United Kingdom Commando Force (UKCF), previously called 3 Commando Brigade (3 Cdo Bde), is the UK's

special operations Special operations or special ops are military activities conducted, according to NATO, by "specially designated, organized, selected, trained, and equipped forces using unconventional techniques and modes of employment." Special operations ma ...

-capable commando formation of the

Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...

. It is composed of Royal Marine Commandos and commando qualified personnel from the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

and

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

. The brigade was formed 1 September 1943 at Dorchester with personnel from 102 RM Brigade, during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, with a mixture of Army Commando and Royal Marine Commando units, and was deployed to the

South-East Asian Theatre of World War II The South-East Asian Theatre of World War II consisted of the campaigns of the Pacific War in the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Philippines, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, Indonesia, Indochina, British rule in Burma, Burma, British Raj, India ...

to conduct operations against the invading forces of

Imperial Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

, such as the

Burma Campaign The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...

. After the Second World War, the Army Commandos were disbanded and the brigade became a Royal Marine formation. Recently, United Kingdom Commando Force has again become a mixed formation with the addition of commando qualified soldiers from the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

and

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

to provide support for the Royal Marine Commandos. Since the end of the Second World War, it has been involved in a number of engagements such as the

Suez Crisis The Suez Crisis, also known as the Second Arab–Israeli War, the Tripartite Aggression in the Arab world and the Sinai War in Israel, was a British–French–Israeli invasion of Egypt in 1956. Israel invaded on 29 October, having done so w ...

Falklands War The Falklands War () was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British Overseas Territories, British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and Falkland Islands Dependenci ...

Gulf War , combatant2 = , commander1 = , commander2 = , strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems , page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...

and the War in Afghanistan.

History

Second World War

Between September and November 1943, in Scotland, 102nd Brigade, Royal Marines Division, was detached from the division, to form the independent 3rd Special Service Brigade – a joint British Army-Royal Marines formation. The founding commander was Brigadier Wilfrid Nonweiler and it was composed of the following units: * No. 1 Commando (Army); * No. 5 Commando (Army); * No. 42 Commando (Royal Marines); and * No. 44 Commando (Royal Marines). Nos. 1 and 5 Commandos had already earned battle honours as units in, respectively, the North African and

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

campaigns. Because "Commando", at the time, implied a company/battalion-sized unit, the name "Special Service" was instead used for British commando brigades. (However, the term "Commando Brigade" was often used informally, because "Special Service" was unpopular and had a superficial similarity to the name of the notorious German

Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...

(SS).) The brigade was later officially renamed 3rd Commando Brigade. On 10 November 1943, elements of the brigade embarked at Gourock, bound for

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

. It was intended that the brigade would be used in operations against Japanese forces in the South-East Asia theatre, such as the

Burma campaign The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...

. However, the limited shipping capacity available at the time meant that the relocation was prolonged and the components of the brigade were not reunited until late 1944. Lt Col. Peter Young was transferred from the Normandy campaign to become second-in-command of 3rd Commando Brigade. Young succeeded Nonweiler as commander of the brigade. During January 1945, the brigade was involved in the campaign to recapture Arakan, including the battles of Myebon peninsula and Kangaw. The brigade was then withdrawn to India to prepare for Operation Zipper, a proposed amphibious operation to recapture the Malayan peninsula. The atomic bombs against Japan precipitated an earlier

surrender of Japan The surrender of the Empire of Japan in World War II was Hirohito surrender broadcast, announced by Emperor Hirohito on 15 August and formally Japanese Instrument of Surrender, signed on 2 September 1945, End of World War II in Asia, ending ...

than expected. The 3rd Commando Brigade moved to secure

Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...

– a British

crown colony A Crown colony or royal colony was a colony governed by Kingdom of England, England, and then Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain or the United Kingdom within the English overseas possessions, English and later British Empire. There was usua ...

that was under Japanese occupation in 1941–45. During 1946, British Army personnel and units within the 3rd Commando Brigade were demobilised or transferred elsewhere and it became a Royal Marine formation.

Post Second World War

3 Commando Brigade's most high-profile operation after the war was the

, when it took part in the amphibious assault against

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

ian targets. During Operation Musketeer, units of the brigade made a helicopter-borne assault. 1971 saw the withdrawal of British forces from the Far East and

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

. The brigade returned to the UK with other British units. It moved to Stonehouse Barracks in

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

, where it remains to this day.

Operation Corporate

The brigade's next large operation was in 1982.

Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...

invaded the

Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and from Cape Dub ...

, and 3 Commando Brigade, reinforced by 2 Para and 3 Para, was one of the two main British land formations that took part in operations to recapture the islands. The brigade landed at San Carlos Water and marched across

East Falkland East Falkland () is the largest island of the Falkland Islands, Falklands in the South Atlantic, having an area of or 54% of the total area of the Falklands. The island consists of two main land masses, of which the more southerly is known as L ...

to Stanley. Argentine units were defeated in several sharp engagements, and their forces surrendered on 14 June.

Gulf War

In the aftermath of the 1991

, the brigade was deployed on a non-combat task in northern

Iraq Iraq, officially the Republic of Iraq, is a country in West Asia. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to Iraq–Saudi Arabia border, the south, Turkey to Iraq–Turkey border, the north, Iran to Iran–Iraq border, the east, the Persian Gulf and ...

. The Iraqi

Kurds Kurds (), or the Kurdish people, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group from West Asia. They are indigenous to Kurdistan, which is a geographic region spanning southeastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, northern Iraq, and northeastern Syri ...

had suffered immensely during the war and in its aftermath, and the brigade was used due to its rapid deployment ability. It provided

humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material and Humanitarian Logistics, logistic assistance, usually in the short-term, to people in need. Among the people in need are the homelessness, homeless, refugees, and victims of natural disasters, wars, and famines. Th ...

to the Kurds and saved many from

starvation Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy intake, below the level needed to maintain an organism's life. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, de ...

21st century

RM Jackal Vehicle in Afghanistan MOD 45150600

Recently, the brigade has been involved in two major campaigns, including Operation Veritas in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...

, 2001 and 2002, and Operation Telic during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Iraq, however, saw heavy fighting occur in the early stages of the campaign, as the brigade made its first amphibious assault in over 20 years by landing on the Al-Faw peninsula in south-east Iraq. In 2006, the brigade returned to Afghanistan on Operation Herrick, replacing

16 Air Assault Brigade 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, known simply as 16 Air Assault Brigade from 1999–2021, is a formation of the British Army predominantly based in Colchester, Essex. It makes up the Air Assault Task Force, a battlegroup held at high readines ...

, where intense fighting occurred. In 2022, 3 Commando Brigade was rebranded to the United Kingdom Commando Force (UKCF), a process that started in 2020 and completed in 2024.

Organisation

Royal Marines in Afghanistan MOD 45156093

The UK Commando Force contains Royal Marines,

Army An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and

personnel. When operating as part of the combined United Kingdom / Netherlands Landing Force, the 1st Marine Combat Group of the Dutch Korps Mariniers is also attached to the brigade. The subordinate units are:

Headquarters, UK Commando Force, at RM Stonehouse

* Commander, UK Commando Force is

Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

Jamie M. Norman ** Commando EOD Troop from 33 Engineer Regiment (EOD)

Headquarters, 45 Commando, at RM Condor

* Command Company * Logistics Company * Whisky Company (W Coy) * X-Ray Company (X Coy) * Yankee Company (Y Coy) * Zulu Company (Z Coy)

Headquarters, 40 Commando, at RM Norton Manor

* Command Company * Logistics Company * Information Warfare Company * Alpha Company (A Coy) * Bravo Company (B Coy) * Charlie Company (C Coy)

Headquarters, 42 Commando, at RM Bickleigh

* Command Company * Logistics Company * Juliet Company (J Coy) * Kilo Company (K Coy) * Lima Company (L Coy) * Mike Company (M Coy)

Headquarters, 43 Commando (Fleet Protection Group), at
HMNB Clyde His Majesty's Naval Base, Clyde (HMNB Clyde; also HMS ''Neptune''), primarily sited at Faslane on the Gare Loch, is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Devonport and HMNB Portsmouth). It ...

* Headquarters Squadron * Oscar Squadron (O Sqn) * Papa Squadron (P Sqn) * Romeo Squadron (R Sqn)

Headquarters, 47 Commando (Raiding Group), at RM Tamar

* 539 Raiding Squadron (539 RS) * 10 (Landing Craft) Training Squadron * 11 Amphibious Trials and Training Squadron, at RM Instow * Logistics Squadron

Headquarters, 30 Commando Information Exploitation (IX) Group, at RM Stonehouse

* Headquarters Squadron Text was copied from this source, which is available under a
Open Government Licence v3.0
© Crown copyright. ** Intelligence Cell ** Information Activities Cell * Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron (SRS) * Yankee Squadron (Y Sqn) ** Air Defence Troop * Communications Squadron * Logistics Squadron ** Royal Marines Police Troop * Base Squadron

Headquarters, Commando Logistic Regiment, at RM Chivenor

* Headquarters Squadron * Equipment Support Squadron * Logistic Support Squadron ** 383 Commando Petroleum Troop (''Army Reserves'') * Medical Squadron * Landing Force Support Squadron * Viking Squadron, at Stanley Barracks, Bovington Garrison

Headquarters, 24 Commando Regiment, Royal Engineers, at RM Chivenor

* 56 Commando Headquarters and Support Squadron ** Commando Diving Team * 54 Commando Squadron * 59 Commando Squadron * 131 Commando Squadron (''Army Reserves'') * 24 Cdo REME Workshop

Headquarters, 29 Commando Regiment, Royal Artillery, at Royal Citadel, Plymouth

* 7 (Sphinx) Battery, at RM Condor. * 8 (Alma) Commando Battery * 79 (Kirkee) Commando Battery * 23 (Gibraltar 1779–1783) Commando Battery * 148 (Meiktila) Battery, at RM Poole * 29 Cdo REME Workshop, at the Royal Citadel, RM Condor, RM Poole

Amphibious Task Group

Formerly known as the Amphibious Ready Group, the Amphibious Task Group (ATG) is a mobile, balanced

amphibious warfare Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conduc ...

force, based on a Commando Group and its supporting assets, that can be kept at high readiness to deploy into an area of operations. The ATG was normally based around specialist amphibious ships, such as the former , the only helicopter carrier in the British fleet until she was decommissioned and sold to Brazil in 2018. ''Ocean'' was designed and built to accommodate an embarked commando and its associated stores and equipment. The strategy of the ATG is to wait "beyond the horizon" and then deploy swiftly as directed by HM Government. The whole amphibious force is intended to be self-sustaining and capable of operating without host-nation support. The concept was successfully tested in operations in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

. Since the disposal of both HMS ''Ocean'' and, in 2024/25, the Albion class assault ships, British amphibious forces are reliant on deployment from the Queen Elizabeth class aircraft carriers and from amphibious warfare vessels of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Aircraft of the Commando Helicopter Force can be accommodated on these vessels.

Commando Helicopter Force

The Commando Helicopter Force (CHF) forms part of the

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...

. It comprises three helicopter squadrons and is commanded by Joint Aviation Command (JAC). CHF is neither under the permanent control of Headquarters Commando Forces nor that of the Commandant General Royal Marines, but rather is allocated to support Commando units as required by JAC. It uses both Merlin HC4/4A medium-lift and Wildcat AH1 light transport/reconnaissance

helicopter A helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which Lift (force), lift and thrust are supplied by horizontally spinning Helicopter rotor, rotors. This allows the helicopter to VTOL, take off and land vertically, to hover (helicopter), hover, and ...

s to provide aviation support to Commando Forces.

Commanders

Commanders have included: *1943–1944 Brigadier Wilfrid Nonweiler *1944 Brigadier Peter Young (acting) *1944–1945 Brigadier Campbell Hardy *1948–1951 Brigadier Campbell Hardy *1951–1952 Brigadier Cecil Phillips *1952–1954 Brigadier James Moulton *1954–1955 Brigadier Ian Riches *1955–1957 Brigadier Reginald Madoc *1957–1959 Brigadier Robert Houghton *1959–1960 Brigadier Peter Hellings *1960–1962 Brigadier Norman Tailyour *1962–1964 Brigadier Francis Barton *1964–1965 Brigadier Leslie Marsh *1965–1966 Brigadier Anthony Willasey-Wilsey *1966–1968 Brigadier Ian Gourlay *1968–1970 Brigadier Peter Whiteley *1970–1972 Brigadier Patrick Ovens *1972–1975 Brigadier Roger Ephraums *1975–1977 Brigadier John Richards *1977–1979 Brigadier Jeremy Moore *1979–1981 Brigadier Michael Wilkins *1981–1983 Brigadier Julian Thompson *1983–1984 Brigadier Martin Garrod *1984–1986 Brigadier Henry Beverley *1986–1988 Brigadier Robin Ross *1988–1990 Brigadier Andrew Whitehead *1990–1992 Brigadier Andrew Keeling *1992–1994 Brigadier David Pennefather *1994–1995 Brigadier Jonathan Thomson *1995–1997 Brigadier Anthony Milton *1997–1998 Brigadier

Robert Fulton Robert Fulton (November 14, 1765 – February 24, 1815) was an American engineer and inventor who is widely credited with developing the world's first commercially successful steamboat, the (also known as ''Clermont''). In 1807, that steamboat ...

*1998–1999 Brigadier David Wilson *1999–2001 Brigadier Robert Fry *2001–2002 Brigadier Roger Lane *2002–2004 Brigadier James Dutton *2004–2006 Brigadier John Rose *2006–2007 Brigadier Jeremy Thomas *2007–2008 Brigadier David Capewell *2008–2008 Brigadier Buster Howes *2008–2009 Brigadier Gordon Messenger *2010–2011 Brigadier Ed Davis *2011–2013 Brigadier Martin Smith *2013–2014 Brigadier Stuart M. Birrell *2014–2015 Brigadier Charles Stickland *2015–2017 Brigadier Jim Morris *2017–2018 Brigadier

Gwyn Jenkins General (United Kingdom), General Sir Gwyn Jenkins is a senior Royal Marines officer serving as the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff since 15 May 2025. He served as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom), Vice-Chief of the ...

*2018–2020 Brigadier Matt Jackson *2020–2022 Brigadier Richard Cantrill *2022–2024 Brigadier Duncan Forbes *2024–present Brigadier James Norman

Battle honours

The following

Battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...

s were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War. * Vaagso * Norway 1941 * St. Nazaire *

Dieppe Dieppe (; ; or Old Norse ) is a coastal commune in the Seine-Maritime department, Normandy, northern France. Dieppe is a seaport on the English Channel at the mouth of the river Arques. A regular ferry service runs to Newhaven in England ...

* Normandy Landing * Dives Crossing * Flushing * Westkapelle *

Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...

* Leese * Aller * North-West Europe 1942 '44–45 * Litani * Syria 1941 * Steamroller Farm * Sedjenane 1 * Djebel Choucha * North Africa 1941–43 * Landing in Sicily * Pursuit to Messina * Sicily 1943 * Landing at Porto San Venere * Termoli * Salerno * Monte Ornito * Anzio * Valli di Comacchio * Argenta Gap * Italy 1943–45 * Greece 1944–45 *

Crete Crete ( ; , Modern Greek, Modern: , Ancient Greek, Ancient: ) is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the List of islands by area, 88th largest island in the world and the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fifth la ...

* Adriatic * Middle East 1941 '42 '44 * Alethangyaw * Myebon * Kangaw * Burma 1943–45

References

Citations

Sources

* * * * * *

External links

* * {{Naval Service (British), state=collapsed Royal Marine formations and units Amphibious landing brigades Military units and formations established in 1942 Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Falklands War Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) Commando units and formations of the United Kingdom Military units and formations of the United Kingdom in the Iraq War The Rifles 1942 establishments in the United Kingdom N