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Flag of the Royal Marines

The flag of the Royal Marines.

RoyalMarineBadge

The badge of the Royal Marines

The Royal Marine Corps (RM) is the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the British Empire, and forms part of the Naval Service (along with the Royal Navy, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and associated organisations). The Royal Marines were formed in 1755 as marine infantry for the Royal Navy. However, it can trace its origins back to the formation of "the Duke of York and Albany's maritime regiment of Foot" at the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company on 28 October 1664.

The Royal Marines are a maritime-focused, amphibious, highly specialised light infantry force of commandos. They are capable of deploying at short notice in support of Her Majesty's Government's military and diplomatic objectives overseas. The Royal Marines are organised into one regular Active Service Division (The Royal Marine Division) and a number of separate units including the Special Boat Service, 1 Assault Group Royal Marines, Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines (previously the Comacchio Group), and a company within the Special Forces Support Group. In case of mobilization, these units are joined by 2 RM Division, which is entirely composed of Territorial Units, of which several are called up each year for the annual exercises. The Corps operates in all environments and climates, though particular expertise and training is spent on amphibious warfare, arctic warfare, mountain warfare, expeditionary warfare, Rapid Reaction and supporting Special Forces.

Throughout its history, the Royal Marines have seen action in a number of major wars, often fighting beside the British Army – including the Seven Years' War, the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimean War, World War I and World War II. In recent times the Corps has been largely deployed in expeditionary warfare roles such as the Indonesian Civil War, Falklands War, the Yugoslav Wars, and the Congo War. The Royal Marines have close international ties with allied marine forces, particularly the Royal Canadian Corps of Marines and the Netherlands Marine Corps/Korps Mariniers.

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