John Durnford-Slater

Who was John Durnford-Slater?

John Frederick Durnford-Slater, DSO and bar was a British Army officer who was credited with raising the first Army commando unit during the Second World War.

An officer in the Royal Artillery who eventually rose to the rank of brigadier, he was responsible for developing many of aspects of the commando concept. Commanding No. 3 Commando he participated in raids on Guernsey, the Lofoten Islands, Vaagso, Dieppe and Sicily. In Italy he commanded the Commando brigade that undertook the capture of Termoli, before serving as deputy commander of the Special Service Group, a divisional level headquarters unit that planned and administered all commando operations during Operation Overlord and the advance into Germany.