Royal Air Force Commandos were formed from units of the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. They were formed in 1942 and served in the European and Far Eastern theatres of war before being disbanded in 1946. In 1944 RAF Commandos of the Second Tactical Air Force suffered very heavy casualties landing at Dog Green Sector of Omaha Beach to establish field operations in support of the American army.

Background

The commander of Combined Operations Louis Mountbatten on 22 January 1942 recommended that the RAF create a number of Commando units. These units, called Servicing Commandos, would accompany the Allied Armies when they invaded Europe, either to make German airfields serviceable or to make operational the new airstrips built by the Army Airfield Construction Units. Eventually 12 Servicing Commandos were formed in the United Kingdom and three in the Middle East. The force consisted of 2,400 officers and men skilled in aircraft maintenance, armaments, communications and airfield activation skills and were capable of working on all types of aircraft to keep them flying under all kinds of conditions. These Commando Units were trained on similar lines to the British Army and Royal Marines Commandos. Each Commando unit comprised two or three officers and between 150 and 170 other ranks. They were equipped with jeeps, motorcycles and up to 15 three-ton trucks. Commando units were involved in the major seaborne landings, either going in with the initial invasion forces or giving active support in other ways to keep the aircraft flying.

Far East

As well as the 15 Servicing Commandos in Europe and the Middle East three smaller units were formed in India, and called Servicing Parties. Each Servicing Party comprised one officer and 30 men. These units were part of the RAF Support Group and supported the Chindits during Operation Thursday. After the surrender of the Japanese Forces in August 1945 they took over Japanese held airfields, assisted in the evacuation of Allied prisoners of war and undertook other peace keeping duties in Java, Thailand and French Indo China.

Operations

In the Mediterranean, Servicing Commandos took part in operations in North Africa, landings in Sicily, landings in Italy and landing in the South of France. Servicing Commando units also took part in the Normandy landings and afterwards some units were withdrawn for service in the Far East.

Units

Battle honours

The following Battle honours were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.