Commandos (Portugal)

A commando group ready to go into action in the Portuguese Guinea, 1966.

When the Overseas War started in 1961 in Angola, the Portuguese Army employed its units of Special Caçadores. These were special light infantry units organized and trained by the Special Operations Training Centre to conduct counter-insurgency operations. In 1962, however a decision was taken by the Army to enlarge the organization and training of the Special Caçadores to all the infantry units engaged in the war, at the same time disbanding those special units. This however proved to be unfeasible and the Army founded itself without units able to conduct special operations in the scope of guerrilla warfare.

So, in 1962, the Portuguese Army needed units with the ability to:

• conduct special actions in the Portuguese territory or abroad
• fight as assault infantry / shock troops
• provide the high political and military commands with a force able to conduct irregular operations

The first objective that the army set out to achieve was that of building a force specially prepared for counter-guerrilla operations, but the Portuguese commandos also participated in irregular operations, with units specially organised for each operation, and in assault operations, with conventional warfare characteristics, especially in the last years of the war, when they operated in battalion strength, backed up by artillery and the Air Force.

The history of the Portuguese commandos began on 25 June, 1962, when, in Zemba (Northern Angola), the first six groups of those that would be the predecessors of the commandos, were formed. For the preparation of these groups, the CI 21 – Centro de Instrução de Contraguerrilha (Counter-Guerrilla Instruction Centre) was created, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Nave, and had as instructor, the photographer and former French Foreign Legion Sergeant, the Italian Dante Vachi, with experience in the Indochina and Algerian wars.

The six groups prepared in this center achieved excellent operational results. Nonetheless, the military command in Angola decided to re-evaluate the instruction and integration of these units into the army and, in 1963 and 64, the 16 and 25 Instruction Centres (CI 16 and CI 25) were created, in Quibala, Angola. For the first time, the term "Comandos" (Commandos) was applied to the troops instructed there.

On 13 February, 1964, the first Mozambique Commandos Course was initiated in Namaacha (Lourenço Marques, now Maputo) and on 23 July of the same year, in Bra (Portuguese Guinea), the first Guinea Commandos Course.

Portuguese commando soldiers that participated in active operations: more than 9000 men (510 officers, 1587 NCOs and 6977 soldiers) served in 67 commando companies.

Combat casualties:

• 357 KIAs (killed in action)
• 28 MIAs (Missing In Action)
• 771 wounded

The commandos constituted about 1% of all the forces present in the Colonial War, but the number of their deaths is about 10% of the total of the casualties; a percentage ten times more than that of regular forces, which happens because they were the most employed troops. It's also generally known that the commandos eliminated more guerrilla fighters and captured more weaponry than the other forces. These characteristics made them the only ones to get a mystical aura that remained after the war.

After the war, the commandos continued to develop their skills until 1993 when they were disbanded. This decision was influenced by a number of deaths during instruction. The commando soldiers were merged with the Paratroopers and these were transferred from the Air Force to the Army. But in 2002, the commandos were reactivated as an independent unit and the Batalhão de Comandos (Commando Battalion) was created, with two Operational Companies and an Instruction Company. They are now based in the Centro de Tropas Comandos (Commando Troops Centre) in Mafra. They were deployed to Afghanistan in 2005, where a sergeant was killed by a roadside bomb; the first commando KIA since the end of the Portuguese Colonial War. In 2006, Army Chief of Staff General "Comando" Pinto Ramalho informed that the Army was developing studies in order to raise a third Operational Company, with a size force increase; the Centro de Tropas Comando are actually a garrison in Carregueira.

In 2015 the historical title of Commando Regiment was restored.

Served in Angola (1963–1975)

• 21st Training Center (CI21) - created in 1962 and disbanded in the same year. It was the first Commando training unit;
• 16th Training Center (CI16) - succeeded CI21 in 1963, as the Commando training unit;
• 25th Training Center (CI25) - succeeded CI16 in 1964, as the Commando training unit. It was transformed in the Commando Training Center in 1965;
• Commando Training Center (CICmds) - created in 1965 by the transformation of the CI25;
• Commando Companies (CCmds): 1st, 2nd, 6th, 8th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 30th, 2024th, 2044th, 2046th and 2047th - temporary units mobilized in Angola from 1964. The 2nd Company served both in Angola and in Mozambique;
• Commando companies: 11th, 12th, 22nd, 24th, 25th, 31st, 33rd, 37th, 36th, 2041st, 2042nd, 4042nd and 112th/74 - temporary units mobilized in European Portugal from 1967. The 11th company raised by the 5th Caçadores Battalion, the 12th company raised by the 1st Light Artillery Regiment and the remaining companies raised by the Special Operations Training Center.

Served in Portuguese Guinea (1964–1974)

The Guinea Commando Company being reviewed, 1966.

• Guinea Commando Training Center (CICmds) - created in 1964 and transformed in the Guinea Commando Company in 1965;
• Commando groups (GrCmds): "Camaleões", "Fantasmas" and "Panteras" - temporary units, existing between 1965 and 1966;
• Guinea Commando Company (CCmdsGuiné) - created in 1965 and disbanded in 1966. Included the Commando groups: "Apaches", "Centuriões", "Diabólicos", "Vampiros" and "Grusinos";
• Commando companies (CCmds): 3rd, 5th, 15th, 16th, 26th, 27th, 35th and 38th - temporary units mobilized in European Portugal from 1966. The 3rd and 5th were raised by the 1st Light Artillery Regiment, the remaining by the Special Operations Training Centre;
• African Commando Companies (CCmdsAfricanos): 1st, 2nd and 3rd – mobilized in Guinea from 1969 and composed entirely of blacks;
• Guinea Commando Battalion (BCmdsGuiné) – created in 1972 to centralize the command, training and support to all commando companies operating Commando companies operating in the Portuguese Guinea.

Served in Mozambique (1964–1975)

• Commando Companies (CCmds): 2nd, 7th, 17th and 21st - temporary units mobilized in Angola to serve in Mozambique, from 1966. The 2nd Company also served in Angola itself. All of these companies were raised by the Angola Commando Training Center;
• Commando companies: 4th, 9th,10th,18th, 23rd, 28th, 29th, 32nd, 34th, 2040th,2043rd, 2045th and 4040th - temporary units mobilized in European Portugal. The 4th, 9th, 10th and 18th companies were raised by the 1st Light Artillery Regiment and the remaining were raised by the Special Operations Training Center
• Mozambique Commando companies (CCmdsMoç): 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th – temporary units mobilized in Mozambique from 1970 and composed both of blacks and whites;
• Mozambique Commando Battalion (BCmdsMoç) – created in 1969 to centralize the command, training and support to all Commando companies operating in Mozambique.

Served in Portugal (1974–1993):

• Commando Regiment, which included the:
  • Commando Battalion 11 (BCmds 11) - included the commando companies (CCmds): 111, 112, 113 and 114. BCmds 11 was formed with 2041st, 2042nd, 4041st and 112th/74 CCmds, after coming back from Angola and Guinea, changing their numbers. CCmds 113 was later deactivated;
  • Commando Battalion 12 (BCmds 12) - included the CCmds: 121, 122 and 123 (heavy weapons). CCmds 123 was deactivated in 1982; CCmds 131 was created later, also of heavy weapons. In this battalion was also integrated the Commando Company REDES (Raids and Destructions);
  • Commando Company 131 (heavy weapons) - created in 1982 as the initial company of the future Commando Battalion 13, which was never activated. It was later deactivated;
  • Headquarters and Support Battalion (BCS/RCmds) - included: Headquarters and Services, Specialities Training, Maintenance and Transport and Resupply companies;
  • Training Battalion (BInstrução/RCmds) - included Training companies: 1st and 2nd;

Serving currently in Portugal (since 2006)

• Commando Regiment, which includes:
  • Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company (CCS/RCmds);
  • Commando Battalion - includes Battalion Headquarters and Support Company (CCA/BCmds), Commando companies (CCmds): 1st CCmds "Morcegos", 2nd CCmds "Escorpiões" and 3rd CCmds "Cobras".
  • Training Company (CF/RCmds).