45 Commando
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| 45 Commando, Royal Marines | |
|---|---|
 Cap Badge of the Royal Marines |
|
| Active | 1941- |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Commando |
| Role | Commando Infantry |
| Size | One battalion |
| Part of | Naval Service |
| Garrison/HQ | Arbroath |
| Motto | Per Mare Per Terram (By Sea By Land) (Latin) |
| March | Quick - A Life on the Ocean Wave Slow - Preobrajensky |
| Commanders | |
| Captain-General | HRH The Duke of Edinburgh (Captain-General, Royal Marines) |
| Insignia | |
| Commando Flash |  |
45 (RM) Commando is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade, the principal Commando formation and under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet.
Roled as a Commando light infantry formation, 45 Cdo is capable of a wide range of operational tasks. Based in Condor Barracks, Arbroath, personnel regularly deploy outside the United Kingdom on operations or training. Whilst 3 Commando Brigade are the principal cold weather warfare formation, personnel are capable of operating in a variety of theatres including tropical jungle, desert or mountainous terrain. The Commando is a regular participant in the annual Brigade cold weather warfare exercise in Norway having been the first UK formation to specialise in the mountain and arctic warfare role during the early 1970s and deployed to Norway on NATO’s northern flank most years until the end of the Cold War.
All personnel will have completed the Commando course at the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone in Devon, entitling them to wear the green beret, with attached personnel having completed the All Arms Commando Course.
The title is pronounced as Four Five Commando
[edit] History
On 1 August 1943 5 Royal Marines Battalion was reformed and titled No.45 (RM) Commando, transitioning to the Commando role as a formed unit and by-passing the individual volunteer and selection process undertaken by Army Commando candidates. Personnel undertook, and completed, the Commando Basic Training Course at Achnacarry, Scotland.
As part of 1 Special Service Brigade the Commando participated in Operation Overlord, the D-Day Normandy landings, going on to move through Europe into Germany.
On 25 October 1945 the majority of Commando formations were disbanded, Army Commandos disbanded and the RM Commandos reduced to three. Four Five left the UK for Hong Kong 31st January 1946 to join 42 and 44 RM Commandos in 3 Commando Brigade. The Commando relieved the amalgamated Nos.1 and 5 Army Commandos which then disbanded, leaving the Royal Marines as the UK Commando Force.
Following the second world war 2 Commando Brigade (Nos.2, 9, 40(RM) and 43(RM)) disbanded leaving 3 Commando Brigade (42(RM), 44(RM) and 45(RM)). To symbolically recognise 2 Cdo one of the Commandos was renamed, No44(RM) becoming No40(RM).
[edit] Active service
List of 45 Commando's active service (incomplete)
- Normandy Invasion (D-Day)
- Advance through France and low countries to Germany
- Palestine
- Suez Crisis (45 performed the first ever, operational helicopter assault in 1956)
- Malayan Emergency
- Aden
- Cyprus
- Northern Ireland - various tours
- Falklands War, Operation Corporate
- Kosovo
- Northern Iraq - humanitarian assistance to Kurds
- Afghanistan - Op Jacana
- Iraq
