Commandos (United Kingdom)

The Commandos, also known as the British Commandos, were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from Winston Churchill, for special forces that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe. Initially drawn from within the British Army from soldiers who volunteered for the Special Service Brigade, the Commandos' ranks would eventually be filled by members of all branches of the British Armed Forces and a number of foreign volunteers from German-occupied countries. By the end of the war 25,000 men had passed through the Commando course at Achnacarry. This total includes not only the British volunteers, but volunteers from Greece, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Poland, and the United States Army Rangers and US Marine Corps Raiders, which were modelled on the Commandos. Reaching a wartime strength of over 30 units and four assault brigades, the Commandos served in all theatres of war from the Arctic Circle to Europe and from the Mediterranean and Middle East to South-East Asia. Their operations ranged from small groups of men landing from the sea or by parachute, to a brigade of assault troops spearheading the Allied invasions of Europe and Asia. After the war most Commando units were disbanded, leaving only the 3 Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines. The modern Royal Marine Commandos, Parachute Regiment, Special Air Service, British Army commandos and the Special Boat Service trace their origins to the Commandos. The Second World War Commando legacy also extends to mainland Europe and the United States: the French Commandos Marine; Dutch Korps Commandotroepen; Belgian Special Operations Regiment; the Greek 1st Raider–Paratrooper Brigade; and the United States Army Rangers were influenced by the wartime Commandos. The British Commandos were a formation of the British Armed Forces organised for special service in June 1940.

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