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 Commando/Amphibious Landing Force
Size 4 Regiments, 4 Battalions, 1 Squadron
Part of Royal Marines
Garrison/HQ 1 Bn. The Rifles - Beachley
40 Commando - Taunton
42 Commando - Plymouth
45 Commando - Arbroath
Commando Logistic Regiment - Chivenor
29 Commando Regiment RA - Portsmouth
24 Commando Regiment RE - Chivenor
March Quick - Sarie Marais
Commanders
Brigade Commander Brigadier F H R "Buster" Howes OBE RM[1]
Deputy Brigade Commander Colonel David A Hook RM[1]
Brigade Regimental Sergeant Major Warrant Officer 1st Class A C Jacka RM[1]
Insignia
Commando Flash

3 Commando Brigade is a commando formation of the British Armed Forces and the main manoeuvre formation of the Royal Marines. Its personnel are predominantly Royal Marines, supported by units of Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery, The Rifles (from 2008), and the Fleet Air Arm, together with other Commando Qualified Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen.

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 perform 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, where intense fighting occurred.

[edit] Organisation

The Brigade is commanded by a Royal Marines Brigadier and contains Royal Marines, Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. 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:

  • UK Landing Force Command Support Group which comprises[2]:
  • 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:

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. 1st battalion the Rifles is due to join the Brigade on 1 April 2008.[3]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c Royal Marines Commando - Brigade Information
  2. ^ DCI Gen 271-01 dated 19th Oct 2001 unpublished
  3. ^ Lords Hansard text for 29 Jan 200729 Jan 2007 (pt 0001)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links