41 Commando 41 Commando or No . 41 ( Royal Marine ) Commando was a unit of Royal Marines trained as Commandos during the Second World War . They were part of the all Royal Marine 4th Special Service Brigade that took part in the Normandy Landings in June 1944 and later that served in World War II , the Korean War , and in Northern Ireland . They were disbanded in 1981 . Second World War . The early Commando units in the Second World War were all from the British Army but by February 1942 , the Royal Marines were asked to organise Commando units of their own , and 6 , 000 men volunteered . ' B ' ( RM ) Commando was raised at Pembroke Dock on 7 October 1942 , under the command of Lieutenant Colonel P W O ' H . Phibbs , from the men of the 8th Royal Marine Battalion . It was the second Royal Marine commando battalion formed after its sister ' A ' ( RM ) Commando . Both commandos were based on the Isle of Wight and soon after the commando was renamed No . 41 ( Royal Marine ) Commando . It fought with the Special Service Brigade in the invasion of Sicily and at Salerno , where they suffered heavy casualties including two second - in - command ' s and most of the Troop Commanders . The Unit ' s Chaplain , the Revd John Wallis RN , was awarded the DSC for " outstanding courage and devotion to duty shown . . . in tending the wounded and bringing in casualties under heavy fire from the Enemy " . The Unit returned to the United Kingdom in January 1944 , in preparation for the Normandy landings . It was part of the 4th Special Service Brigade and landed at Normandy on 6 June 1944 . It later took part in the battle of the Scheldt in November 1944 . It then served on the Maas River for the remainder of the war and then occupation duties in Germany . On 20 January 1946 the commando was disbanded . 41 ( Independent ) Commando . During the Korean War 41 Commando was reconstituted as 41 ( Independent ) Commando following a request from the United Nations Command for more amphibious raiding forces . The " Independent " designation meant that their commander had sole responsibility for their unit and did not have to consult with higher headquarters on operational and logistical matters . On 16 August 1950 219 Royal Marine volunteers were assembled in Bickleigh then the Commando School . They were commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Douglas B . Drysdale DSO , MBE an experienced World War II Commando veteran who was the Chief Instructor at the Royal Marines Officer school . The Commandos travelled to Japan in civilian clothes , with most of the civilian clothing issued by the Admiralty . The unit received more volunteers en route from 3 Commando Brigade involved in the Malayan Emergency . Arriving in Japan on 15 September 1950 , the Commandos were issued American winter uniforms and weapons but retained their green beret s , battle dress and boots . The first mission of the unit was in October where the Commandos embarked on two American high speed transports the USS Horace A . Bass ( APD - 124 ) and USS Wantuck ( APD - 125 ) supported by the destroyer USS De Haven ( DD - 727 ) , where they executed a series of raid s on the North Korean coast near Wonsan to disrupt North Korean transportation facilities . On 10 November 1950 , 41 ( Independent ) Commando joined the United Nations advance in North Korea where they served with the United States Marine Corps ; the second time the two organisations had served together , the first being the Boxer Rebellion . During the Battle of Chosin Reservoir Lt . Col . Drysdale was given command of a 900 man unit of his own Commando , American , and South Korean forces called Task Force Drysdale . Their hard fighting together with the American Marines and Army led to 41 Independent Commando being awarded the American Presidential Unit Citation that the 1st Marine Division earned . However it was not awarded until 1957 . The Commando reformed in Japan and in April 1951 were assigned to what eventually became the 1st Commonwealth Division . They raided the North Korean coast with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps until 41 Commando returned to England in December 1951 ; those who had served less than a year in the commando were drafted into 42 Commando operating in Malaya . They were disbanded in on 2 February 1951 , the Commando having 31 Marines killed and 17 captured with one Royal Marine choosing to stay in North Korea , who returned to the UK in 1960 . Post Korean War . In 1960 41 Commando was reformed as part of the United Kingdom ' s Strategic Reserve . The Commando served in various places throughout the world . These included East Africa in 1964 , while in 1969 they were the first R . M . Commando to participate in operations in Northern Ireland . In 1971 they were stationed in Malta , and in 1974 together with 40 Commando they took part in United Nations operation in Cyprus following the Turkish invasion . In 1977 they left Malta and in 1979 carried out public duties in London . In 1981 , then based at Deal , Kent they were disbanded again . Battle honours . The following Battle honour s were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War .