Brief History of Cdo Ord Sqn
The Commando Memorial
The 7 Naval Toasts
Spean Bridge

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Commando Memorial (Top)

The Commando Memorial is located at Spean Bridge, the closest village to Achnacarry, the basic training centre for a great many wartime Commandos. The spectacular monument stands on an elevated site facing towards the western end of Scotland's Great Glen and overlooking the River Spean and Ben Nevis.
The design, submitted by Mr Scott Sutherland, an art teacher in the Collage of Art, Dundee, was selected in October 1949 by the Memorial Committee. From selection, it took a further two years to prepare the master sculpture in clay and plaster before the final casting in bronze. The finished monument depicts three, 9ft 4in. high, World War Two Commandos standing shoulder to shoulder. The Bronzes are mounted onto a granite base measuring an additional 8ft. giving an overall height of about 17ft.
The memorial is dedicated to the 1,700 Commandos who died in the 1939-45 war. It was formally unveiled on the 27th Sepember 1952 by Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother to a large crowd of ex-Commando's, their families and onlookers. Following the unveiling Lord Lovat, the wartime Commando leader, made an emotional address remembering the dead, and paying tribute to the sacrifice they made for their country. Following Lovat's address the ceremony concluded with the playing of the lament, "The Flowers o' the Forest" by a lone piper, standing at the base of the memorial.

The bronze tablet mounted on the front face of the granite base states:

IN MEMORY OF
THE OFFICERS AND
MEN OF
THE COMMANDOS
WHO DIED IN THE
SECOND WORLD WAR
1939 1945
THIS COUNTRY WAS
THEIR TRAINING
GROUND

 

The Beginning (Top)

During the 1939-1945 War, Commandos were organised into four Brigades, each of which was made up of Army Commando units and Royal Marine units. In Oct0ber 1945, Parliament decided Army Commandos were to be disbanded and that their task would pass exclusively to the Royal 'Marines, as they were fully qualified by their long tradition and history to carry out the special role.

Whilst the Army Commando units were disbanded, there remained a requirement for specialist support to the new Commando Brigade. A Brigade Ordnance Officer and staff of one Sergeant and one Corporal were three of twelve Army ranks in Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, July 1964 this small RAOC detachment was enlarged by the formation of the Ordnance Field Park (OFP). It boasted three Officers and thirty eight Other Ranks. These places were filled only after earning the coveted green Beret.

On 11th January 1972 the Commando Logistic Regiment Royal Marines was formed; primarily as a command and control function for the Brigade Maintenance Area. Its first Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel RW Thornton RA0C. Thus was born the Commando Ordnance Squadron which remained in existence through the establishment of the Royal Logistic Corps and into the renamed Logistic Support Squadron. All members past and present can be proud of providing the vital 2nd Line Logistic Support to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines.

During this time a fierce sense of comradeship, pride and competitiveness has flourished amongst all Army Commandos and is now the backbone of a unique family bond. This Commando Spirit will be carried forward.

 

The 7 Naval Toasts (top)
The Royal Navy has a number of specific toasts which are used on each day of the week. It is the job of the newest officer or midshipman to propose them. Traditionally they are given no help and should they forget then they should buy drinks for all those present

Monday - Our ships at sea.
Tuesday - Our Men.
Wednesday - Ourselves.
Thursday - A bloddy war and a sickly season.
Friday - A willing Foe and Sea Room.
Saturday - Sweethearts and Wivws (may they never meet).
Sunday - Absent friends.

Spean Bridge (top)

In 1940 Winston Churchill (later to become Prime Minister of the UK) ordered that an elite force be raised up to meet the threat against Britain. Sir Donald Cameron of Locheil turned over his anscesteral home, Achnacarry Castle, seat of the Clan Cameron, to the British Army and a Commando Basic Training Centre was established. Here, in the rugged terrane and unpredict able climate of Lochaber, trainees were taught war techniques, unarmed combat skills, night training, tactics, survival skills, handling of captured weapons (we have a German bayonett left in my Grandfather's personal effects) and they went on to devise many new techniques. They trained with the latest weapons and equipment, and in practice of battle conditions, live ammunition was used - many trainees died before completing their training. Ben Nevis, Britains highest mountain, is an 18 mile run from Achnacarry and trainees were required to scale the 4,406 foot summit! The dark, mysterious lochs of the Great Glen and the rivers provided the ideal conditions for water craft training.

Troops came from America, Holland, Belgium, France, Norway, Poland and Germany (Jewish Germans) to train for this elite force. Those trainees, like my Grandfather, who completed training received the much sought after Green Beret. 'Achnacarry Seperates the Men from the Boys'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The End