Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando W, 1942-1945

RCN Beach Commando "W", 1942-1945

The Royal Naval Commando units were a formation of the Royal Navy which served during the Second World War.  The first units were raised in 1942 and by the end of the war, 22 company-sized units had been raised to carry out various tasks associated with establishing, maintaining and controlling beachheads during amphibious operations.  ‘W’ Commando was largely formed from personnel drawn from the Royal Canadian Navy.   They were commanded by an officer of the rank of Lieutenant Commander or Commander, with each company comprised of ten officers and 65 ratings organized into three parties with 25 men in each.

RCN Beach Commandos took part in Operation Neptune during the D-Day landings in Normandy in June 1944.  Here they were involved in establishing and defending the landing beaches against German counterattacks at the same time as carrying out their assigned tasks of controlling the beaches to ensure the steady and efficient flow of supplies and men to the front.  The parties remained in Normandy for about six weeks before they were withdrawn to reconstitute in preparation for further operations.  These operations were limited in scope after the effort of D-Day, but included participation in the assault on Walcheren in the Netherlands.  The Commandos were disbanded at the end of the war.

For more detailed information on the Beach Commandos view this article on the Canadian Military History page: https://scholars.wlu.ca/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1059&context=cmh&fbclid=IwAR3HoMZfR_G_0sSNC_nyWsCl_RAeKhlBFu6wXOTOFpoQ0YkltxcYRdVzSBQ.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3201854)

Able Seaman Armand Therien of the Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commandos, armed with a Lanchester sub-machine gun, England, 20 July 1944.

The Lanchester is a submachine gun (SMG) manufactured by the Sterling Armaments Company between 1941 and 1945. It is a copy of the German MP28/II and was manufactured in two versions, Mk.1 and Mk.1*; the latter was a simplified version of the original Mk.1, with no fire selector and simplified sights. It was primarily used by the Royal Navy during the Second World War, and the RCN in Korea. It was also used by RAF Regiment (for airfield protection. It was given the general designation of Lanchester after George Herbert Lanchester, who was charged with producing the weapon at the Sterling Armaments Company.

The Lanchester is an open-bolt, self-loading blowback-operated weapon with a selective-fire option (located in front of the trigger) on early versions. A tubular receiver was attached to the front of the wooden stock, which could be pivoted barrel down for maintenance and disassembly. The wooden stock was patterned after that of Lee–Enfield rifle, and a bayonet lug centred below the muzzle accepted the Pattern 1907 sword-bayonet as used on the Lee–Enfield No. 1 Mk. III* (previously called the S.M.L.E.)

It used a straight 50-round magazine containing 9×19mm Parabellum cartridges (special pouches were produced to hold three magazines each) which fit into the magazine housing from the left, with spent cartridges ejected on the right. It was interchangeable with the shorter 32-round Sten magazine. A magazine loading tool was needed to load both 32- and 50-round magazines more easily. One of the two magazine pouches had a special pocket on the front for this loader. Mk.1s featured a front blade sight with adjustable rifle-type sights, marked between 100 and 600 yards. Mk.1* featured a much simplified flip-up sight marked 100 or 200 yards.

Manual safety is made in the form of locking cut, made in the receiver, which engages the bolt handle to lock bolt in open (cocked) position. It proved notoriously susceptible to accidental discharge if the weapon were dropped. For cleaning, the weapon had a brass oiler bottle and pull through held inside the butt stock (similar to the Lee–Enfield rifle). (Wikipedia)

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3191758)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commandos, "W", aboard a Landing Craft Assault of the 529th Flotilla, Royal Navy, during a training exercise off the coast of England, 9 May 1944.

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W", landing on Mike Beach, Juno Sector, Normandy, 7 July 1944. (Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3355187).

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3355168)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W" outside a German fortification in the Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead, France, 20 July 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3354995)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W", Able Seaman George Vilneff, W-1 Party, writing a letter in the Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead, France, 20 July 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3354996)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando "W" Private M. Belanger (left) and Corporal P. Jenkins of Le Régiment de la Chaudière in the Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead, France, 20 July 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3520343)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando Lieutenant John Beveridge (right) playing cribbage aboard the infantry landing ship HMCS Pince David during a training exercise off the coast of England, 9 May 1944.

(Lt Gilbert Alexander Milne, Library and Archives Canada Photo, PA-183056)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach CommandoAble Seaman John Joyce of Saint John, New Brunswick. (right) demonstrates how to disarm an opponent attacking with a knife.  The man with the knife is Able Seaman James Skinner of Strathroy, Ontario.  

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3355761)

RCN Beach Commando, training in the UK, Feb 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3355002)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commandos, "W", in their quarters in the Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead, France, 20 July 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3355169)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando Able Seaman Douglas F. Trewin, W-2 Party, points out a German sign warning of mines in the Juno sector of the Normandy beachhead, France, 20 July 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3520343)

Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando Lieutenant John Beveridge (right) playing cribbage aboard the infantry landing ship HMCS Pince David during a training exercise off the coast of England, 9 May 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3201116)

Beach Commandos loading ammunition aboard a Landing Craft Assault (LCA) of HMCS Prince David, near Taranto, Italy, 13 September 1944.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 3396614)

Lieutenant G.W. Hendry of HMCS Prince Henry briefing his Beach Commando crew about the invasion of France, June 1944.