Commandos: Beach Commando Work

"Beach Commando Work"

By E. Gault (Skip) Finley, LT. RCNVR

Photo as found in "St. Nazaire to Singapore" P. 295

E.G. Finley has been mentioned in two other entries on this site.

First, he authored a book entitled RCN Beach Commando 'W' which can be accessed online.

Please link to Books: Royal Canadian Navy Beach Commando W for more information if interested.

Second, Mr. Finley and Ed Storey authored an "informative, eight-page article.... about the Canadian commando, a unit that was formed later in the war to take on many important responsibilities and activities related to landing crafts and amphibious landings."

Please link to Commandos: RCN Beach Commando "W" (Little Known Canadian Units) for more information if desired.

Skip Finley also submitted a one-page article to St. Nazaire to Singapore: The Canadian Amphibious War 1941 - 1945 (Volume 2) in the mid-1990s entitled Beach Commando Work.

Personnel of W-2 Party, RCN Beach Commando "W" outside a German

fortification in JUNO sector of the Normandy beachhead, July 20, 1944. 

Photo Credit - Canada at War, Forums

(Front row, L-R):

Able Seamen (A/B) A.F. Watt, Douglas Kennedy, R.V. Barnes, E.G. Woodall,

D.F. Trewin, A.H. Petty, Ordinary Seaman (O/S) A.E. Morris, A/B J.B. White.

(Rear row, L-R): 

Leading Seamen (L/S) W.R. Murphy, J.P. Adams, A/B J.F. Roy, PO D.E. McIntyre, 

LT. A.D. Rayburn, A/B W.F. Cronkhite, Dan Kroshewsky, J.D. Ross, R.C. Nelson.

Editor David Lewis introduced the article as follows:

Skip Finley enlisted in the RCNVR in May 1941 as Midshipman. Following training and promotion to Sub-Lieutenant in January 1942, he served at HMCS Kings until May 1942.

D. Lewis adds that Finley next served at HMCS Swift Current (until Sept. 1942), then at HMC M/L Q-092 (to Jan. 1943), and at HMCS Shawinigan (to July, 1943). He also notes that Finley ("after three months at HMCS Kings as Divisional Officer") was the youngest man in the RCNVR to be promoted to Lieutenant. Finley trained in the UK with the first all-Canadian Commando Unit after he transferred to the Combined Operations organization. He was badly injured in July 1944 while a beachmaster in Normandy, and was discharged in February 1945 after recovery.

E.G. Finley begins his article as follows:

Our task was to keep the beach to which we were assigned as operational as possible at all times, regardless of what landing craft or vessels were involved. Only minor injuries were sustained as a result of men taking the lines out from the LCI(L) landed gangways.

He says that enemy resistance and bad weather were obstacles to his operations and recalls one particularly "horrendous" storm followed by other "troublesome weather". He and specialists in his crew dealt with mines as well (some mines floated to shore after being cut adrift), though they were chiefly the responsibility of the army. 

Finley lists names of beaches in the Juno sector and provides a reference (i.e., The Beachhead Commandos by A. Cecil Hampshire) for those who would like more information related to RN Beach Commandos participating in Operation Neptune.

Stock Image as found at AbeBooks.com

He also reports where his unit fit in related to the organizational framework for "day to day operations". He recalls that "the Royal Marines had their separate units and carried out special assignments". He also says that US Rangers (units comparable to Allied Beach Commandos) were "quite impressed with the Commando training" courses offered in the UK.

After sharing information about battle dress, badges and what eventually became of the Beach Commando 'W', Finley states:

My own subjective (and to some extend, objective) view is that the year-long "W" Commando experience did contribute to quite successful lives (health-wise, as well as in careers and family relations) by a large percent of those I've been able to contact.

The full article can be viewed and read at "St. Nazaire to Singapore", pages 295 - 296.

Please link to Commandos: RCN Beach Commando "W"