3 Commando Brigade
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| 3 Commando Brigade | |
|---|---|
 Cap Badge of the Royal Marines |
|
| Active | February 14, 1942- |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Naval Service |
| Type | Marines/Commando/Light Infantry |
| Role | Rapid reaction force/Home defence |
| Size | Seven battalions |
| Part of | Royal Marines |
| Garrison/HQ | 40 Commando - Taunton 42 Commando - Plymouth (currently deployed to Afghanistan) 45 Commando - Arbroath (currently deployed to Afghanistan) 1 RIFLES - Catterick Commando Logistic Regiment - Chivenor 29 Commando Regiment - Portsmouth 24 Commando Regiment - Chivenor |
| Nickname | The Royals, HM Jollies, Bootnecks, The Royal Machines |
| Motto | Per Mare Per Terram (By Sea By Land) (Latin) |
| March | Quick - A Life on the Ocean Wave Slow - Preobrajensky |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander |
Brigadier J H Thomas RM |
| Captain-General | HRH The Duke of Edinburgh |
| Commandant-General | Major General Garry Robison RM |
| Insignia | |
| Commando Flash |  |
3 Commando Brigade is the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines.
Contents |
[edit] History
3 Commando Brigade can trace its origins back to World War II, when it was formed as the 3rd Special Service Brigade. The Commandos were formed as forces to performs raids on occupied Europe. Many of these raids were relatively small affairs, but some were very large, such as the 1942 Dieppe Raid, and the attack on St Nazaire to cripple the dry dock there.
At the end of the war, the British Army ceased using troops in the commando role, and the Royal Marines took over the task completely from the Army Commandos. 3 Commando Brigade was at the forefront of many actions over the next 25 years, acting as a strategic reserve for the Far East and Mediterranean areas. Its most high profile operation during this time was the Suez Crisis, when it took part in the amphibious assault against Egyptian targets. During Operation Musketeer, units of the Brigade made the first British helicopter borne assault in history.
1971 saw the withdrawal of British forces from the Far East and Persian Gulf. The Brigade returned to the UK with other British units. It moved to Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth, where it remains to this day.
Its next large operation was in 1982. Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, and 3 Commando Brigade was one of the two main British land formations that took part in operations to recapture the islands. The Brigade landed at San Carlos Inlet and marched across East Falkland to Stanley. Argentine units were defeated in several sharp engagements, and their forces surrendered on 14 June. In the aftermath of the Gulf War, the Brigade was deployed on a non-combat task in northern Iraq. The Kurds had suffered immensely during the war and its immediate aftermath, and the Brigade was used due to its rapid deployment ability. It provided succour to the Kurds and saved many from starvation.
Recently, the brigade has been involved in two major campaigns, including Operation Veritas in Afghanistan, 2001 and 2002, and Operation Telic during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. In Afghanistan, no contact was made with enemy forces, despite contrary predictions. Iraq, however, saw heavy fighting occur in the early stages of the campaign, as the Brigade made its first amphibious assault in over 20 years by landing on the Al-Faw peninsula in south east Iraq. Both operations were successful, and demonstrated the brigade is still ready to perform its traditional role as one of the United Kingdom's elite fighting forces.
In 2006, the brigade returned to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick, replacing 16 Air Assault Brigade.
[edit] Organisation
The Brigade is commanded by a Royal Marines Brigadier and draws on assets of the Royal Marines, Royal Navy, Royal Engineers and Royal Artillery. Brigade headquarters staff are located at Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth, Devon with the majority of the subordinate formations in South West England.
The subordinate formations are:
- 42 Commando Royal Marines, based at Bickleigh Barracks, Plymouth
- 45 Commando Royal Marines, based at Condor Barracks, Arbroath
- 1st Battalion, The Rifles, based at Catterick Garrison
- Commando Logistic Regiment, based at Chivenor, Devon
- UK Landing Force Command Support Group which comprises[1]:
-
- CSG Headquarters Troop
- Signals Squadron
-
- Two HQ Satcomm Troops
- Brigade Staff Squadron
- Support Squadron
-
- Brigade Patrol Troop
- Electronic Warfare Troop (Y Troop)
- Air Defence Troop
- Tactical Air Control Parties
- Police Troop
- Logistics Squadron
-
- Motor Transport Troop
- Catering Troop
- Stores Troop
- Equipment Support Troop
- Attached Army units:
- 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, based at Royal Citadel, Plymouth
Helicopter support is provided by the Commando Helicopter Force of the Fleet Air Arm, based at RNAS Yeovilton.
The Special Forces (SF) element is usually provided by units of the Special Boat Service (SBS). SF support will be allocated from the Director Special Forces, as required for tasking.
The attached army units consist of commando-trained units from the British Army. They are attached to the brigade and provide close-support, field artillery and integral combat engineer support
When the Brigade is operating as the United Kingdom/ Netherlands Landing Force the Operational Control of 1st Marine Battalion of the Korps Mariniers is delegated to the formation.
The Brigade structure has recently been enhanced with the formation of 24 Commando Regiment Royal Engineers subsuming 59 and 131 Squadrons and increasing the capacity to bring it into line with the deployable brigades of the British Army. A British Army Light Infantry battalion has also been added to the Order of Battle, 1st Battalion, The Rifles. 1 RIFLES will be assigned as 3 Commando Brigade's manoeuvre support battalion, thus creating a properly balanced all Arms Brigade.
[edit] References
- ^ DCI Gen 271-01 dated 19th Oct 2001 unpublished
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Royal Marines
- Royal Engineers Museum - Military Engineering Histories (Commando)
