The 2nd Special Service Brigade was formed in late 1943 in the Middle East and saw service in Italy, the Adriatic, the landings at Anzio and took part in operations in Yugoslavia.Army Commandos 1940–45 By Mike Chappell, p 31 On 6 December 1944 the Brigade was renamed 2nd Commando Brigade, removing the title Special Service and its association with the Schutzstaffel.British Commandos 1940–46 By Timothy Robert Moreman, p 32
Italian Campaign The brigade as a formation, was not involved in Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily, but 40 RM Commando was involved in the assault landings as Army Troops. In Operation Shingle, the assault at Anzio, No. 9 (Army) Commando and No. 43 (Royal Marine) Commando were the only units involved. The whole brigade was involved in the final offensive of the Italian Campaign.
In 1945 the brigade was involved in the Lake Comacchio battle, Operation Roast, where Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter of 43 Commando was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous Gallantry in single-handedly clearing a farmstead housing three Spandau machine guns after charging across 200 metres of open ground firing his Bren gun from the hip, then moving to an exposed position to draw fire away from his comrades by engaging further Spandaus entrenched on the far side of the canal. After Operation Roast the brigade was involved in the follow-up actions until the German surrender.
The brigade remained in the area on security duties until it was disbanded in 1946
Formation Brigadier Ronnie Tod No. 2 Commando No. 9 Commando No 40 Royal Marine Commando No 43 Royal Marine Commando
By the Battle of Monte Cassino the order was: Brigadier T. B. L. Churchill No. 9 Commando No. 10 (Inter Allied) Commando No 40 Royal Marine Commando No 43 Royal Marine Commando
Battle honours The following Battle honours were awarded to British Commandos during the Second World War.Moreman, p.94
Adriatic Alethangyaw Aller Anzio Argenta Gap Burma 1943–45 Crete Dieppe Dives Crossing Djebel Choucha Flushing Greece 1944–45 Italy 1943–45 Kangaw Landing at Porto San Venere Landing in Sicily Leese Litani Madagascar Middle East 1941, 1942, 1944 Monte Ornito Myebon Normandy Landing North Africa 1941–43 North-West Europe 1942, 1944–1945 Norway 1941 Pursuit to Messina Rhine St. Nazaire Salerno Sedjenane 1 Sicily 1943 Steamroller Farm Syria 1941 Termoli Vaagso Valli di Comacchio Westkapelle
See also 1st Special Service Brigade 3rd Special Service Brigade 4th Special Service Brigade British Commandos
References