Special Operations.Com
Royal
Marines
Unit
Profile
Overview
The Royal Marines are the Royal Navy's
infantry, and provide a Commando Brigade for amphibious
operations. On permanent readiness, Royal Marines operational
units are self-contained to enable them to be deployed
anywhere in the world, either in amphibious shipping
or by air if necessary, to conduct a variety of military
operations, ranging from peacekeeping to full-scale
war.
The Royal Marines are unique in that
all officers and men carry out their basic training
in the same establishment, the Commando Training Centre
Royal Marines, near Exeter. Both officers and men
are required to complete all the Commando tests which
include a 30 mile march against the clock, before
being awarded the coveted green beret. The comprehensive
and thorough training required to train a recruit
into a Royal Marines Commando takes 30 weeks - one
of the longest and best initial training courses in
Europe.
Command
Structure
Commanded by the Commandant General who is based
at Whale Island in Portsmouth, the Command numbers
approximately 7000 men and women from all three services.
In addition, Royal Marines serve in many other areas
both in the UK and abroad in a wide range of disciplines.
These additional individuals are employed outside
the Royal Marines Command although the Commandant
General remains their 'tribal' Chief. The organisation
of the Command is shown below:
3
Commando Brigade Royal Marines
3 Commando Brigade is the Royal Marines principal
operational formation and is commanded by a Royal
Marines Brigadier with his headquarters in Plymouth.
The organisation of the Brigade is shown below.
It is structured on 3 lightly armed commando units
numbered 40, 42 and 45. These are the core manoeuvre
units of the Brigade and provide its immediate combat
capability. Each is over 600 men strong and is roughly
comparable with an infantry battalion.
The Brigade's Combat Support comes in the form of
Artillery, provided by 29 Commando Regiment Royal
Artillery, Air Defence from 20 Commando Battery Royal
Artillery and Engineer Support from 59 Independent
Commando Squadron Royal Engineers. There is also tactical
landing and raiding craft support from 539 Assault
Squadron and a mix of light and support helicopters
from 845, 846 and 847 Naval Air Squadrons.
Combat Service Support is the domain of the Commando
Logistic Regiment which comprises four specialist
squadrons providing logistic support, medical and
workshop facilities.
Additionally, the Brigade is served by a Headquarters
and Signal Squadron which provides the command and
control infrastructure as well as the necessary communications
support. The Squadron also provides Medium Reconnaissance,
Police, Forward Air Control, Electronic Warfare and
Point Air Defence Troops.
All of these elements train together on a regular
basis, to form the highly-mobile, fast-reacting Brigade
for which the Royal Marines is renowned.
History
The history of the Royal Marines is a roll-call of daring
deeds and valiant victories. It began way back in the
reign of Charles II
28 October 1664
The Admiral's Regiment was formed in 1664 and the
name 'Marines' first appears in the records in 1672.
Since then Marines have taken part in more battles
on land and sea, all over the world, than has any
other branch of the British Armed Forces.
Gibraltar 1704
During the war of the Spanish Succession, when Britain
was part of a coalition fighting France and Spain, the
British and Dutch Marines were to the fore both in the
capture of Gibraltar and in its defence during the subsequent
9 month siege. Their bravery and achievements in this
campaign are commemorated by Gibraltar being the only
battle honour worn on the Royal Marines badge and on
the colours.
The 18th and 19th Centuries
Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, the Corps played
a major part in the wars which created the British Empire.
This policy of 'Imperial Policing' took the Marines
from the bombardment of Algiers in 1816, to the Ashanti
Wars, to the destruction of the Turkish fleet at Navarino
in 1827, and on to the Siege of Sevastopol during the
Crimean War in 1854.
The First World War 1914 - 1918
The outbreak of the First World War saw Royal Marines
detachments deployed in all ships of destroyer size
and above, where they were employed as gun crews. In
this role some 5700 Marines saw action at the Battle
of Jutland, the major naval engagement of the war. Royal
Marines also took part in some of the famous actions
ashore, being present at Gallipoli, and winning honours
for their bravery at the raid on Zeebrugge. They also
fought in the trenches and in the artillery brigades
on the Western Front.
The Second World War 1939 - 1945
The first three years of the Second World War saw most
of the action for the Royal Marines at sea. However,
in 1942, the first Royal Marines Commandos were formed,
and these units fought across Europe, taking part in
campaigns in Sicily, Italy, and the Dalmatian Coast,
including the Landings at Salerno, Anzio, and Termoli,
while others fought in India and Burma. Five RM Commando
Units took part in the D-Day Landings, the largest amphibious
assault in history. By the end of the war, the Royal
Marines numbers had grown to 80,000 - their largest
size ever.
Post War
In every year since the end of the Second World War
the Royal Marines have been engaged on active duty somewhere
in the world, apart from 1968. Between 1945 and 1971,
3 Commando Brigade saw action in the Palestine emergency,
the Malayan campaign, Brunei, Korea, Suez, Cyprus, Tanganyika,
and the Borneo confrontation. Royal Marines Commando
Units were among the first troops drafted into Northern
Ireland in 1969, and have served in the Province almost
every year since.
The Falklands 1982
In 1982, The Royal Marines played a leading part in
the recapture of the Falkland Islands from the Argentinians.
Sailing thousands of miles from home, they successfully
completed an amphibious landing, and after 'yomping'
across very difficult terrain in harsh conditions,
they defeated a numerically superior enemy in fierce
fighting.
The Present
Coming right up to date, 1991 saw the Royal Marines
involved in the Gulf War and in mounting a major humanitarian
relief operation, OP HAVEN, in support of the Kurdish
people of Northern Iraq. In the last four years, Royal
Marines have been deployed to Bosnia-Herzegovina in
a number of roles and are still serving with the NATO
implementation Force today.
The
Future
The end of the Cold War and the dissolution of the Warsaw
Pact has led to a much reduced likeliehood of the UK
becoming involved in a war for national survival in
Europe. NATO will remain the cornerstone of UK homeland
defence. But, relaxed tension between the Superpowers
has in turn loosened the constraints on the outbreak
of conflict rooted in ethnic, national and economic
rivalries, for example in the invasion of Kuwait, Former
Yugoslavia, and on the southern borders of the former
Soviet Union. Potential threats to peace and the economic
well being of Britain and her Allies abound, and they
are world-wide. It is, in many ways, a return to the
norm of world politics pre-World War II, where relatively
low intensity small wars predominated. These resurgent
challenges demand fresh responses, and much effort has
gone into reshaping UK forces in order that they can
provide the government with the means to respond militarily,
usually in concert with allies, should it be required.
Key to this capability are Britain's amphibious forces.
Compromising primarily of naval and marine units this
Brigade sized landing force has many attributes. It
can sail at short notice and poise close to a area
of potential action: some 80% of countries have a
shoreline, and 50% of the world population live within
80 km of the sea. And amphibious forces, uniquely,
have the ability to advance, withdraw, concentrate
and disperse without violating frontiers or abandoning
ground. As such they ca be a useful political tool,
as well as a potent fighting force.
The Landing Force of Britain's amphibious forces
is 3
Commando Brigade Royal Marines, a brigade
of 3 Royal Marines Commandos supported by commando
artillery, logistics, communications and helicopters.
It's a force with a long history of sea-soldiering.
First raised in 1664, the Royal Marines has seen action
world-wide nearly every year since.
Looking forward, 3 Commando Brigade RM is a key contributor
of combat power to the recently formed Joint Rapid Deployment
Force (JRDF). This force, available for operations at
short notice, could well be amphibious based. The purchase
of new amphibious shipping, a helicopter carrier - HMS
OCEAN, and early in the next decade two replacement
Landing Ships will give the force world-wide reach,
reliable platforms from which to operate, and modern
communications and intelligence capabilities.
If history teaches anything about the future it is that
it will not be exactly as predicted. With the highly
trained, professional Royal Marine Corps, and the ability
to deploy it world-wide by sea, or air, the United Kingdom
has a small, but nonetheless potent military force,
capable of protecting British and allied interests world-wide.
Whether in peace support operations, other operations
short of war, or war itself, the Royal Marines will
continue to be in the vanguard Britains' military
capabilities.
Royal
Marines Locations
United Kingdom
Portsmouth Lympstone CTCRM
HQ Royal Marines
Royal Marines School of Music
Taunton
Norton Manor camp - 40 Commando
Yeovilton
847 Naval Air Squadron
Chivenor
Commando Logistic Regiment
Plymouth
Stonehouse Barracks - HQ 3 Commando Brigade Royal
Marines and Signal Squadron
Bickleigh Barracks - 42 Commando
Turnchapel - 539 Assault Squadron
Arbroath
45 Commando Group
Comacchio Group
Poole
Special Boat Service
Landing Craft and Amphibious Training Wing
Instow
ATTURM
Amphibious Trials and Training Unit Royal Marines
There are Royal Marines currently serving in:
Europe
Bosnia, Cyprus, Germany, Gibraltar, Latvia, Netherlands,
Norway, Belgium
Western Hemisphere and Southern
Hemisphere
Barbados, Canada, USA, South Georgia
Middle and Far East
Australia, Bangkok, Brunei, Diego Garcia, Hong Kong,
Kuwait, Oman
Royal Marines Reserve Units
London
Bristol
Birkenhead
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne
Glasgow
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