No. 9 Commando was originally established as a part of 11 Scottish Commando in 1940, deriving from the Scottish Command. It was later integrated into the 2nd Special Service Battalion. During their time with the 2nd Special Service Battalion, the members of the unit sported a black hackle on a khaki Balmoral bonnet or glengarry in lieu of a traditional cap badge. The choice of the black hackle was meant to stand for unfinished business .

When the British Expeditionary Force withdrew to Dunkirk, where it was evacuated in the early days of June. Britain was on the defensive and Prime Minister Churchill introduced an offensive defiant component into the future conduct of the war.

On the 3rd of June, he wrote to the Chiefs of Staff: The completely defensive habit of mind, which has ruined the French, must not be allowed to ruin all our initiative. It is of the highest consequence to keep the largest numbers of German forces all along the coasts of the countries that have been conquered, and we should immediately set to work to organise raiding forces on these coasts where the populations are friendly. Such forces might be composed by self-contained, thoroughly equipped units of say 1,000 up to not less than 10,000 when combined.

The title Commando, for these troops, was suggested by Lt. Colonel Dudley Clarke borrowing from the guerrilla fighters of the Boer War. 

During the early part of July 1940, these new units were raised in different parts of Britain. Nos. 3 and 4 Commandos were formed from Southern Command, Nos. 5 and 6 from Western Command, No. 7 from Eastern Command, No. 8 mainly from the London District and the Household Division and Nos. 9 and 11 from the Scottish Command.

By the autumn of 1940, more than 2,000 men had volunteered for commando training, and what became known as the Special Service Brigade was formed into 12 units called commandos.

No. 9 Commando was originally formed from No. 6 and No. 7 Independent Companies. They had been amalgamated in the autumn of 1940 in the 2nd Special Service Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J.M. Saegert. 

The man chosen to lead the 11th (Scottish) Commando was Lt Colonel Richard R Pedder (HLI). Although not the first unit to be formed 11 Commando was the first unit to reach operational strength. With HQ in the Douglas Hotel in Galashiels.

The No. 11 (Scottish) Commandos adopted a glengarry as headdress with the black hackle, supported by the badge of the trooper's home regiment. No. 9 Commando, was in training in the South of England, they also adopted the glengarry with a black hackle.

The TOS bonnet was adopted for service dress also worn with the black hackle and no insignia. Later in the war a green beret became standard issue for all Commando forces. However, the 11th Commando retained their TOS and glengarrys until disbandment. The black hackle was also worn on tropical pith helmets when worn by 10 Troop 11 Commando in Cape Town - South Africa.

Today we still supply the Black Hackle - Please visit the Hackle department to purchase this famous units hackle

In memory of the fallen Commandos.

ALAMEIN MEMORIAL (Egypt) 

BARRAND Lance Corporal, Peter Charles 6971182. Rifle Brigade. 14th November 1941. Age 22.

CHEYNE Sergeant John 2876138. Gordon Highlanders. 16th November-27th December 1941. Age 25. (Parachute problem on Gazala/Timini raid.)

KEITH, Private, Douglas 2882330. Gordon Highlanders. 9th Dec 1941. Age 22. (PoW Gazala/Timini raid. Sinking of Sebastiano Venier, PoW ship.)

KING, Lance Corporal, Ernest Taylor4803483. 6th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment. 9th June 1941. Age 20.

McAULEY, Lance Corporal, Michael2986292. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 23.

McGONIGAL, Lieutenant, Eoin Christopher 97290. Royal Ulster Rifles. 18th November 1941. Age 20. (Gazala/Timini raid.)

MARTIN, J F Sinking of the SS Scillin PoW ship.

PARNACOTT, Lieutenant Geoffrey Alfred Henry 105607. York and Lancaster Regiment. 10th June 1941. Age 21.

STEVENSON, Corporal, Thomas 2977763. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 31.

THOMPSON, Private, Royce 2984367. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 21.

WALLACE, Corporal, Hugh 3130762. Royal Scots Fusiliers. 5th December 1941. Age 20.

KHAYAT BEACH WAR CEMETERY (Israel) 

HAMILTON, Private, Robert Scott 3323516. Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). 10th June 1941. Age 27.

ROBB, Private, Leslie 5570437. Wiltshire Regiment. 11th June 1941. Age 22.

RAMLEH WAR CEMETERY (Israel) 

OLIPHANT, Lance Bombardier, Archibald Johnston 894985. Royal Artillery. 16th June 1941. Age 21.

ROBERTSON, Gunner, Andrew 958993. Royal Artillery. 2nd July 1941. Age 22

BEIRUT WAR CEMETERY (Lebanese Republic) 

TIE, Corporal, James John William 2989781. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 194 1. Age 26.

COOKE, Lance Bombardier, John 4690225. Royal Artillery, 9th June 194 1. Age 22.

O'SULLIVAN, Sergeant William Martin, 4803368. 6th Bn. Lincolnshire Regiment. 9th June 1941. Age 20.

PLUNKETT, Fusilier, John, 3773880. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers. 9th June 1941. Age 22.

CRAIG, Lance Corporal, James Cross,2763490. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). 11th June 1941. Age 29.

DINSDALE, Private, Henry, 4750212. 6th Bn. York and Lancaster Regiment. 9th June 1941. Age 24.

FARMILOE, Captain, William Arthur 96878. Rifle Brigade. 9th June 1941. Age 28.

McGUIRE, Corporal, John 2934163. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 24.

SIDON WAR CEMETERY (Lebanese Republic) 

ADAMS, Private, Jack 2758154. Black Watch ' (Royal Highlanders). 9th June 1941. Age 22.

AINSLIE, Lance Corporal, William Robson Milne 329331. Royal Armoured Corps. 9th June 1941. Age 28.

BAILLIE, Lance Corporal, Alexander Charles 2885492. Gordon Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 28.

BEST, Private, George, 2883741. Gordon Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 22.

BURROWS, Gunner, Charles William 872276. Royal Artillery. 9th June 1941. Age 21.

BURTON, Sergeant, Kenneth Harwood 404001. Royal Armoured Corps. 9th June 1941. Age 29.

CAMPBELL, Private, William 2763471. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). 9th June 1941. Age 28.

CHANTRELL, Private, William 7379892. Royal Army Medical Corps. 9th June 1941. Age 21.

CHISHOLM, Sergeant, James Alexander 2929812. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 21.

COHEN, Corporal, Aaron Harry 2760335. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). 9th June 1941. Age 30.

COODE, Lieutenant, Donald Alastair 91438. Royal Engineers. 9th June 1941. Age 23.

DIBB, Corporal, Edgar 746439. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). 9th June 1941. Age 35

EARDLEY, Lance Corporal, Albert William 2072050. Royal Engineers. 9th June 1941. Age 20.

GALLAGHER, Private, Denis 2989639. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 27.

GIBBS, Gunner, William Gore 879745. Royal Artillery. 9th June 1941. Age 22.

GREIG, Corporal, Robert 2881454. Gordon Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 24.

HAMILTON, Driver, Alexander 2576082. Royal Corps of Signals. 9th June 1941. Age 19.

HARLAND, Edwin 2882955. Gordon Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 20.

HURST, Private, Ben 3715891. King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster). 9th June 1941. Age 26.

JONES, Corporal. Harold 550620. Royal Armoured Corps. 9th June 1941. Age 32.

KINGHORN, Private, Robert 2884403. Gordon Highlanders. 9th June 1941.

LANG, Lance Corporal, John 326577. Royal Armoured Corps. 9th June 1941. Age 20.

LISTER, Private, Richard 3319075. Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). 9th June 1941. Age 23.

MACARTHUR, Lance Bombardier, Robert 1455543. Royal Artillery. 9th June 1941. Age 20.

McKAY, Corporal, Robert 2928972. 2nd Bn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 28.

McKEOWN, Private, John 2760779. Black Watch (Royal Highlanders). 9th June 1941. Age 19.

MULLEN, Private, James Cassidy 3325329. Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). 9th June 1941. Age 27.

MURPHY, Private, James 2981807. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 24.

PADBURY, Corporal, John 320986. Royal Armoured Corps . 9th June 1941. Age 27. 

PEDDER, Lieutenant Colonel, Richard Robert Newsham 31724. Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment). 9th June 1941. Age 36.

PURSE, Lance Corporal, Jack 2987094. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 11th June 1941. Age 24.

RICHARDS, Second Lieutenant, Charles Geoffrey 126476. Wiltshire Regiment. 9th June 1941. Age 28.

ROONEY, Private, Lawrence 4534896. 2nd Bn. West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales's Own). 9th June 1941. Age 27.

SMITH, Sergeant, John Rolland 2986958. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. 9th June 1941. Age 21.

STYLES, Signalman, Alexander Mundie 2584344. Royal Corps of Signals. 9th June 1941. Age 22.

TITTERTON, Lance Corporal, Cyril Arthur 3604006. 9th Bn. Border Regiment. 9th June 1941. Age 26

WOODNUTT, Sapper, Desmond 1894107. Royal Engineers. 9th June 1941. Age 28

BROOKWOOD MEMORIAL (Surrey) 

SEVERN, Lance Corporal, Clive, Mentioned in Despatches 5887258. 'Northamptonshire Regiment. 20th January 1942. Age 22.

BENGHAZI WAR CEMETERY (Libya) 

KEYES, Lieutenant Colonel, Geoffrey Charles Tasker, VC, MC, 71081. Royal Scots Greys (2nd Dragoons), R.A.C. 18th November 1941. Age 24. Awarded Croix de Guerre.

MacQUARRIE Lance Corporal D M Gordons, 31st December 1941. PoW on Rommel HQ raid (?)

ENFIDAVILLE WAR CEMETERY (Tunisia)  

BROWN, Corporal. Leslie Jock 5437777. Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. 15th-18th January 1943. Age 26.

NIXON, Private, Malvern 3056939. Royal Scots. 15th-18th January 1943. Age 23.

Hadra CWGC Egypt 

HUGHES Lance Corporal. A E Wiltshire Regiment. 13th February 1943

Fayid CWGC Egypt 

DUFFY Private Joseph Aloysuis 3318385. Seaforth Highlanders. 16th October 1941. (Parachute failed to open during training.)

WARBURTON Private. Kenneth 2821591. Seaforth Highlanders 16th October 1941. (Parachute failed to open during training.)

Knightsbridge CWGC Libya 

WOOD Sergeant A J Royal Scots 4th December 1941.   Raid on Rommel's HQ?

For further information on the history of the units please visit Combined Operations