Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 58:41-59:24

Royal Marines doctrine without the wartime commando turn

Even without adopting the commando identity, the Royal Marines were already moving toward brigade organization and specialist amphibious duties.

Amphibious WarfareBritish ArmyCommandosNaval BasesRoyal Marines
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Question

How might the Royal Marines have evolved without adopting the commando role in the Second World War?

Short answer

They would still have developed as brigade-sized naval-base and amphibious-warfare specialists.

Notes

The Royal Marines had a durable institutional base long before the Second World War commandos. They had already been organized into several brigades and used to protect mobile naval bases. Their natural specialization was amphibious warfare, including the seizure and security of beaches. The Army tended to claim that mission only when war or a competitive spending review made amphibious capability urgent.