British Commando WWII Patch Royal Marine Commando Title Red

British Commando WWII Patch Royal Marine Commando Title Patch Red 1944 embroidered on wool tan gauze fabric back 34mm by 94mm one and five sixteenth inches by three and three quarter inches.  

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Volunteers were called from the Royal Marines to form the first RM Commando in February 1942 which became known as A RM Commando before it was renamed 40 Royal Marine Commando in October 1942. B RM Commando raised from 8 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion was formed on 7 October 1942 and renamed 41 Royal Marine Commando. In August 1943 most of the Royal Marine Infantry Battalions were disbanded and converted into Royal Marine Commandos. 1st 2nd 3rd 5th 9th and 10th RM Battalions became 42 43 44 45 46 and 47 RM Commandos respectively. 8th RM Battalion became 41 RM Commando in October 1943 and in March 1944 the 7th RM Battalion and some men from Mobile
Naval Base Defence Organisation 2 MNBDOII formed the new 48RM Commando. The Royal Marines underwent Commando training at Achnacarry with those not suitable or did not wish to transfer to the Royal Marine Commandos or who failed the Commando Course were allocated to other sections of the Royal Marines.

As the Commandos began to move away from smaller raiding operations to spearheading future allied landing operations as highly specialized assault infantry the Royal Marines and Army Commandos were formed into four combined Commando Special Service Brigades. In December 1944 the four Special Service brigades were re-designated Commando Brigades.

The Royal Marine Commandos served in all the theatres of war from the Arctic Circle Europe the Middle East Balkans South East Asia and the Pacific on operations ranged from small groups of men landing from the sea or by parachute to brigade assaults in Europe and Asia. At the end of the War the remaining Army Commandos seven RM Commandos and three of the Brigades were disbanded leaving just 3 Commando Brigade with 42 and 45 RM Commandos. RM Commandos have been reactivated since taking part in most of the military campaigns to date. 

40 Royal Marine Commando formed in February 1942 from volunteers as The RM Commando and was briefly known as A RM Commando and saw action at Dieppe with heavy losses before being designated 40 RM Commando in October 1942 and again retitled to 40 Commando RM in August 1945. Under 2 Special Service Brigade the Commando took part in operations in Dieppe St Benere Termoli Anzio Comacchio Yugoslavia and Albania. 40 Commando RM was disbanded in October 1945 and reactivated when 44 Commando RM was re-designated 40 Commando RM on 16 March 1947 serving in Palestine Malaya Cyprus Suez Brunei and Borneo Northern Ireland Belize Falkland Islands Iraq and Afghanistan.

41 Royal Marine Commando formed on 7 October 1942 as B RM Commando raised from 8 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion taking part in operations in Italy Sicily Salerno and North West Europe landing in Normandy on D-Day 6 June 1944 Orne Scheldt Walcheren and Maas River followed by occupation duties in Germany before disbanding on 20 February 1946.  The Commando reformed on 16 August 1950 as 41 Independent Commando and were in action in Korea before disbanding on 22 February 1952. The Commando reformed on 31 March 1960 as 41 Commando RM and served in Kenya Norway and the West Indies. 41 Commando RM was disbanded on 30 April 1977 but reformed again in the autumn of 1977 taking part in operations in Cyprus and Northern Ireland before disbanding at Deal in 1981.

42 RM Commando formed in August 1943 from 1 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and served in the Far East against the Japanese in India and Burma under 3 Special Service Brigade. The Commando was re-designated 42 RM Commando Light in August 1945 and then to 42 Commando RM in early 1946. Following the War 42 Commando RM remained operating in the Far East based at Singapore with combat operations in Malaya Suez Borneo and Brunei returning to the UK in 197 taking part in operations in Northern Ireland Falkland Islands Iraq Africa and Afghanistan.

43 RM Commando was formed 1 August 1943 from 2 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and under 2 Special Service Brigade took part in operations in Italy Aegean and Yugoslavia notably Hvar Comacchio Spit and the Reno River and was disbanded in September 1945. The Commando reformed on 5 September 1961 at Stonehouse Barracks training and participating in NATO Exercises until disbanded in mid-November 1968. The  Commando reactivated on 12 April 2012 as 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines assigned to 3 Commando Brigade on the expansion of Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines previously Comacchio Group RM responsible for protecting the UKs nuclear deterrent and undertaking anti-pirate operations with specialist boarding teams.

44 RM Commando was formed 1 August 1943 from 3 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and operated in the Far East under 3 Special Service Brigade against the Japanese in Burma Arakan and the liberation of Hong Kong. In 1946 the Commando was renamed 44 Commando RM and was inactivated on 16 March 1947 on its re-designation to 40 Commando RM.

45 RM Commando was formed on 1 August 1943 from 5 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and took part in operations in North West Europe under 1 Special Service Brigade landing in Normandy on D-Day 6 June 1944 Rhein Weser Aller and Elbe crossings. 45 RM Commando was renamed 45
Commando RM in March 1946 and joined 3 Commando Brigade in October 1946. The Commando continued operations with 3 Commando Brigade with deployments to Malaya Cyprus Suez Aden returning to the UK in 1967 moving to Arbroath in 1971 to specialize in mountain and cold weather
warfare and Artic operations. 45 Commando RM had deployments to Northern Ireland saw action in the recapture of the Falkland Islands in 1982 Iraq Kuwait and Afghanistan.

46 RM Commando was formed on 1 August 1943 from 9 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and took part in operations in North West Europe under 4 Special Service Brigade landing in Normandy on 7 June 1944 fighting in Normandy the Orne line Ostend and Antwerp followed by occupation duties in Germany before disbanding on 31 January 1946.

47 RM Commando formed on 1 August 1943 from 10 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and took part in operations in North West Europe under 4 Special Service Brigade landing in Normandy on D-Day 6 June 1944 and in action at Port-en-Bessin Orne Line Le Havre Walcheren the Maas and the Schedlt Estuary followed by occupation duties in Germany before disbanding on 31 January 1946 at Haywards Heath UK.

48 RM Commando was formed 21 March 1944 from 7 Royal Marine Infantry Battalion and personnel from Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation 2 and took part in operations in North West Europe under 4 Special Service Brigade landing in Normandy on D-Day 6 June 1944 and in action St. Aubin-sur-Mer Langrune-sur-Mer Douvres point 120 advance to the Seine liberating Pont l’Eveque Saint-Maclou Pavilly Yerville Motteville Yvetot Bermonville and Valmont before coming out of the line on 18 August 1944. 48 RM Commando returned to the front line to take part in the Battle of the Scheldt in November 1944 the liberation of Walcheren raids across the Maas River followed by occupation duties in Germany before disbanding on 31 January 1946.

This patch dates from 1944.