Editing No. 3 Commando (section)

===Vaagso===
[[Image:Wounded being helped onto a landing craft.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A black and white photograph of a wounded soldier being helped to a landing craft by two other soldiers|A wounded soldier is being helped onto a [[Landing Craft Assault]] (LCA).]]
On 27 December 1941, the Commandos carried out another raid in Norway, this time on the port of Vaagso ([[Norwegian language|Nor]]:[[Vågsøy]]) and the island of Maaloy ([[Måløy]]) known as [[Operation Archery]].<ref name=Chappell14>Chappell 1996, p. 14.</ref> Under overall operational command of Brigadier Joseph (Charles) Haydon who directed the operation from [[HMS Kenya|HMS ''Kenya'']], Nos. 5 and 6 Troops under Major [[Jack Churchill]] landed on Maaloy while Durnford-Slater led Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 Troops ashore on Vaagso. In addition to the troops from No. 3 Commando, there were two troops from [[No. 2 Commando]] acting as the floating reserve.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 75–76.</ref><ref group="Note">There were also medical and engineer personnel from No. 4 and No. 6 Commandos. Chappell 1996, p. 14.</ref>

Following a brief naval bombardment the troops on Maaloy succeeded in securing the island;<ref name=Chappell14/> however, the four troops in Vaagso experienced considerable resistance from the German garrison and their attack up the main street briefly stalled before Durnford-Slater signalled Haydon requesting the floating reserve be released to him and No. 6 Troop under [[Peter Young (historian)|Peter Young]] were ferried across from Maaloy.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 81–82.</ref>

Overhead a considerable air battle ensued, while in the anchorage the naval force continued to bombard the shore line and attack German shipping in the port.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, pp. 84–85.</ref> On the shore the fighting in the streets continued for a number of hours and as the Commandos advanced up the main street intelligence teams searched buildings for valuable documents before demolition teams planted explosives and destroyed them.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 86.</ref> Finally, by 13:45 the order for the Commandos to withdraw was given.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 84.</ref> Withdrawing by troops back down the road, they moved back to the landing craft and by 14:45 they had re-embarked, taking a number of German prisoners and Norwegian volunteers with them.<ref name=Chappell14/><ref>Saunders 1959, p. 51.</ref>

The overall losses for the Commandos were 19 killed and 57 wounded,<ref name=Chappell14/> the majority of which were from No. 3 Commando while 120 Germans were killed and a further 98 captured.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 88.</ref><ref group="Note">Naval casualties consisted of two killed and six wounded, while eight [[Royal Air Force]] aircraft were shot down. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 88.</ref>