Royal Marines

The Corps of Royal Marines, usually just known as the Royal Marines (RM), are the United Kingdom's amphibious forces and a core component of the country's Rapid Deployment Force. They are lightly equipped, able to operate independently in all terrains, and highly trained as a commando force.

History

The first 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 October 28, 1664, with an initial strength of 1200 infantrymen, and the name "Marines" first appeared in official records in 1672. However, the naval infantry remained a part of the British Army until 1755, when His Majesty's Marine Forces, fifty companies in three divisions, headquartered at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, were formed under Admiralty control. In 1802, they were titled the Royal Marines.

Related Topics:
October 28 - 1664 - 1672 - British Army - 1755 - Chatham - Portsmouth - Plymouth - Admiralty - 1802

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Royal Marine Artillery (RMA) was formed as a separate unit in 1804. As their 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 ordinary sailors. Pursuing a career in the marines was considered social suicide - the marine corps was deeply unpopular in society as most marines were failures in life running away from their problems on land. Marine officers, unlike their counterparts in the regular army or navy, faced obstacles when trying to climb the social ladder, as officers in the marine corps were widely perceived as failures unable to obtain commissions in the army. During the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Navy suffered from manpower problems in the marine corps, and so regular infantry units from the army often had to be used as shipboard replacements. In 1855 the infantry forces were renamed the Royal Marines Light Infantry (RMLI) and in 1862 the name was slightly altered to Royal Marine Light Infantry. It was not until 1923 that the separate artillery and light infantry forces were formally amalgamated into the Corps of Royal Marines.

Related Topics:
1804 - Royal Regiment of Artillery - Napoleonic Wars - Royal Navy - 1855 - 1862 - 1923

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

For the first part of the 20th Century, the Royal Marines' role was the traditional one of providing shipboard infantry for security, boarding parties and small-scale landings, and also manning some of the gun turrets and fire-control systems on larger vessels such as cruisers and battleships.

Related Topics:
20th Century - Fire-control system - Cruiser - Battleship

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the First World War, Royal Marines took part in the amphibious landing at Gallipoli in 1915, and, in 1918, led the raid at Zeebrugge.

Related Topics:
First World War - Amphibious landing at Gallipoli - 1915 - 1918 - Zeebrugge

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

During the 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. In 1942 the Royal Marines infantry battalions were reorganised as Commandos, joining the Army Commandos.

Related Topics:
Second World War - Namsos - 1940 - Norwegian - 1942 - Commando - Army Commandos

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A total of four Commando brigades were raised during the war, and Royal Marines were represented in all of them. A total of nine RM Commandos (battalions) were raised during the war, numbered from 40 to 48.

Related Topics:
Brigade - Battalion

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1 Commando Brigade had just one RM battalion, No 45 Commando. 2 Commando Brigade had two RM battalions, Nos 40 and 43 Commandos. 3 Commando Brigade also had two, Nos 42 and 44 Commandos. 4 Commando Brigade was entirely Royal Marine after March 1944, comprising Nos 41, 46, 47 and 48 Commandos.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

1 Commando Brigade took part in the assaults on Sicily and Normandy, campaigns in the Rhineland and crossing the Rhine. 2 Commando Brigade was involved in the Salerno landings, Anzio, Comacchio, and operations in the Argenta Gap. 3 Commando Brigade served in Sicily and Burma. 4 Commando Brigade served in Normandy and operations in the Scheldt Estuary at Walcheren during the clearing of Antwerp.

Related Topics:
Sicily - Normandy - Rhineland - Rhine - Salerno landings - Anzio - Comacchio - Argenta Gap - Sicily - Burma - Normandy - Scheldt - Walcheren - Antwerp

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In January 1945, two further RM brigades were formed, 116th Brigade and 117th Brigade. Both were conventional infantry, rather than in the Commando role. 116th Brigade saw some action in the Netherlands, but 117th Brigade was hardly used operationally.

Related Topics:
1945 - Netherlands

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1946 the Army Commandos were disbanded, leaving the Royal Marines to continue the Commando role (with supporting Army elements).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A small number of Royal Marines served as pilots in World War II. It was a Royal Marines officer who led the attack by a formation of Blackburn Skuas that sank the German cruiser Königsberg.

Related Topics:
Blackburn Skua - German - Königsberg

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Royal Marines were involved in the Korean War. No 41 Commando was reformed in 1950, and was originally envisaged as a raiding force for use against North Korea. It performed this role until after the landing of United States Army X Corps at Wonsan. It was then put into the line, as part of the US 1st Marine Division, and took part in the famous retreat from Chosin Reservoir. After that, a small amount of raiding followed, before the Marines were withdrawn from the conflict in 1951.

Related Topics:
Korean War - 1950 - North Korea - United States Army X Corps - Wonsan - US 1st Marine Division - Chosin Reservoir - 1951

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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. British and French forces defeated the Egyptians, but after pressure from the United States, and French domestic pressure, they backed down.

Related Topics:
Malayan Emergency - 1956 - Suez Crisis

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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 most high 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.

Related Topics:
Konfrontasi - Borneo - Indonesia - Limbang

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From 1969 onwards Royal Marine units regularly deployed to Northern Ireland during The Troubles.

Related Topics:
1969 - Northern Ireland - The Troubles

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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.

Related Topics:
Falklands War - Argentina - 1982 - Parachute Regiment - San Carlos Water - East Falkland - Yomp - Stanley - 14 June - Jeremy Moore

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

3 Commando Brigade was not deployed in the 1991 Gulf War, but was deployed to northern Iraq in the aftermath to provide aid to the Kurds. 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.

Related Topics:
1991 - Gulf War - Iraq - Kurds - Bosnia

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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

Related Topics:
Kosovo - Sierra Leone - East Timor

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

2002 saw a deployment of Royal Marines to Afghanistan, where contact with enemy forces was expected. However, in the end, no Al-Qaida or Taliban forces were found. Any frustrations that deployment brought at the lack of combat were relieved in early 2003, when the UK's first amphibious assault for over 20 years was mounted to capture the Al Faw peninsula in Iraq. 40 and 42 Commandos, 3 Commando Brigade headquarters, and supporting units were deployed for operations. The attack proceeded well, with light casualties.

Related Topics:
2002 - Afghanistan - Al-Qaida - Taliban - 2003 - Al Faw

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

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 (see below). This has led to the introduction of the Viking, the first armoured vehicle to be operated by the Royal Marines for half a century.

Related Topics:
2000 - Light infantry - Below - Viking

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Commandos

• 40 Commando - formerly 3rd Royal Marine Battalion
• 41 Commando - formerly 8th Royal Marine Battalion (disbanded 1981)
• 42 Commando - formerly 1st Royal Marine Battalion
• 43 Commando - formerly 2nd Royal Marine Battalion (disbanded 1968)
• 44 Commando - renumbered 40 Commando in 1946
• 45 Commando - formerly 5th Royal Marine Battalion