Komrower, Arthur Geoffrey

Service number:: 75236
Nationality:: British

Biography

Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Komrower was the commander of No. 3 Commando from September 1944 to January 1945.

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Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Temporary Captain
Unit:: No. 3 Commando, 1st Special Service Brigade, Combined Operations Headquarters, War Office, British Government
Awarded on:: January 27th, 1944

During the period 4th-6th October 1945 this officer was in Command of No.3 Commando who were holding a forward position west of Termoli. During this period the Commando was continually under heavy mortar and machine gun fire. During the early afternoon of 5th October the infantry on the commando's left flank withdrew, through and to the left of the position, leaving the Commando completely isolated.Later in the afternoon the Commando was strongly attacked on three sides by tanks and infantry, some tanks approaching to within a few hundred yards of the position and concentrating devastating high explosive and machine gun fire on the area.When darkness fell enemy infantry had also infiltrated to the rear of the position, and on two sides were within 200 yds. Throughout this period the Commando held firm, with its position intact and its morale unshaken. This was due to Captain AG Komrower's great gallantry and devotion to duty ; he moved about the forward positions under intense shell and machine gun fire instilling confidence into the troops by his cheerful manner .His complete disregard for personal safety and his determonation to(hole in the paper) the enemy at all costs set a fine example to the troops.Later that night it was discovered that the nearest positions of our own troops were 3/4 of a mile to our rear. Early in the morning of 6th October when ordered to withdraw by the Brigade Commander, he conducted a most orderely withdrawal in the face of the enemy without losing a man.Throughout this very difficult period , with a continuous flow of casulaties, when all other units had withdrawn, this officer by his leadership ihnflicted heavy casualties on the enemy, and held with his small force of 140 men a vital position against strong atatcks by the 16th Panzer Division.