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The birth of the Royal Marines Commandos

World War Two posed new challenges for the Corps. After the fall of France in 1940, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered the establishment of specially trained raiding forces.

The Army formed their first Commando that year. By 1942 the Royal Marines established their own Commando from the cream of their Royal Marine personnel.

The most elite Royal Marine Commandos signed up for Special Operations. On 'Special Ops' Commandos undertook top secret and often extremely dangerous missions.

Men of such formations as the Boom Patrol Detachment and Detachment 385 honed their skills for using small boats and canoes and raided areas in Europe and the Far East.

Article highlights

• The birth of the Royal Marines Commandos

• From RM Brigades to RM Commandos

• The raid on Walcheren, 1944

• The Boom Patrol Detachment, the Cockleshell Heroes

• Detachment 385

   

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Follow the links to find out more about -

• Sea service

• Landings and landing craft

• Land service - The Armoured Support Regiment, the 11th Btn at Tobruk and the 7th Btn at Sicily
  

• Commandos and Raiders - Walcheren Raid, the Cockleshell Heroes, Detachment 385

• Jungle Warfare - Force Viper, the Commandos in Burma

• Flying Marines

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