ROYAL MARINES BERET BADGE (ORs)

Royal Marines Beret Badge

Guaranteed new/unissued and in mint condition
 

Brief Royal Marines History

History

The Corps of Royal Marines, the infantry land fighting element of the Royal Navy, was formed as part of the Naval Service in 1755. However, it can trace its origins back as far as 1664, when British soldiers first went to sea to fight the Dutch.

Origin

The 'first official' unit of English Naval Infantry, originally called the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot and soon becoming known as the Admiral's Regiment, was formed on 28 October, 1664, with an initial strength of 1,200 infantrymen recruited from the Trained Bands of London as part of the mobilisation for the Second Anglo-Dutch War. James (later King James VII & II), the Duke of York and Albany, Lord High Admiral and brother of King Charles II, was Captain-General of the Company of the Artillery Garden, now the Honourable Artillery Company, the unit that trained the Trained Bands. It was the fourth European Marine unit formed, being preceded by the Spanish Marines (1537), the Portuguese Marines (1610) and the French Marines (1622). It consisted of six 200 man companies and was initially commanded by Colonel Sir William Killigrew with Sir Charles Lyttleton as Lieutenant-Colonel. Killigrew had commanded an English regiment in Dutch service and many of the Regiment's initial complement of officers had served there as well.

The Holland Regiment (later The Buffs) was also raised to serve at sea and both of these two "Naval" regiments were paid for by the Treasurer of the Navy by Order of Council of 11 July 1665. They were also different in that they had no Pikemen, every man being issued a Musket. The Holland Regiment remained on the naval establishments until May 1667. The name "Marines" first appeared in official records in 1672.

The Regiment was very distinctive, being dressed in yellow, rather than the Red coat of the other Regiments, until 1685. John Churchill, later the 1st Duke of Marlborough, was the most famous member of this Regiment. A Company of Foot Guards served as Marines to augment the Marines of the Admiral's Regiment during the key sea battle the Battle of Solebay in 1672. Marlborough's conduct as an Ensign in the Guards during the battle so impressed James that he commissioned him a Captain in the Admiral's Regiment after four Marine Captains died during the battle. Marlborough served eight years in the Regiment and led a Battalion of the Regiment in the land battle, the Battle of Enzheim in 1674. The Regiment was disbanded in 1689 shortly after James II was deposed in the Glorious Revolution. The Buffs replaced them as third in precedence in the British Army.

Portrait of a Marine officer, by William Dobson, 17th century

Two Marine Regiments of the Army were raised in 1690 and disbanded in 1696. They were the Earl of Pembroke's and Torrington's, later Lord Berkeley's. Each had twelve Companies (948 men) and a Grenadier Company (237 men) and again there were no Pikemen, each man carrying a Dutch Snaphance Musket. In addition each Marine carried a bayonet, which was unusual at that time. These two Regiments participated in an opposed landing at Cork, Ireland on 21 September, 1690 under the command of John Churchill, now the Duke of Marlborough.

On the Peace of 1697 two Foot Regiments raised in 1692, Mordaunt's and Seymour's were converted into Marines. In 1702 six Regiments of Marines and six Sea Service Regiments of Foot were formed for the War of the Spanish Succession. When on land the Marines were commanded by Brigadier-General William Seymour, formerly of the 4th Foot. The most historic achievement of these Marines was the capture of the mole during the assault on Gibraltar (sailors of the Royal Navy captured the Rock itself) and the subsequent defence of the fortress alongside the Dutch Marines in 1704. In 1713, after the Peace of Utrecht, three of these Regiments were transferred to the Line, where they became the 30th through 32nd Foot, and the others disbanded. Only four Companies of Marine Invalids remained.

Six Marine Regiments (1st to 6th Marines, 44th to 49th Foot) were raised on 17 November22 November 1739 for the War of Jenkins' Ear, with four more being raised later. One large Marine Regiment (Spotswood's Regiment later Gooch's Marines, the 61st Foot) was formed of American colonists and served alongside British Marines at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia and Guantanamo, Cuba in the War of Jenkins' Ear (1741). Among its officers was Lawrence Washington, the half-brother of George Washington. In 1747, the remaining Regiments were transferred to the Admiralty and then disbanded in 1748. Many of the disbanded men were offered transportation to Nova Scotia and helped form the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Lawrence Washington

Even though they were part of the Army, these Marines were quite nautical at times. Some Royal Navy officers began in these Marine regiments and some kept their Marine rank throughout their careers, one Royal Navy Captain even serving as the Captain of Marines on his own ship. They were used by the Admiralty to rig ships before they were placed in commission as the Royal Navy had no extra sailors, the law requiring that all sailors must be part of a commissioned vessel. It was another law requiring that in order for Army Regiments to be paid, the entire Regiment had to muster that led to their transfer to the Admiralty. This requirement was hard for the Marine Regiments to follow as their Companies were stationed on many different ships.

On 5 April, 1755, His Majesty's Marine Forces, fifty Companies in three Divisions, headquartered at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, were formed by Order of Council under Admiralty control. Initially all field officers were Royal Navy officers as the Royal Navy felt that the ranks of Marine field officers were largely honorary. This meant that the farthest a Marine officer could advance was to Lieutenant Colonel. It was not until 1771 that the first Marine was promoted to Colonel. This situation persisted well into the 1800s. During the rest of the 18th century, they served in numerous landings all over the world, the most famous being the landing at Bellisle on the Brittany coast in 1761. They also served in the American War of Independence, being particularly courageous in the Battle of Bunker Hill led by Major John Pitcairn. These Marines also often took to the ship's boats to repel attackers in small boats when RN ships on close blockade were becalmed. On February 14, 1779 Captain James Cook took with him the following Marines: Lt.Phillips; a Sgt; Corporal Thomas and seven Privates; besides Cook, four Marines-Corporal Thomas and three Privates Hinks; Allen, and Fatchett-were killed and 2-Lt Phillips and Private Jackson-wounded. In 1802, largely at the instigation of Admiral John Jervis, 1st Earl St Vincent, they were titled the Royal Marines by King George III.

The Royal Marine Artillery (RMA) was formed as a separate unit in 1804 to man the artillery in bomb ketches. Thesehad been mannedby the Army'sRoyal Regiment of Artillery, but a lawsuit by a Royal Artillery officer resulted in a court decision that Army officers were not subject to Naval orders. As RMA uniforms were the blue of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, this group was nicknamed the "Blue Marines" and the Infantry element, who wore the scarlet uniforms of the British infantry, became known as the "Red Marines", often given the derogatory nickname "Lobsters" by sailors.

Major General John Tupper His Majesty's Marine Forces.

Predecessors

A large number of English and British Marine Regiments were raised for various specific wars. After the war for which they were raised, these Regiments either became ordinary Army Infantry Regiments or were disbanded. His Majesty's Marine Forces raised in 1755 are the oldest direct predecessor of the Royal Marines.

• 1664: Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot raised from the Trained Bands of London and later re-named Lord Admiral's Regiment. This Marine Regiment is the predecessor of The Buffs, itself a predecessor of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment.
• Two Marine Regiments of the Army raised in 1690 and disbanded in 1696: Earl of Pembroke's Regiment and Torrington's, (later Lord Berkeley's) Regiment.
• 1697: Mordaunt's Regiment and Seymour's Regiment converted into Marines.
• 1702: Six Regiments of Marines and six Sea Service Regiments of Foot raised. In 1713, three of these Regiments were transferred to the Line to became the 30th Foot (a predecessor of the Royal Anglian Regiment), 31st Foot (a predecessor of the Princess of Wales' Royal Regiment), and 32nd Foot (a predecessor of the Rifles). The others were disbanded.
• 1739-1748: Marine Regiments raised in the War of Jenkins' Ear.
• 1741: Spotswood's Regiment, later re-named Gooch's Marines, later becoming the 61st Foot (a predecessor of the Rifles) was raised from North American colonists.
• 1755: His Majesty's Marine Forces raised. The oldest predecessor to which the Royal Marines can trace a direct lineage.
• 1804: The Royal Marine Artillery (RMA) raised
• 1855: His Majesty's Marine Forces re-named the Royal Marines Light Infantry (RMLI)
• 1862: Royal Marines Light Infantry slightly re-named Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI)
• 1914-1918: Royal Naval Brigades used during the First World War were composed of both marines and sailors
• 1923: The Royal Marine Artillery and Royal Marine Light Infantry amalgamated into the Corps of Royal Marines

19th Century

Private of Marines, 1815
 

Royal Marines parade in the streets of Chania in spring 1897, following British occupation
 

Early 20th Century

First World War

Between the World Wars

Second World War

Commandos in action during Operation Archery, Norway.

During the early Second World War, a small party of Royal Marines were first ashore at Namsos in April 1940, seizing the approaches to the Norwegian town preparatory to a landing by the British Army two days later. The Royal Marines formed the Royal Marine Division as an amphibious warfare trained division, parts of which served at Dakar and in the capture of Madagascar. In addition the Royal Marines formed Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisations (MNBDOs) similar to the US Marine Corps Defense Battalions. One of these took part in the defence of Crete. Royal Marines also served in Malaya and in Singapore, where due to losses they were joined with remnants of the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the "Plymouth Argylls" (as there is a Football Club called Plymouth Argyle F.C., and the Royal Marines were associated with Plymouth).

The Royal Marines formed one Commando (A Commando) which served at Dieppe. One month after Dieppe, most of the 11th Royal Marine Battalion was killed or captured in an amphibious landing at Tobruk in Operation Daffodil, again the Marines were involved with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders this time the 1st Battalion. In 1943 the Infantry Battalions of the Royal Marine Division were re-organised as Commandos, joining the Army Commandos. The Division command structure became a Special Service Brigade command. The support troops became landing craft crew.
 

Men of No 4 Commando engaged in house to house fighting with the Germans at Riva Bella, near Ouistreham.

Royal Marines Centaur IV Tank

Post-colonial era

The Corps underwent a notable change after 1945 however, when the Royal Marines took on the main responsibility for the role and training of the British Commandos. The Royal Marines have an illustrious history, and since their creation in 1942 Royal Marines Commandos have engaged on active operations across the Globe, every year, except 1968. Notably they were the first ever military unit to perform an air assault insertion by helicopter, during the Suez Crisis in 1956. They were also part of the land element during the 1982 Falklands War.
 

Royal Marines in 1972

Royal Marines were involved in the Korean War. 41 (Independent) Commando was reformed in 1950, and was originally envisaged as a raiding force for use against North Korea. It performed this role in partnership with the United States Navy until after the landing of United States Army X Corps at Wonsan. It then joined the 1st Marine Division at Koto-Ri. As Task Force Drysdale with Lt. Col. D.B. Drysdale RM in command, 41 Commando, a USMC company, a US Army company and part of the divisional train fought their way from Koto-Ri to Hagaru after the Chinese had blocked the road to the North. It then took part in the famous withdrawal from Chosin Reservoir. After that, a small amount of raiding followed, before the Marines were withdrawn from the conflict in 1951. It received the Presidential Unit Citation (United States) after the USMC got the regulations modified to allow foreign units to receive the award.

After playing a part in the long-running Malayan Emergency, the next action came in 1956, during the Suez Crisis. Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade, and Nos 40, 42 and 45 Commandos took part in the operation. It marked the first time that a helicopter assault was used operationally to land troops in an amphibious attack. British and French forces defeated the Egyptians, but after pressure from the United States, and French domestic pressure, they backed down.

Further action in the Far East was seen during the Konfrontasi. Nos 40 and 42 Commando went to Borneo at various times to help keep Indonesian forces from causing trouble in border areas. The highest-profile incident of the campaign was a Company-strength amphibious assault by Lima Company of 42 Commando at the town of Limbang to rescue hostages.

In 1963, the Tanzanian Army revolted. Within twenty four hours Royal Marines had left Bickleigh Camp, Plymouth, Devon, and were travelling by air to Nairobi, Kenya, continuing by road into Tanzania. At the same time, Commandos aboard HMS Bulwark sailed to East Africa and anchored off-shore Dar es Sallam, Tanzania. The revolt was put down and the next six months were spent touring Tanzanian military out-posts disarming military personel. The Royal Marines left; were relieved by Canadian armed forces.

From 1969 onwards Royal Marine units regularly deployed to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, during the course of which 13 were killed in action. A further eleven died in the 1989 Deal bombing of the Royal Marines School of Music.

The Falklands War provided the backdrop to the next action of the Royal Marines. Argentina invaded the islands in April 1982. A British task force was immediately despatched to recapture them, and given that an amphibious assault would be necessary, the Royal Marines were heavily involved. 3 Commando Brigade was brought to full combat strength, with not only 40, 42 and 45 Commandos, but also the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment attached. The troops were landed at San Carlos Water at the western end of East Falkland, and proceeded to "yomp" across the entire island to the capital, Stanley, which fell on 14 June, 1982. Not only was 3 Commando Brigade deployed, but also a Royal Marines divisional headquarters, under Major-General Jeremy Moore, who was commander of British land forces during the war.

The main element of 3 Commando Brigade was not deployed in the 1991 Gulf War except for 24 men from K Company 42 Commando Royal Marines who were deployed as six man teams aboard two Royal Navy frigates and two Royal Navy destroyers. They were used as ship boarding parties and took part in numerous boardings of suspect shipping. The main element of 3 Commando Brigade was deployed to northern Iraq in the aftermath to provide aid to the Kurds, as part of Operation Safe Haven. The remainder of the 1990s saw no major warfighting deployments, other than a Divisional Headquarters to control land forces during the short NATO intervention that ended the Bosnian War.

More recently Royal Marines detachments have been involved in operations in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor and the Congo.

From 2000 onwards, the Royal Marines began converting from their traditional Light Infantry role towards an expanded force protection type role, with the introduction of the Commando 21 concept, leading to the introduction of the Viking, the first armoured vehicle to be operated by the Royal Marines for half a century.

In November 2001, after the seizure of Bagram Air Base by the Special Boat Service, Charlie Company of 40 Commando became the first British regular forces into Afghanistan, using Bagram Air base to support British and US Special Forces Operations. Bravo Company 40 Commando arrived in December 2001, eventually moving into Kabul itself, beginning the building of the infrastructure which became ISAF. 40 Commando continued to roulement Companies until October 2002.

2002 Saw the deployment of 45 Commando Royal Marines to Afghanistan, where contact with enemy forces was expected to be heavy. However little action was seen, with no Al-Qaida or Taliban forces being found or engaged.

3 Commando Brigade deployed on Operation TELIC in early 2003 with the USMC's 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit under command. The Brigade conducted an amphibious assault on the Al-Faw peninsula in Iraq, 42 Commando securing the port of Umm Qasr and 40 Commando conducting a helicopter assault in order to secure the oil installations to assure continued operability of Iraq's export capability. The attack proceeded well, with light casualties. 3 Commando Brigade served as part of the US 1st Marine Division and received the US Presidential Unit Citation.

In late 2006, 3 Commando Brigade relieved 16 Air Assault Brigade in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as part of Operation Herrick. In 2008, Lance-Corporal Matthew Croucher of 42 Commando was awarded the George Cross (GC) after throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of the other Marines of his patrol. Remarkably, he managed to keep his rucksack and the grenade, and that together with his body armour, meant he suffered only very minor injuries.

Royal Marines in Afghanistan.
 

Today

Royal Marines Band in 2010. Showing their uniforms.

Personnel

The Royal Marines are part of the Naval Service and under the full command of Fleet Commander. The rank structure of the Corps is similar to that of the British Army with officers and other ranks recruited and initially trained separately from other naval personnel, Women are only permitted to serve in the Royal Marines Band Service. On average, 1,200 recruits and 2,000 potential recruits, and 400 potential officers attend training courses and acquaint courses at CTCRM every year.

At its height in 1944 during the Second World War, more than 70,000 people served in the Royal Marines. Following the Allied victory the Royal Marines were reduced to a post-war strengthof 13,000. When National Service finally came to an end in 1960, the Marines were again reduced, but this time to an all Commando trained force of 9.000 personnel. As of October 2014 the Royal Marines had a strength of 7,760 Regular and approximately 750 Royal Marines Reserve. This gives a combined component strength of around 8,510 personnel. The Royal Marines are the only European Marine Force capable of conducting amphibious operations at Brigade level.



Royal Marines in Sangin, Afghanistan, 2010
 

Equipment

Infantry
The basic infantry weapon of the Royal Marines is the SA80 L85A2 assault rifle, sometimes equipped with the L123A3 underslung grenade launcher. Support fire is provided by the L110A1 light machine gun, the L7A2 General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) and the L111A1 Heavy Machine Gun (which is often mounted on an armoured vehicle); indirect fire by the L16A2 81mm Mortar. Sniper rifles used include the L115A3, produced by Accuracy International. More recently the L129A1 has come into service as the designated Marksman rifle. Other weapons include the Javelin Anti-Tank missile, the L107A1 pistol [Glock 17], the L131A1 pistol (both semi-automatic pistols) and the Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife.

Armour 
The Royal Marines maintain no heavy arnoured units, instead they operate a fleet of lightly armoured and highly mobile vehicles intended for amphibious landings or rapid deployment. The primary armoured fighting vehicle operated by the Armoured support Group is the BvS 10 Viking All Terrain Armoured Vehicle (150 in service) is the primary Armoured fighting vehicle of the Royal Marines. Other lighter vehicles include the Land Rover Wolf Armoured Patrol Vehicle, the Jackal (MWMIK) Armoured Vehicle and the Pinzgauer High Mobility All Terrain Vehicle.
 

BvS 10 Viking.
 

Artillery 
Field Artillery support is provided by the 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery of the British Army utilizing the L118 Light Gun, a 105mm towed howitzer. The regiment is Commando-trained.

Aviation
The Commando Helicopter Force of the Fleet Air Arm provides transport helicopters in support of the Royal Marines. It currently uses both Merlin HC4/4A medium-lift transport and Wildcat AH1 attack helicopters to provide direct aviation support for the Corps. In addition the Royal Air Force provides Chinook heavy-lift and Puma HC2 medium-lift transport helicopters.

Vessels
The Royal Marines operate a varied fleet of Military watercraft designed to transport troops from ship to shore or conduct river or estuary patrols. These include the Griffon 2000TDX Landing Craft Air Cushion, MK10 Landing Craft Utility, the MK5 Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel and the SDV MK8 Mod 1 Swimmer Delivery Vehicle for Special Forces. Other smaller amphibious craft such as the Offshore Raiding Craft, Rigid Raider and Inflatable Raiding Craft are in service in much greater numbers.
 

Royal Marines equipped for Arctic warfare during an exercise in Norway.	BvS 10 Vikings of the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group on exercise.	Royal Marines Landing Craft Utility (LCU) MK10.	A Royal Marines Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) MK5.
Royal Marines Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC).

Uniforms

Historically, Marine uniforms broadly matched those of the contemporary British Army, at least for full dress. The constraints of shipboard duty however imposed some practical considerations - for ordinary work duties during the late 18th and early 19th centuries the Marines put aside their easily-stained red coats and wore the loose "slop" clothing of the British sailors (then known as Jack Tars). While the full uniform was normally worn in action, it is recorded that at Trafalgar the Marines discarded their red jackets and fought in checked shirt and blue trousers.

The original British Marines of the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot (1664-1689) wore yellow (probably yellow-brown) coats with red breeches and black felt hats. Other short lived marine regiments during the period 1685 to 1699 wore dark blue, crimson or red coats. Queen Anne's six Marine Regiments wore red coats with different coloured facings according to the preference of their individual colonels. The dress of the ten Regiments of Marines raised for service between 1739 and 1748 is well documented in the coloured illustrations of the official 1742 Clothing Book. All wore red coats and breeches with mitre style caps. Facings, buttons and lace varied according to the Regiment.

From the establishment of a permanent Corps of Marine Regiments in 1755 to 1802, red coats with white facings were worn. The normal headdress was a tricorn (later bicorne hat and the overall appearance closely resembled that of the Army's Regiments of Foot. Grenadier Companies were issued with fur hats for land service only during the American War of Independence.

In 1802 the granting of the title "Royal Marines" meant a change to dark blue facings and a distinctive round hat made of lacquered felt. This is the headdress usually associated with the Marines of Nelson's Navy. White breeches and gaiters were worn for parade during the Napoleonic Wars but blue or white trousers were normal shipboard wear. Short white jackets and bag-like undress caps were part of the sea-kit for ordinary duties, replacing the earlier casual or slop clothing that had often led to confusion between Sailors and Marines.

The relatively peaceful period that followed the Napoleonic Wars saw the uniforms ofthe Royal Marines again closely follow Army styles. Shakos and tight tail coats were adopted, regardless of their suitability for seagoing conditions. The newly created Royal Marine Artillery wore the dark blue uniforms faced in red of the Royal Artillery with only buttons and badges as a distinction. The Royal Marine Light Infantry continued to wear red coats with dark blue collars and cuffs.

The Royal Marines wore dark blue serge jackets in the Anglo-Egyptian Campaign of 1882 with embroidered badges on their collars - bugle horns for the RMLI and grenades for the RMA. During the subsequent Sudan Campaign a light grey field uniform was adopted. During the siege of the Peking Legations in 1900 the RMLI wore their usual hot weather ship-board working dress of blue field service cap, blue tunic and white trousers. Khaki or all white tropical uniforms were worn subsequent to the relief of the Legations.

In 1905 a white cloth helmet with bronze fittings was adopted to be worn with the scarlet and blue full dress of the RMLI and the dark blue and red of the RMA. This headdress was replaced in 1912 by the white Wolseley pattern pith helmet, which remains the most distinctive feature of modern Royal Marine full dress. The Royal Marine Brigade sent to Ostend in August 1914 wore dark blue undress uniforms but khaki service dress or kakhi drill was worn for subsequent active service on land during World War I.

During the Inter-War years the newly merged Royal Marines wore a full dress that combined features of both the RMLI and RMA uniforms worn until 1914. This comprised a Wolseley helmet, dark blue tunic and trousers with scarlet collars and trouser welts. Shoulder cords and slashed cuffs were in yellow. This dress is still worn by the Royal Marines Band Service.

During World War II the Royal Marines wore khaki or blue battledress but retained their dark blue undress uniforms with red-banded peaked caps for certain off duty or ceremonial occasions. The well known green beret was introduced for the Royal Marine Commandos in 1942.
 

The modern Royal Marines retain a number of distinctive uniform items. These include the green beret, the green "Lovat" service dress, the dark blue parade dress worn with the white helmet, the scarlet and blue mess dress for officers and non-commissioned officers and the white hot-weather dress of the Band Service.



Royal Marines on Parade in the City of London marking
the 350th anniversary of the Corps in 2014.
 

Ranks and insignia

NATO code	OF-10	OF-9	OF-8	OF-7	OF-6	OF-5	OF-4	OF-3	OF-2	OF-1		OF(D)	Student Officer
United Kingdom (Royal Marines	No equivalent												No equivalent
		General	Lieutenant-General	Major-General	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant-Colonel	Major	Captain	First Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant	Officer Cadet (OCdt)

NATO Code	OR-9						OR-8		OR-7		OR-6						OR-5		OR-4				OR-3		OR-2		OR-1
United Kingdom (Royal Marines)																	No equivalent								No insignia		No equivalent
	Warrant Officer Class 1						Warrant Officer Class 2		Colour Sergeant		Sergeant								Corporal				Lance Corporal		Marine

Role

The Royal Marines are a maritime-focused, amphibious, Light Infantry force capable of deploying at short notice in support of the United Kingdom Government's military and diplomatic objectives overseas and are optimised for operational situations requiring highly manoeuvreable forces. As the United Kingdom Armed Forces' specialists in cold weather warfare the Corps provide lead element expertise in the NATO Northern Flank and are optimised for high altitude operations.

In common with the other armed forces, the Royal Marines can provide resources for Military Aid to the Civil Community and Military Aid to the Civil Power operations and have done so.
 

Formation and structure

The overall head of the Royal Marines is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in her role as Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces.

The ceremonial head of the Royal Marines is the Captain General Royal Marines, (equivalent to the Colonel-in-Chief of a British Army regiment). The current Captain-General is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

Full Command of the Royal Marines is vested in the Fleet Commander (FLTCDR) with the Commandant-General Royal Marines, a Major-General, embedded within the Navy Command Headquarters (NCHQ) as Commander UK Amphibious Force (COMUKAMPHIBFOR).

The highest rank available within the Royal Marines is that of General, though at present there are no officers above the rank of Lieutenant-General.

The operational capability of the Corps comprises a number of Battalion-sized units, of which five are designated as "Commandos":

• 40 Commando (known as Forty Commando) based at Norton Manor Barracks, Taunton, Somerset, England
• 42 Commando (known as Four Two Commando) based at Bickleigh Barracks, Plymouth, Devon, England
• 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (known as Four Three Commando) based at HM Naval Base Clyde, Helensburgh, Argyll and Bute (Previously Comacchio Group).
• 45 Commando (known as Four Five Commando) based at RM Condor, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland
• 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group based at Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth
• Commando Logistic Regiment based at Chivenor, Devon
• Special Boat Service based at Royal Marines Base Poole, Dorset (although Full Command is retained by CINCFLEET, Operational Command of SBS RM is assigned to Director Special Forces).
• 1 Assault Group Royal Marines based at Royal Marines Tamar, Devonport.

Each Commando Unit will rotate through one of three roles every six months.

• Lead Commando - This unit will be the first unit called upon in case of short-notice operations anywhere in the world.
• Force Generating - Training (Force Generating) to assume the role of Lead Commando.
• Standing Task - General Duties Unit.

With the exception of the 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group and Commando Logistic Regiment, which are each commanded by full Colonel, each of these units is commanded by a Lieutenant-Colonel of the Royal Marines, who may have sub-specialised in a number of ways throughout his career.

There is also a Mountain Leader Training Cadre based at Lympstone Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, Devon.
 

3 Commando Brigade

Insignia of 3 Commando.

Operational Command (OpCom) of the five Commandos and the Commando Logistics Regiment is delegated to 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, of which they are a part. Based at Stonehouse Barracks, the Brigade exercises control as directed by either CINCFLEET or the Permanent Joint Headquarters. As the main combat formation of the Royal Marines, the Brigade has its own organic capability to support it in the field, 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group, a battalion sized formation providing information operations capabilities, life support and security for the Brigade Headquarters.

43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines, responsible for the security of the United Kingdom's nuclear deterrent and other security related duties was orginally outside the brigade however from April 2012 it moved into it. It also provides specialist boarding parties and snipers for the Royal Navy worldwide, for roles such as embargo enforcement, counter-narcotics, counter-piracy and counter-insurgency activities of the Royal Navy. It is the largest unit in the brigade at 790 strong with a different structure from the other Commandos.
​

Independent elements

The independent elements of the Royal Marines are:

• Commando Training Centre: This is the training unit for the entire corps, and consists of three separate sections:
  • Commando Training Wing: This is the initial basic commando training section for new recruits to the Royal Marines, and the All Arms Commando Course.
  • Specialist Wing. This provides specialist training in the various trades which Marines may elect to join once qualified and experienced in a Rifle Company.
  • Command Wing: This provides command training for both Officers and NCOs of the Royal Marines.

A Royal Marines Landing Craft Utility.

• 1 Assault Group Royal Marines: Provides training in the use of landing craft and boats, and also serves as a parent unit for the three assault squadrons permanently-embarked on the Royal Navy's amphibious ships.
  • 4 Assault Squadron - HMS Bulwark
  • 6 Assault Squadron - HMS Albion
  • 9 Assault Squadron - HMS Ocean

• Special Boat Service (SBS) are Naval Special Forces and under OpCom of Director Special Forces. It is commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel qualified as a Swimmer Canoeist. SBS Responsibilities include water-borne operations, Maritime Counter-Terrorism and other special forces tasks.

• Royal Marines Band Service provides Regular Bands for the Royal Navy and provides expertise to train RN Volunteer Bands. Bandsmen have a secondary role as medics and field hospital orderlies. Personnel may not be commando trained, wearing a dark blue beret instead of green; the band service is the only branch of the Royal Marines which admits women.

A Royal Marines team board US Navy destroyer USS O'Bannon.
 

Structure of a Commando

The Commando Flash, sewn to the upper sleeve of a DPM shirt.
 

Royal Marine in training with L85A1

The three Commandos are each organised into six companies, further organised into platoon-sized troops, as follows:

• Command Company
  • Main HQ
  • Tactical HQ
  • Reconnaissance Troop (includes a sniper section)
  • Mortar Troop (9 Barrels of 81mm) (Includes 4 MFC pairs)
  • Anti-Tank (AT) Troop (Javelin ATGW)
  • Medium Machine Gun Troop
• One Logistic Company
  • A Echelon 1 (A Ech1)
  • A Echelon 2 (A Ech2)
  • Forward Repair Team (FRT)
  • Regimental Aid Post (RAP)
  • B Echelon (B Ech)
• Two Close Combat Companies
  • Company Headquarters (Coy HQ)
  • 3 x Close Combat Troops (Troop HQ, 3 Rifle Sections, Manoeuvre Support Section)
• Two Stand Off Companies
  • Company Headquarters (Coy HQ)
  • Heavy Machine Gun (HMG) Troop (0.5" heavy machine guns)
  • AT Troop
  • Close Combat Troop

In general a Rifle Company Marine will be a member of a four-man fire team, the building block of Commando Operations. A Royal Marine works with his team in the field and shares accommodation if living in barracks.

This structure is a recent development, formerly Commandos were structured similarly to light Infantry Battalions. During the restructuring of the United Kingdom's military services the Corps evolved from a Cold War focus on NATO's Northern Flank towards a more expeditionary posture.

Royal Marines in a Rigid Raider assault watercraft

Amphibious Task Group

Commando Helicopter Force

The Commando Helicopter Force forms part of the Fleet Air Arm. The force comprises four helicopter squadrons and is commanded by the Joint Helicopter Command. It consists of both Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Marines personnel. RN personnel need not be Commando trained. The Commando Helicopter Force is neither under the permanent control of 3 Commando Brigade nor that of the Commandant General Royal Marines but rather is allocated to support Royal Marines units as required. It uses both Sea King transport and Lynx Light lift transport/reconnaisance helicopters to provide aviation support for the Royal Marines.
 

A RIB slung from an RAF Chinook in 2009

Training

Royal Marines are required to undergo one of the longest and most physical demanding specialist infantry training regimes in the world. Recruit training lasts for 32 weeks for Marines and 60 weeks for officers. Potential recruits can be male and aged 16 to 25 or female and aged 16 - 32 and they must first undertake a series of interviews, medical tests, an eye/sight test, psychometric tests and a PJFT (Pre-joining fitness test). Once a potential recruit passes, enlisted recruits undertake a 3-day selection course called Potential Royal Marine Course (PRMC) and potential officers undertake Potential Officer Course (POC) - both take place at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) at Lympstone, Devon. Officer candidates must also take the Admiralty Interview Board (AIB). Upon passing the 3-day course, recruits then start basic recruit training (RT) at CTCRM. Unlike in many countries, enlisted Marines and officer Marines often train together for the first 32 weeks. A large proportion of training is carried out on Dartmoor's inhospitable terrain and Woodbury Common woodland with a significant proportion taking place at night. The culmination of their training ends with their infamous commando courses which they initially pre-train for. The commando courses are a series of physical and mental endurance tests that highlight their military professionalism.

Officers and Marines undergo the same training up to the commando tests, thereafter Marines go on to employment in a rifle company while Officers continue training. Officer candidates are required to meet higher standards in the Commando tests.

Basic training

The first weeks of training are spent learning basic skills that will be used later. This includes much time spent on the parade ground and on the rifle ranges. The long history of the Royal Marines is also highlighted through a visit to the Royal Marines Museum in Southsea, Hampshire. Physical training at this stage emphasizes all-round physical strength, endurance and flexibility in order to develop the muscles necessary to carry the heavy equipment a marine will use in an operational unit. Key milestones include a gym passout at week 9 (not carried out with fighting order), which shows that a recruit is ready for the Bottom Field, a battle swimming test, and learning to do a "regain" (i.e. climb back onto a rope suspended over a water tank). Most of these tests are completed with the ever present fighting order of 32 lb (14.5 kg) of Personal Load Carrying Equipment. Individual fieldcraft skills are also taught at this basic stage.

The Commando course

The culmination of training is a period known as the Commando course. Following the Royal Marines taking on responsibility for the Commando role with the disbandment of the Army Commandos at the end of World War II, all Royal Marines, except those in the Royal Marines Band Service, complete the Commando course as part of their training (see below). Key aspects of the course include climbing and ropework techniques, patrolling, and amphibious warfare operations.

This intense phase ends with a series of tests which have remained virtually unchanged since World War II. Again, these tests are done in fighting order of 32 lb (14.5kg) of equipment.

The commando tests are taken on consecutive days; they include;

• A nine mile (14.5 km) speed march, carrying full fighting order, to be completed in 90 minutes; the pace is thus 10 minutes per mile (6 min/km or 6 mph).

• The Endurance course is a six mile (9.65 km) course across rough moorland and woodland terrain at Woodbury Common near Lympstone, which includes tunnels, pipes, wading pools, and an underwater culvert. The course ends with a four mile (6 km) run back to CTCRM. Followed by a marksmanship test, where the recruit must hit 6 out of 10 shots at a target at 200 m. To be completed in 73 minutes (71 minutes for Royal Marine officers), these times were recently increased by one minute as the route of the course was altered.

• The Tarzan Assault Course. This is an assault course combined with an aerial confidence test. It starts with a death slide and ends with a rope climb up a thirty foot vertical wall. It must be completed with full fighting order in 13 minutes, 12 minutes for officers. The Potential Officers Course also includes confidence tests from the Tarzan Assault Course, although not with equipment.

• The 30 miler. This is a 30 mile (48 km) march across upland Dartmoor, wearing fighting order, and additional safety equipment. It must be completed in eight hours for recruits and seven hours for Royal Marine officers, who must also navigate the route themselves, rather than following a DS with the rest of a syndicate and carry their own equipment.

The day after the 30 mile march, any who failed any of the tests may attempt to retake them that day.

Completing the Commando course successfully entitles the recruit or officer to wear the coveted green beret but does not mean that the Royal Marine has finished his training. That decision will be made by the troop or batch training team and will depend on the recruit's or young officer's overall performance. Furthermore, officer training still consists of many more months.

Training to be a Royal Marine takes 32 weeks (over eight months). The last two weeks is mainly administration and preparing for the pass out parade. Recruits in their final week of training are known as the King's Squad and have their own section of the recruits' galley at Lympstone.

After basic and commando training, a Royal Marine Commando will normally join a unit of 3 Commando Brigade. There are three Royal Marines Commando infantry units in the Brigade: 40 Commando located at Norton Manor Camp near Taunton in Somerset, 42 Commando at Bickleigh Barracks, near Plymouth, Devon, and 45 Commando at RM Condor, Arbroath on the east coast of Scotland.

Non-Royal Marine volunteers for Commando training undertake the All Arms Commando Course.

There is also a Reserve Commando Course run for members of the Royal Marines Reserve and Commando units of the Territorial Army.
 

Specialist training

Royal Marine snipers with their L115A1 sniper rifles.

Royal Marines may then go on to undertake specialist training in a variety of skills; Platoon Weapons Instructor, Mortar operator, signaller, clerk, sniper, Physical Training Instructor, Mountain Leader, Swimmer Canoeist, chef, Landing Craft coxswain, Telecommunications Technician (Tels Tech), Assault Engineer etc.

Training for these specialisations may be undertaken at CTCRM or in a joint environment, such as the Defence School of Transport at Leconfield or the Defence Police College.

Some Marines are trained in military parachuting to allow flexibility of insertion methods for all force elements. Marines complete this training at RAF Brize Norton (but are not required to undergo Pre Parachute Selection Course (P-Company) training with the Parachute Regiment).
 

Traditions and insignia

The Royal Marines have a proud history and unique traditions. Their colours (flags) do not carry individual Battle Honours in the manner of the Regiments of the British Army but rather the "globe itself" as the symbol of the Corps.

The heraldic crest of the Royal Marines commemorates the history of the Corps. The Lion and Crown denotes a Royal regiment. King George III conferred this honour in 1802 "in consideration of the very meritorious services of the Marines in the late war."

The "Great Globe itself" surrounded by laurels was chosen in 1827 by King George IV in place of Battle Honours to recognise the Marines' service and successes in multiple engagements in every quarter of the world. The Laurels are believed to honour the gallantry they displayed during the investment and capture of Belle Isle, off Lorient, in AprilJune 1761.

The word "Gibraltar" refers to the Capture of Gibraltar by a force of Anglo-Dutch Marines in 1704 and the subsiquent defence of the stategic fortress throughout a nine-month seige against a numerically superior Franco-Spanish force. Their determination and valour throughout the seige led to a contempory report published in the The truimphs of Her Majesty's Arms in 1707 to announce:

Encouraged by the Prince of Hesse, the garrison did more than could humanly be expected, and the English Marines gained an immortal glory

- referred to by Paul Haris Nicholas. Historical record of the Royal marine forces.

It was awarded in 1827 by George IV as a special distinction for the services of four of the old Army Marine regiments (Queen's Own Marines, 1st Marines, 2nd Marines, 3rd Marines). All other honours gained by the Royal Marines are represented by the "Great Globe". As a consequence, there are no Battle Honours displayed on the Colours of the four Battalion sized units in the Corps.

When referring to individual Commandos: 45 Commando is referred to as "four-five" rather than "forty-five commando" as is 42 Commando, 40 Commando is "forty".

The only units which carry colours are 40 Commando, 42 Commando, 45 Commando, and the Fleet Protection Group (which is the custodian of the colours of 43 Commando).

The fouled anchor, incorporated into the emblem in 1747, is the badge of the Lord High Admiral and shows that the Corps is part of the Naval Service.

The Latin motto "Per Mare Per Terram" translates into English as "By Sea, By Land". Believed to have been used for the first time in 1775, this motto describes the Royal Marines ability in fighting both afloat on-board ships of the Royal Navy, as well as ashore in their many land engagements.

The Regimental quick march of the Corps isA Life on the Ocean Wave, while the slow march is march of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, awarded to the Corps by Admiral of the Fleet Earl Mountbatten of Burma on the occasion of the Corps's Tercentenaryin 1964. Lord Mountbatten was Life Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines until his murder by the IRA in 1979.

Dress headgear is a white Wolseley pattern pith helmet surmounted by a ball, a distinction once standard for Artillerymen. This derives from the part of the Corps that was once the Royal Marine Artillery.

The Royal Marines are one of six Regiments allowed by the Lord Mayor of the City of London to march through the City as a Regiment in full array. This dates to the charter of Charles II that allowed recruiting parties of the Admiral's Regiment of 1664 to enter the City with drums beating and Colours flying.



 

Order of Precedence

As the descendant of the old Marine Regiments of the British Army, the Royal Marines used to have a position in the Order of Precedence of the Infantry; this was after the 49th Regiment of Foot, the descendant of which is the Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment. Therefore, the Royal Marines would have paraded after the RGBW. This is because the 49th Foot was the last Regiment raised prior to the formation of the Corps of Marines as part of the Royal Navy in 1755. In 2007, the RGBW was amalgamated into a large Regiment this new Regiment is placed last in the order of precedence, as it is a Regiment of Rifles. However as a result of the new Army amalgamations the Royal Marines have now been removed from the Infantry order of precedence and will now always take post, as a constituent part of the Naval Service, at the head of the parade alongside the Navy, or alone if the Navy are not represented.
 

Affiliations

Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Early connections date from Balaclava in the Crimean War and Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, but the main association stems from World War II. In July 1940, after the fall of Dunkirk, the 5th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders served with the Royal Marine Brigade for over a year. When the Battleships HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk in December 1941, the Royal Marines survivors joined up with the remnants of the 2nd Battalion, in the defence of Singapore. They formed what became known as 'The Plymouth Argylls', after the Association Football team, since both ships were Plymouth manned. Most of the Highlanders and Marines who survived the bitter fighting were taken prisoner by the Japanese. The Royal Marines Inter-unit Rugby Football Trophy is the 'Argyll Bowl', presented to the Corps by the Regiment in 1941. A message of greetings is sent to the Regiment each year on their Regimental Day, 25 October, the anniversary of the Battle of Balaclava in 1854.

The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment

The fore-bearer regiments of the The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, The East Surrey Regiment (Villier's Marines) was initially raised as amphibious troops. They served as Marines for a period. To this day one officer from the Royal Marine serves with the PWRR and Vice Versa. Also the Royal Marine Lanyard is worn by all ranks in Service Dress and Number 2 Dress uniform and Barrack Dress of PWRR.

Netherlands Marine Corps

The Royal Marines have close links with the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps, with whom they conduct NATO exercises throughout the year. Formed during the Anglo-Dutch Wars in 1665, the Dutch Marines distinguished themselves in raids on the English coast, where it is likely they met their future counterparts. Units of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps work in close cooperation with 3 Commando Brigade of the Royal Marines. Operational units of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps are fully integrated into this Brigade. This integration is known as the United Kingdom-Netherlands Landing Force and is a component of the United Kingdom-Netherlands Amphibious Force as a key strike force during the Cold War to strengthen the Nordic area.

Alliances

•  Australia - Royal New South Wales Regiment
•  Australia - 1st Commando Regiment
•  Barbados - Barbados Defence Force
•  Falkland Islands - Falkland Islands Defence Force
•  Netherlands - Korps Mariniers (Bond of Friendship)
•  United States - United States Marine Corps (Bond of Friendship)

Notable former and serving Royal Marines

• Kenneth Alford (Fredrik Joseph Ricketts) Director of Music 1927-1944. He was a British Composer of Marches for Band. Under the pen name Kenneth J. Alford, he composed Marches which are considered to be great examples of the art. He was a Bandmaster in the British Army, and Royal Marines Director of Music. Conductor Sir Vivian Dunn called Ricketts "The British March King." Ricketts frequent use of the Saxophone contributed to its permanent inclusion in Military Bands
• Lord Jeremy John Durham Ashdown, Baron Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon, GCMG, KBE, PC - Former Liberal Democrat Party Leader joined the Royal Marines in 1959, serving until 1972, retiring with the rank of Captain. He served in Borneo during the Indonesia Malaysia confrontation and the Persian Gulf before training as a Swimmer Canoeist in 1965, after which he joined the elite Special Boat Section (which became the Special Boat Service in the 1980s) and commanded a Section in the Far East. He then went to Hong Kong in 1967 to undertake a full-time interpreter's course in Chinese, and returned to Britain in 1970 when he was given command of a Commando Company in Belfast. Ashdown left the Marines to join the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6). As cover, he worked for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as first secretary to the United Kingdom mission to the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. At the UN, Ashdown was responsible for relations with several UN organisations, involved in the negotiation of several international treaties, and some aspects of the Helsinki Conference.
• Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Vivian Dunn KCVO OBE FRSA was the Director of Music of the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines from 1931 to 1953 and Principal Director of Music of the Royal Marines from 1953 to 1968. He was the first British Armed Forces musician to be Knighted
• Ben Gaffney - Go Commando Atlantic Rowing Race competitor

• Pete Goss, MBE is a British yachtsman who has sailed more than 250,000 nautical miles (460,000km). A former Royal Marine, he is famous for his pioneering project Team Philips. He received a Legion d'Honneur for saving fellow sailor Raphal Dinelli in the 1996 Vende Globe solo around the world yacht race. During a severe storm in the Southern Ocean, he turned his boat around and spent two days sailing into hurricane force winds, finally finding Dinelli in a life-raft that had been dropped by an Australian Air Force plane shortly before his own yacht had sunk. Dinelli is said to have come aboard clutching a bottle of champagne.

• Monty Halls - TV broadcaster, explorer and Marine Biologist. He was commissioned as a Royal Marines officer. His time in the Marines included a stint in the British Military Assistance and Training Team in South Africa, where he assisted with the integration of former ANC Guerrillas into the South African Army.

• Lieutenant Colonel Herbert George "Blondie" Hasler, DSO, OBE was a distinguished Royal Marines officer in the Second World War. In December 1942 he led a small Commando raid against Axis shipping in Bordeaux. He was responsible for many of the concepts which ultimately led to the post-war formation of the Special Boat Service. After the war he became a notable yachtsman, contributing especially to developments in single-handed sailing

• Bruce Parry - Explorer and Documentary maker; Tribe and Blizzard-Race To The Pole. Parry entered the Royal Marines and successfully completed training at the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre. He was then selected by the Admiralty Interview Board and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant at the age of 18.

  He served as a Troop Commander in Comacchio Group and Commando Logistics Regiment and was deployed to Norway. Parry was deployed to Iraq and he served in a security and humanitarian capacity in Iraqi Kurdistan for Operation Provide Comfort during and after the First Gulf War. He then specialised as Physical Training Instructor. At 23 years old, he became the youngest officer ever to be made Head of Fitness and Training for the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre. Bruce Parry left the service as a Lieutenant after six years.

• Brian McDermott - an English professional Rugby League Football Coach and former Player. He is the Head Coach of the Leeds Rhinos Club of Super League, having started his coaching career at Harlequins in 2006. A Great Britain International representative forward, McDermott played his club football for Bradford Northern, winning Grand Finals and Challenge Cups with them. McDermott was a Royal Marine for five years.
• Paul McGough - Battle of Qala-i-Jangi veteran

• David McIntosh was a serving Royal Marine Commando from Ashton in Makerfield, Greater Manchester and a member of the of Sky1 TV series Gladiators under the name Tornado. David is 6ft and 15 stone, he has served in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland, Somalia, and the Gulf. He deployed to Afghanistan in October 2008 for six months.

• Geoffrey Dyson Palmer, OBE an English actor, known for his roles in British television sitcoms playing Jimmy Anderson in The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, Ben Parkinson in Butterflies and Lionel Hardcastle in As Time Goes By.
• Orlando Rogers - Go Commando Atlantic Rowing Race competitor and Commando - On The Front Line contributor
• Tom Sharpe - Author, Blott on the Landscape
• Hannah Snell - Female Royal Marine (1723-1792)

Hannah Snell

• General Sir Anthony Blaxland Stransham, GCB, was a British military officer. Stransham was the son of Lt. Col. Anthony Stransham of the Royal Marines and grandson of Major Samuel Stransham of the Royal Marines, who planted the British flag on the Falkland Islands, claiming it for King George III.

Stransham entered the Royal Marines on 1 January 1823. Four years after entering the service, he was present as a Subaltern at the Battle of Navarino on 20 October 1827. Stransham led the Royal Marines during the attack on the City of Canton in the First Opium War in 1841. He was wounded and was promoted to Captain. He was awarded the Baltic Medal, having been with Charles John Napier in 1854. From 1862 to 1867, General Stransham was Inspector-General of the Royal Marines.

Later in his career, as a General, the "Grand Old Man of the Army" became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. He saw active service for over 53 years, retiring with the rank of General on 24 December 1875

• Chris Terrill (Honorary Royal Marine Commando) - Documentary maker, Commando - On The Front Line

• Major General Julian Howard Atherden Thompson, CB, OBE is a Military Historian and former Royal Marines officer who commanded 3 Commando Brigade during the Falklands War.Thompson joined the Royal Marines in 1952. During the 1960s he was deployed to Borneo for the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation. He was appointed Commanding Officer of 40 Commando in 1975 and Commander of 3 Commando Brigade in 1981 and in that role was British Land Commander on the Falklands islands during the first phase of the conflict ashore. He retired in 1986.

  In retirement he has written extensively on the Falklands conflict and other aspects of British Military History including the Iraq War. He is also a visiting Professor at the department of War Studies, King's College, University of London.

• Arthur Evelyn St. John Waugh known as Evelyn Waugh, was an English writer of novels, biographies and travel books. He was also a prolific journalist and reviewer. His best-known works include his early satires Decline and Fall (1928) and A Handful of Dust (1934), his novel Brideshead Revisited (1945) and his trilogy of Second World War novels collectively known as Sword of Honour (195261). Waugh is widely recognised as one of the great prose stylists of the 20th century.

  The son of a publisher, Waugh was educated at Lancing and Hertford College, Oxford, and worked briefly as a schoolmaster before becoming a full-time writer. As a young man, he acquired many fashionable and aristocratic friends, and developed a taste for country house society that never left him. In the 1930s he travelled extensively, often as a special newspaper correspondent; he was reporting from Abyssinia at the time of the 1935 Italian invasion. He served in the British Armed Forces throughout the Second World War, first in the Royal Marines and later in the Royal Horse Guards
• Sir Charles Cornelius Wheeler CMG (Selwyn Charles Cornelius-Wheeler) was a British journalist and broadcaster. Having joined the BBC in 1947, he became the corporation's longest serving foreign correspondent, serving in the role until his death. Wheeler also had spells as presenter of several BBC current affairs television programmes including Newsnight and Panorama.He enlisted in the Royal Marines in 1941, rising to the rank of Captain. As part of a secret Naval Intelligence unit assembled by Ian Fleming - 30 Assault Unit, he participated in the Normandy Landings as Second-in-command to Patrick Dalzel-Job. After leaving the Royal Marines in 1947, Wheeler joined the BBC.

Royal Marines
Royal Marine Corps Crest
Active	1664 Present
Country	Kingdom of England (16641707)  Kingdom of Great Britain (17071801)  United Kingdom (1801present)
Branch	Naval Service, British Armed Forces
Type	Marine Commando
Role	Expeditionary & amphibious warfare
Size	7,760 Royal Marines 750 Royal Marines Reserve
Naval Staff Offices	Ministry of Defence, Whitehall, London, England
Nickname	Royals Bootnecks The Commandos Jollies
Motto	Per Mare, Per Terram (Latin) ("By Sea, By Land")
Colours	Blue Gold Green Red
March	Quick: "A Life on the Ocean Wave" Slow: "Preobrajensky"
Anniversaries	Corps Birthday: 28 October 1664
Engagements	Second Anglo-Dutch War Third Anglo-Dutch War Williamite War in Ireland War of the Spanish Succession War of Jenkins' Ear Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War War of 1812 Napoleonic Wars Crimean War First Opium War Second Opium War Indian Mutiny Maori Wars Anglo-Satsuma War Expedition to Abyssinia Anglo-Ashanti wars Anglo-Egyptian War Mahdist War Second Boer War Boxer Rebellion First World War Russian Civil War Second World War Civil War in Palestine Korean War Suez Crisis Malayan Emergency Cyprus dispute Indonesia-Malaysia Confrontation Aden Emergency The Troubles Dhofar Rebellion Falklands War Persian Gulf War Bosnian War Kosovo War Sierra Leone Civil War Iraq War Intervention in Libya War in Afghanistan
Website	Royal Marines
Commanders
Captain-General	HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, KG, KT, OM, GBE, AC, QSO, PC
First Sea Lord	Admiral Sir Philip Andrew Jones. KCB, ADC
Commandant-General	Major General Robert Andrew Magowan, CBE
Insignia
Non-ceremonial flag
Commando flash
Abbreviation	RM

MILITARY - BRITISH ARMED FORCES - NAVAL SERVICE

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