British Commandos in WW2: Striking The Unsuspecting Germans

Описание: The stunning fall of Western Europe would lead Churchill and the other military leaders to go back to the drawing board. And using the newly created British commando units would launch their first raid in OPeration Collar just a few weeks after the disastrous evacuation from Dunkirk.

Welcome to my series on the British Commando Operations and we will be covering the raids conducted by the highly trained soldiers when the Allies were desperate for any form of victories. The military purpose and aim for these operations would be to strike hard and fast and be able to withdraw before the Germans would be able to mass enough forces to counter attack.

Unit No 11 Independent Company would be selected for the crucial first mission of the unit and training would intensify after the French and Germans signed the Second Amistice At Copiegne on June 22nd 1940.

The mission to raid occupied France would mean the Unit No 11 would move to the south coast city of Southampton. The unit would train and conduct exercises using the River Hamble. It was during these exercises that they discovered the boats the commanods has weren’t sufficient and would require the use of RAF air rescue boats.

The raid on the french coast would aim to strike at four French beaches with around 115 total men. The assault would be further broken down into four different landings. The target beaches would be at Le Touqet, Stella Plage, Berck and Neufchatel-Hardelot. The commando’s were instructed to spend no more than 80 minutes on their objectives before returning to the boats.

On June 24th, 1940 at about 2 am the men would reach the French coast and begin their attack.

The men who landed at the beaches of Berk had discovered a seaplane anchorage. Although a key military site for the Germans, the site was too heavily defended for the commandos who eventually withdrew.

The group that landed that Neufchatel-Hardelot would advance inland hundreds of yards but be unable to engage with the Germans before returning back to the boats.