45 Commando

45 Commando Royal Marines

Cap Badge of the Royal Marines
Active 1943–
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Royal Marines
Role Commando
Size One battalion
Part of Naval Service
Garrison/HQ RM Condor, Arbroath
Motto(s) Per Mare Per Terram (By Sea By Land) (Latin)
March Quick — A Life on the Ocean Wave
Slow — Preobrajensky
Commanders
Current
commander		 Lt Col Dan Cheesman MBE RM
Captain-General HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (Captain-General, Royal Marines)

45 Commando Royal Marines (pronounced "four-five commando") is a battalion sized unit of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines, the principal Commando formation, under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet.

Tasked as a Commando amphibious unit, 45 Cdo RM is capable of a wide range of operational tasks. Based at RM Condor,[1] their barracks in Arbroath, personnel regularly deploy outside the United Kingdom on operations or training. While 3 Cdo Bde RM are the principal cold weather warfare formation, personnel are capable of operating in a variety of theatres including tropical jungle, desert or mountainous terrain. The Commando is a regular participant in the annual Brigade cold weather warfare exercise in Norway, having been the first UK unit to specialise in the mountain and Arctic warfare role during the early 1970s and deployed to Norway on NATO’s northern flank most years until the end of the Cold War.

All personnel have completed the Commando course at the Commando Training Centre(CTCRM) at Lympstone in Devon, entitling them to wear the green beret, with attached personnel having completed the All Arms Commando Course.

History

Black and white photograph of marines walking away from a beach in single file
Royal Marine Commandos attached to 3rd Division move inland from Sword Beach on the Normandy coast, 6 June 1944.

5th RM Battalion

The 5th RM Battalion was originally raised for a brief period at the end of World War I (September 1918-February 1919), and was again raised on 2 April 1940 following mass mobilisation and the influx of “hostilities only” (HO) marines. The battalion was raised at Cowshot Camp in Brookwood (now part of the Pirbright Camp complex), being incorporated into 101 RM Bde, along with the 1st RM Battalion. Between August and October 1940 the battalion took part in operations in Dakar. On return until August 1943 the battalion conducted extensive training in Wales, Scotland, the Isle of Wight and Burley, where the battalion reformed as 45 RM Commando on 1 August 1943.[2]

45 RM Commando

After reforming and retitling, the unit transitioned to the Commando role as a formed unit, by-passing the individual volunteer and selection process undertaken by Army Commando candidates. Personnel undertook, and completed, the Commando Basic Training Course at Achnacarry, Scotland. As part of the 1st Special Service Brigade the Commando participated in Operation Overlord, the D-Day Normandy landings, going on to move through Europe into Germany, including Montforterbeek on 23 January 1945.[3]

Post-World War II reorganisation

Following the Second World War both 1 Commando Brigade (Nos 3, 4 and 6 Army Commandos and 45 RM Commando) and 2nd Commando Brigade (Nos 2 and 9 Army Cdos and 40 and 43 RM Cdos) disbanded, leaving 3 Cdo Bde (then comprising 1 and 5 Army Cdos and 42 and 44 RM Cdos) in place in the Far East. 3 Cdo Bde reorganised, disbanding 1 and 5 Army Cdos, and took on 45 RM Cdo, which joined the Bde in Hong Kong, from the UK, in January 1946. In order to preserve the heritage of a 2 Cdo Bde unit, as well as that of 1 Cdo Bde (45 RM Cdo), 44 Commando was retitled 40 Commando (which had been disbanded in UK in October 1945) and took on 40 RM Cdo’s colours, battle honours and traditions, albeit with 44 RM Cdo’s manpower. The three remaining commandos were restyled 40, 42 and 45 Commandos RM in March 1946.[4]

1940s/1950s

Royal Navy Westland Whirlwind helicopters taking the first men of 45 Royal Marine Commando into action at Port Said from HMS Theseus.

The Commando was based in Hong Kong between January 1946 and May 1947, conducting internal security duties, as part of 3 Cdo Bde RM. Between May 1947 and December 1948 the Commando moved to Malta, during which time it deployed to Libya, Palestine, Suez and Jordan. The Commando returned to Hong Kong in December 1948 and from there deployed to Malaya between 1950 and 1952 taking part in operations during the Emergency. Between 1952 and 1959 the Commando was once again based in Malta, from where it took part in a number of tours of Cyprus as well as the Suez Crisis, conducting a helicopter assault.[5]

1960s

Between 1960 and 1967 the Commando was based in Aden, from where it conducted 10 operational tours in the Radfan during the Aden Emergency. The Commando also deployed briefly to Kuwait following an Iraqi threat to her Independence in 1961 and also to Tanganyika during the Zanzibar Revolution for internal security duties in 1964, returning to Aden after each deployment. The last elements of the Commando left Aden on 29 November 1967 to return to the UK for the first time since the end of World War II. They set up home in Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth.[6]

1970s/1980s

In 1970 the Commando began Arctic training for the first time, taking on the role of Britain’s mountain and Arctic warfare experts (joined later by the other Commandos). 45 Cdo RM deployed to Norway for the first of many winters in 1971, which coincided with a move of the unit from Stonehouse, Plymouth to the old Naval Air Station, RNAS Arbroath (now RM Condor) in Arbroath, Scotland, where the unit still remains.[7] This period in the unit’s history is characterised by the alternation of Northern Ireland tours[6] and winters in Norway, protecting NATO’s northern flank.[8]

Falklands War

Main article: Falklands War

Following the Argentine invasion of 2 April 1982, 45 Cdo RM, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Andrew F. Whitehead RM, had their Easter leave cancelled and hastily deployed to the Falklands, travelling in a mix of Royal Navy (RN) and Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) ships. Having made a tactical landing at Red Beach, Ajax Bay on 21 May 1982, the men of 45 Cdo RM yomped across East Falkland, via Port San Carlos, New House, Douglas Settlement, Teal Inlet and Mount Kent to take part in the Battle for Port Stanley. They conducted a night attack on the Two Sisters feature over the 11/12 June 1982,[3] during which the Commando lost 8 men killed and 17 wounded. The Argentinians surrendered on 14 June 1982. Lt. Col Whitehead was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).[9]

1990s

Colour photograph of a marine with an anti-tank weapon pointed at the camera.
A British Royal Marine from 45 Commando watches for enemy tanks and armoured personnel carriers from behind his anti-armour weapon as part of Combined Joint Task Force Exercise '96.

The Commando deployed to Northern Iraq on Operation Haven at the end of the Gulf War, where it spent 2 months in the Zakho area, withdrawing at the end of June. In 1993 The Commando was deployed to Belize for the last operational jungle tour in that country. In a mirror image of its 1961 deployment to Kuwait, the Commando returned on Operation Driver in 1994, in support of Kuwait, following some threatening troop movements by the Iraqis on their side of the border. In 1998 the Commando was redirected from an exercise in Belize, to assist Nicaragua and Honduras following the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch.[10]

2000s

Colour photograph of five fully covered marines in a huddle underneath a helicopter.
Ground crew with the Commando Helicopter Force huddle from the downwash of a Sea King helicopter on exercise in Norway.
Colour photograph of marines patrolling in single file over rough, almost barren, terrain with buildings on the horizon.
Members of Whiskey Company, 45 Commando Royal Marines patrolling across barren landscape from FOB (Forward Operating Base) Jackson at Sangin in Helmand Province in Afghanistan.

At the turn of the Millennium, the Commando was deployed to Kosovo under KFOR as part of 3 Cdo Bde RM on Operation Agricola IV.[11][12] From April 2002, the unit deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Jacana, and also took part in Operation Telic 1, the 2003 invasion of Iraq. X-Ray Company Group was attached to the Special Boat Service (SBS), Whiskey Company Group attached to the Special Air Service (SAS).[13]

In September 2003, 45 Commando was granted the Freedom of Angus in recognition of their service in Iraq and Afghanistan and contribution to the local economy of Arbroath, where they are based at.[14]

In January 2004 the unit deployed to Northern Ireland (Operation Banner) for 6 months in support of peacekeeping operations, returning home in June. On return, it became the Spearhead Lead Commando, a role assumed on a rotational basis. The Lead Commando is at a high level of readiness, able to deploy at short notice on operations worldwide.[15]

In September 2004, whilst still Lead Commando, the Group deployed to the United States on Exercise BLACKHORSE. This was split into two phases, the first of which took place with the United States Marines Corps Ground-Air Combat Centre at 29 Palms, California. This 900 square miles of desert, allowed realistic live firing, involving artillery and air strikes. The second phase took place at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Centre, high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. An early snowfall meant the Commando was able to carry out cold weather warfare training, operating between 7000 and 11,000 feet (3,400 m). 2006 saw the Unit deploy to Norway for further Arctic training which culminated with a NATO led exercise.[16]

The focus switched to preparation for deploying to Afghanistan on Operation HERRICK 5 in late 2006. This deployment saw the Commando take on a number of different roles, the principal one being that of the Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT). The OMLT task was to work alongside the Afghan National Army and develop it into a self-sufficient organisation. The Unit returned from Afghanistan in April 2007.[17]

October 2008 saw the Commando return to Afghanistan as Northern Battle Group in Helmand Province on Operation HERRICK 9. The operational area of responsibility was the Upper Sangin Valley which extended for 80 km along the length of the Helmand River. The Battle Group was in excess of 1200 strong, half of whom came from 45 Commando.[18]

April/May 2009 saw the return of the Commando to Arbroath in Scotland for reorganisation ahead of a winter deployment to Norway to practice cold weather and amphibious tactics.[14]

2011

45 Commando deployed to Afghanistan again, as part of 3 Commando Brigade, for 6 months in March 2011 on Operation Herrick 14. They returned home in October 2011.[19][20]

2013

45 Commando was the lead commando group for the UK until May 2013, able to deploy at short notice.[21] In October 2013 Whiskey Company from 45 Commando exercised in Ghana with US, Dutch and Spanish Marines.[22][23]

Commanding officers

Commanders have included:

As 5 RM Bn

As 45 RM Commando

As 45 Commando RM

Battle honours

The following Battle honours were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War.[24]

Coordinates: 56°34.821′N 2°37.745′W / 56.580350°N 2.629083°W / 56.580350; -2.629083 (RM Condor)

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Royal Marines Commando — Individual Unit Histories. Former HMS Condor which became RM Condor in 1971.
  2. ↑ "45 Royal Marine Commando: The Normandy Landings". Combined Operations. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Memorial dates" (PDF). Royal Navy. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  4. ↑ "Royal Marines Commando and Special Boat Service". Commando Veterans Association. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  5. ↑ "1956: Allied Forces take control of Suez". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  6. 1 2 "Air Troop 45 Commando RM". British Army Units 1945 on. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  7. ↑ "Arbroath's military men". BBC. 19 March 2002.
  8. ↑ Fowler, p. 25
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49134. p. 12834. 8 October 1982. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  10. ↑ "Mitch: Picking up the pieces". BBC. 18 November 1998. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  11. ↑ "UK's mountain warfare elite". BBC. 18 March 2002.
  12. ↑ "House of Commons - Written Answers for 4 Oct 2004 (pt 31)". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. 4 October 2004.
  13. ↑ "Royal Marines - Operation Telic". Elite UK Forces. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  14. 1 2 "Thousands turn out in Arbroath to greet returning Royal Marines". Daily Record. 22 May 2009.
  15. ↑ Ministry of Defence annual report 2005-2006
  16. ↑ "Defence written question". House of Commons. 23 October 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2016.
  17. ↑ "Handover in Helmand as 3 Cdo Brigade replace 16 Air Assault Brigade". Ministry of Defence. 9 October 2006.
  18. ↑ "3 Commando Brigade to replace 16 Air Assault in Afghanistan". Ministry of Defence. 8 July 2008. Archived from the original on 2 December 2012.
  19. ↑ "3 Commando Brigade Take Command Of Task Force Helmand". Ministry of Defence. 11 April 2011.
  20. ↑ "3 Commando Brigade to replace 16 Air Assault Brigade in Helmand". Ministry of Defence. 17 December 2010.
  21. ↑ "Royal Marines end cold weather training with three hour battle". Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  22. ↑ "Exercise African Winds blows through Ghana". Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  23. ↑ "Marines rehearse casualty evacuations in Benin". Retrieved 4 April 2016.
  24. ↑ Moreman, p.94

Bibliography

  • Fowler, Will (2009). Royal Marine Commando 1950-82: From Korea to the Falklands. Osprey. ISBN 978-1846033728. 
  • Samain, Brian (2005). Commando Men: The Story of a Royal Marine Commando in World War Two. Pen and Sword. ISBN 184415209X. 
  • Young, David (1972). Four Five: Story of 45 Commando Royal Marines 1943-1971. Leo Cooper. ISBN 0850520932. 

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