Buried at St Laurent-sur-mer Name Gus March-Phillipps | Rank Major Allegiance United Kingdom | |
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Major Gustavus Henry "Gus" March-Phillipps DSO OBE (1908 – 12 September 1942; sometimes spelled "March-Phillips") was the founder of the British Army's SSRF (Small Scale Raiding Force) a precursor of the SAS. He married Marjorie, later Lady Marling on 18 April 1942. He was the nephew of Gustavus Hamilton Blenkinsopp Coulson VC.
In the Daily Telegraph, Max Hastings noted, "In January 1942 he launched Operation Postmaster, a picaresque 'cutting-out expedition', which seized two Italian merchantmen from the neutral Spanish colonial port of Santa Isabel in West Africa, and towed them triumphantly to Lagos." After the raid March-Phillipps was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
He was killed in Operation Aquatint in September 1942. The Commando Veterans website notes "In Memory of Major 39184 Gustavus Henry March-Phillipps DSO MBE Royal Artillery and Commando, Small Scale Raiding Force who died age 34 on 12 September 1942 Remembered with honour at ST. LAURENT-SUR-MER CHURCHYARD"