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The name commando has been applied to a variety of Australian special forces and light infantry units.

2/1 IC

2/2 IC

2/3 IC

2/4 IC

2/5 IC

2/6 IC

2/7 IC

2/8 IC

2/6 CavCdo

2/7 CavCdo

Sergeant Leonard G. Siffleet of M Special Unit being beheaded by a Japanese soldier, Yasuno Chikao on 24 October 1943 is an example of the danger men from the unit faced whilst engaged in reconnaissance behind the Japanese lines. From the Australian War Memorial collection.

2/9 CavCdo

All branches of the military contributed to the first Australian commando units, which were formed during World War II. The Australian Army's Independent Companies were formed from 1941 and were modelled on the British Army Commandos (and were re-designated Commando Squadrons a few years later). The Independent Companies were initially trained at the 7th Infantry Training Centre at Wilson's Promontory, Victoria. Of those who trained the first Australian commandos were renowned British commandos Mike Calvert and F. Spencer Chapman.

During World War II, from October 1941 onwards, eight new independent companies were formed as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF). They were:

• 2/1 Independent Company (raised Oct 1941), also known as "1st Independent Company"
• 2/2 Independent Company (raised Oct 1941) and later renamed 2/2 Commando Squadron AIF (after withdrawing from Timor).
• 2/3 Independent Company (raised Oct 1941)
• 2/4 Independent Company (raised December 1941)
• 2/5 Independent Company (raised March 1942)[1]
• 2/6 Independent Company (raised March 1942)
• 2/7 Independent Company (raised March 1942)
• 2/8 Independent Company (raised May 1942)

In 1943, the Australian Army re-organised its six front-line divisions as light infantry Jungle Divisions. As the three Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) divisions' armored reconnaissance regiments were not suited to jungle terrain, their cavalry squadrons were disbanded with the regimental headquarters being used to command the independent companies (which were re designated as Cavalry Commando Squadrons and later to "Commando Squadrons") which were attached to the divisions during operations in New Guinea and Borneo. Their mission was for sabotage and Reconnaisance.

• 2/6th Cavalry Commando Regiment - 2/7, 2/9 and 2/10 Commando Squadrons
• 2/7th Cavalry Commando Regiment - 2/3, 2/5 and 2/6 Commando Squadrons
• 2/9th Cavalry Commando Regiment - 2/4, 2/11 and 2/12 Commando Squadrons

The first commando unit to see action was the unfortunate 2/1st Independent Company (2/1 Ind Coy). Many of its members were killed or captured in the defending the island of New Ireland (part of the Australian territory of New Guinea), from Japanese marines in early 1942. Other detachments of the company served on Bougainville, Manus Island, and Tulagi. A composite platoon was sent to Wau in March 1942, eventually becoming part of Kanga Force.

The 2/2nd Ind Coy had great success during the Timor campaign of 1942-43, by conducting guerilla warfare and occupying the attention of an entire Imperial Japanese Army division for almost twelve months. 2/2 Coy was later redesignated as 2/2 Commando Squadron and was one of only two of the original Independent Companies to remain operating independently, outside a regimental structure (the other was 2/8 Commando Squadron). By the end of the war "2/2 Commando Squadron could claim to have spent longer in contact with the enemy than any other unit of the Australian Army" (Grant 2005) . Other squadrons served in other parts of New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies.

• The 2/5th Ind Coy (Double Black Diamond Shoulder flash)began training at a secret Jungle Warfare training camp at Forster, in Wilson's Promontory, Victoria, Australia. Training began in January 1942 and ended on 9th April 1942. The C.O. was Major Paul Kneen, and the original officers were Captains P.S. Lang (2I/C), E.W. Stout, A.E.T. Shepherd, J.T. Taylor,and the legendary N.I. Winning, as well as Lieutenents W.W. Bullock (Engineers, 2 I.C. Sgt. Mal Bishop, M.M.), E.G. Chaston, B.N. de Meyrick, F.W. Doberer, D.S. Hicks, J.C. Leitch, L.J. Minchin, W.L. Ridley, K Stringfellow, M.W. Whylie, and V.A.E. Crawford (Signals, 2 I.C. Sgt Alfred Sherman). Others joined during the training. On 13 April 1942 they went from Townsville, Queensland on the S.S. Taroona "Very heavily armed", and arrived in Port Moresby, New Guinea on the 17th, during an air raid. They were deployed on 24th May to Wau, in a valley high inland from up Lae and Salamaua. They were to support "Kanga Force" who were to attack the Japanese at Lae and Salamaua, commanded by the controversial Colonel N.L. Fleay, . They were the first allied force in WW 2 to be flown into action as a complete unit, but their kit bags never arrived. Despite appalling conditions, enduring soaking rain, pests, diseases, lack of supplies food and medication, they terrorized the Japanese in the area from the Markham to the Bitol rivers for one year. Notable were the attacks on Salamaua, on of the classic commando raids of all time, as well as on Heath's Plantation, Wau, Mubo (twice) and Wandumi. Finally in February 1943, exhausted from starvation, illness and injury, they were withdrawn for rest, leaving by native canoe and by foot across the range, and returned to Port Moresby. Many who returned had been posted "Missing in action". They went on the M.V. Duntroon to Australia on 13th May, at the same time that the Japanese torpedoed the Hospital ship "Centaur". There has been some unproven speculation that the submarine was looking for the Duntroon, with its load of commandos. The 2/5th was absorbed into the newly formed 2/5th Cavalry Commando Squadron under Major I.E. Kerr, that saw action in Borneo.

The 2/5th Ind. Coy. were awarded 4 Military Medals (Sgt, later Lt. Col) M.A. Bishop, Sgt W.T. Hulcup, and Privates C.B. Beitz and T Robertson. M.I.D. were Capt. R.J. Allsopp, who was recommended for a posthumous V.C.), Lt. W.L. Ridley, Sgt. R.C. McLaughlan (who also was awarded the D.C.M.),L/Cpl N.L. Horne and Pte D.H. Suter. Capt. N.I. Winning was awarded an M.B.E., and Lt. W.A. Chaffey was awarded the Bronze Star (USA). The exploits are told narration style in the book "Commando, Double Black", written by an original member Andy A. Pirie, 1994 (reprinted 1996 by Australian Military Publications) ISBN 9780646153674. [2]

After the beginning of the Pacific War, Special Operations Australia (SOA), a branch of the Allied Intelligence Bureau also formed two multinational, combined forces commando units: M Special Unit (primarily a coastwatching unit) and the more famous Z Special Unit (also known as Z Force), for Allied covert operations in the South West Pacific Area.

Z Force distinguished itself in Operation Jaywick, in which the unit posed as an Asian fishing boat crew, to infiltrate Singapore Harbour, where it mined and destroyed four Japanese ships, amounting to 39,000 tons, in September 1943. However, in 1944 the similar but larger Operation Rimau, which also targeted shipping at Singapore Harbour, resulted in the loss of all 23 personnel involved.

Later in the war the Royal Australian Navy also formed commando units (also known as beach parties) to go ashore with the first waves of major amphibious assaults, to signpost the beaches and carry out other naval tasks. These were known as RAN Commandos, and they took part in the Borneo campaign (1945).

After the war, the existing commando units were disbanded. However, during the 1950s the need to preserve the skills possessed by the WW2 units was realised. Two reserve commando companies were raised: 2 Commando Company (2 Cdo Coy) in February 1955 and 1 Commando Company (1 Cdo Coy) in June 1955.

From 1957, some members of these companies went on to assist and/or join the new Australian Special Air Service Regiment (SASR), when it was raised. However the commando units retained a separate identity, with a greater emphasis on raiding and other larger offensive operations, rather than the special reconnaissance and Surgical Strike role which is the classic function of SAS units.

In February 1981, it was decided to unite the commando companies with a headquarters unit and link them with Special Operations Headquarters (SOHQ). 1 Commando Regiment (1 Cdo Regt) was formed.

In 1996, it was decided to convert 4th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (4 RAR) from a light infantry battalion to a commando unit. 4RAR was renamed 4 RAR (Cdo).

In May 2003, Special Operations Command (Australia) was established as the administrative and operational headquarters for all of Australia's special forces and commando units.

• Brigadier Mac Grant (Retired). "Reserve Commandos inherit a remarkable legacy" Defence reserves yearbook 2004-2005: 24-30

• Speech by Australian Governor General
• speech by Chief of Army

• Australian Army, "History of 1 Commando Regiment".
• Russell Parkin, 2002 "A Capability of First Resort: Amphibious Operations and Australian Defence Policy, 1901–2001" (Australian Army)

• AusSpecialForces.com, "SF and Defence Community and news".