Reply To: Italy/Albania/Yugoslavia 1943-45 and No. 2 Special Service Brigade

[Eric Buckmaster.]

Dear Trevor,
In searching for Information for me, one of my sons Saw your Request asking for Information about your Dad’s .Service…???? and passed it on to me.
I served with No 2 Service Brigade, and I am not sure how much information you already have…..????
I was a member of No. 2 Commando, and we spent some 6 Months on the Island of Vis, supporting Tito and his Partisans. and attacking German Garrisons on the other Dalmatian Islands.

We had led in the American 5th Army in at Salerno and were rather depleted at the time.

No 2 Commando Brigade Varied at times But for most of the Period we were in Italy it was
No 2, & No 9 Army Commando’s also No’s 41 & 42 Marine Commando’s. But we were often involved in totally separate actions.

You have mentioned Anzio is it possible that your Dad was more involved with No. 9 Commando, because that was their specific place of Action.

Have you made any enquiries to the Army Commando Association. I might be able to help you there.

It was formed in 1943 whilst we were still in our various Battle Stations, and due to cost and
Falling Numbers was Stood Down in 2005.

However, many Members did not want it to go, and formed the Commando Veterans Association.

As you may know , there were twelve Army Commando’s formed in 1940/41, and 8 Marine Commando’s
who began to be formed later in 1942.

The Army Commando’s were Volunteers from Every Regiment & Corps in the British Army.

I believe that the Marine Commando’s were not Volunteers. though N0 40 may have been initially.

It was a Joke between Us & the Marines. ” We were there because we wanted to be, and they were there because they had to be ” .

Sadly, within a Month of the Atom being dropped on Japan, Army Commando’s were Disbanded.

It was said that we had ” Usurped ” the Role of the Marines.

You can imagine the Hurt & Anger that caused.

However, Army Commando’s have now been been formed again to Support the Marines, Commando Artillery, Commando Engineers, and Commando Logistics ( that would have our old RASC. ).