A historic Royal Marines commando name has been revived, with the Commando Logistic Regiment to become 48 Commando Support Group Royal Marines, the Royal Navy stated.
The change, approved by King Charles, restores a name last carried by a unit raised in the Second World War. According to the Royal Navy, it retires the Commando Logistic Regiment title after 54 years of sustaining operations including the Falklands Conflict, two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, while preserving the unit’s role in providing expeditionary logistics from ship to shore for the UK Commando Force. The change becomes official on 1 August 2026.
The Royal Navy said the new name aligns the unit with the naming conventions of the UK Commando Force, which comprises 24, 29, 30, 40, 42, 43, 45, 47 and now 48 Commando, and reinforces its position as a fighting component rather than solely a logistics organisation. Based at Chivenor in North Devon, the unit will continue to provide supply to the front line, transport, combat and surgical medical care, refuelling, ammunition supply, drone operations, vehicle repair and recovery, and protected movement using armoured vehicles including the Viking.
Commanding Officer of 48 Commando, Lieutenant Colonel Jolyon Simpson, was quoted in the press release as saying: “This name change marks the coming together of traditions: 48 Commando’s offensive actions on Juno Beach and the assault on German gun batteries in Walcheren in 1944 with CLR’s 54 years of sustainment operations across the Falklands War, two wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and other global operations.”
He added: “The combination reflects the reality of contemporary warfare, that there is no distinction in combat between fighting units and those that sustain them. The marines, soldiers, and sailors of 48 Commando must stay in the fight to keep others in the fight.”
The original 48 Commando was raised in 1944, the last of the Second World War commando units, and landed alongside Canadian forces on Juno Beach on D-Day a little under three months later. In November 1944 the unit fought at Walcheren in the Netherlands, a battle vital to freeing the approaches to the port of Antwerp. Simpson said the name would now carry forward the history of both units, adding that the change brought a responsibility to maintain soldiering excellence and sustainment expertise.
General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord and Commandant General Royal Marines, was quoted in the press release as saying: “For more than half a century, the Commando Logistic Regiment has sustained major operations including in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. Its new name, 48 Commando, is a continuation of that proud record, while also honouring the legacy of those who fought to liberate Europe during the Second World War.”
He added: “However, this is about more than just a name. It is a recognition of new ways of operating, being more dispersed on the battlefield, with greater resilience, and acting more independently to better serve the modern Commando Force. The title 48 Commando is a clear acknowledgment of that transformation.”
Brigadier Richard Morris, Commander of the UK Commando Force, was quoted in the press release as saying: “The re-birth of 48 Commando aligns neatly with the launch of the UK Commando Force in June of this year. 48 Commando therefore joins the other eight Commando units to provide a globally deployable amphibious strike force, capable of operating in the most demanding of environments, against the hardest targets. Optimised for operations in Europe, it draws upon a heritage that incorporates Operation Overlord, ensuring that the history of the Royal Marines is woven into the future force.”
It’s a “fighting component” as the RM ASG, with Viking, which was reduced to the RM ASS, Armoured Support Squadron, was then further downgraded and was absorbed into the Regiment….sorry, Commando!
If we’d bought as much additional kit as we’ve rebranded units and commands we’d be in a much better place.
It certainly is “globaly deployable” but won’t get far with 3 Bays, of which often only 1 has been available through refit or use as a MCM mother vessel.
The Brigadeer also omitted the fact the the LRG N and S are effectively dead through lack of enabling assets ( the ships! )
and in emphasising it’s global role the RM now seem more concentrated in Norway than ever.
Oh, and 847 NAS is going to the wall as it’s Wildcats are being cut, another enabler out the window.
But yes, D Day traditions and all that, rename a unit of 50 years standing, clearly a vast improvement in the capability, effectiveness, and readiness of the CLR and wider Corps of RM.
🙄
I looked and then thought you had said it all mate. Lots of fancy sounding “stuff” all over the place these days but precioius little substance, at least for the next ten years. 😒