Beachhead Assault: The Story of the Royal Naval Commandos in World War II (review)

Commandos! Today this term is used to describe many types of special operations units, including those of the United States. Originally associated with Boer military units in southern Africa, by World War II the term was used to describe specially raised, trained, and committed forces of Great Britain. Although now the term commando is specifically linked to Her Majesty's Royal Marines, the British Army pioneered the development of this sort of capability. Also, although not well known, the Royal Navy had commandos as well.

The latter are the focus of David Lee's book, which encompasses that service's commandos (twenty-two all total), designated by letters of the alphabet rather than numbers. Its postwar Royal Naval Commando Association, founded in 1981, also included the Royal Naval Beach Signals, Landing Craft Obstacle Clearance Units, Combined Operations Bombardment Units, and the Levant Schooner Flotilla. The impetus for this volume, based on recollections and some official reports of its members, was the disbandment in 2003 of this veterans' association, necessitated by the passage of time. Lee provides a very tactical view of war, the beach organizational aspects of the classic amphibious assault, from their perspective, as seen via training and combat operations in Europe (11), Africa (2), and Asia (2). Beachhead Assault's strength lies in these blended recollections within Lee's basic structure. This is evident in the first chapter, when a vivid account of Dieppe is presented. Here, his early stage-setting comments on the opening scenes of Saving Private Ryan is recalled, for this comes to mind in reading his stirring, personalized, and tactical account of that ill-fated amphibious raid. Dieppe thus is the model for the other described operations, from three chapters devoted to Normandy to one on the less known but very violent seizure of Elba.

However, the book has weaknesses. First, unless a reader is familiar with an operation, and/or an objective's physical and human built terrain, it becomes a mass of unconnected and interesting detail but one that lacks context. Secondly, and more important, are organizational problems, e.g., not until page 40 is the reader informed in "officialese" of what the Royal Navy's commandos were, and on page 185 when, quoting Rear Admiral Edward Gueritz, CB, OBE, DSC, in clearer language, we learn that their function was "to bring order out of chaos, or at least to organize the chaos as far as possible"! Thirdly, Lee gives no clear idea of how a RN Commando was structured, with clearly defined billets and associated duties. Lastly, there is no indication of why the Royal Navy's commandos needed commando training as opposed to infantry combat training, although vivid close combat examples are given in the various chapters—and through this an indirect theme of sailors who became "elite soldiers." Also, Lee provides an appendix listing the names of "Known Medals Awarded to Royal Naval Commandos"; although most listed were for recognition of their gallantry and work in the RN Commandos, awards received for other actions are also included, e.g., the George Cross awarded to Commander Anthony Cobham, GC, MBE, RN, for actions in a turret explosion on HMS Devonshire (1929).

Ironically, considering the mission of the Royal Naval Commandos, the main title is misleading, for "Beachhead Assault" was applicable to any commando or conventional unit. A more fitting and focused title would have been the RN Commandos' operating motto: "First In, Last Out."