships were built to carry eighteen LCAs
[Landing Craft Assault] and to accommodate about one thousand troops.
The LCAs were lowered over the side with troops and their light
equipment already on board. Interestingly, US procedures lowered the
LCAs empty with troops going over the side of the mother ship using
scrambling nets. |
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D-Day Landings |
A general overview of the role of landing craft off the 5
landing beaches of Normandy. Includes many of the above plus Landing
Craft Tank (Armoured) [LCT(A)], Landing Craft Tank (High Explosives)
[LCT (HE)], Landing Craft Tank (Rocket) [LCT(R)], Landing Craft Assault
Mortars [LCA(HR)]. Also includes individual harrowing stories. |
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D-Day
Assault Convoy G6 |
A routine enquiry about
RN
Able Seaman Norman Kenwood, recorded lost at sea on June 6th 1944 from
Landing Craft Assault 591 (LCA 591)
led the LST and Landing Craft Association into uncharted waters.
The end result of was a correction to the Commonwealth War Grave
Commission's records. |
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Landing Craft from
a Canadian Perspective |
A comprehensive, often humorous account
of life on a Landing Craft in the UK, Africa, and Europe from the
perspective of a young Canadian volunteer. Lloyd Evans
packed more experience of life into just a few years than most young
people today pack into a lifetime. Although there were times of rest and
relaxation always present was the next unknown mission with moments of
great danger. |
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Operation Tiger |
The
Disaster in Lyme Bay.
A pre D-Day landing craft training exercise
which was to culminate in the loss of 749 American lives. |
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New
LCAs |
Rare photographs of newly completed Landing Craft Assault (LCAs) being handed over to
the Royal Navy by builders Elliotts of Reading, Berkshire, England. It is
believed the photographs were taken in September 1944. |
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USS
LST 28 |
The story of a United States Landing Ship Tank and a crew
member. |
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USS LCT (R) |
A first hand account of the use and deployment of United
States Landing Craft Tank (Rocket) vessels in WW2 as told by a Group
Commander. These craft were most effective in launching hundreds of
explosive projectiles onto enemy held beaches just minutes ahead of
Allied troops landing. Timing and accuracy were of the essence. |
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USS LCI(L)
502 |
USS LCI(L) 502 carried 196 Officers an men of the Durham Light Infantry to
Gold Beach on the wild and windy morning of June 6th 1944. This account is based
on the writings and recollections of John P Cummer and information from the
craft's Deck Log. |
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ROC - Royal
Observer Corp |
Although not part of Combined Operations The Royal Observer Corp
provided vital early identification of approaching enemy ships and
planes for Allied gunners.
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HMS COPRA |
The name of HMS COPRA is often used in pay records
and even grave stones. The significance of the term is explained
here. |
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Operations and Units. |
Appeals for information about specific operations,
Commando and other units. |
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Veterans. |
Appeals for information about individual Combined
Operations veterans. |
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Other. |
Appeals for information of a general nature. |
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Poetry Page |
1). 5 thoughtful poems about
aspects of the Normandy landings. |
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2). Commando Memorial. In memory of the 1,700
Commandos who died in action. |
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Suez |
The Suez landing was the first
Combined Operation to use helicopters. One
Regimental Signaller with the Royal Artillery
remembers. |
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Training
in Germany 1947 - 1950 |
A photo gallery of 24
photos.
All the photos were taken on Combined Operations manoeuvres at Ekernforde in
Schleswick Holstein in northern Germany in early 1948. |
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21
Raids & Landings |
Raids &
landings in chronological order from
Operation
Catapult
at
Mers-el-Kebir on
4/7/40 to
Operation Infatuate at Walcheren
1-8 November 1944. |
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Landing
Craft |
All the landing craft operations listed above were involved
in raids and landings. Just click on the link opposite to see the web
pages concerned. |
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Operation Starkey |
The invasion
that never was. The war years are littered with stories of deception
designed to confuse the enemy. Systematic bombing of selected
targets over several weeks in late August and early September 1943 and
an invasion armada of empty ships were the key elements. |
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Small
Scale Raiding Force (SSRF) |
They specialised in "pinprick" raids on the coast of Northern France and the
Channel Islands. They were designed to demoralise German
troops as well as tying up enemy resources that would otherwise
be used more effectively on other fronts. |
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HDML 1301 |
The role of Harbour Defence Motor Launch 1301
in Operation Brassard, the invasion of Elba its post war
service and return to Holland for restoration. |
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No 3 Commando |
The No 3
Commando Re-enactment Group is based in the
south west of Scotland. It has an educational
bias in addition to participating in
re-enactment (living history) events and
displays. The group aims to inform and educate
people of all ages about one of the most
critical periods in our history - the Second
World War. |
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No
10 Inter Allied (IA) Commando. |
Click on the link to visit
their website in Holland. |
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Scottish
Military Re-enactment Society |
SMRS is based in the south and east of
Scotland.
Units within SMRS include: a Combined Operations Section in
particular the Small Scale Raiding Force, the Special Operations Executive,
Airborne (British and American), Infantry, Royal Navy, Home Guard and the Auxiliary
Territorial Service. |
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Commemorative Commando March |
A number of Commando re-enactment groups come
together for the Annual
Commemorative Commando March from Achnacarry to Spean
Bridge. |
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Fighter
Direction Tenders (FDTs) |
The story of the 3 radar, communications
and intelligence gathering vessels off the beaches of Normandy in June 1944 -
Fighter Direction Tenders (FDTs) 13, 216 & 217. |
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Mulberry
Harbours |
The Allies needed secure sheltered harbour facilities within
days of the Normandy landings to supply their advancing forces until ports like Cherbourg were
captured. How did they erect two harbours, each the size of Dover, in just a few days
in wartime, when Dover took 7 years to construct in peacetime? It was a civil
engineering project of immense size and complexity. |
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PLUTO |
The Pipeline Under
the Ocean was designed to supply petrol from storage tanks in southern England
to the advancing Allied armies in France in the months following D-Day.
This page tells the story of the planning, development, testing and
installation of the pipelines and of the contribution of PLUTO to the war effort. |
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PLUTO Manufacture |
Many companies were involved in the manufacture of
machines which, in turn, would manufacture the pipeline. This page
provides information on some of the major players. |
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PLUTO
Salvaged |
The recovery of PLUTO from the depths of the
English Channel
was the mother of all salvage operations - dangerous, arduous and
huge! There were 21 pipelines and after two years work almost 800 miles were recovered for recycling. |
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Navigational Aids |
Navigational aids helped landing craft locate their target beaches
especially at night. Accurate
navigation was vital to all amphibious Combined Operations otherwise well
researched and rehearsed plans would disintegrate into chaos with potentially
disastrous consequences. This account by Commander Philip Noel tells of his
involvement in navigational experiments while based for 5 years at HMS
Saunders, a RN base that was part of the Combined Training Centre Middle
East at Kabret on the Little Bitter Lake, Egypt. |
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Ice Ships in the
Rockies! |
The improbable but true story of a top
secret WW2 project to build ships from a mixture of ice and sawdust. Behold ye among the heathen, and regard and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye
will not believe, though it be told to you. So reads a biblical quotation from the book of Habakkuk ... a name adopted by the top secret project
to build ice ships. |
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574 FSS |
It's likely that Field
Security Section of 3 Special Service Brigade did not operate directly under
the Combined Operations Command. However, where 574's activities
involved amphibious landings, or raids, Commando support was often
provided... as in the case of the main 'snatching' operation described
on this page. |
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SSRF |
The Small Scale Raiding Force specialised in "pinprick" raids on the coast of Northern France and the
Channel Islands. They were designed to demoralise German
troops as well as tying up enemy resources that would otherwise
be used more effectively on other fronts. |
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COPPs |
Combined Operations Assault Pilotage Parties. They risked
their lives to gather information about proposed landing beaches and
in-shore waters usually under the noses of enemy coastal defences
including land and sea patrols. |
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UK Training Establishments |
Combined Operations training in WW2 was primarily concerned with
preparing allied forces for the amphibious invasion of mainland Europe. There
were 45 separate establishments listed, mainly in the west of Scotland and the south of
England, all of which served to fill particular training needs. |
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No
1 Combined Training Centre |
Around 250,000 personnel passed through
the portals of the training centre from 1940 to 1944. At any one time up
to 15,000 service personnel were billeted in the area. The impact on the
small community of 500 can only be imagined! |
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CTC Middle East |
The Combined Training
Centre (CTC) Middle East at Kabret, on the Egypt's Little Bitter Lake, was the first Combined Operations
Training Establishment located outside the United Kingdom. Its purpose was
to train RN personnel in the operation of landing craft and together with
the troops of many Allied nations, to practice amphibious landings prior
to operations against the enemy in the Mediterranean. Its associated naval
base, HMS Saunders, was commissioned in March 1941 (under the
name of HMS Stag (Division K) with Commander RKC Pope DSO, RN in command. |
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Middle East Signals Training |
Signals Training in the Middle East was undertaken at HMS Saunders
a Royal Navy shore base which formed part of The Combined Training
Centre (CTC) Middle East at Kabret on Egypt's Little Bitter Lake. It was
the first Combined Operations Training Establishment located outside the
United Kingdom. Its purpose was to train RN personnel in the operation
of landing craft and, together with the troops of many Allied nations,
to practice amphibious landings prior to operations against the enemy in
the Mediterranean. This page concentrates on Signals Training. |
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HMS Brontosaurus |
This page provides information about HMS Brontosaurus,
Castle Toward, Dunoon, Argyll, otherwise known as the No 2 Combined
Training Centre and CTC Castle Toward (pronounced as in coward).
The centre was located at Toward Point 6mls south of Dunoon on the Clyde.
Includes many photos. |
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516 Combined Operations Squadron |
RAF air support for Combined Operations training
in amphibious landings was provided by 516 Sqd. Both the training and the squadron were located at
Dundonald,
Ayrshire
in the
south west of Scotland. |
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1st Canadian Corps |
This account of Combined Operations training
at the No 1 CTC Inveraray is presented in two parts; the first a report from official
Canadian war records and the second the personal recollections of a
Canadian war artist. |
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Small
Landing Craft |
One Canadian
volunteer's training in small landing craft operations. Thousands of
landing craft of many different kinds, together with a well trained
force of Navy personnel to operate them, were essential for any major
seaborne landing against entrenched enemy positions. |
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Combined Operations
Pilot |
516 Combined Ops Squadron was
attached to Combined Operations to provide air support during
amphibious training exercises, calibration of radar etc. These are
the memories of New Zealander, Doug Shears. |
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US Ranger to British
Commando |
How the war of 20 year old USA citizen G W McCurdy was changed by a late night
in a Belfast city pub!
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Inveraray in Wartime |
In the early to mid 1940s the small
Scottish town of Inveraray was host to an estimated quarter of a million men undergoing Combined Operations training in
amphibious landing techniques on the shores of Loch Fyne. These are the personal recollections of these
times compiled by three local residents. |
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Occupation of Walcheren |
Jan
H. Wigard of Walcheren, Holland was a small boy when he lived
through the trauma of the German occupation. This is his story. |
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