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| United Kingdom Royal Marines | |
|---|---|
| Unit name | Royal Marines |
| Dates | 1664–present |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Naval Service |
| Type | Marine corps |
| Role | Amphibious warfare, expeditionary warfare |
| Size | Approximately 7,000 |
| Command structure | Naval Service |
| Garrison | Portsmouth |
| Nickname | Royal Marines |
| Motto | "Per Mare Per Terram" |
| March | "A Life on the Ocean Wave" |
| Battles | Anglo-Dutch Wars, Napoleonic Wars, Crimean War, Boxer Rebellion, Boer War, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, World War I, World War II, Falklands War, Gulf War, Iraq War, Afghanistan War |
United Kingdom Royal Marines are an elite amphibious light infantry force formed in the 17th century, serving as the United Kingdom's principal expeditionary and amphibious troops within the Naval Service. Trained for operations from HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), HMS Prince of Wales (R09), and other naval platforms, the corps operates alongside units such as the British Army's Parachute Regiment, Special Air Service, and elements of the Royal Navy, providing specialized capabilities for littoral, arctic, and mountain environments.
The corps traces origins to the formation of the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot and colonial sea service regiments from the Anglo-Dutch Wars through the reign of Charles II, evolving through the Napoleonic Wars and the Crimean War before professionalisation in the 19th century alongside the Royal Navy and British Army. Royal Marines fought at Sevastopol, Balaclava, and in the Boer War; they formed battalion-sized units in World War I at battles such as the Battle of the Somme and on the Western Front. In World War II Royal Marines participated in the Norwegian Campaign, Dieppe Raid, D-Day landings, and the Burma Campaign. Post-war deployments included the Malayan Emergency, Suez Crisis, and counterinsurgency in Aden. The corps conducted amphibious assaults in the Falklands War at San Carlos Water and Port Stanley, and later operational commitments in the Gulf War, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo War, Iraq War, and War in Afghanistan (2001–2021).
The corps is organised under Headquarters Naval Service in Ministry of Defence structures and commanded by the Commandant General Royal Marines who liaises with the First Sea Lord, Chief of the Defence Staff, and joint commanders. Key formations include 3 Commando Brigade incorporating units such as 40 Commando, 42 Commando, 45 Commando, 47 Commando (Raiding Group), and specialised units including the Commando Logistic Regiment, Royal Marine Commandos, and training establishments at HMS Raleigh and Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM). The corps integrates with joint formations like the Joint Expeditionary Force, UK Strike Force, and multinational commands such as NATO's Allied maritime components.
Primary roles cover amphibious assault, expeditionary operations, maritime security, littoral reconnaissance, and special operations support, operating in environments from Arctic to jungle alongside platforms such as aircraft carriers, Littoral Strike, and amphibious assault ships. Capabilities include small unit raiding, mountain warfare, Arctic warfare training alongside Norway forces, and interoperability with United States Marine Corps, French Navy, Dutch Marine Corps, and Royal Netherlands Marine Corps. The corps provides force elements for crisis response for the Falkland Islands, and maritime security tasks in the Gulf of Aden and Mediterranean Sea.
Selection begins with potential recruits attending basic training at HMS Raleigh followed by the 32-week commando course at CTCRM featuring endurance tests on Duke of Edinburgh's Award-style routes, the famed 30-miler and the King’s/Queen’s Badge assessments, culminating in passing the Commando Course to earn the green beret and Frog Girdle heritage insignia. Officers undergo Royal Navy officer training, then commando qualification; specialists attend courses for mountain, jungle, and arctic warfare at centres in Bickleigh, Bovington Camp, and overseas exchanges with the United States Marine Corps at Marine Corps Base Quantico. Selection for specialist units such as those tasked to support UK Special Forces involves additional assessments and integration exercises with the Special Boat Service.
Infantry equipment includes service rifles such as the L85A2/L85A3 family, light machine guns like the L7A2/L110 A2 series, anti-armor systems such as the Javelin and NLAW, and crew-served weapons for amphibious operations. Vehicles include the Viking BvS 10 all-terrain vehicle, the BvS 10 variants, the Jackal for reconnaissance, and the Foxhound for protected mobility; amphibious connectors include Landing Craft Vehicle Personnel (LCVP) and Landing Craft Utility (LCU) types embarked on Bay-class and Albion-class landing platform dock vessels. Aviation support is provided by Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm helicopters such as the AgustaWestland Wildcat and Merlin.
Operational history includes expeditionary landings at Gibraltar, Cape Town, and in the Baltic Sea during the 18th and 19th centuries, major 20th-century operations at Gallipoli, Dunkirk, and Normandy, and post-Cold War deployments to Bosnia and Herzegovina under UNPROFOR and IFOR mandates. In the 21st century, Royal Marines conducted amphibious and stabilisation operations during the Falklands War, maritime counter-piracy in the Gulf of Aden alongside Combined Task Force 151, and combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan embedded with Special Forces Support Group. They have participated in NATO exercises such as Cold Response in Norway and Trident Juncture, and in bilateral exercises with United States Marine Corps forces such as Exercise Lightning Warrior and Saxon Warrior.
Traditions feature the motto "Per Mare Per Terram" shared with the Royal Navy, the ceremonial use of the green beret introduced after World War II, and badges like the Globe and Laurel and Royal Crest with the motto. Ceremonial duties include participation in Trooping the Colour and state events at Buckingham Palace, and heritage is maintained through museums at Royal Marines Museum and memorials such as the Arromanches Landing Museum. Regimental marches include "A Life on the Ocean Wave" and alliances with units like the Royal Canadian Marine Corps and exchanges with the Netherlands Marine Corps.