Special Operations.Com
Royal
Marines
Comacchio
Group
Comacchio Group Royal Marines is based at Arbroath
in Scotland and provides detachments of marines for
security duties at the Clyde Submarine Base and the
surrounding area. Its activities range from patrol
duties through quick-reaction team tasking to boat
patrols in Northern Ireland. Regular postings include
exercises in Cyprus and in the USA with the United
States Marine Corps.
Unit
Profile
This
group is part of the Royal Marines, like the Special
Boat Service (SBS), however they are devoted to a
very specific function.
To fully understand the capabilities of this
unit, however, some history is required.
During the late 1970’s, the British government
recognized that its numerous oil rigs presented a
lucrative target for high-minded terrorists in time
of peace, and for the Soviet Union’s elite Spetsnaz
in time of war.
It was decided that a dedicated unit should
be formed to counter these possible threats.
From this, the Comacchio Group was formed in
1980.
During
the years that followed, this unit performed well
enough to convince the government to include the Faslane
Royal Navy nuclear submarine base as an additional
responsibility for the group. At during this period, the commandos stepped up their ship
assault techniques to such a degree that it has been
said that every British-flagged ship has been subjected
to an operational exercise at the hands of the Comacchio
Group.
In recent
years, however, the mission of Comacchio Group was
significantly altered.
It was decided that the protection of oil rigs
would be handed over to the SBS (there has been some
speculation that CG may have retained responsibility
for certain structures).
Comacchio assumed the of protecting Britain's
nuclear assets, especially the ballistic missile submarines
at the Royal Navy Base at Faslane.
The
units is made up of over 500 Royal Marines, most of
whom are volunteers, with a small percentage being
assigned to the unit.
Comacchio Group is skilled in the operation
of small surface craft, such as Rigid Inflatable Boats
(RIB), which are capable of speeds up to 50 knots.
There are also qualified divers in the unit,
although publicly this duty is stated to come from
the Special Boat Service in time of crisis. In fact, the majority of divers are former SBS operators who
have joined the CG.
The
Comacchio Group is reportedly made up of two companies,
all of whom would be at the disposal of the local
police commander in the event of an emergency.
The group is subrogated in this manner by law
and could only take action with the permission of
the police and necessary government ministers.
Operationally, the unit falls under the direct
command of the Royal Marines Headquarters.
Interestingly, Comacchio has deployed against
possible threats posed by anti-nuclear demonstrators.
The incident in question did not require use
of force, however it did highlight the possibility
that an attack on a nuclear base or device need not
come from foreign terrorists.
Notes
August 1997, Edinburgh Tattoo - This popular event
began in 1950 as the contribution of the Scottish
regiments to the Edinburgh International Festival
and now attracts an audience of 200,000 over three
weeks (through August 23). Camels, elephants,
horses, motorcyclists, and Royal Air Force police
dogs have performed at some past Tattoos. None were
present this year. Instead, it was the Royal Marines
Comacchio Group that broke otherwise unrelieved music
with a dramatic Defense of the Castle - rappelling
and blank gunfire galore - against a band of renegades
out to steal the Stone of Destiny (only recently returned
to Scotland after a spell at Westminster).
1999 - Recently, a private group restored
the bronze figures of the world famous Commando Memorial
at Spean Bridge, which after 46 years were in need
of urgent attention. The restoration project
was funded by Mr Robert Roddie, senior partner of
SCS Group, a large Glasgow-based firm of specialist
cleaners. Mr Roddie arranged for Amanda Clydesdale
to supervise the technical work, whilst the elbow
grease was provided by five Royal Marine Commandos
under a Project Officer, all from Comacchio Group,
RM Condor, Arbroath.
March 1999 - Article, Electronic Telegraph
IT gives a new meaning to the term walking on air.
The Royal Marines will turn Spiderman comic-book fiction
into reality this week with a device that enables
them to cross from building to building without ever
touching the ground.
The new
device is a small portable cannon which shoots a cable
and a high-speed jet of quick-drying foam at the opposite
building. The foam trail hardens so fast and so firmly
that it produces a "bridge" over which men
and supplies can travel.
The foam bridge is just one of dozens of experimental
technologies being tried out by British marines with
the United States Marine Corps in exercises in California
this week. "The foam hardens almost instantly
and sets as hard as cement," said Lt-Col Jenny
Holbert, the American spokesman for the exercise.
"When we laid it on the ground we had to use
pickaxes to get it off."
A group of 100 Royal Marines from Comacchio Company,
based in Scotland, will join the Americans for Exercise
Urban Warrior, to evaluate new ways of fighting in
built-up areas. "By 2012, two-thirds of the world's
population will be in cities," said Capt George
Matthews, a Royal Marines spokesman. "The Americans
have asked for our input because they respect our
long experience in Northern Ireland."
After several costly fiascos where US troops became
bogged down and killed in urban terrain - including
the disastrous deployments to Beirut and Somalia -
the Americans are trying to overcome the difficulties
of fighting in built-up areas.
"Cities are good territory for guerrilla forces,"
said Capt Matthews. "With the growth of organised
crime and terrorism there is a serious possibility
that you could be fighting opponents almost as well-armed
as you are."
Technologies such as the foam bridge - "cross-canyon
mobility" in US Marine jargon - are intended
to give the marines a decisive advantage over their
enemy by adding a new dimension to how they can move.
Other devices on trial include "pilotless resupply"
- delivering new stocks of ammunition and food by
remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles - and Cutlass,
an unmanned "robot cannon" which can destroy
targets without risking a crewed aircraft.
Also being given trials on the exercise are innovative
"non-lethal weapons" intended to halt individuals
and crowds without killing them. Weapons to be tried
out by the Royal Marines include sticky foam, nets,
and electronic devices which cause the enemy's weapons
to fail. Such weapons are well known in the US - and
were deployed in Somalia - but have never been tested
by British troops on such a large scale.
"We are a much smaller force than the Americans,
but our experience level in urban warfare is greater,"
said Capt Matthews. Comacchio Coy's main task is guarding
the Trident nuclear weapons system, but the company
includes many marines who have served in Northern
Ireland.
The exercise, which lasts seven days, will involve
more than 6,000 marines on and offshore around the
city of Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco.
An abandoned naval hospital, housing and industrial
complex will provide a realistic environment for the
marines. Hundreds of actors have been engaged to play
civilians and the enemy.
"Our enemies, having watched Desert Storm on
CNN, know they cannot engage the United States with
conventional methods," said a spokesman for the
US Marine Corps. "These potential foes view cities
as a way to limit the technological advantages of
our military. They know that cities - with their narrow
streets, confusing layout and large number of civilian
non-combatants - place limits on our technological
superiority and especially our use of firepower. We
have to develop technologies that allow us to win
while minimising collateral damage."
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