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Organisation / Units & Squadrons
45 Commando
Organisation / Units & Squadrons

45 Commando

Based at RM Condor in Scotland, 45 Commando is an amphibious commando unit that forms part of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines. These elite troops conduct a range of operational tasks at home and across the globe.

Role

When acting as a Standing Task unit, 45 Commando provides protection for Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels around the globe. The unit also contributes to the UK’s domestic resilience and supply training teams to help develop foreign armed forces.

Capability

As well as acting as a protection force for the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels around the globe, the troops of 45 Commando could find themselves deployed in any number of capacities, from frontline combat operations to humanitarian missions.

Wherever they’re deployed and whatever tasking they undertake, all members of 45 Commando wear the coveted green beret with pride.

Crew

Led by Lieutenant Colonel Ed Hall and made up of more than 500 individuals, 45 Commando consists of Commandos, Commando Officers, Clerks, Chefs and more. Together, their roles and responsibilities include:

  • Rapid reaction
  • Amphibious warfare
  • Arctic warfare
  • Mountain warfare
  • Expeditionary warfare
  • Humanitarian support
  • Disaster relief

 

Unit history

1943

Unit formation

Formed in August 1943, 45 Commando played a significant part in the Second World War, including the D-Day landings in Normandy, the push through Holland and crossings of the Rhine, Weser and Elbe rivers.
1946

Post-war years

After the war, the unit conducted overseas operations in Palestine, Suez (where it performed the first ever, operational helicopter assault in 1956), Malaya, Aden and Cyprus.
1971

New home

After returning to the UK in 1967 after 24 years operational service abroad, 45 Commando moved to its current base in Arbroath in 1971.
1982

Falkland Islands

In the 1980s, 45 Commando took part in Operation Corporate in the Falkland Islands. The unit ‘yomped’ across the island of East Falkland and successfully defeated Argentine forces in the crucial battle for Two Sisters.
1991

Northern Iraq

In 1991, 45 Commando deployed to Northern Iraq on a humanitarian assistance mission to provide a safe haven for the Kurdish people.
1994

Kuwait

In 1994 the unit was dispatched to reinforce the Kuwaiti border against renewed Iraqi aggression.
1998

Hurricane Mitch

In 1998 while exercising in the Caribbean with HMS Ocean, the unit was on hand to provide humanitarian assistance after Hurricane Mitch devastated Nicaragua and Honduras.
2002

Operation Jacana

45 Commando was deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Jacana in support of the war against terrorism, tasked with denying territory to Al Qaeda and simultaneously destroying their infrastructure and weapon caches.
2003

Operation Telic

Large elements of 45 Commando deployed with 3 Commando Brigade on Operation Telic, with the objective of ridding Saddam Hussein's regime of its weapons of mass destruction
2004

Northern Ireland

In January 2004 the unit deployed to Northern Ireland for six months in support of peacekeeping operations.
2006

Op Herrick 5, Afganistan

2006 saw 45 Commando deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 5. The unit took on a number of different roles, including acting as Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team (OMLT).
2008

Op Herrick 9, Afganistan

October 2008 saw 45 Commando return to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick 9. The operational area of responsibility was the Upper Sangin Valley extending for 80 km along the Helmand River.

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