ROYAL NAVAL COMMANDO ASSOCIATION

The early amphibious raids by the Commandos between l940 and l942 pointed up to the obvious need for better intelligence and control on the beaches. The earliest attempt at exerting some control had been by the Royal Navy manning the landing craft, but when this proved inadequate, specialized 'beach parties' were formed and were first tried during Operation Ironclad to capture the port of Diego Suarez at the northern tip of Madagascar between 5th and 7th May l942. This proved so successful that the Royal Naval Commandos (sometimes known as 'Beachead Commandos') were formed. Their duties included: landing in or ahead of the first wave to clear the beaches, to mark limits of the beachhead, consolidate the beachhead, clearing personnel and equipment from the beachhead expeditiously, helping moor landing craft correctly, removing mines and underwater obstructions, taping the safe passage routes off the beaches for the wounded, informing subsequent waves of important intelligence about the defences and strenghts of the enemy and advising how to exploit the enemies weakness, setting up important ammunition and supply dumps, also supporting a wide variety of troops with any initial advance inland, supervising enemy prisoners of war, being available to tackle any task and act as a rearguard during any withdrawals.