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| 1 Assault Group Royal Marines | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | 1 Assault Group Royal Marines |
| Dates | 2001–present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Marines |
| Type | Amphibious assault |
| Role | Landing craft operations, amphibious support |
| Size | Approx. company-sized element |
| Garrison | RM Poole |
| Motto | "Per Mare, Per Terram" |
1 Assault Group Royal Marines
1 Assault Group Royal Marines is a specialized Royal Marines formation responsible for amphibious assault and landing craft operations supporting United Kingdom expeditionary forces, Amphibious Warfare, and littoral manoeuvre. It provides trained personnel, boats and doctrine for amphibious embarkation and ship-to-shore movement, integrating with Naval Service platforms, Fleet assets and joint force elements for amphibious operations and contingency response. The group maintains readiness to operate with 16 Air Assault Brigade, 3 Commando Brigade, and multinational partners including NATO amphibious formations and coalition task groups.
1 Assault Group Royal Marines traces its origins to post‑Cold War reorganisation of Royal Navy and Royal Marines amphibious capability following operations in the Falklands War, the Gulf War, and peacekeeping in the Balkans. Formed in the early 21st century, the unit built on traditions from Beach Groups and Assault Squadrons Royal Marines that executed landings during the Second World War and later conflicts such as the Iraq War and War in Afghanistan (2001–2021). The re‑formation reflected lessons from Operation Telic, Operation Herrick, and multinational amphibious exercises like Exercise Cold Response and Baltops. Over time it absorbed expertise from historic units that served at Dunkirk, during Operation Overlord, and in amphibious raids exemplified by Operation Claymore.
The group's core mission is to provide landing craft crews, command teams and logistical support to project power from Royal Navy ships to shore. It organises into craft squadron elements, command and control detachments, and maintenance and training cadres aligned with 3 Commando Brigade and independent amphibious ready groups. Subunits operate craft types assigned to Amphibious Task Group taskings, liaising with shipborne commanders from HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark, and HMS Ocean (historically) as well as with Royal Fleet Auxiliary units. The organisation emphasises interoperability with United States Marine Corps amphibious units, French Navy marine infantry, and other NATO partners to support Combined Joint Expeditionary Force operations and maritime security tasks.
1 Assault Group Royal Marines fields a range of landing craft and amphibious vehicles tailored for littoral operations, including Landing Craft Utilities derived from LCU designs, Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel similar to LCVP, and raiding craft used for littoral insertion. It trains with amphibious connectors used in Joint Expeditionary Force deployments, integrating with helicopter assault assets such as the Merlin HC3 and Wildcat HMA2 for over‑the‑horizon manoeuvre. The group’s engineering and logistics capability includes recovery vehicles, craft maintenance workshops and stores compatible with Royal Marines Commandos operations ashore. Communications and navigation systems connect to Maritime Operational Shipborne Systems, enabling coordination with naval gunfire support from Type 23 frigates and Type 45 destroyers and with close air support platforms like the RAF Typhoon when required.
Training is delivered at established centres and ranges including RM Poole and littoral training areas used for amphibious exercises such as Exercise Green Dagger and multinational trials with NATO Standing Maritime Group. Crews and commanders undergo courses on amphibious assault planning, boat handling, beach reconnaissance, and ship-to-shore movement integrating doctrine from Amphibious Warfare School traditions and contemporary publications shaped by experiences from Operation Neptune era studies and modern joint doctrine. Doctrine emphasises manoeuvre warfare at the littoral interface, joint amphibious planning with Joint Force Command Brunssum concepts, and interoperability standards adopted by NATO and the United Kingdom–France defence cooperation framework.
The group has supported national and multinational deployments, exercising with Amphibious Task Group rotations to the Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic, and Gulf of Aden for counter‑piracy and maritime security operations conducted alongside Combined Maritime Forces and coalition partners. It has provided capability during contingency responses, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief alongside Royal Navy carriers and amphibious shipping in operations similar to those conducted during Operation Pitting‑style evacuations and non‑combatant evacuation operations. Participation in major exercises such as Baltic Operations, Exercise Cougar, and bilateral training with the United States Navy and French Navy has refined techniques for joint landings, littoral manoeuvre and multinational command relationships.
Insignia and traditions draw from Royal Marines heraldry and the wider Royal Navy amphibious legacy, echoing symbols used by historic assault units that served in Operation Overlord and earlier commando raids. Ceremonial practices reflect links to naval traditions aboard Landing Platform Dock ships and to the commando ethos embodied by units decorated with awards like the Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients from amphibious campaigns. Unit days and commemorations often coincide with broader Royal Navy and Royal Marines anniversaries, preserving skills associated with beach assault, navigation and small‑boat seamanship handed down from predecessors who served in theatres ranging from the Mediterranean campaign to the Pacific War.