British Army Commandos Trivia Quiz

Answer: Lofoten Islands, March 1941

The raid carried out on the Lofoten Islands was a great boost to British morale. Fish oil was being processed for glycerine, a major component of high explosive. Natuaraly, the extraction plants were blown up, along with 800,000 gallons of petrol and oil, 18,000 tons of shipping and over 200 Germans taken prisoner. The great raids had begun.

Answer: Royal Navy

Although the Commandos were closely affiliated with all of these forces, the Royal Navy spent the most time with them, ferrying them back and forth from raid to raid. This was one of the aims of Combined Operatiions, a Navy-Army formation that combined the two together so that neither force was fighting with strangers and equipment (boats, etc.) would always be available for a raid.

Answer: Le Havre

This is often cited as the first paratroop raid by British forces. It involved physically removing sections of the radar station and bringing them back to Britain for detailed examination. The raid was led my Major John Frost of the paratroops and was a complete success with light casualties. (John Frost [later Lt-Col.] led the defence of Arnhem Bridge in Operation Market Garden).

Answer: Saint-Nazaire

On March 28, 1942, a force of 611 British Commandos (No.2 Commando) and Navy personnel launched a raid, codenamed Operation Chariot, against the shipyards of Saint-Nazaire at the mouth of the Loire. The commandos succeeded in destroying the "Normandie" dry dock and thus preventing its use by Germany during the war.

Answer: True

Commandos were given American uniforms and equipment to appear less conspicious to the Vichy French.

Answer: Fairbain-Sykes Dagger, Thompson M1920a1 SMG, Colt .45 m1911

The Thompson M1928a1 was favoured as it had a high rate of fire and good stopping power, the Colt m1911 as it had stopping power greater than most other pistols and also used the same .45ACP round as the thompson, and the Fairbain-Sykes dagger as it was a handy silent killer.

Answer: True

This was ordered at the time of Dunkirk, as a means to attack the Germans inside their "Fortress Europe."

Answer: Hitler

Enraged by the success of the Commandos and their effect on the morale of his men, and, following an incident on the Isle of Sark, Channel Islands, involving men of the Small Scale Raiding Force and No.12 Commando, where German prisoners were killed while their hands were tied, Hitler issued what is known as his Kommandobefehl, or Commando Order.

This was dated October 18, 1942, and ordered that British or Allied soldiers participating in Commando operations should be "annihilated to the last man", even if in uniform, escaping, or surrendering - contrary to the requirements of the Geneva Conventions.

Answer: Vaasgo

The Commando force of 570 troops was divided into five with these objectives.

(1) Secure the area north of the town of South Vaagso (Måløy) and engage any enemy reinforcements;
(2) subdue and secure South Vaagso town;
(3) eliminate the enemy on Maaloy Island (Moldøen) which dominated the town;
(4) eliminate the enemy strongpoint at Hollevik (Holvik) south of South Vaagso;
(5) provide a floating reserve offshore.
Central to the operation was the destruction of fish-oil production and stores which the Germans used in the manufacture of high-explosives. Another intention was to cause the Germans to maintain and increase forces in Norway which otherwise might be employed on the Eastern Front.

Answer: True

Born in India in 1908, Ryder was a great naval commander, and after leading the Campbeltown into the dry-dock, he stood there giving orders and was responsible for saving many lives. Ryders' vessel for the raid was a motor gun boat. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the raid on St Nazaire.