History Wall | Royal Marines History

The Battle of Battle of New Orleans - final battle of the American war of 1812

The final battle of the American war of 1812 was fought at New Orleans, it took place 5 miles east-southeast of the city of New Orleans...

The Battle off St. Estevan - Grenadiers March

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Spain Period/ Conflict: Year: 1706 Date/s: 15 January 1706 The Marines had a considerable...

James Louis Moulton

James Louis Moulton was born on 3 June 1906, the son of J. D. Moulton. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet, and...

Royal Marines History - January 2023

Once again many thanks for your continued support and interest in this monthly blog and the Royal Marines History Website. Visitor...

HM Queen Victoria's Body Escorted from Osborne House - Royal Marines Guard

On the evening of 22nd January HM Queen Victoria died at Osborne, Isle of Wight, and for a time the world seemed to stand still; it was...

Crossing the Garigliano River - 40 CDO Royal Marines

Force 2. (A.P. and X troops). [40 CDO RM War Diary] The day of 17th January was spent in the lying up area until 2015 hrs when the area...

Formation of 117th Infantry Brigade Royal Marines

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: UK Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 15th January - July 1945 The 117th Infantry...

Operations in the Transkei

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Transkei Period/ Conflict: The Frontier Wars Year: 1878 Date/s: 13th January 1878 “After...

Raid on Myebon Peninsula - 42 Cdo RM

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Burma Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 12 January 1945 On 12th January 1945, the...

Capture of Fort Trincomalee by surprise

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Sri Lanka Period/ Conflict: Fourth Anglo Dutch War Year: 1782 Date/s: 5 January...

Royal Marines Engineer Commando - Burma

Extract from ADM 202/30 re No 1 (RM) Engineer Commando 3 Troop RM Engineer Commando Report on Operations at AKYAB, MYEBON & KANGAW Period...

Sinking of HMS Formidable - 86 RMs lost

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: English Channel Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 1st January 1915 HMS Formidable was...

Royal Marines - Operations in Ukraine

Royal Marines Commandos supported "discreet operations" when deployed to Ukraine earlier this year, a former head of the Marines has...

Glider Bomb Attack off Anzio - Loss of HMS Spartan

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Off Anzio Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 29th January 1944 Loss of AA Cruiser HMS...

Invasion of Guadeloupe (1810)

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Guadeloupe Period/ Conflict: Napoleonic Wars Year: 1810 Date/s: 28 January and 6 February 1810...

“Sarie Marais” – The March Past of the Royal Marines Commandos

'Sarie Marais' was an old South African folk song often used by the Boer Commandos and quickly spread at home by soldiers coming back...

Operation Maude - Cutting Iraq's Communications Cable

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: S of Baghdad Period/ Conflict: Operation Granby (Gulf War 1) Year: 1991 Date/s: 23 January 1991. Led by Lt...

Operation Shingle - Anzio Landings

Unit/ Formation: 43 Cdo RM Location: Italy Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 22 January 1944 The Battle of Anzio was a...

45 RM Commando Operations around the Meuse Jan 1945

On the 14th January 1945 45 Commando under Command of Brigadier D Mills-Roberts DSO MC Irish Guards embarked at Tilbury Docks for...

Sinking of HMS Viknor

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: West Coast of Ireland Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 13th January 1915 RMS Atrato...

Amphibious Assault and Capture of Chuenpi and Taikoktow

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: China Period/ Conflict: Opium Wars Year: 1841 Date/s: 7 January 1841 Chuenpi was one of the...

The First Fleet - Landing at Sydney Cove

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Sydney Cove Period/ Conflict: 1700's Year: 1788 Date/s: 26th January 1788 Captain...

Fight for survival - The Stuka bombing of HMS Illustrious

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Mediterranean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: 10th January 1941 The Royal Navy’s...

First to Land - Last to Leave - Withdrawal from Gallipoli

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Cape Helles Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1916 Date/s: 9th January 1916 At about 1:40pm on...

L/Cpl HE Harden VC (RAMC) - attached to 45 (Royal Marine) Commando - 23rd January 1945 - Netherlands

Henry Eric Harden VC (23 February 1912 – 23 January 1945), 32 years old. Harden was a lance corporal in the Royal Army Medical Corps...

Royal Marines Camel Corps - Battle of Abu Klea

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Sudan Period/ Conflict: Sudanese War Year: 1885 Date/s: 17th January 1885 Two of the Camel...

Submarine Canoe Insertion against the IRA

Operation Aweless Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Northern Ireland Period/ Conflict: Northern Ireland Conflict Year: 1975 Date/s:...

Assault on the island of Kapelsche Veer

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: The Netherlands Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 13th January 1945 Operation Horse...

Royal Marines & Royal Navy capture Salif in the Yemen 1917

Capture of Salif Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Salif Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1917 Date/s: 12th January...

The Battle of Blaauwberg - Cape Town 1806

The Battle of Blaauwberg also known as the Battle of Cape Town fought near Cape Town on Wednesday 8 January 1806, was a small but...

HMS Doris - Royal Marines in Intelligence Gathering and Demolition Raids in Syria

Commissioned in 1897, one of the nine-ship Eclipse class, Doris was a 5600-ton, 350-foot second-class protected cruiser, designed for...

The Royal Marines a Geo - History 1664 - Present - Amalgamation of the RMLI and RMA 1923

RM Barracks Forton and Eastney and the amalgamation of the Royal Marines Light Infantry and Royal Marines Artillery in 1923. The Royal...

The Raid on Zeebrugge - 23 April 1918 - 'For England and St George!'

Mounted by two thousand men of the 4th Battalion Royal Marines and Royal Navy under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir Roger Keyes. The...

Cyprus Reinforcement Unit 2007

Unit/ Formation: RM Band Service Location: Cyprus Period/ Conflict: Year: 2007 Date/s: 1 April 2007 Marking a significant milestone for...

Trincomalee War Cemetery

Unit/ Fomration: Memorial Location: Trincomalee Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1948 Date/s: April 1948 Trincomalee is a seaport on...

Forming of the Grand Division

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: 1700's Year: 1775 Date/s: 3rd April 1775 In April 1755, when...

Ascension Island Staging for Operation Corporate

Unit/ Formation: 3 Cdo Brigade RM Location: Ascension Island Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 6 April 1982 Naval...

Formation of 3rd Raiding Squadron Royal Marines Hong Kong

In the autumn of 1979, 42 Commando completed an emergency tour in Hong Kong to help the British Forces stationed there in their role of...

Lake Commachio - Kangaroo Charge by C Troop

Unit/ Formation: 43 Cdo RM Location: Lake Commachio Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 02 April 1945 It was shortly before...

Force Primrose - Holding on at Åndalsnes

A force of Marines, some 700 strong, with an anti-aircraft battery, was given notice on the 13th April to embark for Norway, with the...

Royal Marines Burnout Gloster Gladiators on Frozen Lake Airstrip Norway

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Norway Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 30 April 1940 Westcott and ourselves...

Battle of Gavrelle Windmill - highest number of Royal Marine causalities in a single day

Battle of Gavrelle Windmill Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1917 Date/s: 28th to 29th April...

Y Beach Gallipoli - Cliff Assault

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: Gallipolli Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 25 April 1915 Y Beach was one of three...

Force Viper - Escape

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Burma Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: April 1943 Only 58 of the original 106...

Attack on Emmahaven

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Padang Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 16th April 1945 An airstrike was made on...

1000'th Royal Marine killed in WW1

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Light Infantry Location: United Kingdom Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 14th April 1915...

Landings at Namsos - Royal Marines first ashore in Norway

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Norway Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 14 - 16th April 1940 The first Allied...

Sinking of the German cruiser Königsberg

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Bergan Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: Date/s: 10 April 1940 Captain R.T. Partridge, Royal...

Lt George Davies - Det 385

After Operation DEFRAUD in the Burmese jungle in 1945 the patrol leader, Major ER Breen, wrote in the debrief “I managed to collect a...

Royal Marines - Operations in Ukraine

Royal Marines Commandos supported "discreet operations" when deployed to Ukraine earlier this year, a former head of the Marines has...

Royal Marines History in April

Come and search April on the Royal Marines Geo Map and explore 57 Pins...at present the first from 1775, click the map to open and search...

SBS sail South on HMS Conqueror

In response to the invasion the British dispatched a Taskforce to recapture them under the codename Operation CORPORATE. Visibly the...

Soldiers of the Sea

The quick march 'Soldiers of the Sea' was composed by Vivian Dunn and written for HMS Bulwark, the Royal Navy's first Commando Carrier in...

In Our Own Words - 42 Commando in the Falklands War

Thirty eight former members of Lima Company Group, 42 Commando Royal Marines as well as four others having connections with Lima Company,...

Easter Sunday 1943 - Loss of 2 LCG's and 70 Marines off Wales

On Easter Sunday 1943 (25 April), gale force winds and wild seas were lashing at the coast. Close to land, among the giant breakers and...

Yangtse River Incident 1949

April-July 1949 HMS Amethyst sailed from Shanghai on 19th April to relieve HMS Consort at Nanking. Fired at on 20th at around 0900, 60...

The first Shots of the Revolutionary War - Lexington Green

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: North America Period/ Conflict: American Revolutionary War (1775–83) Year: Date/s:...

The Battle of San Juan

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: San Juan Period/ Conflict: Year: 1797 Date/s: 17th April 1797 The Battle of San Juan was an...

Operation Valentine - Occupation of the Faroe Islands

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Faroe Islands Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 13th April 1940 Occupation of...

Lancashire Landing Cemetery

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Gallipoli peninsula Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: April 1915 - January 1916 84...

HMS Hermes Sunk by Dive Bombers

After the raid on Colombo by the Japanese aircraft carriers on 5 April, known as the Easter Sunday Raid, Hermes and Vampire were sent to...

Sinking of the Cornwall & Dorsetshire 45 Royal Marines Lost

On 2 April, Cornwall and her half sister, Dorsetshire, were detached from the fleet, Dorsetshire to resume an interrupted refit and...

Major AJ Wright - Flying Shark Teeth

Seafire Mk.IIC, MB218/S-A, pilot Major AJ. Wright, RM, No. 809 NAS, HMS Unicorn, September 1943. MB218 was produced by Supermarine. It...

Boarding and Capture of 7 Merchants under the Spanish Guns

Blockade duties around Cadiz were still being carried out by the Royal Navy over two years since Trafalgar. The intention was the same as...

Major Frederick William Lumsden RMA - VC

Unit/ Formation: Victoria Cross Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1917 Date/s: 4 April 1917 Brigadier General...

539 ASRM - A Genesis

539 ASRM (Assault Squadron Royal Marines) now 539 Raiding Squadron is a unique unit, for those of us that were privileged to have served...

47 Commando - Final Operations in Holland

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: The Netherlands Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 12 March - 7 April 1945 On the 12...

Captain Edward Banford RMLI - Victoria Cross - Zeebrugge

Unit/ Formation: Victoria Cross Location: Belgium Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1918 Date/s: 23 April 1918 Bamford was 30 years...

Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter RM - Victoria Cross

Unit/ Formation: Victoria Cross Location: Italy Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 9 April 1945 Hunter was 21 years old,...

42 Cdo run 2 COVID Testing Centres

Royal Marines have helped key workers in the South-West test for coronavirus as they ran two mobile centres. Personnel from 42 Commando...

Lance Corporal Parker RMLI VC - Gallipoli

Unit/ Formation: Victoria Cross Location: Gallipoli Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 30 April 1915 In April 1915, the...

Royal Marines in Gallipoli - 28 April 1915

Gallipoli - 28 April 1915 Royal Marines were involved in both the initial, unopposed, landings on the peninsula and the subsequent...

Battle of Gate Pā (Pukehinahina) - New Zealand

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: New Zealand Period/ Conflict: The New Zealand wars Year: 1864 Date/s: 29th April 1864 The...

Operation Paraquet - Recapture of South Georgia

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: South Georgia Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 25 April 1982 South Georgia ...

11th Bn Royal Marines - Operation Lighter - Crete

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Koufonisi Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 16 April 1942 The 11th Battalion...

Operation Valentine- Occupation of the Faroe Isles

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Faroe Islands Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 13th April 1940 The British...

Operation Banner - Roll of Honour

Operation Banner was the operational name for the British Armed Forces' operation in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007, as part of the...

Attack on Rangoon & Assualt on the Dallah Stockades

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Burma Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo-Burmese War Year: 1852 Date/s: 10th April 1852 During...

Major Anders Lassen VC - SBS - Lake Commachio 8 - 9th April 1945

On the night of 8th – 9th April 1945 eighteen men from the Special Boat Service set out across Lake Comacchio to attack heavily defended...

Commando raid on the East Coast railway - North Korea

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1951 Date/s: On 7 April 1951 On 2 April 1951, 21...

The Battle of Basra

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Iraq Period/ Conflict: Iraq War (2003 - 2009) Year: 2003 Date/s: 6 April 2003 42 Commando...

Rescue of the Russian Royal Family

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Koreiz Period/ Conflict: 1900's Year: 1919 Date/s: 7 - 11th April 1919 Eager to leave home and...

Turret Explosion on HMS Devonshire and Marine AE Streams - Albert Medal

Eight days after arriving on station, Devonshire and the rest of the Mediterranean Fleet sailed for manoeuvres in the Aegean Sea, off the...

July Marines - The Royal Marines in July since 1664

I hope you are your families are well, and if you have time why not look at the pins for July, covering nearly 360 years of Global...

A Royal Marines Sniper Pair Normandy

Royal Marines have been wearing a crossed rifles badge to show competence as a marksman since at least 1893! Royal Marine Snipers during...

Defense at Hauger and Medal Investiture held by General Montgomery

6th July 1944 Commitment of GRANDE FERME DU BUISSON was discontinued. 7th July 1944 Place: Hauger 1130 - Commando relieved 4 Commando in...

Operation Hopper - Air Raid in the Anchorage

After taking part in the successful landings on Sicily during Operation Husky and being moved into reserve both 40 and 41 Commandos were...

Trevor Philpott - Junior Marine to King’s Badge to Lt Col OBE, RM, FRSA

Trevor Philpott - died unexpectedly but peacefully at home in South Shields on Saturday 8th July 2023. Trevor grew up in the Tavistock...

Lt Colonel Drysdale, Royal Marines, Commanding Officer 41 Independent Commando

Colonel Douglas Burns Drysdale was born in Hampstead, a suburb of London, on 2 October 1916. He spent the majority of his youth in...

70th Anniversary of the end of the Korean War - 27 July 2023

The Korean War began on June 25,1950 when the Northern Korean People’s Army, backed by the Soviet Union, launched a military operation to...

Loss of 601st LCM Flotilla

21st July 1944 Normandy HM LCM, 601st Flotilla. Attempting to cross the Channel from the Normandy Beaches the flotilla of small Mark 1...

The Bombardment and Landing in Alexandria

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Alexandria Period/ Conflict: Year: 1882 Date/s: 11 July 1882 Bombardment of Alexandria. Egyptian...

The Battle of Calabria

The Battle of Calabria Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Mediterranean Sea Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 9th July...

Loss of HMS Redbreast - WW1 Q Ship

Redbreast, Q-ship, ex-fleet messenger, torpedoed and sunk by UC.38 in Mediterranean HMS Redbreast was a passenger/cargo ship...

Operation Catapult - Attack on the French Fleet - Mers-el-Kébir

The attack on Mers-el-Kébir (Battle of Mers-el-Kébir) on 3 July 1940, during the Second World War, was a British naval attack on neutral...

Seizure of the Surcouf - Operation Grasp

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 3 July 1940 In 1940, Surcouf was...

RM People - Sgt John Joseph 'Ian' Coombes

Sgt Coombes survived the sinking of the Royal Oak on 14 October 1939, the first major blow to the Royal Navy. After training the UK he...

Royal Marines in Peking - Boxer Rebellion - July - September 1900

In the year 1900 sectarian rebels assisted by the Chinese government sought to rid China of foreign influence. The German Head of...

Shimonoseki Campaign- Japan

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Japan Period/ Conflict: Shimonoseki Campaign Year: 1863 Date/s: 20 July – 14 August 1863, 5–6...

46 CDO Recce Patrol - & Milking Cows!

Unit/ Formation: 46 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 8 July 1944 8th July 1944 Place:...

Operation Corporate Roll of Honour

Operation Corporate Roll of Honour A total of 255 British servicemen and 3 Falkland Island civilians were killed during the Falklands...

Woson Forward Operating Base

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1951 Date/s: 1st July 1951 Following the success of raids...

Oil Safe - Protecting Britains Oil from Terrorist Attack

The threat of terrorist both home grown and international against the North Sea Oil Instillations was brought to the attention of the...

British, US & French Marines Storm the 'Askold' in Murmansk

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Murmansk, Kola Bay Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1918 Date/s: 12 July 1918 In Murmansk...

Private Gerrighty RMLI Albert Medal

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Western Mediterranean Sea Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1878 Date/s: 27th July 1878 Private...

Advance to Eshowe - Battle of Ginghilovo

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines (RMA/RMLI) Location: Ginghilovo - South Africa Period/ Conflict: Zulu Wars Year: 1879 Date/s: 2nd April...

Major Thomas Oldfield - Consulted by Nelson; His Gallantry spoken of by Napoleon

On the night before the landings at Tenerife on 21 July 1797 Rear-Admiral Horatio Nelson held his war council where Captain Thomas...

Napoleon Buonaparte Inspects the Royal Marine Guard

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: France Period/ Conflict: Napoleonic Wars Year: 1815 Date/s: 16th July 1815 From the Memoirs of...

Second Voyage of James Cook

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Plymouth Sound Period/ Conflict: Year: 1772 Date/s: 13 July 1772 HMS Resolution...

Withdrawal from Afghanistan

Royal Marines Charity News | 13.07.21 A message from Commandant General Royal Marines, Lieutenant General Rob Magowan CB CBE “You will be...

Royal Marines WWII Landing Craft Crews - Europe

Unit/ Formation: Landing Craft Units Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: July 1943 Of the hundreds...

HMS Vanguard Explosion

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Scapa Flow Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1917 Date/s: 9 July 1917 Shortly before midnight...

Independence of the New Hebrides “Coconut War” with France

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: South Pacific Ocean Period/ Conflict: 20th Century Year: 1980 Date/s: July 1980 The Coconut War...

Capture of the Battery at Cruxhaven

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Cruxhaven Period/ Conflict: Napoleonic Wars Year: 1809 Date/s: 8 July 1809 A small force...

Major Reginald Ingleton Executed by Beheading - 7 July 1945 - Operation Rimau

Operation Rimau was an attack on Japanese shipping in Singapore Harbour, carried out by an Allied commando unit Z Special Unit, during...

Landing & Infiltration in Somaliland

Unit/ Formation: 539 ASRM Location: Somaliland Period/ Conflict: 21st Century Year: 2011 Date/s: July 2011 In July 2011 a landing craft...

Supporting the Rangers at Pointe Du Hoc

Unit/ Formation: Landing Craft Units Location: Pointe Du Hoc Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 6th June 1944 East of Utah...

Steph Stephens SBS - Conspicuous Gallantry Cross

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Haji Wakil village, Bahram Chah Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-2021) Year: 2010 Date/s: 1st...

Our House Fire - Please check your Alarms TODAY

I'am sorry that this months blog is a little light on content, this month we had a fire in our kitchen, caused by a fitted dishwasher...

Landings in Sadani - East Africa 1916

During July 1916 in East Africa the Germans from Tanga and Pangani made an advance on Sadani. Seamen and Royal Marines from HMS Talbot...

Capture of Gibraltar 24th July t0 1st August 1704

On July 24, the allied fleet arrived outside Gibraltar. In all, Rooke commanded 16 English ships under Byng and six Dutch ships under...

Scaling the Walls at Chin-Kiang-Fu

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: China Period/ Conflict: Opium Wars Year: 1842 Date/s: 21 July 1842 3rd brigade was assisted by a...

John Field - RM People "We thought we were immortal.” Operation Husky

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Sicily Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: July 1943 John Field crouched in the...

Lieutenant George Dare Dowell RMA VC - Viborg, Baltic Sea

Unit/ Formation: Victoria Cross Location: Russia Period/ Conflict: Crimean War Year: 1855 Date/s: 13 July 1855 Dowell was 24 years...

Canberra returns from the Falklands

Unit/ Formation: 3 Cdo Brigade RM Location: Southampton Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 11th July 1982 At the...

Royal Marines in Borneo - 1962 - 1966

Indonesian Confrontation Between 1963 and 1966, British Commonwealth forces fought against Indonesia in a conflict that focused on the...

Operation Husky - Invasion of Sicily

Operation Husky, the Invasion of Sicily, was the first major Allied assault on German occupied Europe. Churchill described Sicily and...

The Battle of Belleisle - 7 June 1761

The Marines played a major role in the capture of this island, from the first amphibious landing, and through all subsequent fighting....

Amphibious Lessons Learned - Operation Husky 10 July 1943

Lessons Learned (Operation Husky) The beach organisation was better than 'Torch' but there were still problems caused, mainly by human...

40 Cdo RM Dieppe 1942 - Major-General 'Titch' Houghton (1912 - 2011)

Major-General 'Titch' Houghton, who died January 2011 aged 98, was second-in-command of Royal Marine 40 Commando during the Second World...

The Royal Marines Projecting Power since 1664 - a Geo History

The Royal Marines - A Geo History 1664 to Present The Globe & Laurel March/April 2018 by Simon Biggs Even before I was a young Marine in...

Commando raid on the East Coast Railway, Korea

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: 5th October 1950 125 men and five officers of...

Loss of HMS Hawke and 78 Royal Marines Light Infantry

H.M.S. Hawke was an old armoured cruiser operating as part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron assigned to the Northern Patrol. Launched at...

Formation of 41 CDO RM

No 41 CDO Royal Marines was brought into being at Llanion Barracks, Pembroke Dock on 7th October 1942. Formed of volunteers primarily...

HMS Phoebe Torpedoed off Congo - Many Killed by Poisonous Fumes

23rd October 1942 HMS Phoebe was torpedoed by U-161 off the Congo Estuary, while on passage to French Equatorial Africa. Her route was...

Taking of the Canton Forts

” On the morning of October 24th [1857], Sir Michael landed additional Marines to aid detachments which were already ashore in Canton...

Attack on the Spanish Treasure ships at Virgo

1702. Wednesday 11th - 12th October. The Attack on the Treasure ships at Virgo, during the War of the Spanish Succession. The English and...

Loss of cruiser HMS Charybdis - 38 Royal Marines killed

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: English Channel Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 23 October 1943 HMS Charybdis...

Battle of Cambrai & Capture of Niergnies

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1918 Date/s: 8th to 9th October 1918 The Battle of Cambrai,...

Royal Marines in October Since 1664

Search the month of October on the Royal Marines History Cards; Or Royal Marines Geo History Map; Or View the month scrolling here:...

King Charles III - Captain General Royal Marines

His Majesty The King is announced as Captain General Royal Marines on the 358th Anniversary of the Corps His Majesty The King will serve...

Happy 358th Birthday Royal Marines Projecting Global Power Since 1664

Formed in the reign of King Charles II on October 28, 1664 as the Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot (or Admiral’s...

Royal Marines WW2 DEMs Gunners

Following the valuable lessons of Defensively Armed Merchant Ships (DAMS) in the First World War, in 1919 the Cabinet approved an...

Aloysius Stanbridge - three wars & three monarchs

Aloysius Stanbridge took part in three wars, the Boer War, 3rd China War (Boxer Rebellion and the Great War) and served under three...

Sinking of the Royal Oak

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Scapa Flow Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1939 Date/s: 14th October 1939 At 01.16 hours on 14...

Siege of Port Royal, Nova Scotia

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Canada Period/ Conflict: Queen Anne's War Year: 1710 Date/s: 5 – 13 October 1710 Nicholson’s...

Action on the Druid

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Atlantic Ocean Period/ Conflict: 1700's Year: 1777 Date/s: 03 October 1777 Oct 3,...

Hell Ship - Lisbon Maru

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Chinese coast Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 1 October 1942 1942 Lisbon Maru,...

43 Commando - Landing at Dubrovnik

Unit/ Formation: 43 Cdo RM Location: Yugoslavia Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 29th October 1944 Floydforce was the...

Sinking of SS Abosso

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Atlantic Ocean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 29th October 1942 SS Abosso,...

Hanna Snell Joins the Marines 1747

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: Year: 1747 Date/s: 23 October 1747 Hannah Snell was born in...

Battle of Kudjwa - Indian Mutiny

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: India Period/ Conflict: Indian Mutiny Year: 1857 Date/s: 31st October 1857 After their arrival...

Balaclava - Marine Heights and the Charge of the Heavy and Light Brigade

After the Battle of the Alma, the Armies marched towards Sebastopol; moving round the East side, they invested the fortress on the South...

The Trenches of Colincamps

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1916 Date/s: 12th October 1916 On the night of the...

Operation Mercerised - Attack on Sarandë and Surrender of Corfu

Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: Albania Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 9 - 12 October 1944 No. 2 Commando...

Evacuation of Abadan Oil workers

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Abadan Iraq Period/ Conflict: Year: 1951 Date/s: 3 October 1951 The Abadan Crisis occurred from 1951...

Amphibious Raid from USS Perch

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: 1 October 1950 As the American submarine USS...

30 CDO - Raid on Algiers

Unit/ Formation: 30 Cdo Location: Maghreb Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 8 November 1942 Two British warships,...

Defence of Antwerp 1914

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Belgium Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: October 1914 Following the fall of...

Op Granby - RM Band Service

Unit/ Formation: RM Band Service Location: Kuwait Period/ Conflict: Operation Granby (Gulf War 1) Year: 1990 Date/s: 29th October 1990 -...

The Second Battle of Passchendaele

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1917 Date/s: 26th to 28th October 1917 (Both RM...

47 Cdo - The last shot fired in anger

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: Germany Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 27th October 1945 At ERKENSCHWICK the unit...

Tanker stowaways: ‘Hijacking’ ends after SBS storm ship

Seven people were detained when military forces stormed a tanker suspected to have been hijacked off the Isle of Wight. Sixteen members...

Ambush in Cyprus - Loss of Marine Alasdair MacDOUGALL

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: Amiados Period/ Conflict: Cyprus Emergency Year: 1958 Date/s: 22nd October 1958 Marine Alasdair...

Royal Marines at The Battle of Trafalgar - Death of Nelson - 21st October 1805

Lord Nelson's victory over the combined fleets at Trafalgar, the most decisive sea battle in British history. Ninety-three officers and...

2 SBS - Tawau Assault Group

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Sarawak Period/ Conflict: Malayan Emergency Year: 1964 Date/s: October 1964 2 SBS were flown into Sarawak...

Formation of 40 Cdo RM

Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 12 October 1942 Formed at Deal...

41 CDO - North Korea - Raid on East Coast Railway

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: October 1950 125 men and five officers of C &...

Kamerun Campaign

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Africa Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: 1914 - 1916 By the first week in...

The Battle of Entzheim

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: France Period/ Conflict: The Franco Dutch War Year: 1674 Date/s: Thursday 4th October 1674...

Operation Devon - Raid on Termoli

Operation Devon - Raid on Termoli Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: Italy Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 3 October...

Happy Birthday #Royal Marines Projecting Global Power Since 1664

Formed in the reign of King Charles II on October 28, 1664 as the Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot (or Admiral’s...

SAS Raid on Cortley Ridge - Supported by SBS and 1st Raiding Squadron

Unit/ Formation: Landing Craft Units Location: The Falkland Islands Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 13 June 1982...

Captain Derek Oakley MBE - First to Land at Suez - 42 CDO Musketeer

Captain Derek Oakley MBE, born October 27 1926, died September 22 2019 Captain Derek Oakley, who has died aged 92, was an author,...

Captain of Marines Charles William Adair - Killed at the Battle of Trafalgar - 21st October 1805

Royal Marines Museum Collection (Unknown Artist) Charles William Adair (Captain Royal Marines) On joining HMS VICTORY Adair, Charles...

Royal Marines - Making Safe Mines and Bombs

They make safe enemy bombs and mines. 16 October 1944, Boulogne. The RMS and BDO (Render Mines Safe and Bomb Disposal Officer) and his...

Operation Impact Plain - Battle of the Pump House - 40 CDO RM Last Action of WWII

Operation Roast Battle of the Argenta Gap, Lake Comacchio, Italy, launched on the 1st April 1945 involving the whole of 2 Commando...

Major FJ Ricketts Royal Marines - 'Colonel Bogey'

Frederick Joseph Ricketts (21 February 1881 – 15 May 1945) was an English composer of marches for band. Under the pen name Kenneth J....

King George V inspects Royal Marine cadets and officers at Deal 1917

IWM Archive Film: IWM 201 King George V inspects Royal Marine cadets and officers at Deal, 1917 The King, in Field Marshal's uniform,...

The RMA Howitzer Brigade in France

The RMA Howitzer Brigade in France In October 1914 the RMA was reorganised to provide two artillery brigades for the Western Front. One...

Lieutenant-Colonel 'Pug' Davis - founding father of the Special Boat Service, and won a DSC

Lieutenant-Colonel "Pug" Davis (1923 - 2011 aged 87), was the founding father of the Special Boat Service, and won a DSC for a daring...

SS Dalewood torpedoed - loss of 2 RMLI crew

26th February 1918 SS Dalewood, Admiralty-hired collier, torpedoed and sunk by U.105 in Irish Sea off the Isle of Man whilst transfering...

Cpl Reginald Campbell - KIA Sarawak

1964 Corporal Reginald CHAPPELL: Service Number RM 15686 of 42 Commando RM. He was killed in action during the Confrontation with...

Evacuation from Singapore

16th February 1942 Heavy casualties in Singapore listed as HMS Sultan (Shore Base) during the evacuation from Singapore including 20...

SBS - Limpit Mine Removal - Palastine

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Haifa Period/ Conflict: Palastine Mandate Year: 1948 Date/s: 19 In 1946, the SBS, whether of Commando or...

Tragedy on Operations in the Cyprus Mountains

Remembering: WHEELER, Alfred Quartermaster Sergeant Unit/Base: '3 Commando Brigade RM' Regiment/Corps: Royal Marines Service number: PO/X...

Operations on the River Ancre - The capture of Puisieux Trench

2nd February 1917 Operations on the River Ancre by 63rd (RN) Division The capture of Puisieux Trench. After a short spell out of the...

Bombing of HMS Royal Arthur

Unit/ Formation: Barracks/ Camps Location: Skegness Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 21 February 1942 HMS Royal Arthur...

February Marines

This month I have been concentrating on the Royal Marines Roll of Honour data base, so many entries are just names with no details, and...

Battle of El Teb

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Sudan Period/ Conflict: Sudanese War Year: 1884 Date/s: 29 February 1884 On the 21st, the force...

By Sea by Land

By Land and Sea (1941) This march was modeled on Alford's entry into a competition in 1934 for an official slow march for the Royal...

'the Birkenead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew'

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: South Africa Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1852 Date/s: 26 February 1852 Royal Marines were...

Col. Harold Ozanne DSO RMLI

Harold Ozanne was commissioned into the Royal Marine Light Infantry in 1897 1897 to 1914 - Mediterranean, Pacific, West Indies Harold...

5th R.M. A.A. (Anti-Aircraft) Brigade - NW Europe

North West Europe: August 1944 – May 1945 At the end of August, the move to the Continent began when on 28th August the Regiment went to...

Raid on Deception Island

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Deception Island, Antarctica Period/ Conflict: Year: 1953 Date/s: 15th February 1953 HMS Snipe...

His Majesty King George V Colonel in Chief of the Royal Marines

On 2nd January, HRH the Duke of York, now His Majesty King George V, was made Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Marine Forces, in 1901 the...

Royal Marines Labour Corps

The Royal Marines Labour Corps was formed on 2nd February 1917 to resolve the manpower needs created in French ports caused by the need...

Royal Marines a Geo History - February

Come and see what other actions and events have happened to the Royal Marines in February. Or check out February on the history wall

RM Barracks, Hobart, Tasmania

Unit/ Formation: Barracks/ Camps Location: Tasmania Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1804 Date/s: 21 February 1804 The plaque in the image...

Raid on Deception Island

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Deception Island, Antarctica Period/ Conflict: Year: 1953 Date/s: 15th February 1953 HMS Snipe...

116th Inf Bde RM

Unit/ Formation: 116th Inf Bde RM Location: Hovington Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 14th February 1945 The closing...

A Life on the Ocean Wave

On 11th February 1927, Admiralty Fleet Order 626/27 officially recognised 'A Life On The Ocean Wave' as the Regimental March of Her...

L/Cpl Matt Croucher GC

Matthew Croucher, GC,VR (born 14 December 1983) is a former Royal Marine and a recipient of the George Cross, the highest British and...

Sinking of the Troopship Khedive Ismail

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Indian Ocean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 12th February 1944 On 5 February 1944...

The Battle of Martinique

5th February 1793 The Battle of Martinique was a successful British invasion of the French colony of Martinique in the West Indies during...

Matthew White, OC 1 Raiding Squadron Royal Marines

Matthew White 2016 In 1962, while still a blue beret Young Officer, and while “on hold” to do my Commando Course after an Appendix...

Anthony 'Tony' Smith awarded the George Cross

On the night of the 23rd February 1944 former Royal Marine Tony Smith earnt the George Cross in a daring rescue. Anthony Smith...

Occupation of Lemnos

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Lemnos Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 23rd February 1915 The Island of Lemnos...

HMS Penelope Sunk off Anzio

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Naples Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 18 February 1944 HMS Penelope was an...

Loss of HMS Clan MacNaughton

Unit/ Form ation: Memorial Location: North Atlantic Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1915 Date/s: 3 February 1915 HMS Clan MacNaughton...

Taking of Karachi

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Karachi Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1839 Date/s: 2nd February 1839 On 17th January 1839, HMS...

Royal Marines - 86 Leap Years and counting!

Thank you for visiting or signing up to this blog, I do hope you enjoy reading it, and are as surprised as I am at some of the hidden...

HMS Doris Boer War Field Gun Memorial

Boer War memorial. Erected on 27th February 1904; by Harry Hems, inscribed with the words 'Ready-Aye-Ready'. Erected as a memorial to the...

Operation Lifespan - Maritime Counterterrorism Ops

Unit/ Formation: Landing Craft Units Location: Loch Neagh Period/ Conflict: Northern Ireland Conflict Year: 1993 - 2002 Operation...

RFA Argus Receives Casualties from mined USS Princetown

Unit/ Formation: RM Band Service Location: Iraq Period/ Conflict: Operation Granby (Gulf War 1) Year: 1991 Date/s: 18 February 1991 In...

RMLI in action at Miraumont

Saturday 17th - 18th February. 1 RMLI and 2 RMLI in action at Miraumont On the north bank of the Ancre, the 63rd Division attacked on 17...

Raid on Deception Island. Antarctica

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Deception Island, Antarctica Year: 1953 Date/s: 15th February 1953 HMS Snipe lands one...

Marines Killed alongside Capt. Cook

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Kealakekua Bay, Hawai'i Period/ Conflict: Year: 1779 Date/s: 14 February 1779 Captain...

Private Pagett USMC

'Devil Dogs' According to Marine Corps tradition, German soldiers facing the Marines at Belleau Wood called them teufelhunden. These were...

Tragedy on Operations in Cyprus

Thursday, February 9, 1956, Quartermaster Sergeant Alfred Wheeler and Mne. Benet Blakeway, HQ 3 Commando Brigade, died during operations...

Operation Diesel - Raid on Drugs Factories

Operation Diesel Unit/ Formation: RM ASG Location: Helmand Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-) Date/s: 9th February 2009...

Royal Marines in Action All Over 'The Great Globe Itself'

The "Great Globe itself" was chosen in 1827 by King George IV in place of Battle honours to recognise the Marines' service and successes...

20 Mile Row to Capture the Curieux, Martinique

The French brig sloop ‘Curieux’ was fitted out at Martinique in order to attack British interests, as she was a threat to British West...

Rescue of Australian Nurses

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Singkep Islands Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: February During the...

The Battle of Monte Ornito and it peaks - 43 Cdo RM - 9 Cdo

After the Anzio landings the Commandos of 2 SS Brigade were placed in reserve before returning to Naples on an LST (Landing Ship Tank),...

Action on Dead Mans Ridge/ Razor Back Hill Gallipoli

Gallant attacks had been made, but they had failed, and the losses among the men and also, perhaps, to some extent the inadequate...

The Battle of Soul Bay - First use of the word 'Marine'

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: North Sea Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo Dutch War Year: 1672 Date/s: 28 May 1672 The name...

Last to Leave - Namsos Norway

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Namsos Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 4 May 1940 Among the last of the...

May 2023 Dits

Royal Marines in May Thank you for opening this months History Blog, I'm sorry its a little light but I hope is still interesting. This...

Engagement at Pungoteague Creek - Colonial Marines

Unit/ Formation: Colonial Marines Location: North America Period/ Conflict: War of 1812 Year: 1814 Date/s: 30 May 1814 Under the Command...

'Ship' Redoubt at Pasajes

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: San Sebastian Period/ Conflict: Carlist Wars Year: 1836 Date/s: 28th May 1836 28 May 1836 – A...

Sinking of the Bismarck

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Atlantic Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: 27th May 1941 The last battle of the...

The Destruction of HMS Princess Irene

HMS Princess Irene was requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted to an auxiliary minelayer. On 27 May 1915, she exploded and sank off...

Murder of 2 Royal Marines - East Ferry Ireland

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Ireland Period/ Conflict: Anglo-Irish War Year: 1921 Date/s: 14 May 1921 On Saturday 14th May...

Operation Fork - Invasion of Iceland

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Iceland Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 10 May 1940 The invasion of Iceland,...

Royal Marines wear the Tudor Crown

Royal Marines wore His Majesty The King’s cypher on their uniforms for the first time at the coronation parade in May. Warrant Officers...

Operation Iron Clad

Unit/ Formation: Combined Ops Location: Madagascar Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 5 May 1942 Allied commanders...

Lt Col Richard N. Bendyshe - Shot by a 'Spy' or sentry?

Richard (DIck) Nelson Bendyshe was born on 18th January 1866 in Ontario, Canada. His parents were Charlotte Brodrick and Nelson Bendyshe...

The Battle of Jutland - 574 Royal Marines Lost

The Battle of Jutland (31 May - 1 June 1916) was the largest naval battle of the First World War. It was the only time that the British...

Crossing the Helmand - Loss of Marine Dale Gostick

Unit/ Formation: RM ASG Location: Musa Qala Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan Year: 2008 Date/s: 25th May 2008. While returning to...

Mine Sweeping from LCVPs - Teal Inlet

Without sufficient helicopter availability following the Exocet attack on and loss of the MV Atlantic Conveyor, 3 Commando Brigade had...

Mount Kent is captured by SAS and 42 Cdo RM

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Falkland Islands Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 30 May 1982 The job of...

Raid on Brahestad

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Brahestad Period/ Conflict: Crimean War Year: 1854 Date/s: 29 May 1854 After working north through...

Sinking of HMS Hood - Loss of 164 Royal Marines

The Battle of the Denmark Strait was a naval engagement on 24 May 1941 in the Second World War, between ships of the Royal Navy and the...

In My Own Words - Podcast

In My Own Words - In Our Own Words In the first section of this podcast In My Own Words Tony Sicklemore tells of his experiences with 42...

Bomb Threat on the QE II - Parachuted into the Atlantic

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: North Atlantic Period/ Conflict: 1970's Year: 1972 Date/s: 18 May 1972 On 17 May 1972, while traveling...

Crash in Malta - 40 Cdo Royal Marines

17th May 1953 During Active Service deployment to the Canal Zone the plane carrying S Troop of 40 Commando RM crashed on take-off from...

Major Geoff Dyer RMR - Gentleman Rogue

Geoff Dyer was an inspiration to many young people and cannot express how I feel about Geoff’s passing. I had the privilege of sitting...

40 Commando Dieppe 1942 - Operation Jubilee

Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 19 August 1942 The Royal Marine Commando...

Royal Marines in August

Good day, Once again a hearty thankyou for opening this e mail, or blog post. Dits for August this month are many and varied, but there...

Royal Marines Land in Ostend 1914

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: 27 August 1914 27th August - 31 September 1914...

6th Bn. Royal Marines Light Infantry in North Russia

1919 Russian Intervention: The Royal Marine Field Force was withdrawn from Northern Russia in July 1919 & replaced by the 6th Battalion...

Formation of 3 Brigade Air Squadron (3 BAS)

Location: Sembawang, Singapore Period/ Conflict: 1960's Year: 1968 Date/s: 12th August 1968 Almost co-inciding with the Commando Carriers...

Commando Training Center Royal Marines - Lympstone

Unit/ Formation: Barracks/ Camps Location: Great Britian Period/ Conflict: 1900's Year: 1960 Date/s: 1960 The training of commandos after...

Royal Marines Man Island Sea Forts

The Maunsell Forts are armed towers built in the Thames and Mersey estuaries during the Second World War to help defend the United...

Invasion of Cuba

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Cuba Period/ Conflict: The War of Jenkins' Ear Year: 1741 Date/s: 4 August 1741 The invasion...

James Louis Moulton

James Louis Moulton was born on 3 June 1906, the son of J. D. Moulton. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School, Barnet, and...

41 Cdo Form up for Korea

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: 16th August 1950 41 Independent...

Operation Dragoon - Royal Marines

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Mediterranean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 15 August – 14 September 1944...

Operation Pedestal - Royal Marines

“Many of these fine men and their ships were lost but the memory of their conduct will remain an inspiration to all who were privileged...

Winnie and Poo - Hellfire Corner

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Dover Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Having withdrawn in the Dunkirk evacuation and...

Raid on Begu

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Begu Period/ Conflict: Napoleonic Wars Year: 1807 Date/s: 7th August The Spanish port of Begu...

Bombardment of Algiers - Fighting Slavery

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Algiers Period/ Conflict: Slave Wars Year: 1816 Date/s: Sunday 27th August 1816 The bombardment...

Landings on Long Island

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: North America Period/ Conflict: American Revolutionary War (1775–83) Year: 1776...

Operation Jubilee - Amphibious Raid on Dieppe - 19th August 1942

The Dieppe Raid, Operation Jubilee, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe during the Second World War. The raid...

Royal Marines Light Infantry - RMLI Action's in North Russia

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: Medvezhjya Gora Period/ Conflict: Year: 1919 Date/s: 17th August 1919 The 6th Battalion RM in action...

VJ Day - Victory over Japan - Royal Marines in SE Asia & the Pacific

On August 6 and 9, 1945, the Allies dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively. On August 9, the Soviet Union declared...

HMS Nigeria Torpedoed

Unit/ Formation: RM Band Service Location: Mediterranean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 12th August 1942 On 12 August...

Landings at Jounieh with 1,500 Turks and Marines

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Lebanon Period/ Conflict: Egyptian–Ottoman War Year: 1840 Date/s: 11 August 1840 In June...

Holmes's Bonfire

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Netherlands Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo Dutch War Year: 1666 Date/s: Sunday 8th August...

Formation of 43 Cdo Royal Marines

nit/ Formation: 43 Cdo RM Location: Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 1st August 1943 43 Commando was formed on 1st...

45 Cdo Royal Marines Formed in Burley Hampshire

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: Great Britian Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 1st August 1943 45 RM Commando was...

A Brief History of 44 Royal Marine Commando at The Battle of Hill 170

Kindly written for RoyalMarinesHistory.com by Lucy Betteridge-Dyson www.ohwhataladylikewar.com @LMBD1418 Following the Battles of Kohima...

Liberation of Toutainville

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 26 August 1944 On 24 August Y Troop...

Murder of Lord Mountbattten

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Mullaghmore Period/ Conflict: The Troubles Year: 1979 Date/s: 27 August 1979 Murder of the Colonel...

Battle of Bladensburg, Burning of Washington, USMC Commandant's House

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: North America Period/ Conflict: War of 1812 Year: 1814 Date/s: 24 August 1814 A British force of...

The Battle for Hong Kong and the Lisbon Maru Massacre - Royal Marines Roll of Honour

The Battle for Hong Kong Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Hong Kong Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: 8–25...

Portland Royal Naval Cemetery - Remembering Royal Marines who gave their lives

2 Royal Marines, killed in France during WW2 and more recently Afghanistan, lay at Portland Royal Naval Cemetery; WRIGHT, James Robert...

Capture of Gibraltar 24th July t0 1st August 1704

On July 24, the allied fleet arrived outside Gibraltar. In all, Rooke commanded 16 English ships under Byng and six Dutch ships under...

Murder of Lord Mountbatten, Colonel Commandant of the Royal Marines

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Mullaghmore Period/ Conflict: The Troubles Year: 1979 Date/s: 27 August 1979 Murder of the Colonel...

The Atlantic Memorial Campaign

HRH The Princess Royal becomes Patron of Battle of the Atlantic Memorial campaign The charity behind the campaign to build the UK’s...

Mounted Marines and the Invasion of Java

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Java Period/ Conflict: Napoleonic Wars Year: 1811 Date/s: 4th August 1811` The invasion of Java...

RM Fighter Ace - Battle of Britain Pilot - Ronald Cuthbert Hay

Ronald Cuthbert Hay, DSO, DSC & Bar (4 October 1916 – 22 November 2001) was a British naval aviator and the only Royal Marine fighter...

Sinking of the Submarine Iride and Human Torpedoes - Captain Oliver Patch RM

22nd August 1940 Captain Oliver Patch RM flew in a flight of 3 swordfish to sink 4 Italian ships with 3 torpedoes in Bomba Bay. In July...

Remembering Lieutenant Colonel Mark “Foggy” Phillips MBE

Lieutenant Colonel Mark “Foggy” Phillips MBE, soldier, security consultant. Born: 24 May 1961, Gloucestershire. Died: 12 August 2017,...

Formation of No. 46 (Royal Marine) Commando formed up in Dorchester August 1943

Formed at Dorchester, West Dorset, in August 1943 mainly from men of 9th RM Bn; 46 Commando RM had a brief but important role in the...

Loss of Old Contemptble - Arthur Townroe RMLI - 10 Nov 1918

A TOWNROE KILLED. ONE DAY BEFORE ARMISTICE WAS SIGNED. ONE OF THE OLD "CONTEMPTIBLES." It is with deep regret and sympathy we have to...

40 CDO - Capture of Navy House - Musketeer

Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: Port Said Period/ Conflict: Suez Crisis Year: 1956 Date/s: 6th November 1956 At dawn on 6 November...

45 CDO - The world's first heli-borne assault - Musketeer

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: Egypt Period/ Conflict: Suez Crisis Year: 1956 Date/s: 5 November 1956 Operation Musketeer (French:...

King George II - Proclamation to raise 6 Marine Regiments

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: 1700's Year: 1739 Date/s: 16 November 1739 In his address to...

Attack on Milos Freya Radar Station

Haddock Troop, was a contingent of Royal Marines on 'special assignment', led by Captain Arnold Bell it consisted of two sergeants, four...

SBS seize Bagram Air Base

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Bagram Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-) Year: 2001 Date/s: 15 November 2001 During the US-led...

Lt H.M. Day RMLI - Albert Medal

On 9th November 1918 H.M.S. Britannia which had been patrolling on the routes west of Gibraltar when passing Cape Trafalgar was torpedoed...

Royal Marine Artillery who served in the Anglo-Egyptian War

Photograph of soldiers from the Royal Marine Artillery who served in the Anglo-Egyptian War. Standing in front of a mounted gun from left...

Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Bergen-op-Zoom Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 1 - 8th November 1944 ...

LVT 'Conquerer' Destroyed by Booby Trap in Serooskerke

Unit/ Formation: 48 Cdo RM Location: Serooskerke Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 8 November 1944 A patrol from 48RM...

Honour Guard for Kaiser Wilhelm II

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Portsmouth Period/ Conflict: Year: 1907 Date/s: November 1907 Kaiser Wilhelm II arriving at...

41 CDO Mortared in the Dunes

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Walcheren Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 7 November 1944 Two Nebelwerfer north of...

41CDO RM - Attack on W18 - Walcheren

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Walcheren Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 5 November 1944 W18 was situated in the...

Hunting midget submarines and explosive motorboats

Unit/ Formation: Landing Craft Units Location: Schouwen Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: November 1944 LCS(M) of Force...

Battle of Tanga

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: Tanga Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: 3 November 1914 The Battle of Tanga, sometimes...

47 CDO RM - Attack on Battery W11 Walcheren

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: Dishoek, Walcheren Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 2 - 3 November 1944 The...

The Battle of Coronel - All hands Lost

1st November 1914 The Battle of Coronel was fought off the Chilean coast with the loss of HMS Good Hope and HMS Monmouth with all hands....

41 CDO RM - Landings at Westkapelle - Operation Infatuate

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Westkapelle Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 1 November 1944 The three RM...

2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Marines

United Kingdom: August 1940 Air Defence of Great Britain The 2nd Anti-Aircraft Regiment, R.M. was formed at Arborfield on 15th April 1940...

Lt Colonel Norman Ormsby Burge

When the First World War broke out, Burge volunteered for active service. He was put in command of one of the Portsmouth Battalion...

Formation of the USMC

The official birthday of the United States Marine Corps is on 10 November 1775. That was the day when the Second Continental Congress...

Opening of Chinnampo - 41 Cdo Korea

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Chinnampo Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: November 1950 After several days of...

Sgt Robert Greer LCG 1 - Walcheren

Sergeant Robert Greer (CH/X 3121) served as a Royal Marine during World War Two. Born on 12th December 1907 at 15 Dagmar Street, Belfast,...

Withdrawal from Aden

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Aden Period/ Conflict: Aden Emergency (1964 - 67) Year: 1967 Date/s: 29th November 1967 Withdrawal...

Battle of Porto Bello

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Panama Period/ Conflict: The War of Jenkins' Ear Year: 1739 Date/s: 20 November 1739 Vernon's...

Operation Stone Age - Loss of HMS Arethusa & 31 Royal Marines

17 November 1942 / 20 November 1942 On 17 November 1942 a convoy of 4 merchants (MW-13) left Alexandria for Malta. This convoy was...

Bugler CE Timmins, 14, Youngest Marine Killed in WW1

TIMMINS, CHARLES ERNEST PO/19601 Bugler Age:14 (Born 7th Dec. 1902) Royal Marine Light Infantry H.M.S "Cardiff.". Son of Private John...

Royal Marines Light Infantry - The Battle of the Ancre (Battles of the Somme 1916)

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1916 Date/s: 13th to 15th November 1916 (1RM: 127 killed; 2RM...

The Unknown Warrior Story - The Bands of HM Royal Marines

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Westminster Abbey Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1920 Date/s: 11 November 1920 In 1920, as part...

Capture of the Italian Armistice Commission - 30 Commando AU

Unit/ Formation: 30 Cdo Location: Cheragas Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 9th November 1942 The IAU ‘Special...

Storming of the Ottoman Fort Fao - Al Faw Peninsula

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Iraq Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: 6 November 1914 The Fao Landing occurred...

General Sir Edward Nicolls KCB - The 'Fighting Nicolls'

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Monte Christe Period/ Conflict: Napoleonic Wars Year: 1803 Date/s: Saturday 5th November 1803...

Japanese Midget Submarine Crews hunted in Madagascar

The Battle of Madagascar (5 May – 6 November 1942) was a British campaign to capture the Vichy French-controlled island Madagascar during...

I Was There! - I Saw the Royal Marines Go In at Walcheren

The War Illustrated, Volume 8, No. 194, Page 441, November 24, 1944. Westkapelle, keypoint in the Dutch island of Walcheren blocking the...

Landing Craft Support Squadron - Operation Infatuate

1st - 8th November 1944 Operation Infatuate - The Battle of Walcheren. Support Squadron Eastern Flank left from Poole on 28th October...

Operation Torch - A Royal Marines Story - Stanley Ogilvie

Unit/ Formation: RM People Location: Algeria Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 8–16 November 1942 Our recruit training...

41 Commando - Chosin Reservoir Korea November/ December 1950 - Task Force Drysdale

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: 27 November 1950 I’m not done with them yet!!...

Joint Occupation of San Juan Island with the USMC

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: British Columbia now Washington State Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1860 Date/s: 21st March...

Battle of Puente Obligado

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Puente Obligado Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1845 Date/s: 20th November 1845 Royal Marines...

Taranto - first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, Major Patch RM DSC

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Taranto Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 11 November 1940 The Battle of Taranto...

Battle of the Windmill - Ontario

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Ontario Period/ Conflict: Patriot War Year: 1838 Date/s: 12 November 1838 The Battle of the...

Captain Troy - The Buckingham - Attack on the French

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Off Sint Eustatius Period/ Conflict: Seven Years' War Year: 1758 Date/s: 3rd...

Corporal John Prettyjohns - First Royal Marine Victoria Cross - 2nd Nov 1854 – Battle of Inkerman

John Prettyjohns VC (sometimes misspelled Prettyjohn) (11 June 1823 – 20 January 1887) was the first Royal Marine to win the Victoria...

The Battle of Graspan 1899

The Battle of Graspan during the Boer War. On the 25th November 1899 the Royal Marines were involved in the battle of Graspan (also known...

Taranto - first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, Major Patch RM DSC

The Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War between British naval forces, under...

Major-General Patrick Kay: Royal Marine who became a pioneer of amphibious warfare

Patrick Richard Kay, Royal Marine officer: born Blakeney, Norfolk 1 August 1921; MBE 1945, CB 1972; married 1944, Muriel Austen Smith...

I Was There! - I Saw the Royal Marines Go In at Walcheren

The War Illustrated, Volume 8, No. 194, Page 441, November 24, 1944. Westkapelle, keypoint in the Dutch island of Walcheren blocking the...

Royal Marines Desk Top Icons

Thank you for signing up to my blog. As a thankyou please feel free to download this Royal Marines Icon pack. You can use them when...

1 ASRM becomes 47 Commando (Raiding Group) Royal Marines

The Royal Marines' amphibious warfare expert group has been renamed. 1 Assault Group Royal Marines now under the command of 3 Commando...

3 Cdo Bde Operation Musketeer

Unit/ Formation: 3 Cdo Brigade RM Location: Port Suez Period/ Conflict: Suez Crisis Year: 1956 Date/s: 6th November 1956 On 6 November,...

Battle of Bapaume 1918

24th -25th March 1918 First Battle of Bapaume (Second phase of First Somme 1918) involving the 63rd Division. Operation Michael (German:...

SS Bayano 1915 - 20 RMs lost

11th March 1915 SS Bayano, armed merchant cruiser, torpedoed and sunk by U.27 in North Channel. HMS Bayano, built in 1913, was originally...

The First Battle of Canton

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: China Period/ Conflict: Opium Wars Year: 1841 Date/s: 18 March 1841 The First Battle of Canton...

Loss of Trinidad by own Torpedo

HMS Trinidad was a Royal Navy Fiji-class light cruiser. She was lost while serving in the Arctic on convoy duty after being damaged by...

Rescue of the Persian Residency

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Bushehr Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1839 Date/s: 25th March 1839 After taking Karachi HMS...

Operation Widgeon - 'Never in the history of human warfare have so many guns supported so few men'

Battle Prep The sun blazed down on the seemingly placid waters of the ever-present smoke-screen Lieutenant-General Ritchie, the Rhine on...

Ambush in Belfast - Marine James Macklin Killed

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Belfast Period/ Conflict: Northern Ireland Conflict Year: 1974 Date/s: 22 March 1974 Marine James...

3 Cdo Bde - CH46 Crash - Kuwait

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Kuwait Period/ Conflict: Iraq War (2003 - 2009) Year: 2003 Date/s: 21 March 2003 At around midnight...

Royal Marines - Operation Telic

Starting on 20th March 2003, 40 and 42 Commando moved into Southern Iraq to secure the oil fields and prevent Saddam from setting them on...

Royal Marines' Cemetery - San Juan Island National Historical Park

The Royal Marines who died during the joint occupation of San Juan Island with the USMC rest in honor here. Jim Crook was one year old...

HMS Mount Stewart and the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment

This secret unit specialising in irregular warfare consisted of servicemen from the Navy, Royal Marines and Army under the command of...

Amphibious Raids against the Turkish Guns

Royal Marines acted as landing parties in the Naval campaign against the Turkish fortifications in the Dardanelles before the Gallipoli...

SS Motagua Collision

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Irish Coast Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1918 Date/s: 19th March 1918 SS Motagua armed...

Royal Marines Stopping the Fins in Russia

HMS Glory was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the British Royal Navy and a member of the Canopus class. Intended for service in Asia,...

Belgrade War Cemetery, Serbia

Belgrade War Cemetery was created to receive the remains of British and Commonwealth casualties brought in from more than sixty small...

12th Battalion Royal Marines in Shanghai - 1927

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: China Period/ Conflict: 1900's Year: 1927 Date/s: March 1927 27th January 1927. Portsmouth gave...

Operation Endowment - 43 Commando Royal Marines

Unit/ Formation: 43 Cdo RM Location: Yugoslavia Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 22 March 1944 On the 22nd – 23rd March...

William Faulkner, a Dragoon of the 600 & Marine during the Indian Mutiny

Another of the survivors of the Six Hundred who took part in the famous Balaclava charge has passed away in the person of William Henry...

Battle of Tamai

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Tamai Period/ Conflict: Sudanese War Year: 1884 Date/s: 13 March 1884 The Battle of Tamai...

47 Commando - Final Operations in Holland

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: The Netherlands Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 12 March - 7 April 1945 On the 12...

The Carlist Wars

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Spain Period/ Conflict: Carlist Wars Year: 1836 - 1837 When King Ferdinand died in 1833 there...

Rescue of the Persian Residency

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Bushehr - Iran Period/ Conflict: 1800's Year: 1839 Date/s: 25th March 1839 After taking Karachi...

Battle of Lacolle Mills - Last American invasion of Canada

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Canada Period/ Conflict: War of 1812 Year: 1814 Date/s: 30 March 1814 The small garrison of...

"Operation Chariot" - St Nazaire Raid

Unit/ Formation: Combined Ops Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 28 March 1942 The St Nazaire Raid or...

Force Viper - Ambushing the Japanese

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Burma Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 20th March 1942 Force "Viper" now...

Operation Widgeon - 46 & 45 Cdo RM Crossing the Rhine

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: Wesel Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: Friday, March 23, 1945 Operation...

11th Battalion and RM detachments in Turkey

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Turkey Period/ Conflict: 1900's Year: 1920 Date/s: 16 March 1920 Turkish Nationalists...

Admiral Byng Firing Squad

Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Portsmouth Harbour Period/ Conflict: Year: 1757 Date/s: 14 March 1757 1757....

Op Haven Iraq

Op Haven Iraq Unit/ Formation: 3 Cdo Brigade RM Location: Iraq Period/ Conflict: Iraq War (1991) Year: 1991 Date/s: 1991 It was...

HM King George V - The Kings Squad & Kings Badge

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1918 Date/s: 7 March 1918 The ceremonial...

Royal Marines 5 AA (Anti Aircraft) Bde - Shooting down over 122 V1 'Divers'

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Antwerp/ Sheldt Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 2nd March 1944 5 RM AA...

The RMHS presents - Invasion, The Royal Marines and the Battle for Normandy, 1944

Invasion, The Royal Marines and the Battle for Normandy, 1944. Author - George Gelder. Soft Back, 602pp. Published Royal Marines...

D Day Royal Marines Live Stream

Earlier this month in teh 80th Year of DDay I was delighted to be asked to conduct a live stream with Paul Woodage who runs the very...

Vincent Kemel Horton - Crete-Tobruk-D Day

Royal Marines Commando Vincent Horton was bombed, shot at, shelled and captured (twice!) during WWII. Vince joined the Royal Marines in...

Langrune-sur-Mer Wn 26

The village of Langrune-sur-Mer is defended by a large anti-tank wall and the support point Wn 26 manned by soldiers of the 9th company...

45 Cdo Recce of Merville

The securing the bridges the Brigade's objectives were to hold the high ground in the area of Hauger, Le Plein and Amfreville, providing...

HQ 41 CDO hit by AP bombs - CO Col Gray Wounded

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Lion Sur Mer Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 7 June 1944 7th June 1944 Place: Lion...

41 Cdo - Wn 21 'Trout' Strong point at Lion-sur-Mer

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Normandy Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 6 June 1944 The beach at Lion Sur Mer was...

46 CDO La Deliverande to Douvres

7th June 1944 Place: La Deliverande 2200 - 'B' and 'X' Tps with Command Post reached LA DELIVERANDE and occupied the town. 8th June 1944...

Panzers Destroyed by HMS Rodney - Counter-attack on the Orne Bridgehead

As the 21st Panzer Regiment launched a counter attack against the Orne Bridghead HMS Rodney fired a Naval Bombardment which helped stem...

45 CDO D Day Sword Beach

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 6 June 1944 On 5th June, 1944, 45 Commando...

The USMC on D Day

While few in numbers and often forgotten, around 700 United States Marines were present on D Day either ashore or as part of ships crews....

Close Support Craft Juno Beach

Support Craft. The following would provide close support for 7 Brigade. LCG 831, 1007 and 1062. Landing Craft Gun each with two 4.7”...

RM Engineers - LCOCU's (Landing Craft Obstruction Clearance Units)

ON D-DAY, six Royal Marine and four Royal Navy LCOCUs, Landing Craft Obstruction Clearance Units [LCOCUs pronounced Lock-yews] each...

HMS Erebus - 15inch Monitor D Day

HMS Erebus Erebus was a monitor, a shallow draft vessel which could steam at around 12 knots, she was basically a floating gun platform...

HMS Ramillies D Day Bombardment - Benerville Battery

HMS RAMILLIES - Royal Sovereign-class 15in gun Battleship April to May Took part in preparatory exercises for planned assault landings....

17,500 Royal Marines and 1 Dog!

A Shaggy Dog Story [Royal Marines and D Day by Captain the Reverend D A Farquharson-Roberts RM] Courtesy, the Crew of LCG(L) 1 I am...

In the Footsteps of 47 Commando - Port-en-Bessin

Spend the day with Royal Marine Commandos on a commemorative walk. Watch the Royal Marines arrive by sea and join them in retracing 47...

41 CDO - Raid on Douvres Radar Station

The radar at Douvres-la-Délivrande was the primary Luftwaffe radar station in the area—a fortified position of twenty acres—having been...

41 Cdo - Sword Beach - D Day

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 6 June 1944 The most experienced unit in...

Cpl Jeremy Smith RM Memorial Plaque

The Cpl Jeremy Smith RM (Decd.) Memorial Plaque Story by Tony Sickelmore In Aug 2022, Dale Mills (former Marine, 42 Cdo 1982) sent me the...

Captain Raymond McMahon Winter - D Day with the Royal Marines Amoured Support Group

Capt R.M. Winter commanded 4 Bty, 2nd R.M. Aroured Support Regiment. Landing on D Day in a Sherman Command Tank. A Journey Through War:...

Attack on the Battery at Chesconessex Creek

Unit/ Formation: Colonial Marines Location: Chesconessex Creek Period/ Conflict: War of 1812 Year: 1814 Date/s: 24 June 1814 A force of...

45 Cdo Royal Marines - D Day

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 6 June 1944 On the afternoon of the 5th...

Linking up with the Paras on the Orne Bridgehead

News was now received that the Brigade was to come under command of the Sixth Airborne Division, and that the 5th Parachute Brigade had...

D DAY Royal Marines

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 6 June 1944 D Day was the largest...

D Day from an LCA

Combined Ops Signals Officer Charles Armstrong: (Continued from Embarking 47 Cdo at Southampton) We knew exactly where we were going, for...

Nan Red 6th June 1944 - No. 48 (Royal Marine) Commando

No. 48 (Royal Marine) Commando was formed in March 1944 and was the last commando unit formed during the Second World War. It was formed...

Joseph Kelsey - 5th RM (Independent) Armoured Support Battery

1st January 2019 Key Military (Originally published in Britain At War) D-Day veteran Joseph Kelsey talks to Melody Foreman about the...

48 Royal Marine Commando - July 1944 - Sallenelles

Occupation of Sallenelles X Troop, under the command of Capt Linnell, led the commandos into the area and found Sallenelles, as expected,...

The Last Man Standing, the story of Dennis Donovan, 48 Royal Marine Commando Juno Beach

The Story of Dennis Donovan, the last man standing, 48 Royal Marine Commando. A Royal Marines History Podcast Dennis was born on the 3rd...

RM Band - Repatriation of POWs to Argentina

Canberra now acting returned to San Carlos for a third time to pick up 5,500 POWs of the 11,845 Argentine POWs and sailed for Puerto...

The Battle for the Falklands - 40 Years On (Pt 2; June 1982)

3 Commando Brigade forward base established at Teal Inlet 1st June 1982 In preparation for major engagements, 42, 45 Commandos and 3 Para...

Hunting the Exocet

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Europe and Gibraltar Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: June 1982 The French AM 39...

Operation KeyHole

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Thule Island Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 19 - 20 June 1982 After the...

Scouts HELARM - Bunker Busting

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Falkland Islands Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 14 June 1982 During the...

Tumbledown, Wireless Ridge, & Sapper Hill

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Mount Tumbledown and Wireless Ridge Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 13–14...

Capitulation of Louisbourg

As soon as it was determined to make an attack on Louisbourg, Commodore Warren was directed to proceed to Canso from the Leeward Islands,...

Cpl George Tandy DSM - Gold Beach - 'The Human Rudder'

Corporal George Ernest Tandy Ch. X 110723 was 19 years old when as a crewman on LCA 786 he swung down from the davits of Landing Ship...

Disarming Russian Bolsheviks at Vladivostok - Preparing an Armoured Train

HMS Suffolk Lat 43.1, Long 131.88 On the 9th April 1918 the cruiser HMS Suffolk landed a Marine Detachment to act as Consular Guard at...

Captain Lewis ST Halliday - Victoria Cross - 24th June 1900 – Boxer Rebellion China

Unit/ Formation : Victoria Cross Location : China Period/ Conflict : Boxer Rebellion Year : 1900 Date/s : 24 June 1900 Halliday was 30...

Capture of St. Christopher's

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: St Christopher (St Kitts) Period/ Conflict: Year: 1690 Date/s: Wednesday 21st June 1690 The...

Occupation of Dinghai harbour

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: China Period/ Conflict: Opium Wars Year: 1840 Date/s: June 1840 In late June 1840 the first part...

Battle of Sinzheim

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: France Period/ Conflict: The Franco Dutch War Year: 1674 Date/s: Saturday 16th June 1674 ...

Battle for the Falklands - The Battle for Two Sisters - 45 Cdo RM - 11/12 June 1982

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: The Falkland Islands Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 11/ 12 June 1982 45...

Battle for the Falklands - The Battle for Mount Harriet - 42 Cdo RM - 11/12 June 1982

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: The Falkland Islands Period/ Conflict: The Falklands War Year: 1982 Date/s: 11 - 12 June 1982...

The Preobrazhensky March

10th June 1964, prompted by the Admiral of the Fleet Earl Mountbatten, the Royal Marines adopted the Preobrazhensky March in the...

The Loss of Royal Marines Landing Craft - LCU F4 - Falklands 8th June 1982

Image F4 conducting a work up exercise in English Bay Ascension Island With the British Army’s 5 Brigade separated from their vital...

The Battle of Belle Isle - 7 June 1761

The Marines played a major role in the capture of this island, from the first amphibious landing, and through all subsequent fighting....

Marines deploy to Ireland- June 1920

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Ireland Period/ Conflict: Anglo-Irish War Year: 1920 Date/s: 5th June 1920 During the Irish...

Battle of Lowestoft - Leading to the formation of the Dutch Marines

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo Dutch War Year: 1665 Date/s: 3rd June 1665 ...

Major Geoff Dyer RMR - Gentleman Rogue

Geoff Dyer was an inspiration to many young people and cannot express how I feel about Geoff’s passing. I had the privilege of sitting...

30AU Commando - Tragedy in Le Harve

The 12th September 1944 Captain 'Red' Huntington-Whiteley RM of 30 Commando/AU was callously cut down by a group of Wehrmacht who clearly...

Landings in Beirut 1840

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Beirut Period/ Conflict: Egyptian–Ottoman War Year: 1840 Date/s: 8 September 1840 The Oriental...

Capture of Sidon

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Sidon Period/ Conflict: Egyptian–Ottoman War Year: 1840 Date/s: 27 September 1840 Sidon stands...

IRA Bombing - Deal - Memorial Band Stand

Unit/ Formation: RM Band Service Location: Deal Period/ Conflict: Year: 1989 Date/s: 22 September 1989 A memorial bandstand was...

First Royal Marines Killed in Action in WW2

In 1939 within days of the outbreak of war two Royal Marines had died ashore; Sergeant (Pens) Ebenezer Luff, PO/ 15068, was killed in a...

Action on the Vaga - Archangel River Expedition

In February, 1919, it was decided that the situation on the Archangel front necessitated the provision of a strong Naval flotilla, more...

Operation Barras - Hostage Rescue Sierra Leone

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Sierra Leone Period/ Conflict: Sierra Leone Civil War Year: 2000 Date/s: 10 September 2000 In September...

11th RM Battalion - Operation Agreement - Raid on Tobruk

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Libya Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 13–15 September 1942 The Battalion’s...

Loss of HMS Pathfinder 1914 - First Torpedo Fired in Wartime from a Submarine

5th September 1914 1914 HMS Pathfinder, light cruiser, torpedoed and sunk by U.21 in North Sea a month after the declaration of war with...

47 Cdo - Training for Operation Infatuate

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: Belgium Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 27 September 1944 After relief by 7...

Marines at the Capture of Manilla - 1762

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Philippines Period/ Conflict: Seven Years' War Year: 1762 Date/s: 24th September 1762 The...

Destruction under gunfire of Pegasus in Zanzibar Harbour

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Zanzibar Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: 20th September 1914 H.M.S. Pegasus was...

Operation Menace - Battle of Dakar

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Dakar Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: 23–25 September 1940 Operation Menace,...

Loss of the 'Live Bait' Squadron

Tuesday, 22 September 1914 SINKING OF CRUISERS ABOUKIR, HOGUE, CRESSY OF DUTCH COAST by U.9 They were known as the “Live Bait” Squadron,...

Operation Anglo - SBS Raid on Italian Airfield

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Kalathos, Rhodes Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 31 August–18 September 1942 (The...

First British Naval bombing of WW2

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: North Atlantic Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1939 Date/s: 14th September 1939 Ark Royal Log...

Poundforce - Kunsun Diversonary Raid - Operation Chromite - Inchon

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: 12th September 1950 POUNDFORCE comprised...

Re-occupation of Hong Kong

Unit/ Formation: 44 Cdo RM Location: Hong Kong Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1945 Date/s: 11 September 1945 Admiral Harcourt’s...

Evacuation of Refugees in Vietnam

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Haiphong Period/ Conflict: Year: 1954 Date/s: 4th September 1954 As a part of Operation Pasage...

Colonel David Mitchell 2 SBS - Borneo

Colonel David Mitchell Royal Marines commanded No 2 Special Boat Section in the Far East, and pioneered new technique of clandestine...

Port T - Secret Naval Base

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Addu Atoll Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: September 1941 Early in the Second...

First British Air-raid of WW1

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Düsseldorf Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1914 Date/s: 22 September 1914 Flight Lieutenant...

Opposed Landing and Capture of Cork

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Ireland Period/ Conflict: Williamite War in Ireland Year: 1690 Date/s: 21 September 1690 1st...

Annexation of Rockall

18th September 1955 Rockall was annexed by the British Crown when Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal...

Poundforce land at Inchon

Operation Chromite - Inchon Unit/ Formation: Roya Marines Location: Korea Period/ Conflict: Korean War Year: 1950 Date/s: 17th...

Royal Marines Battle of Britain Pilots

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Wick & Hatston Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1940 Date/s: July - October 1940 56 Fleet...

Operation Sunbeam A - Limpet Attack in the Agean

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Portolago Bay Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 18th June 1944 Leros island’s Portolago...

Prince Edward Inspects the Marines 1763

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Devonport Period/ Conflict: 1700's Year: 1763 Date/s: 12th September 1763 Prince Edward, Duke of...

Battle & Breaching of the Drocourt-Queant Line

Unit/ Formation: RMLI Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1918 Date/s: 2nd to 3rd September 1918 Battle of...

47 CDO RM - Cutting off the Germans at Fecamp

Unit/ Formation: 47 Cdo RM Location: France Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 2 September 1944 On the morning of 31 Aug...

Royal Marines in Action since 1664 - September

Thank you for following, please come and see some of what the Royal Marines have been doing in September since 1664, 47 pins so far. If...

IRA Bombing RM Deal 22nd Sept 1989, 11 killed, 21 injured

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Band Location: Great Britain Period/ Conflict: The Troubles Year: 1989 Date/s: 22 September 1989 The Deal...

HMS Courageous - First British warship to be sunk in WW 2 - 24 Royal Marines lost

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Atlantic Ocean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1939 Date/s: 17 September 193939 In the early...

Major General Sir John Jeremy Moore

Major General Sir John Jeremy Moore, KCB,OBE,MC & Bar (5 July 1928 – 15 September 2007) was a British senior Royal Marine officer who...

Battle of '41 Commando Hill' & 'Pimple Hill'

No. 2 Commando, had taken part in the capture of Sicily and then landed at Salerno with other British troops. He and his men fought for...

The Capture of Quebec

The Capture of Quebec Unit/ Formation: His Majesty's Marine Forces Location: Canada Period/ Conflict: Seven Years' War Year: 1759 ...

Guy Griffiths - Royal Marines Airman, Painter, Forger and Spy

Guy Beresford Kerr "Griff" Griffiths (6 June 1915 – 12 July 1999) was a Royal Marine pilot. He served as a pilot during the Second World...

Attack on Gebail Castle

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Byblos Period/ Conflict: Egyptian–Ottoman War Year: 1840 Date/s: 12th September 1840 he Oriental...

Salerno Landings - Operation Avalanche

Unit/ Formation: 41 Cdo RM Location: Italy Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 9 September 1943 The Italian front opens at...

SBS Hostage Rescue - Stephen Farrell

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Kunduz Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-) Year: 2009 Date/s: 9 September 2009 The Special Boat...

Major FJ Ricketts Royal Marines - 'Colonel Bogey'

Frederick Joseph Ricketts (21 February 1881 – 15 May 1945) was an English composer of marches for band. Under the pen name Kenneth J....

The Battle at the Canal du Nord - Royal Marines in Action

27 September-1 October 1918: Battle of the Canal du Nord (Third phase of Hindenburg Line Battle), Royal Marines Light Infantry and the...

Flight Lieutenant Charles Herbert Collet DSO - RM Airmen

Flight Lieutenant Charles Herbert Collet DSO (4 February 1888 – 19 August 1915) who led the first British air raid of the war was a...

Hell Ship Toyofuku Maru/ Hofuku Maru

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Masinloc, Luzon Island Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: 21 September 1944 On 20...

Annexation of Rockall

18th September 1955 Rockall was annexed by the British Crown when Lieutenant-Commander Desmond Scott RN, Sergeant Brian Peel RM, Corporal...

Major Oldfield and Colonel Walker Royal Marines; Memorial Tablet in Jerusalum

Major Thomas Oldfield (21 June 1756 – 1799) When on passage to St. Helena, Naploeon spoke of Oldfield's gallantry to the marine officers...

Lt Charles Morgan - the ‘boat action’ before New Orleans 1814

Charles Morgan was first Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant, Royal Marines on 11th Sept 1805. Promoted Lieutenant on 11th Nov 1808, he was...

The Siege and Capture of Ruapekapeka - New Zealand

Ruapekapeka (bats nest), a pā 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Kawakawa in the Northland Region of New Zealand, is one of the largest...

Attack on Canton 1857

Location: Canton Period/ Conflict: Year: 1857 Date/s: 28 December 1857 The Battle of Canton (Chinese: 廣州城戰役) was fought by British and...

The Battle of Biscay - Operation Stonewall

The Battle of the Bay of Biscay was a naval action that took place on 28 December 1943 during World War II as part of the Atlantic...

Operation Archery - The First Tri Services Raid

Unit/ Formation: Combined Ops Location: Norway Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: 27 December 1941 Operation Archery, also...

SBS - Raid to Capture Taliban Commander

Unit/ Formation: SBS Location: Alinger Valley, Laghman Province Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-) Year: 2013 Date/s: 23...

Landing in Akabah

HMS Minerva log 31 December 1914 Akabah Lat 29.5, Long 35.0 5.00am: Course & speed as requisite approaching Akaba & anchoring at head of...

Across the world in 2022 with the Royal Marines

Due to a technical c#ck up I am unable to access my usual mail service and so if you are receiving this blog you will see last months...

December 'Dits' since 1664

There are now 681 pins on the Royal Marines Geo History Map, 42 of which are for December including the 'First Action' of 1664. Please...

Messina earthquake

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Sicily and Calabria Year: 1908 Date/s: 28th December 1908 Messina earthquake and tsunami with a...

Capture of Goree

Location: Goree Period/ Conflict: Seven Years' War Year: 1758 Date/s: Sunday 24th December 1758 The island fortress of Goree lay off...

SS Ceramic loss of DEMS crew

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Atlantic Ocean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 6th December 1942 On 3 November 1942...

Shore Party during the Greek Intervention

In August 1916, a pro-Allied group launched a coup against the monarchy in the Noemvriana, which the Allies sought to support. HMS...

Mike Samuelson a Royal Marines Officer; 40 decades of War and Peace (Keeping) Pt1

Please listen to my latest podcast, and interview with Mike Samuelson. Mike Samuelson a Royal Marines Officer: Lympstone to N Iraq via...

Battle of the River Plate - Royal Marines HMS Exeter B Turret - HMS Ajax X Turret

During the Battle of the River Plate 15 Marines lost their lives mostly manning turrets, HMS Exeter 10 Marines killed, HMS Ajax 5 Marines...

Granby & Marlborough Square Barracks

Unit/ Formation: Barracks/ Camps Location: Devonport Period/ Conflict: 1700's Year: 1764 Date/s: Tuesday 11th Dec 1764 The Plymouth...

Sinking of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: Malaysia Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: 10 December 1941 Force Z went to sea...

40 Cdo in Sabah 1964 - Tawau Assault Group

Images of 40 Commando Royal Marines in Sabah, North East Borneo July 1964 to December 1964, 40 Cdo's 4th of 6 tours of Borneo between...

40 CDO Recce of Pelagosa

Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: Pelagosa Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 5th December 1943 40 R.M. COMMANDO REPORT...

The Admirals Regiment - The Marines First Action - attack on the Dutch Smyrna fleet

Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Cadiz Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo Dutch War Year: 1664 Date/s: December 1664 The...

Cyprus Emergency - Operation Foxhunter

Unit/ Formation: 45 Cdo RM Location: Cyprus Period/ Conflict: Cyprus Emergency Year: 1956 Date/s: 10th – 12th December 1956 In the early...

Winston Churchills Flying Instructor Killed

Unit/ Formation: RM Airmen Location: Royal Naval Air Station Eastchurch Period/ Conflict: 1900's Year: 1913 Date/s: 2nd December 1913...

HMS Barham - 126 Royal Marines Lost

Unit/ Formation: Memorial Location: Mediterranean Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1941 Date/s: 25th November 1941 1941 Loss of...

'Soldier an' Sailor Too'

By Rudyard Kipling Kipling wrote this poem in 1896, during Queen Victoria's reign (1837-1901), when nationalism was at a peak in England....

1664 - 2020 Royal Marines Around the World in December

Come and see 37 pins for December and read about Royal Marines in action in this month through out our History; 1664: The Admirals...

Sinking of the Scharnhorst - Boxing Day 1943

Unit/ Formation: HM Ships Location: North Cape Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1943 Date/s: 26th December 1943 Battle of the North...

RM Gun Crew Killed Christmas Day 1940 in Surface Action with Admiral Hipper

On 25 December 1940, whilst part of the escort to convoy WS-5A, a troop convoy to the Middle East, Berwick was in a surface engagement...

The Dubai Incident

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Dubai Period/ Conflict: 20th Century Year: 1910 Date/s: 24th December 1910 The East Indian...

Operation Red Dagger

Unit/ Formation: 42 Cdo RM Location: Nad-e-Ali Period/ Conflict: War in Afghanistan (2001-) Year: 2008 Date/s: 7 - 25th December 2008...

Policing Sevastopol - Royal Australian Navy

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Sevastopol Period/ Conflict: Russian Intervention Year: 1918 Date/s: 8th December 1918 On 8...

DayForce - Bougainville Campaign

Unit/ Formation: Landing Craft Units Location: Bougainville Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1944 Date/s: Monday 18th December 1944 A...

Taking of Lagos - War on the Slave Trade

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: West Africa Period/ Conflict: War on the Trans Atlantic Slave Trade Year: 1851 Date/s: 26th -...

Plymouth Argyll Royal Marines - Fall of Singapore

Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Singapore Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: December 1941/ February 1942 On December 10th...

Royal Marines in Action since December 1664! Happy New Year Royal! #RoyalMarines #RoyalMarinesHistor

Royal Marines in action since December 1664! Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Cadiz Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo Dutch...

Loss of T Company - HMS Fidelity

Unit/ Formation: 40 Cdo RM Location: Azores Period/ Conflict: World War II Year: 1942 Date/s: 30th December 1942 HMS Fidelity a...

Royal Marines in Action around Aqaba

HMS Minerva was an Eclipse-class protected cruiser built for the Royal Navy in the mid-1890s. During December 1914 Minerva was stationed...

HMS NATAL Sunk by Internal Explosion - 63 Royal Marines Lost

HMS Natal was a Warrior class Cruiser of 13,550 tons with a complement of 704 officers and men. She was launched at Barrow-in-Furness on...

63rd (Royal Naval) Division - Battle of Welsh Ridge

Battle of Welsh Ridge Unit/ Formation: Royal Marines Location: Villers Plouich Period/ Conflict: World War I Year: 1917 Date/s:...

RM Gun Crew Killed Christmas Day 1940 in Surface Action with Admiral Hipper

On 25 December 1940, whilst part of the escort to convoy WS-5A, a troop convoy to the Middle East, Berwick was in a surface engagement...

HMS Neptune mined 1 survivor from 764

18th December 1941 HMS Neptune a Leander-class light cruiser with HM Cruisers AURORA, PENELOPE, HM Destroyers: KANDAHAR, LANCE, LIVELY...

The Battle of the Bulge - Royal Marines in the Ardennes Offensive

The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Counteroffensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front...

Battle of the River Plate 13th December 1939

The Battle of the River Plate took place on December 13th 1939. The battle in the South Atlantic was the first major naval battle of...

42 Commando Raid on Limbang - Hostage Rescue - 12th December 1962

'I assess the most important factor in the success of the operation was first class leadership by junior NCOs. Their section battle craft...

Maurice Pink, Dunkirk, Hunt for the Bismark, Sinking of Repulse, Escape from Singapore and Anzio

Maurice Pink, Royal Marines Bandsman, 13th May 1922 - 27th October 2019 He cheated death twice during the war, when his ships were sunk...

All hands on deck. Prepare to abandon ship.” ....“God be with you."

Sinking of HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales Royal Marines on HMS Repulse (http://www.nicholasbest.co.uk/tag/royal-marines/) Force Z...

The Battle of the Falklands 8th December 1914

The Royal Navy’s spectacular retribution on 8th December 1914 in the First World War, for the sinking of Admiral Cradock’s two ships, HMS...

Operation Frankton - The Cockleshell Heroes

Combined Operations commander Admiral Louis Mountbatten regarded it as “the most courageous and imaginative of all the raids ever carried...

Attack on Pearl Harbor

On December 7, 1941 the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the US Naval Base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, using bombers, torpedo bombers...

The First Shots Fired Against the Japanese - HMS Petrel - Occupied Shanghai 1941

The British serviceman who first fired on Japanese forces during World War Two. Mail Online (12 October 2009) Jim Mariner was on board...

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