Commando Order

[hist2004]

Commando Order

The Commando Order (German: Kommandobefehl) fits on a single sheet of paper but had remarkable consequences in World War II. In this document, Adolf Hitler ordered that all Allied soldiers serving in Commando or other irregular operations were not to be taken prisoner, but were to be handed over to the SD for execution.

Hitler was known to have particular animosity for Allied Commandos and Paratroops due to their unpredictability, their effect on German morale, their successes in Europe, Norway and North Africa, and his inability to devise any worthwhile counter. Raiding escalated in 1942 and included the large scale Combined Operations' raids at St. Nazaire and Dieppe. Though the main assault on Dieppe failed, the Army Commando attacks on the flank batteries were, on the whole, successful as was the main assault on St. Nazaire.

It is widely believed an occurrence at Dieppe and on a small raid on the Channel Island of Sark by the Small Scale Raiding Force (with some men of No.12 Commando), brought Hitler's rage to a head. During Dieppe on 18th August, a Canadian officer elected (quite contrary to procedure) to take the full battle plan with him. This bundle was subsequently seized by the Germans during the surrender and found its way to Hitler. Among the bundle is believed to have been advice on how to 'bind prisoners' and a 'Commando' manual on close-quarter fighting.

It should be appreciated this bundle was not carried by, nor taken from, any Commando, and, in respect of Commandos, any 'binding of prisoners' was not part of their orders. There are a number of photographs in various publications and in the Imperial War Museum, London, showing Commandos returning with prisoners captured at Dieppe not even being held onto.

From the beginning the Commandos were instructed in close-quarter combat and use of the fighting knife by Fairbairn and Sykes who were the original instructors in 1940 at Lochailort Special Training Centre, and who designed the original F&S Fighting Knife issued to Commandos. Fairbairn published a number of books on personal defence and offence for general sale, which included Get Tough in 1942, publicised as knife fighting technique taught to British Commandos and US Rangers. Both these troops however, were taught by personal instruction and would hardly have qualified as Special Forces if they needed to carry a manual into battle.

On the night of 3/4 October, ten men of the Small Scale Raiding Force and No.12 Commando (attached) made an offensive reconnaisance raid on the isle of Sark, Operation Basalt. In line with standard procedure the acquisition of prisoners was required. Nine of the raiders broke into the house of a local while the tenth went to a covert rendezvous with an SOE agent. The occupant of the house, Frances Pittard, proved very informative and advised there were about 20 Germans in the nearby Dixcart Hotel. She also declined an offer to take her back to England.

In front of the hotel was a long hut type building, apparently unguarded. This annex comprised a corridor and five rooms wherein were five sleeping Germans, none found to be officers. The men were roused and taken outside whereafter the Commandos decided to go on to the hotel and capture more of the enemy. To minimise the guard left with the captives, the Commandos tied the prisoners hands with the toggle ropes each carried a six foot length of, and required them to hold up their trousers. The practise of removing belts and/or braces and tearing open the fly was quite a common technique the Commandos used to make it as difficult as possible for captives to run away.

While this was being undertaken, one prisoner started shouting to alert those in the hotel and was instantly shot dead with a .38 revolver. The enemy now alerted, incoming fire from the hotel became considerable and the raiders elected to return to the beach with the remaining four prisoners. En route to the beach, three prisoners made a break. Whether or not some had freed their hands during the firefight is not established nor if all three broke at the same time. Two were believed shot and one stabbed. The fourth was conveyed safely back to England and proved a mine of information. The raiders also evacuated a SOE agent who had been posing as a Polish labourer among forced labour on the island.

A few days later the Germans issued a propaganda communiqué implying at least one prisoner had escaped and two were shot while resisting having their hands tied. They also claimed this 'hands tying' practice was used at Dieppe.

On 7th October, Hitler personally penned a note in the Wehrmacht daily communiqué:

In future, all terror and sabotage troops of the British and their accomplices, who do not act like soldiers but rather like bandits, will be treated as such by the German troops and will be ruthlessly eliminated in battle, wherever they appear.
On 9th October, Berlin announced that 1376 Allied prisoners (mainly Canadians from Dieppe), would henceforth be shackled. The British responded with a like shackling of German prisoners in Canada. This tit-for-tat shackling continued until the Swiss achieved agreement with the British to desist on 12th December, and with the Germans some time later after they received further assurances from the British. However, by this time many German camps had abandoned the pointless practice or reduced it to merely leaving a pile of shackles in a prison billet as a token.

On 18th October after much deliberation by High Command lawyers, officers and staff, Hitler issued his Commando Order or Kommandobefehl in secret, 12 copies. The following day Army Chief of Staff, Alfred Jodl, distributed copies to Headquarters with his addition advising top secrecy and distribution protocol.

From now on all men operating against German troops in so-called Commando raids ... are to be annihilated to the last man.... Even if these individuals on discovery ... give themselves up as prisoners, no pardon is on any account to be given.
The order falsely claims that British Commandos had been ordered to kill prisoners. That was not the case, quite the opposite was true; the men at Sark acted as they felt appropriate for the situation.

Hitler knew that the order was illegal; that is obvious by the fact it was prepared in only twelve copies and that special measures were ordered to keep it secret. He also knew the order would be unpopular with the professional military, in particular the part of the order that stated that the order would stand even if captured Commandos were in uniform (un-uniformed Commandos could be treated as insurgents/spies under International Law). The order included measures designed to force them to obey despite their lack of enthusiasm. Generals like Erwin Rommel and Albrecht Kesselring did not obey the order but relied on the Geneva conventions.

Hitler later extended this treatment to captured Allied pilots, and the SD's role was taken over by the Gestapo.

The Commando Order was used to kill hundreds and possibly thousands of Allied Special Forces and behind-the-lines operators of the OSS, SOE, and other elements. Normally they would be handed over to the SD or Gestapo, transported to a Concentration Camp, and murdered there. (The Gazette citation reporting the awarding of the G.C. to Yeo-Thomas describes this process in detail.) The first victims were seven officer men of Operation Musketoon, who were shot in Sachsenhausen on the morning of 23rd October 1942, and Commando Order executions were carried out well into the dying days of the Third Reich.

After the war, German officers who carried out the illegal executions under the Commando Order were found guilty at war crimes trials, including the Nuremberg Trials. The Commando Order was one of the specifications in the charge against Generaloberst (Colonel-General) Jodl, who was convicted and hanged.

Regards,
Hist2004

[hist2004]

Adolf Hitler ordered that all Allied soldiers serving in Commando or other irregular operations were not to be taken prisoner, but were to be handed over to the SD for execution.

For clarity, a definition of SD...

SD | Sicherheitsdienst | Security Service. The intelligence organization of the SS. This branch was headed by Himmler's right-hand man, Reinhard Heydrich, until his assassination in 1942 by SAS-trained Czech agents.

Regards,
Hist2004

[Kitsune]

It should be noted however, that in some way the Allies after the war returned the favor. While Allied commandos where hailed as heros, German ones like the Brandenburgers were systematically persecuted as warcriminals.

Soldiers who skulk trough the night, cut throats and impersonate enemy military personnel are heros only to one side, criminals to the other.

[Tim Nice But Dim]

The text of the "Commando Order"...

1. For a long time now our opponents have been employing in their conduct of the war, methods which contravene the International Convention of Geneva. The members of the so-called Commandos behave in a particularly brutal and underhand manner; and it has been established that those units recruit criminals not only from their own country but even former convicts set free in enemy territories. From captured orders it emerges that they are instructed not only to tie up prisoners, but also to kill out-of-hand unarmed captives who they think might prove an encumbrance to them, or hinder them in successfully carrying out their aims. Orders have indeed been found in which the killing of prisoners has positively been demanded of them.

2. In this connection it has already been notified in an Appendix to Army Orders of 7.10.1942. that in future, Germany will adopt the same methods against these Sabotage units of the British and their Allies; i.e. that, whenever they appear, they shall be ruthlessly destroyed by the German troops.

3. I order, therefore:

From now on all men operating against German troops in so-called Commando raids in Europe or in Africa, are to be annihilated to the last man. This is to be carried out whether they be soldiers in uniform, or saboteurs, with or without arms; and whether fighting or seeking to escape; and it is equally immaterial whether they come into action from Ships and Aircraft, or whether they land by parachute. Even if these individuals on discovery make obvious their intention of giving themselves up as prisoners, no pardon is on any account to be given. On this matter a report is to be made on each case to Headquarters for the information of Higher Command.

4. Should individual members of these Commandos, such as agents, saboteurs etc., fall into the hands of the Armed Forces through any means - as, for example, through the Police in one of the Occupied Territories - they are to be instantly handed over to the S.D.

To hold them in military custody - for example in P.O.W. Camps, etc., - even if only as a temporary measure, is strictly forbidden.

5. This order does not apply to the treatment of those enemy soldiers who are taken prisoner or give themselves up in open battle, in the course of normal operations, large scale attacks; or in major assault landings or airborne operations. Neither does it apply to those who fall into our hands after a sea fight, nor to those enemy soldiers who, after air battle, seek to save their lives by parachute.

6. I will hold all Commanders and Officers responsible under Military Law for any omission to carry out this order, whether by failure in their duty to instruct their units accordingly, or if they themselves act contrary to it.

A Hitler

And the cover note by General Jodl...

The enclosed Order from the Fuhrer is forwarded in connection with destruction of enemy Terror and Sabotage-troops.

This order is intended for Commanders only and is in no circumstances to fall into Enemy hands.

Further distribution by receiving Headquarters is to be most strictly limited.

The Headquarters mentioned in the Distribution list are responsible that all parts of the Order, or extracts taken from it, which are issued are again withdrawn and, together with this copy, destroyed.

Chief of Staff of the Army

Jodl

Both Quotes From - http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/commando_order.htm

[ronin2172]

Originally Posted by Kitsune

It should be noted however, that in some way the Allies after the war returned the favor. While Allied commandos where hailed as heros, German ones like the Brandenburgers were systematically persecuted as warcriminals.

Soldiers who skulk trough the night, cut throats and impersonate enemy military personnel are heros only to one side, criminals to the other.

BUT commandoes never wore enemy uniforms such as the Brandenburgers did, and when did German paratroopers get charged with anything?

It also doesn't help matters that the Brandenburgers were first controlled by the Abwher then the SS...

Also prosecution as warcrimes doesn't compare to being excecuted on the spot now does it?

[Kitsune]

@ronin2172:

It has nothing to do with paratroopers. German Fallschirmjäger were not charged by the Allies, and Hitlers commando order explicitely excludes Allied paratroopers.

As far as the wearing of enemy uniform is concerned, that was indeed a specialty of the Brandenburgers. But it is agreed even by the Allies that this in itself is not illegal. It just becomes that if one fights in the foreign uniform. which the Brandenburgers usually did not. The often used method was to wear a set of German uniform under the foreign one.

Sure, the commando order is much too severe. Typical Old Adolf, actually. Just his style: if pissed, retaliate massively. But you can be assured that when he signed it, was completely convinced that he is on the right and just side...

My comment was directed at the suspicion and mistrust with which commando style actions were seen, even today, but especially back then. Many "classical" soldiers and generals on both sides thought their style of fighting as shabby and unworthy of a soldier.

[Nite]

Originally Posted by ronin2172

It also doesn't help matters that the Brandenburgers were first controlled by the Abwher then the SS...

That's quite wrong, the Brandenburger never were under control of the SS.
In 1944 the Brandenburg Division was transformed to a regular Panzergrenadier-Division (mechanized infantry division).
But at roughly the same time the Waffen-SS started to form own special forces units (the so-called "Jagdkommandos")

[Jelle H.]

Originally Posted by hist2004

Commando Order

The Commando Order (German: Kommandobefehl) fits on a single sheet of paper but had remarkable consequences in World War II. In this document, Adolf Hitler ordered that all Allied soldiers serving in Commando or other irregular operations were not to be taken prisoner, but were to be handed over to the SD for execution.

Hitler was known to have particular animosity for Allied Commandos and Paratroops due to their unpredictability, their effect on German morale, their successes in Europe, Norway and North Africa, and his inability to devise any worthwhile counter. Raiding escalated in 1942 and included the large scale Combined Operations' raids at St. Nazaire and Dieppe. Though the main assault on Dieppe failed, the Army Commando attacks on the flank batteries were, on the whole, successful as was the main assault on St. Nazaire.

Regards,
Hist2004

Hist, you're not telling the whole story.

British commandos were ordered to kill prisoners should they become a burden to them. That method was outside the agreements of the Geneva convention according to Hitler, which was true. Hitler said:

"For this reason Germany will in future use the same methods"

Hitler also said:

"The commando order does not affect the treatment of enemy soldiers taken prisoner during normal battle actions, major attack, major seaborne or airborne landings"

At last a quote from an British S.O.E. manual:

Searching a prisoner, if you are armed. Kill him first. If that is inconvenient, make him lie face to the ground, hands out in front of him. Knock him out, with rifle butt, side or butt of the pistol, or with your boot. Then search him.

[Para]

Lets face it the Germans were killing British POWs at Dunkirk, a whole company of British soldiers where herded in to a barn and killed after they had surrendered, the Germans were annoyed that they had been delayed.

[Thor]

All sides committed atroctities during WW2.

Hitler deliberately let the british expeditionary force get away at Dunkirk, a fair judgment at the time.

[M_S]

Originally Posted by Thor

All sides committed atroctities during WW2.

Hitler deliberately let the british expeditionary force get away at Dunkirk, a fair judgment at the time.

Deliberately?

Dont be stupid, he misjudged the situation.

[Thor]

Step out of the propaganda box.. He halted them because he still had hopes up for a peace with Britain. Had it been 1944 the order would have been somewhat different.

[oldsoak]

Originally Posted by Jelle H.

Hist, you're not telling the whole story.

British commandos were ordered to kill prisoners should they become a burden to them. That method was outside the agreements of the Geneva convention according to Hitler, which was true. Hitler said:

"For this reason Germany will in future use the same methods"

Hitler also said:

"The commando order does not affect the treatment of enemy soldiers taken prisoner during normal battle actions, major attack, major seaborne or airborne landings"

At last a quote from an British S.O.E. manual:

Searching a prisoner, if you are armed. Kill him first. If that is inconvenient, make him lie face to the ground, hands out in front of him. Knock him out, with rifle butt, side or butt of the pistol, or with your boot. Then search him.

SOE were seperate from the commandos, a sort of secret agent type outfit - they operated as saboteurs etc and generally ended up stacked up against a wall if caught. They knew they were outside of the conventions of war, so they did not appy them. The shooting of prisoners within the regular armed forces was never condoned by the UK unless it was a sentence of court martial. Did it happen - yes it did, but it was done by those acting outside of military regulations and such acts were criminal. The incident that probably started the commando order was the discovery of dead German soldiers with their arms tied behind their back after a commando raid. Considering the commandos ofter brought prisoners back, its unlikely they were taken prisoner just so they could be shot. It is possible they were caught in crossfire or shot trying to escape - hard to say withought modern forensic science. To the credit of the Germans, many did not consider the commando order "legal" and did their best to circumvent the order.

[Ruledbyjames]

Thanks for the article Hist2004 . After the masacre at Malmedy the Allies issued that ss and Fallschimerjager were to be shot on sight. I recently read about the Brandenbergers exploits in Poland. Some pretty daring operations.

What was the name of the British agent that was captured the night or 2 before D-day? He had a nice chat with Rommel and then was imprisoned. He was not executed.

[oldsoak]

I'm not sure if such orders were issued - certainly British troops took Fallshirmjager and SS prisoners up until the war was over, as did American troops. German paratroops were far more likely to get better treatment than the SS - simply because there were very few incidents of atrocities carried out by German paras against allied troops compared with the SS, so they got the favour returned as it were. Canadian troops had a particular chip on their shoulder regarding the SS, due to wounded Canadian pows being murdered by SS units. They didnt take many prisoners from the SS as a result. I'm trying to find it, but there were instances of Germans troops rescueing allied pows from from the SS. The bloke who got picked up on just before D-Day was on a recce mission and captured in uniform. Rommel was also one of the German Army "old school" and by all accounts quite a decent chap.