Editing No. 3 Commando (section)

===Sicily and Italy===
After the Dieppe raid, a long period of lull followed for No. 3 Commando during which time they were based around [[Weymouth, Dorset|Weymouth]] and were brought back up to strength with an intake of 120 former policemen who had volunteered for service with the Commandos and had just completed their training at the Commando Depot at [[Achnacarry]] in Scotland.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 109.</ref> In January 1943, however, the unit received orders to move to [[Gibraltar]], where they were stationed as a precaution in case Germany decided to invade Spain.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 116.</ref><ref name=Saunders131>Saunders 1959, p. 131.</ref> While there the commanding officer, John Durnford-Slater, carried out reconnaissance of potential targets in Spain from the air and sent officers on leave across the border to gather intelligence.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 117.</ref>

[[Image:Commando landings Sicily 9 10 July 1943.jpg|thumb|right|alt=A black and white photograph showing a warship firing its armament at positions on the foreshore, while in the distance landing craft move towards the beach|A destroyer fires on [[Axis powers|Axis]] positions while Commandos carry out landings on the beach during [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Operation Husky]].]]

In April 1943 the unit was moved to North Africa, landing at [[Algiers]]<ref name=Saunders131/> before later moving to [[Alexandria]] where they began preparing for operations as part of [[Allied invasion of Sicily|Operation Husky]], the Allied invasion of Sicily.<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 132.</ref> On 10 July 1943, landing ahead of the main force near [[Cassibile (village)|Cassibile]], a few miles south of [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] on the Sicilian coast, half of No. 3 Commando—Nos. 4, 5 and 6 Troops, under the command of Durnford-Slater, carried out a night time attack on an Italian artillery battery without suffering a single casualty.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 135.</ref><ref>Saunders 1959, p. 136–137.</ref> Meanwhile, Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Troops under the command of Peter Young, carried out a landing at Scoglio Imbiancato, a beach near [[Fontane Bianche]], which was unopposed but a series of navigational delays meant that they landed later than planned. Nevertheless, the two forces managed to link up before capturing the town of [[Cassibile (village)|Cassibile]] later that night.<ref name=Saunders137>Saunders 1959, p. 137.</ref>

On 13 July, the Commandos embarked once more upon the ''Prince Albert''<ref name=Saunders137/> with the task of landing in the Bay of Agnone, behind enemy lines and capture the Ponte dei Malati bridge and hold it, intact, until the [[50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division|50th Division]], which formed the vanguard of the advancing [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]], under [[General (United Kingdom)|General]]  [[Bernard Montgomery]], could relieve them.<ref>Saunders 1959, pp. 138–139.</ref> It was described as the "most perilous enterprise of its career".<ref name=Saunders137/>

The landing took place in two waves due to a shortage of landing craft.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 139.</ref> The first wave hit the beach near [[Agnone Bagni]], about {{convert|7|mi|km}} from the bridge, at 22:00 hours and took fire from the Italian defenders almost immediately. Under the leadership of Durnford-Slater, Young and Lieutenant George Herbert, all experienced combat officers, the Commandos eventually managed to fight their way off the beach and push inland. The second wave followed a few hours later, also under fire, and despite one of the eight landing craft running aground on some rocks, most of the men were also able to get off the beach.<ref>Saunders 1959, pp. 140–141.</ref>

The Commandos were involved in a number of minor skirmishes as they advanced towards the bridge, however, by 03:00<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 141.</ref> on 14 July the lead elements reached the north-east end of the bridge, where Durnford-Slater halted the men to re-organise before launching the assault.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 142.</ref> Shortly after the assault began, with No. 4 Troop leading the way. Within ten minutes the pillboxes had been cleared and No. 3 Commando, had taken control of the bridge.<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 143.</ref>

With a strength that continued to grow until there was about 350 men around the bridge, the charges that had been placed on the bridge were removed<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 143.</ref> and No. 3 Commando settled in to defend the bridge as they waited for 50th Division to arrive. Over the course of the next few hours they were subjected to mortar fire and shelling from a [[Panzer IV]] tank.<ref group="Note">Both Saunders and Durnford-Slater incorrectly identify this as a Tiger; however, David List, who edited the updated version of Durnford-Slater's memoirs clarifies that this tank had to have been a Panzer IV as the Germans did not have any Tigers in the area at the time. Durnford-Slater 2002, p. xv.</ref> Eventually, as casualties mounted and their reinforcement became overdue the Commandos were forced to abandon the position, nevertheless they had prevented the bridge from being blown up and it was eventually recaptured as the Eighth Army arrived a short time later. The unit, however, suffered heavily for the success, suffering 30 killed, 66 wounded and 59 missing or captured.<ref name=Saunders147>Saunders 1959, p. 147.</ref> The bridge was later renamed No. 3 Commando Bridge in their honour.<ref name=Saunders147/>

At the end of the Sicilian campaign Durnford-Slater took over command of a brigade-sized element consisting of No. 3 and [[40 Commando|No. 40 (Royal Marine) Commando]] and the [[Special Raiding Squadron]] and as a result Peter Young took over command of the unit.<ref name=Durnford150>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 150.</ref><ref group="Note">Durnford-Slater subsequently was promoted to [[brigadier]] and became Deputy Commander of the Commando Group, a divisional sized headquarters responsible for all British commando units—both Army and Royal Marines—and in this role he was charged with carrying out planning Commando operations for D-Day and beyond. Durnford-Slater 2000, p. 171; Laffin 1999, p. 18.</ref> Following this, in late August 1943, after receiving replacements from [[No. 12 Commando]]<ref>Durnford-Slater 2000, p. xv.</ref> which was in the process of being disbanded, the unit carried out a number of reconnaissance operations across the Strait in preparation for the [[Allied invasion of Italy|invasion of Italy]].<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 151.</ref>

On 8 September, two troops from No. 3 Commando took part in a dawn landing at Porto San Venere (now [[Vibo Marina]] in [[Calabria]]) as part of the main invasion, helping to clear the quay. The rest of unit arrived shortly afterwards and then they moved on to [[Vibo Valentia]], where they waited for further orders.<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 156.</ref> On 19 September, No. 3 Commando received orders to proceed to [[Bari]] along with the rest of Durnford-Slater's brigade. Arriving there on 30 September, two days later 180 men from No. 3 Commando, organised into four troops under Captain Arthur Komrower,<ref group="Note">Peter Young was in hospital at the time, recovering from injuries he received during one of the reconnaissance raids undertaken prior to the invasion of Italy, although he did return in time to take command of the unit in [[Termoli]] during the German counterattack. Saunders 1959, p. 175.</ref> embarked from [[Manfredonia]] as part of the attack force tasked with [[Battle of Termoli|capturing the port of Termoli]].<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 171.</ref> 

The detachment from No. 3 Commando went ashore in the first wave, securing a bridgehead through which the rest of the force proceeded to advance. By 08:00 on 3 October Termoli had been captured; however a counterattack by [[16th Panzer Division (Wehrmacht)|16th Panzer Division]] continued until early on 6 October,<ref>Saunders 1959, p. 175.</ref> during which No. 3 Commando defended an exposed forward position in what Durnford-Slater described as "probably their finest performance of the war".<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 165.</ref> Shortly after they received orders to return to the United Kingdom in order to prepare for the [[invasion of Normandy]].<ref>Durnford-Slater 2002, p. 170.</ref>