He called for specially trained troops that would "develop a reign of terror down the enemy coast".

[3] The man initially selected as the overall commander of the force was Admiral Sir Roger Keyes; himself a veteran of the landings at Galipoli and the Zeebrugge raid in the First World War.

The course in the Scottish Highlands, concentrated on fitness, speed marches, weapons training, map reading, climbing, small boat operations and demolitions, both by day and by night.

9 Commando undertook its first raid, Operation Sunstar, on the night of 22/23 November 1941 on the French coast at Houlgate.

[11] The men were then used to reinforce the Gibraltar garrison during Operation Torch, the landings in French North Africa.

[11] During the Allied invasion of Italy, as part of the 2nd Special Service Brigade the men were involved in Operation Partridge in December 1943 in the area of the Garigliano River.

This was followed by Operation Shingle, the Anzio landings and fighting at Monte Ornito before being withdrawn to Naples in March 1944.

[11] The following battle honours were awarded to the British Commando units during the Second World War.

[14] Operation Gradient I became a well-known example of military demolition that is studied and taught today in the Royal Navy Commandos.