Shown here are two British Commandos admiring their handywork - a great oil fire spreading across the water from ruptured oil tanks during the Vaagso raid.
The Vaagso raid was carried out by Lt.Col. John Durnford-Slater's No.3 Commando. He was in command of fifty-one officers and five hundred and twenty-five other ranks.
Thers was also a troop and a half of No.2 Commando; detachments of Royal Engineers from No.6 Commando; Royal Army Medical Corps from No.6 Commando; Intelligence officers from the War Office and a Press Unit. Men from the Royal Norwegian Army were also attached as guides and interpreters.
The commandos were carried to their target aboard the Royal Navy Troopship, HMS Prince Charles and HMS Prince Leopold. The Fiji class cruiser HMS Kenya provided the Headquarters for Rear Admiral Harold Burrough and Brigadier Charles Haydon. Escort came from four Destroyers of the 17th Destroyer Flotilla-HMS Onslow, HMS Offa, HMS Oribi and HMS Chiddingfold. The role of navigation beacon was given to HM submarine Tuna.
In addition the Royal Air Force supported the operation with bombing missions carried out by Hampdens of No.50 Squadron and the Blenheims of Coastal Command's No.110 and 114 squadrons.
