Commandant General Royal Marines
The Commandant General Royal Marines is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The title has existed since 1943 (before which time the Royal Marines were headed by the Adjutant-General Royal Marines). The Commandant General Royal Marines is responsible for advising the First Sea Lord, with line responsibility for all Royal Marine units. He is assisted by a Deputy Commandant General, whose rank is brigadier.[1]
Role as COMUKAMPHIBFOR
The appointment has been held concurrently with that of Commander United Kingdom Amphibious Forces (COMUKAMPHIBFOR) since the creation of the Fleet Battle Staff in 2001. COMUKAMPHIBFOR is one of two deployable two-star maritime operational commanders (the other being Commander UK Maritime Force (COMUKMARFOR),[2] with particular responsibility for amphibious and littoral warfare.[3] Unlike COMUKMARFOR, COMUKAMPHIBFOR is primarily configured to command as a combined joint task force and designed to support a single two star commander.[3]
History
Originally the Commandant General held the rank of a full general. This has changed over the last 60 years, being reduced to lieutenant-general in 1977 and then major-general 1996, in line with the reduction in the size of the Royal Marines.
This position is not to be confused with Captain General Royal Marines, the ceremonial head.
This position is the counterpart to the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, although the latter is a full general.
Commandant General Royal Marines
Commandants General included:[4]
- General Sir Thomas Hunton, 1943–1946
- General Sir Dallas Brooks, 1946–1949
- General Sir Leslie Hollis, 1949–1952
- General Sir John Westall, 1952–1955
- General Sir Campbell Hardy, 1955–1959
- General Sir Ian Riches, 1959–1962
- Lieutenant General Sir Malcolm Cartwright-Taylor, 1962–1965
- General Sir Norman Tailyour, 1965–1968
- General Sir Peter Hellings, 1968–1971
- General Sir Ian Gourlay, 1971–1975
- General Sir Peter Whiteley, 1975–1977
- Lieutenant General Sir John Richards, 1977–1981
- Lieutenant General Sir Steuart Pringle, 1981–1984
- Lieutenant General Sir Michael Wilkins, 1984–1987
- Lieutenant General Sir Martin Garrod, 1987–1990
- Lieutenant General Sir Henry Beverley, 1990–1994
- Lieutenant General Sir Robin Ross, 1994–1996
- Major General David Pennefather, 1996–1998
- Major General Robert Fulton, 1998–2001
- Major General Robert Fry, 2001–2002
- Major General Anthony Milton, 2002–2004
- Major General David Wilson, 2004
- Major General James Dutton, 2004–2006
- Major General Garry Robison, 2006–2009
- Major General Andy Salmon, June 2009 – February 2010
- Major General Buster Howes, February 2010 – December 2011[5]
- Major General Ed Davis, December 2011 – June 2014[6]
- Major General Martin Smith, June 2014 – present
References
- ↑ 08/11/2013 (2014-06-09). "Statement from Deputy Commandant General Royal Marines". Royal Navy. Retrieved 2014-06-14.
- ↑ Royal Navy: Commander UK Maritime Forces
- 1 2 Royal Navy: Commander UK Amphibious Forces
- ↑ Royal Navy Senior Appointments
- ↑ Royal Navy: Commandant General Royal Marines
- ↑ City brigadier will lead Royal Marines This is Plymouth, 5 November 2011.
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
