Lieutenant Colonel Blair ‘Paddy’ Mayne DSO and 3 Bars, of 1 Special Air Service (SAS) Regiment, was a courageous and brilliant special forces soldier, and one of the most outstanding leaders of the Second World War.

Firing a 2-inch mortar from the hip, Lieutenant George Knowland repelled wave after wave of Japanese fighters during the defence of Hill 170 near Kangaw, Burma. For his ‘magnificent heroism’, the twenty-two-year-old commando was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Eight months before the attack on the French port of Bordeaux by the men later immortalised as the Cockleshell Heroes, a less well-known, equally daring, and arguably more successful raid was carried out by two canoeists from No. 6 Commando.

Dick Holmes, on the left, and Duggie Pomford were both awarded the Military Medal while serving with the Special Boat Squadron during the Second World War.

For his “great gallantry, skill and devotion to duty” during the St. Nazaire Raid in March 1942, Sergeant Tommy Durrant of No. 1 Commando and the Royal Engineers was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross.

No.2 Commando were Britain’s first airborne troops and the unit was the first to be designated as the Special Air Service (SAS). In June 1940 Winston Churchill called for a corps of 5,000 paratroopers. Ringway, near Manchester, was identified as a suitable location, and the Central Landing School was established.

Stood first on the left is Lieutenant George Herbert DCM MM of No. 3 Commando. Herbert, who was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry at Dunkirk, was one of the most courageous soldiers of the Second World War.

Captain (Acting Major) Pat Porteous was awarded the Victoria Cross for his ‘most gallant conduct’ during Operation Cauldron, the commando raid to destroy six 155mm guns of No. 813 Battery at Varengeville-sur-Mer near Dieppe.

Commandos of the 1st Special Service Brigade landing on 'Queen Red' Beach on D-Day. The Brigade commander, Brigadier, the Lord Lovat DSO, MC, can be seen striding through the water to the right of the column of men. The figure nearest the camera is Bill Millin, the brigadiers’ piper.

On 9 March 1945, twenty-seven men from the Special Boat Squadron, were tasked to attack the enemy occupied Villa Punta, on the Yugoslav island of Lussino. Initially occupied by Italian fascists, the fortified villa with extensive gardens, and the surrounding village had recently been reinforced with German troops.

At 04.30 hours on 9 April 1945, Danish born, Major Anders Lassen MC** and his ten-man SBS patrol set out on a diversionary raid on the north shore of Lake Comacchio in north-east Italy. Their tasks were to cause as many casualties and as much confusion as possible, to give the impression of a major landing, and to capture prisoners.

Lieutenant Denis O'Flaherty, Royal Artillery, of 6 Troop, No. 3 Commando is helped by his fellow commandos during the raid on Vaagso, Norway, in December 1941. During the previous hours the commandos had been engaged in fierce fighting on the narrow snow-covered streets.

Recipient of the Military Medal (MM), Johnny Dowling of No. 3 Commando, was a man born to fight. He learned to box at the famous St. Malachy’s Boxing Club in Liverpool, and after spending three seasons in the city’s tough boxing booths, he jumped at the chance to volunteer for “special service of a hazardous nature” and joined the Commandos.

Commando come fighter pilot, Eric Garland MC and Bar, had a remarkable war. In a period full of incredible achievements by extraordinary people, the actions of Eric Garland were of the highest order.

Victoria Cross recipient Lance Corporal Eric Harden, sitting first on the right, alongside the men of 45 (RM) Commando, was posthumously awarded Britain’s highest award for valour in the presence of the enemy, after giving his life to save his wounded comrades.