WW2 training Photo showing British Special Service troops disembarking from a Landing-craft

Those were the days. Polished boots and Brasses Wonder where that was taken.

 

It was taken somewhere in England

 

Interesting to see what a[n assumed] Bren gunner on the gunwhale before the armoured gunner's cockpit was added.

 

Looks more like a river bank than a beach. Somewhere that they could take the landing craft by land rather than by ship. It looks quite small with them leaving quite casually in single file not scattering as they leave. Perhaps it was purely a demo for the camera rather than an exercise. East Anglia Battle Training area maybe.

 

Hi,
This is one of a series of photos taken in February 1942, probably in Scotland.

They are online at the IWM website. The photos start at H 17432 and continue up to H 17539.

Titled as Commandos in training, British Army in the United Kingdom and Living on the land.

H 17432 COMMANDOS IN TRAINING

Regards

Danny

 

Good find Owen.

The photo is one of a series that can be seen here:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=commandos+in+training&pageSize=30&media-records=records-with-media&style=list&filters%5BmakerString%5D%5BLieut.+Malindine%5D=on

Photo credits are Lt Malindine and Lt Lockeyear, they were taken 28.2.42. This one may be the best to identify the location:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205485610

Lockeyear also is credited with these, that were taken at the Commando training Depot, Achnacarry House, Invernesshire:
https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=commandos+in+training&pageSize=30&media-records=records-with-media&style=list&filters%5BperiodString%5D%5BSecond+World+War%5D=on&filters%5BmakerString%5D%5BLieut.+W.+Lockeyear%5D=on

I would guess that is where the landing craft photo was taken:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/56%C2%B056'43.2%22N+4%C2%B059'45.7%22W/@56.9475563,-4.9913195,14z/data=!4m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x9fcebdc7532830c8!7e2!8m2!3d56.9453427!4d-4.9960397

 

One of my first thoughts was East Anglia due to the low flat beach or river bank with agricultural land but one can clearly see the treeline on the sat view above. I also considered a prequel to Dryshod 78 Div etc prep for Operation Torch. but that was in the Kilmarnock area. This must have been a PR Shot to promote the Commandos per se to which many responded including the guys in the 1st Nothants thread who ended up in Burma.
"After 7 days home leave those of us that had been foolish enough to volunteer found ourselves at the Northamptonshire Regiment. This turned out to be yet another training camp at which we had to undergo a refresher course in infantry skills and tactics. On enquiring about our transfer to the Commando’s we were told that they knew nothing of this and that for better or worse we were now proud members of the Northamptonshire Regiment".

 

Apologies for duplicating much of your post, not sure how I missed it.