We are fully aware of the many brave men and women of our family who have served their country and for that we thank them.
However, three stories were brought to our attention regarding the British Commandos during the Second World War and beyond. The Commandos were originally made up of volunteers from other military units. These men’s courage, fitness and martial prowess became renowned during that conflict and beyond, being held in awe by both the public and military alike. They were organised as a hard hitting, hunter class unit to turn the tide of the war in 1940, after the evacuation from Dunkirk. Their job was to reign down terror against the enemy up and down the coast of occupied territory. They hit in a deadly fashion, hard and fast leavint a trail of fear in the enemy forces and included deep inland raids into enemy territory, cutting vital communication etc and a trail of devastation against the Axis forces.
The commandos would serve in all the theatres of war from the Arctic Circle, to Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific arena of war. Their operations ranged from small groups of men landing from the sea or by parachute to a full brigade of assault troops spearheading the Allied invasions of Europe and Asia.
World War 2 (1939-1945)
Charles Nigel Simon Carruthers
We are advised that our own Chief’s father, Charles was an officer in the British Commandos (3 Commando Brigade) during the Second World War (1939-1946). He was reputedly the first to lead his men on shore during the repatriation of Hong Kong after the Japanese occupation. Having been involved in other campaigns during the war, happily his final command as an officer was just as Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945.
Interestingly his mother, Molly had lived in Burma with her British expat parents and to again escape the Japanese invasion of that country in 1942, took the treacherous Naga trail, also called the Road of Death along with the remnants of the British forces This was not an easy route out of Burma into India and they were continually hounded by the Japanese forces, who were after total destruction of civilians and troops alike. Although helped by the Naga people along the way and with fatigue, disease and starvation biting, many brave souls didn’t survive to tell the tale, thankfully Molly did and more importantly made it home.
Charles and Molly Carruthers were married in St Jude’s Church, South Kensington in London in 1951. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather, Col Nigel Carruthers of the British Army in India, and many other family members before him, as expats they moved to India in 1954 to work for a British tea company. It was here that their only child Simon Peter was born, but they returmed home to the UK when he was under a year old, to bring him up.
Molly was born 1918 and passed in 1996 and Charles, born in 1922, passed in 1997. They were both interred together.
William J Carruthers (known as Bill)
Bill was a signalman in the Army but volunteered to join the Special Service (4 Commando Brigade) on their formation, dealing with communication in the field. Born in Dundee, he was wounded during operations into North West Europe, during the Normandy Landings on June 6th 1944 and luckily survived the war.
Malayan Emergency (1948 -1960)
William Ernest Carruthers
According to the Commando archives one of our own: Sgt William Carruthers of ’42 Commando (Royal Marines), was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, for gallantry in the field. It is the oldest British medal for gallantry sitting just behind the Victoria Cross. He was awarded it for his outstanding leadership, courage and initiative in operations in Malaya.
Extract from the London Gazettes
As a sub-section Commander of 42 Commando, Royal Marines, Acting Sergeant Carruthers has, over a period of 11 months, shown outstanding leasership, courage and initiative in operations in Malaya. He has been on operations continuously and has always shown a magnificent example to all ranks. As a result, his sub-section has had a series of major successes and has been responsible for killing four, capturing three and wounding three bandits in the last six months.
In November, 1950, Sergeant Carruthers’ sub-section was involved in a night action against heavily armed and well organised bandits in the Tyrone Estate, near Batu Gajah. Sergeant Carruthers was personally responsible for rallying his sub-section against superior numbers, and himself wounded and captured a. well known bandit.
In April, 1951, in the Bota Forest, his. sub-section was heavily attacked by a strong party of bandits. Sergeant Carruthers rapidly organised ab attack by his out-numbered sub-section in order to stabilise the situation. In close quarter fighting, and with utter disregard for his own safety, he killed a bandit who was on the point of shooting in the back a member of the sub-section. By this action Sergeant Carruthers certainly saved the life of a comrade. By further efforts he was able to rally his men and drive off the enemy, whom he then pursued.
On 8th May, 1951, Sergeant Carruthers led a patrol of five Royal Marine Commandos to an occupied camp on Harewood Estate, himself stalking and shooting the sentry and then leading the attack on the defended camp.
These men are celebrated, amongst many other brave lads, by the erection of the Memorial to Commandos at Spean Bridge.
Commando Memorial-Spean Bridge
Photos copyright to a member of the family
The Memorial, unveiled by the then Queen Mother in 1952,is situated about a mile from the small village of Spean Bridge, 8 miles north east from Fort William and overlooks the old training grounds in Achnacarry Castle, which were established in 1942.
According to Wikipedia, the Commando Memorial is a Category A listed monument in Lochaber, Scotland, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces raised during World War II.
It was sculpted by Scott Sutherland (15 May 1910 – 10 October 1984) an award-winning Scottish sculptor born in Wick, in the North of Scotland, and schooled at Gray’s School of Art, the Edinburgh College of Art and the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. It is placed to offer dramatic views of Aonach Mòr the 8th highest mountain in Britain and Ben Nevis, the highest.
The Memorial carries a plaque of its unveiling as well as one recognising the freedom of Lochaber to the Commando Association in 1993. In 2010 a path covering two miles, connected the Memorial to another important war memorial at the former high bridge, built by Gerald Wade marking where the first shots were fired in the ‘45 Jacobite rebellion.
Photos copyright to a member of the family
“United we conquer” is inscribed around the top of the stone plinth, while the original plaque on the stone plinth reads: “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 location was chosen because it is on the route from Spean Bridge railway station to the former Commando Training Centre at nearby Achnacarry Castle. Arriving prospective Commandos would disembark after a 14-hour journey, load their kit bags onto waiting trucks and then speed-march the seven miles (eleven kilometres) to the training centre in full kit with weapon, weighing a total of 36 pounds (16 kilograms). Anyone not completing it within 60 minutes was immediately RTU’d (returned to unit).
Photos copyright to a member of the family
The monument stands as a memorial to the British Commandos who trained all around the Lochaber region which the monument overlooks, while they were based at the Achnacarry Commando Training Centre established in 1942. As such it is used as site for memorial services, including the 60th anniversary of D-Day, and Remembrance Day ceremonies. Ashes of fallen Commandos both during WW2 and subsequent conflicts are scattered in the Garden of Remembrance, attached to the site.
As much as we celebrate the bravery of those that have gone before us, we should not forget, the 10 million victims of World War I and 60 million victims of World War II, who suffered and died during these turbulent times.
Lest We Forget.
