" As regards the Regiment. It is true that the Police Intakes to the Commandos went direct from their Police Force to CBTC at Achnacarry. On arrival, for administration records and pay purposes, they then had to be recorded as being attached to the Commando from a Regiment. The men were asked which Regiment they wanted to be listed as with. The Regiments had no say in this whatsoever as it was purely for the reasons I have just mentioned. I am told that most simply said the nearest Regiment to where they lived, however one or two others with what might be described as a 'dry sense of humour' put down the Guards Regiments, etc. Thus began their link on paper at least with those Regiments.

I can assist with a few names and it is certainly something your Museum may wish to follow up on. The Police Intakes were unique in that they went direct to the Commando Depot later known as the Commando Basic Training Centre (CBTC) at Achnacarry, Scotland. Throughout the war from the time of their formation in 1940 to their disbandment in 1946, all Army Commandos were volunteers from their Regiments. This was not the case with the later formed Royal Marines Commandos apart from the initial 40 RM Cdo.

The men were only attached to the Commando rather than formerly transferred. As such their pay was from their initial Regiment and they could be Returned to Unit (RTU) at any time without reason given.

Police were also volunteers. However they had no Regiment and as such they had to, at least on paper, be attached to a Regiment. The process of that occurred on their arrival at the CBTC when they were asked to name a Regiment that they could be attached to. Now most said one that was close to the area they came from, however there were some with a Coppers sense of humour, who chose the elite Guards Regiments, one an Englishman even chose the Black Watch. Thus began on paper at least their connection with these Regiments ! The Police were seen as a disciplined body of fit men who could go direct to Commando training without the need for initial military training.

The Met and Essex I believe provided the greatest number but they came from other places as well. To date we have no roll of the names of individuals on the two intakes so if you find any names at all I hope you consider sharing the information with us. I have found these Police references that may interest you in the Museum not necessarily all with your original enquiry:

http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/history-from-police-archives/PolCit/volunteer.html

Here are a few we know of who were on the Police intakes and passed out as Commandos. It should be noted that not all on the Intakes would have passed the course. Others in the Police could volunteer for the RAF . Those below shown as No.2 Commando 5 troop were all in the same troop as my father and uncle. My father, a Lance Sergeant, kept a note book with all the details :

Every WW2 Commando Veteran that I have spoken with, including my father and my uncle, all spoke highly of the men from the Police Intakes. That's all the details we have so anything you might be able to add let us know.