Sigh, dont ya hate that when you type and edit a long post and get an error when you hit send!

{by the way, if anyone knows where I can find WWII photos on line that have British forces (brens and stens and gammon bombs oh my) do let me know!}

LordLovat was my old Close Combat forum name, so I kept it on here. Hence I was searching for a signature that had a British bent. As many of you know the Rangers were formed as an elite unit based on the original British Commandos. So I thought this would be of some interest:

No 4 COMMANDO

Lofoten Islands 1941, Boulogne 1942, Dieppe Raids 1942, Normandy Landings, D-DAY 1944, Dives Crossing, Flushing, North West Europe 1944-1945.

The original army Commandos were formed in World War Two at a time when Britain's fortunes were at their lowest ebb.

In March 1941, No 4, together with No 3 Commando, carried out its first major raid on the Lofoten Islands, Norwegian Territories within the Arctic Circle occupied by the Nazis. Landing with complete surprise, the raiders destroyed several factories producing glycerine for munitions, captured over 200 German prisoners and brought back volunteers for the Norwegian forces in Britain. It was a very successful operation.

Later that year Lord Lovat was promoted and took over command whilst another distinguished officer in No 4, Lt Col. Charles Vaughan, left to establish and command the famous Commando Training Centre at Achnacarry in Scotland.

A number of planned raids were cancelled at the last moment, but on the night of 21/22 April 1942 a successful reconnaissance raid was carried out at Hardelot near Boulogne, on the coast of occupied France. On the 19 August 1942 No 4 Commando played an important part in the ill-fated raid on Dieppe, their target being a coastal battery at Varengeville. There the Commando, under the command of Lord Lovat carried out a classic operation, completely destroying the guns and annihilating the garrison. Their assault was the only success of this sad day, and in this action Captain P A Porteous won the Victoria Cross for bravery.

On 2 April 1943 Lt Col Robert Dawson, who had first joined No 4 Commando as a Lieutenant in its early days, became the Commanding Officer when Lord Lovat was promoted, with the rank of Brigadier to command the 1st Special Services Brigade, later known as Commando Brigade.

May 1943 saw No 4 Commando on the move yet again, this time to Falmouth in Cornwall where the Commando took part in a cliff assault exercise "BRANDYBALL" on 7 June near St Ives. The purpose of this exercise was to prove that a force of men could be landed by the navy on a shore so rocky and high that it would be undefended. The navy said that such a landing would be impossible. The Commando proved them wrong and observers from all the services, including General Sir Bernard Montgomery, were most impressed.

On 16 April 1944 troops of the French Commandos, commanded by Commandant Phillippe Kieffer joined No 4 Commando at Bexhill and on 25 May 1944 they all departed for Camp 18 near Southampton, prior to embarkation for France.

On D-Day, 6 June, No 4 Commando landed from HMS Princess Astrid and HMS Maid of Orleans on the Normandy beaches at Ouistreham Riva Bella, whilst the remainder of the Brigade, under the command of Lord Lovat proceeded to fight their way inland to link with 6th Airborne Division, who had dropped to capture the bridges over the Caen Canal and the River Orne at Benouville. No 4 Commando captured the town of Ouistreham before following on to join the rest of the Brigade at the bridges and to form a bridgehead with the 6th Airborne Division over the River Orne in the area of Le Plein, Hauger/Amfreville/Breville/Ranville. There during the following weeks, they successfully held the line, repulsing many German counter attacks, but unfortunately casualties were high.

On 10 June Commandant Phillippe Kieffer, of the French Commandos, was wounded and evacuated. Two days later Lord Lovat was seriously wounded and his place was taken by Lt Col Derek Mills-Roberts, CO of No 6 Commando, who had previously been the Second in Command of No 4. On 19 August, No 4 Commando fought its way to the outskirts of Beuzeville and there on 26 August they were withdrawn from the fighting, having been continuously in action for a period of 82 days.

Subsequently No 4 Commando returned to England to reform, but in October were back in Europe at Den Haan, Belgium to join the 4th Special Service Brigade.

On 1 November 1944 this brigade, consisting of No 4 Army Commando and three Royal Marine Commandos under the command of Brigadier B W Leicester, attacked the island of Walcheren off the Dutch coast to open up the approaches to the port of Antwerp. No 4 Commando was given the daunting task of making a frontal attack on the port of Flushing. This attack was so successful it was acclaimed as a classic example of Commando warfare. The greater part of Flushing was captured by No 4 Commando who showed once more all the dash and skill which had won them the glory at Varengeville, Ouistreham and the holding of the line in Normandy.

Following this assault the Commando held a line in Holland based on various islands off the Dutch coast and subsequently continued to serve in Germany until after VE Day, returning to England when the Commando was officially disbanded on 1 March 1946.
In its raids and operations from 1940 to the end of the war, officers and men won many decorations and awards for bravery and devotion to duty, including not only the Victoria Cross and other British military honours, but also the French Legion D'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre. Sir Winston Churchill aptly summed up their deeds when he unveiled the Commando Memorial in Westminster Abbey 1947 with these words:

"We may feel sure that nothing of which we have any knowledge or records has ever been done by mortal men, which surpasses the splendour and daring of their feats of arms. Truly we may say of them `When shall their glory fade'."