Beach reconnaissance gear etc.
Details of these are shown in the diagram on page 77.
RG equipment: RG was a code name for a system of infra-red signals sent by a special lamp and received on a screen in a camera-like box. The receiving equipment included components capable of forming pictures and indicating the Allied line of development for a gunnery night-sight; therefore the equipment was ‘top secret’ until March 1944.
Beach marks: these ranged from simple triangular and diamond shapes of wood to 10-foot (3 + m) canvas sheets of differing colour and patterns to mark the limits of beach landing points.
Sonic buoy: emitting underwater pulses of known frequency, the buoy could be identified with its range and direction shown by Asdic (sonar) equipment.
Swimming gear: SRU equipment included the back breathing gear developed for CCO, swim fins, dive masks, light diving dress with Type ‘A’ open-mouth helmets, bathing caps and trunks and special shoes made by Dunlop Rubber Co.
Other weapons
Flower-pot bomb, a home-made incendiary device probably cast from a mixture of available ingredients to make sandpie-shaped bombs.
The variety of petrol bombs and do-it-yourself explosive devices appears to have been more a matter of improvisation with standard equipment than any radically original inventions.
Examples of explosive charges used by commandos.
Miscellaneous
Commandos used tracer (1-in-5 probably) for automatic weapons with a higher proportion than normal used by 3 Cdo for the demoralising effect of fire you can see is aimed at you. The Rangers had armour piercing bullets not effective, however, against tanks.
The commando’s SV boot had a composition sole with a pattern of ridges for better grip on rock etc. But most equipment was of standard issue: like the heavy-framed bicycle; and tins of self-heating soup ‘boiled in a minute by lighting the wick at the top of the tin’ according to one report-although others found these tins less efficient.
4 Landing Ships, Craft, Amphibians and other Vehicles
Assault carrier ships, examples
HM LSI (H) Royal Ulsterman (4,200 gross tons)
Assault force 40 officers and 450 ORs (865 all ranks on a short voyage); range-4,000 miles (7,400 + km) at 10 knots (18kph); LC carried-6 LCAs or similar, launched from hand-operated davits. This 340ft (103m) ship had a crew of 230 including those manning minor craft, she also carried 150 tons of cargo or 6 bren carriers. She was formerly an Irish Sea ferry.
HM LSI (L) Glengyle (13,000 + gross tons)
Assault force 34 officers and 663 ORs; range-12,000 miles (22,200km) at 14.5 knots (26kph) or 10,000 miles at 18 knots; LC carried-24 LCAs etc on davits (some minor support craft with LCAs) and 3 LCM launched by 30-ton or 50-ton derricks. This 500ft (152m) ship had a crew of over 500. She and her sister ships HMS Glenearn and HMS Glenroy were former fast cargo liners and were remodified late in 1943 to carry an increased number of minor craft as shown above.
APD No.9 USS Dent (1,700 tons loaded displacement)
Assault force-140+ all ranks (200+ on short passages); range-varied as fuel reduced for increased assault force, maximum speed 23 knots (32kph): LC carried-4 LCP (L)/LCP (R) and inflatable rubber boats. This 314 + ft (95m) ship had a crew of 112, four 3in/50s, 5 20mm guns and 6 depth charge projectors. Formerly she was a flush-deck destroyer and one of 32 converted to APDs.
Shore-to-Shore landing craft
LC Infantry (Large), the LCI (L) designed as ‘a giant raiding craft’ of 387 short tons loaded displacement: assault force 9 officers and 196 troops (early craft carried 7 less); after beaching, her force landed down two 36-foot (12m) bow gangways; range-8,000 miles (nearly 15,000km) at 12 knots (22kph) when loaded with fuel for ocean passages, when loaded for beaching the range ws 500 miles (900 + km) at 15 knots (27kph). This steel craft of 158 + ft (47m) had a crew of 28, and 5 20mm guns but added weapons in various theatres.
LC Infantry (Small), the LCI (S) designed for long distance raids and of 110 long tons displacement: assault force 6 officers and 96 ORs (with 18 bicycles); after beaching, her force landed down two bow gangways; range-700 miles (1,200km) at 12½ knots (22kph). This wooden craft of 105ft (33m) had a crew of 17 and petrol engines fitted with silencers, 2 20mm and 2 Lewis guns. Armour was fitted over sides and some other vital parts.
LC Tank-a steel shore-to-shore craft of various marks designed to land tanks over a ramp onto a beach, the early marks carried 250/350 tons; but the smaller Marks 5 and 6 carried 150 tons and were often used in beach areas as ferries.
Minor landing craft carrying men etc. from ship to shore
LC Assault (LCA) of 13 tons displacement when loaded.
Assault force 35 troops with 800lb (360 + kg) of equipment landed over ramp; range 50-80 miles (say 90-150km) depending on sea conditions, operational speed 7 knots (13kph), could make 2-3 knots on one of her two engines. This wooden craft of 41ft (12.5m) had a crew of 4 protected-as were the cargo personnel-by armour to the craft’s well sides and to side decking but this protection did not extend to the engine compartment aft. An LCA (OC) was fitted out for use by LCOCU.
LC Personnel (Large), the LCP(L) of 9 short tons displacement
Assault force-25 on craft in RN, 30 to 36 on USN craft (loads of up to 8,100lb (3,700kg) could be carried depending on fuel load); range varied with type of single engine fitted but RN craft on tank of 200 US galls covered 120 miles (192km) at 9 to 11 knots, one USN type with a diesel engine did 130 miles (208km) on tank of 120 US galls at 8 knots (15kph). This wooden craft of 36ft 8in (11m) had a crew of 3 and one or two medium machine guns. The craft in RN service for raiding had a cockpit forward of the troop well and a canvas cover over this well giving protection from the weather. The craft in US service had two ring mountings forward for machine guns and capacity for use in mass landings. Men landed by jumping down from high prow. Armour only fitted to a few of these craft.
LC Personnel (Ramped), the LCP (R)
Similar to LCP (L) in American service but fitted with a bow ramp.
LC Vehicle Personnel, the LCVP of 9 short tons (unladen)
Assault forces 36 men or 3-ton truck or 8,100lb (3,270 + kg) cargo; range between 68 miles (116km) at 9 knots (16kph) and 120 miles at 7 knots according to engine type. This wooden craft of 36ft (10.8m) had a crew of 3, armour plating to the ramp and two medium machine guns.
LC Mechanised the LCM, of several types designed to land a single tank on to a beach, these steel craft had the capacity to lift 32,000lb (14,500 + kg) in British design Mk 1 or up to 60,000lb (27,200 + kg) in the Mk 3 American design.
LC Navigation, the LCN, was a LCP (L) with superstructure covering a wireless room and control position. Equipment included-WS Radar, Loran or Decca navigation aids to fix craft’s position, echo sounder and a reel of 9 miles (14 + km) of wire for ‘taut wire’ measurement.
Dories and surf boats
Camper and Nicholsons Ltd of Gosport (Hampshire) carried out the design work and prototype development of several series of dories and canoes. Working in 1941 with Maj. March-Phillips, DSO, OBE of the Small Scale Raiding Force, this famous yacht builders’ Southampton yard built the 18-ft CN1 Dory (see below), later developments included the submersible canoe on which the RMBPD did experimental work.
CN1 18ft (5.4m) multiple-hard-chine dory of West African type with moulded plywood frame: prototype built June 1941; between 1941 and 1943 some 200 of these (or similar) dories were built; brief specifications-18ft overall, 5ft 8in beam, depth 2ft 4½in, weight 4½cwt (504lb), capacity 1 long ton + 5 men, crew of coxswain + 2 or 4. Dry and buoyant but lifted too quicklt in surf sometimes becoming ‘uninhabitable’ before oarsmen could get offshore.
CN3 22ft (6.6m) multiple-hard-chine surf boat of West African type, constructed in marine plywood: brief specifications-22ft overall, 6ft beam, depth 2ft 8½in, weight 9(?) cwt, capacity 2 long tons, crew of coxswain (?) + 4.
PD1 13ft 6in (3.4m) modified Dutch pram dingy of clench (wood) const
ruction: brief specifications-13ft 6in overall, beam 5ft 2in, depth 2ft lin, weight 280lb, capacity ½ long ton + 4 men, crew coxswain + 1 or 2. Being single-ended (with flat transom stern) could only land safely bow-to-sea in surf and no great weight could be loaded in the bow but a manoeuvrable oared boat able to land five men in moderate surf. Oars 8ft 6in.
SN6 20ft (6m) dory of carbel double diagnol (wood) construction with 8hp Stuart Turner 2-cylinder engine giving 6 knots speed, brief specification-20ft overall, 5ft 4in beam, depth 2ft 2in, weight 6(?) cwt, capacity estimated at 1.9 long tons (8 to 10 men), crew coxswain + 4. Oars 9ft 6in.
Note:
Oars for these boats landing in surf were long, narrow and tapered. A specially designed rowlock 7⅛in height from base to tips and with ‘arms’ tapered and shaped to hold oar when knocked by surf.
16-foot (4.8m) wooden dories were designated in varying Marks mainly distinguished by the increased beam (Mk 1 4ft 6in and Mk II 5ft 3in) the wider beam requiring a special launching technique from carrier (MTBs etc) using a steadying line. The Mk III had modified ‘end’ buoyancy tanks for stowage space to take Seagull or British Anzani outboard. A Mk IV design introduced in March 1945 incorporated improvements on Mk III.
Other dories and modifications-a two-engined dory was built for 2nd SAS Regmt; and a 4-engine dory designed for Norwegian operations by Forfar force in summer of 1943-no details of numbers built or specifications traced.
Some SN6 dories had Austin engines (100lbs heavier than the Stuart Turner and with some difficulties in adjusting gearbox to disengage prop). Experiments with a ‘silent’ outboard were in hand in March 1945 but none appear to have been used operationally. Other experiments led to a variety of small craft being tested, only those described above appear to have been used operationally but from time to time local boats were requisitioned for raids.
Canoes
Folbot 16ft (5m) of rubberised canvas on wooden frame: brief specifications-overall length 16ft, beam 2ft 6in depth 1ft, capacity 2 men, folded into pack 4ft 8in × 1ft × 1ft when framek rods etc dismantled, weight approx 50lb. ‘Handling quickly learnt, very fragile, very fast and silent. Prone to turn turtle’-report of 6 Commando’s trials. Described in official documents as ‘Cockell Mk I’ and a peacetime sports canoe designed by the Folbot Company.
Cockle Mk II 16½ft. (3 + m) rigid canvas and wood design to suit launching from submarine. (S and T submarines could swing canoe outboard by special fitting in forward gun.) Weight 80-100lb fitted with bow, stern and longitudinal air-filled buoyancy bags the canoe carried up to 1 cwt of gear and two 13-stone men (total 480lb), drawing 6in. Designed paddling speed 3½ knots with designed max speed of tow 5½ knots. Watertight cover overl cockpit fitted around crew, the canvas skin reinforced to withstand pounding on shingle. This replaced the Mk I Folboat but was too wide to pass easily through some submarine hatches.
Cockle Mk I** a modified Folbot-type incorporating a rigid frame with adjustable cross-member, allowing the beam to be reduced by 2in (to pass through smaller hatches) before refixing for launching with a 1ft 11in beam.
Three-man canoe-modified Cockell Mk IIs and an experimental type designed with solid wooden floor and collapsible canvas side.
Three-man canoe with wooden floor and sides, 21(?)ft (7m) overall used by SBS.
Rob Roy-no records traced for this but probably a 2-man rigid 16-footer by description of its use in operations.
Motorised canoe with two outriggers that lifted and slid inboard through a ‘torpedo’ hatch: engine electric self-starter ½hp motor for lorry, driving tiny 3-bladed prop; knife contact plates to battery disconnected readily on capsize. Canoeist in prone position had chin on sorbo rest. The prototype exceeded 5 knots in calm water but Camper and Nicholsons designed this canoe for 6 hours endurance at 5 knots.
Parachute pack canoe dropped with paracanoeist on line to hit water before he landed.
Submersible canoe of about 15ft (4.5m) driven by lone canoeist in diving gear, appears to be a development of motorised canoe. One used in operation in South China Sea September 1944 probably by SOE, an abortive operation by Norwegians using this canoe was also reported.
Other small boats and buoyancy aids
Goatley collapsible boat 17ft 6in (5 + m) with wooden bottom and green canvas sides: brief specification-11ft 6in overall, 4ft 6in beam, depth 1ft 9in (collapsed depth 8in), carried 7 men (six paddling), weight 2 cwt. Two men could assemble in 1½ minutes and ‘the best folding boat 6 Commando has been issued with’.
Inflatables included a variety of British and American designs eg: LCR (L) used by 8-men patrols, could be fitted with an outboard but its noise destroyed any chance of surprise. The inflatable reached about 2mph when paddled but could reach 3½mph with an experienced crew over short distances.
Miscellaneous boats were tried out in a series of tests by 6 Commando-Canadian 2-man canoes ‘light, fragile but more easily learnt [to handle] than Folboat’, 19-foot collapsible 11-man canoe ‘too slow’; 11ft 6in Assault boat with a metal bottom carried 7 men ‘easy to handle’; 23ft 6in plywood folding boat carried 14 men ‘very heavy’-it weighed 8cwt.
Paddle board-a hollow marine plywood 10 foot (3m) surfboard-like buoyancy aid with pointed ends, paddled by man lying along rear three-quarters of board and using paddle (table-tennis like) bats strapped to each hand-arm strokes’ cycle 1,2,3, and rest, repeated. Photographs of a post-WWII board show a compass mounted in its forward part. Paddlers wore heavy protective clothing and although self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) was not available they were trained in use of Davis submarine escape apparatus breathing oxygen below 30 feet depths-known in 1970s to be dangerous.
Special carriers
X-craft modified small submarines -Vickers design originally for releasing two 2-ton explosive charges under enemy ships in harbour—to carry COPP recce personnel: brief specifications-overall length 51ft 7in, beam 5ft 9½in, displacement on surface 27 long tons, submerged 29.7 tons, diving depth 300ft, range on surface at 4 knots 1,860 miles, human endurance 7 to 10 days, main engine 42hp at 1,800rpm driven by batteries with 112 cells. Fitted with gyro compass, oxygen supply, CO2 absorption, 9ft day periscope, short fixed night periscope with small direction hydrophone fitted, R/T equipment, Chernikeef log, etc,-towing gear enabled submerged passage speed of 10½ knots (max 12(?) knots) reducing endurance of T-class submarine by 5½ per cent at 10 knots (30 per cent reduction for S-Class). See text for details of COPP personnel carried but designed crew 3 to 4 for hand-operated hydroplanes and steering but also carried electric steering ‘with automatic helmsman’.
Welman midget craft designed by ISRB to carry an external charge with 560lb of explosive: brief specifications-overall length including charge 20ft 2in, height 5ft 9in, beam at saddle 3ft 6in, surface displacement 4,600lb, propulsion by 2½hp electric motor, normal operating depth 75ft (max 300ft), endurance 10 hours at 2.5 knots, 20 hours at 1.7 knots. One man crew had forward vision armoured glass in conning tower and 4 portholes, steered by joystick, tanks trimmed and bilges pumped out by foot or hand pumps, compass etc. fitted, course keeping ‘gyro direction indicator set by eye’. The British Army developed these craft at Welwyn (Herts)-hence Welman-for attaching limpet mines from the craft’s nose to enemyk ships, but the only operational references traced suggest there were several anti-shipping raids in Norway by these craft. Norwegians certainly trained to use them as did the SBS
Country craft
—converted cutter carrying and launching RMBPD canoes.
Amphibious vehicles
Landing Vehicles Tracked, the LVT, were designed with tracks that paddled these armoured troop carriers across water and over mud. The earlier Marks had no ramp but the Mark 4 (26ft 1in × 10ft 8in × 8ft 2½in(ht)) had a ramp at the back for quickly offloading the cargo/personnel, maximum weight carried 23,350lb. The Mk 4’s aircooled 200hp engine gave a land range of 150 miles with max speed of 25 mph, over water the range was 75 miles with a max speed of 5.4 knots.
LVT (Armoured), the LVT (A)s, were various marks of LVT fitted with field guns etc.: LVT (A) Mk I with a 37mm M-6 gun and coaxial machine gun and 2 .30 machine gun in ring mountings behind turret; Mk 4 with 75mm M-8 howitzer and single .50 mg in mounting behind turret.
Weasel, a tracked amphibian designed for use over snow, mud, water and hard ground, was developed from the T15 prototype. Several marks were manufactured, the M29 with a 6-cylinder 65hp Studebaker Champion front engine was modified to achieve 3.3 mph over water carrying three passengers and with the rear half of the watertight hull clear for cargo. In 1944 a field conversion kit-bow and stern cells, track side panels, sponson air tanks and cable-controlled twin rudders-was issued to modify the MC29 Cargo Carrier into the MC29C amphibian. Manufactured by Studebaker, the M29C had a land speed of 36 mph and over water made 4 mph, land cruising range 175 miles on f35 US galls of fuel (no figures traced for ranges over water but probably under 50 miles). The carrier needed a driver only and carried 1,200lb cargo.
Land vehicles
The ubiquitous Jeep was used to carry some commando mortar teams in 1944/5 and by Ranger radio recon patrols in Europe. Other commando and ranger vehicles were of standard service types, althoughk in 1944/5-as with many Allied units-German vehicles were acquired.
5 Communications
Developments
The first signals Troop under Capt. (later Colonel) A.J. Leahy Royal Signals was formed in 1940, for brigade communications on the intended Pantelleia (Mediterranean) operation. The unit later provided signallers for raids including the Vaagsö landing and carried out experimental work to establish by the summer of 1941 ‘the use of man-pack radio as a practical primary means of communications at all times during an operation … and therefore relied almost entirely on radios carried on our backs, our chests or on handcarts’. In 1942 Combined Operations HQ developed a number of techniques for communications in amphibious landings. Commander Paul RN pointed out that a ship should be designed around the radio sets for invasions rather than attempt to build these into existing warships; and this suggestion among others led to the commissioning of the Headquarters Ship HMS Bulolo, formerly a cargo ship built in the 1930s. Major Cole, Royal Signals (later Major-General E.C. Cole, CB, CBE) devised the No.46 set with crystal control eliminating the tuning necessary on other sets when finding a given frequency. Most of the Combined Operations HQ signals developments affected all forces, not only Commando, and ranged from waterproofed canvas bags keeping sets dry after several hours submersion, handcarts—devised by Major Cole with the Triang toy firm—for heavy sets, and air-to-ground communications for forward units.
Commandos and Rangers of World War II Page 39