page_title: Royal Marines
section_title: Independent elements
hierarchical_section_title: Royal Marines / Formation and structure / Independent elements
caption_attribution_description: English: The Pacific Ocean (Jun. 18, 2003) -- A U.K. Royal Marines team, embarked on Chilean ship ACh Ministro Zenteno (PFG 08) board the destroyer USS O'Bannon (DD 987) during a Maritime Interdiction Operation (MIO) training evolution. O'Bannon and Ministro Zenteno are among 19 ships participating in Teamwork South 2003. Teamwork South is a bi-annual multi-national exercise hosted by the Chilean Navy and conducted in Chilean territorial waters to further bolster a robust relationship and mutual understanding in the region. It offers a unique opportunity to maintain a consistent training environment in the region as well as a continued multi-national commitment to hemispheric defense and coalition. U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate 1st Class Marthaellen L. Ball. (RELEASED)
context_page_description: The Corps of Royal Marines is an amphibious light infantry and also one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The marines can trace their origins back to the formation of the English Army's "Duke of York and Albany's maritime regiment of Foot" at the grounds of the Honourable Artillery Company on 28 October 1664.
  As a highly specialised and adaptable elite light infantry force, the Royal Marines are trained for rapid deployment worldwide and capable of dealing with a wide range of threats. The Royal Marines are organised into a light infantry brigade and a number of separate units, including 47 Commando Royal Marines, and a company strength commitment to the Special Forces Support Group. The Corps operates in all environments and climates, though particular expertise and training is spent on amphibious warfare, arctic warfare, mountain warfare, expeditionary warfare, and its commitment to the UK's Rapid Reaction 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.
context_section_description: The independent elements of the Royal Marines are:
  Commando Training Centre: This is the training unit for the entire corps, and consists of three separate sections:
  Commando Training Wing: This is the initial basic commando training section for new recruits to the Royal Marines, and the UK Forces All Arms Commando Course.
  Specialist Wing: This provides specialist training in the various trades which Marines may elect to join once qualified and experienced in a Rifle Company.
  Command Wing: This provides command training for both officers and NCOs of the Royal Marines.
  47 Commando (Raiding Group) Royal Marines: Provides training in the use of landing craft and boats, and also serves as a parent unit for the three assault squadrons permanently embarked on the Royal Navy's amphibious ships.
  4 Assault Squadron—HMS Bulwark
  Special Boat Service (SBS) are naval special forces and under operational command of Director Special Forces, UK Special Forces Group.  It is commanded by a lieutenant colonel qualified as a swimmer canoeist. SBS responsibilities include water-borne operations, maritime counter-terrorism and other special forces tasks.
  Royal Marines Band Service provides regular bands for the Royal Navy and provides expertise to train RN Volunteer Bands.  Musicians have an important secondary roles as medics, field hospital orderlies, CBRN specialists and any other roles that may be required of them.  Personnel may not be commando trained, usually wearing the dark blue beret instead of green; until 2017, the band service was the only branch of the Royal Marines to admit women.
caption: A Royal Marines team boards US Navy destroyer USS O'Bannon
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