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The Commandos were created by Winston Churchill in 1940 as a ‘butcher and bolt’ raiding unit to destroy vital targets in German occupied Europe. Recruits for this ‘special service’ were all volunteers, drawn from the British Army, and later, from the Royal Marines and other Allied armies. Commando training was extremely demanding— men had to be physically fit, and show initiative, mental toughness and adaptability. The training courses were designed to cultivate these qualities and to simulate real battle experiences, which included the use of live ammunition. This pocketbook draws on authentic training manuals, lecture notes, course literature and other material from the commando schools to give a real insight into this highly specialized fighting unit—demonstrating how commandos were taught to live, fight and move on offensive operations, initially as raiding parties, and later as skilled assault infantry.
Chris Westhorp is an experienced freelance editor, writer and researcher. He is the author of Ships of World War II, Aircraft of World War II, and The World’s Armies among numerous other titles. He lives in England.
