They were fighters behind enemy lines, brave soldiers. In their honour, the Scots erected a memorial near Spean Bridge: the Commando Memorial.
Just past Spean Bridge, where the A82 climbs the hill towards the Isle of Skye, stands a plinth bearing three grim-faced figures. The Commando Memorial looks out over a wide plain, at the far end of which the majestic Ben Nevis towers.
Three bronze soldiers stand here on a stone base, rifles slung over their shoulders, in Second World War uniforms. The three represent over a thousand men who trained nearby at Achnacarry Castle.
Though “nearby” is relative: recruits arrived by train at Spean Bridge. From there, they had to cover the ten kilometres to the castle on foot. Their training began there, and was carried out with live ammunition in the surrounding countryside around Achnacarry Castle, in the Lochaber region. The Commando Memorial looks out over part of that same landscape.
Anyone who survived the training soon found themselves in even greater danger. In Norway or France, behind the enemy lines of the German occupiers, they blew up supply depots, scouted terrain, and captured enemy technology, such as the German “Würzburg” radar system. Despite the training, around 1,700 men lost their lives.
To honour their service, Queen Elizabeth’s mother unveiled the Commando Memorial in 1952.
Good to know: About the Commando Memorial
The base reads “United we conquer”, and below it a plaque bears the inscription: “In memory of the officers and men of the commandos who died in the Second World War 1939-1945. This country was their training ground.”
The sculptor Scott Sutherland, whose design won the 1949 competition, was from the town of Wick in Caithness, in the North Highlands. He himself fought in the Second World War. His design became a bronze statue standing over five metres tall.
A little below the statue lies the “Garden of Remembrance”, where former members of the commando units still choose to have their ashes interred today.
Personal note: A view over a wonderful landscape
The Commando Memorial itself would really just be another war memorial. What makes it so special is its location. The view across the plain, with Ben Nevis in the background and the memorial in front of it, the play of light breaking through the clouds … all of this makes the spot feel magical.
The view in the other direction is also magnificent, taking in mountains often dusted with snow.
Getting there:
With sat nav: “PH34 4EG” gets you very close. Just be sure not to miss the turn-off to the memorial’s car park.
Without sat nav: the Commando Memorial lies on the A82, which runs from Spean Bridge into the Great Glen towards Fort Augustus or the Isle of Skye. Just past the village, the road climbs a hill, and shortly after, the Commando Memorial appears on the left. A little further on, the B8004 to Gairlochy branches off to the left. There’s also a large car park there for the monument. Already from here, you get a wonderful view across the landscape.