40 Commando 40 Commando RM is a battalion sized formation of the British Royal Marines and subordinate unit within 3 Commando Brigade , the principal Commando formation , under the Operational Command of Commander in Chief Fleet . Tasked as a Commando light infantry unit , 40 Commando ( pronounced " Forty Commando " ) is capable of a wide range of operational tasks . Based at Norton Manor Camp , Norton Fitzwarren their barracks in Taunton , Somerset . Personnel regularly deploy outside the United Kingdom on operations or training . Whilst 3 Commando Brigade RM are the principal cold weather warfare formation , personnel are capable of operating in a variety of theatres including tropical jungle , desert or mountainous terrain . The Commando is a regular participant in the annual Brigade cold weather warfare exercise in Norway . The unit ’ s first “ winter ” was 1991 , until which the unit was nicknamed the “ Sunshine Commando ” . All personnel will have completed the Commando course at the Commando Training Centre ( CTCRM ) at Lympstone in Devon , entitling them to wear the green beret , with attached personnel having completed the All Arms Commando Course . History . Formation . Early Commando units were all from the British Army but by February 1942 , the Royal Marines were asked to organise Commando units of their own , and 6 , 000 men volunteered . The first Royal Marines commando unit was formed at Deal in Kent on 14 February 1942 and designated ‘ The Royal Marine Commando ’ . Before long it was re - designated RM ‘ A ’ Commando . Col J Picton Phillips was the Commanding Officer . Dieppe Raid . The Commando ’ s baptism of fire was at Dieppe on 19 August 1942 . In support of the main Canadian assault force , Nos . 3 and 4 ( Army ) Commandos were to destroy the enemy coastal batteries covering the main landing beaches , whilst No . 40 had selected tasks in the port area and was to be responsible for reinforcements as required . In the pre - dawn run - in the landing craft of No . 3 were fired upon and scattered with the result that only two small parties managed to land , one was overwhelmed , but the other successfully engaged the Berneval battery for some hours before withdrawing . On the other flank at Varengeville No . 4 , under the command of Lord Lovat , carried out what was officially hailed as a ' classic operation of war ' and completely destroyed the Hess Battery , successfully withdrawing and re - embarking with prisoners . Unfortunately , No . 40 , when committed to their landing , under well - nigh impossible conditions , suffered severe casualties . Of the 370 officers and men , 76 were lost on the beaches . Among those killed was the Commanding officer ( CO ) . Italy and the Aegean . On return RM ‘ A ’ Commando was again re - designated ; this time as 40 ( RM ) Commando . Further training and replenishment was carried out . Once back to full strength it was sent to Sicily in July 1943 and a little later in September saw action at Pizzio . Later that year the Commando was in action in Termoli in October , and in 1944 was embroiled at Anzio . Later service in Yugoslavia and Albania followed by policing duties on Corfu wound up 40 ’ s wartime activities . Post - WWII reorganisation . Following the Second World War , 2 Commando ( Nos . 2 , 9 , 40 ( RM ) and 43 ( RM ) ) disbanded leaving 3 Commando Brigade ( 42 ( RM ) , 44 ( RM ) and 45 ( RM ) ) . To recognise 2 Commando Brigade one of the Commandos was renamed , No44 ( RM ) becoming No40 ( RM ) . Post WW2 . The Commando was deeply involved in 1947 – 1948 Civil War in Palestine acting as the rearguard in the Protectorate , leaving in 1948 . They subsequently undertook security duties in Cyprus , Hong Kong and Egypt before moving to Singapore in 1961 . Where it was involved in operations during the confrontation with Indonesia ( Borneo ) throughout the following decade . Return to UK . In 1971 the Commando left Singapore and re - established itself in Seaton Barracks , Crownhill , Plymouth . Over the next decade the Commando found itself deployed to Northern Ireland four times and also undertook an unexpected two - month tour in Cyprus after the invasion by the Turkish Army . Falklands Conflict . In 1982 , following the Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands , the Commando deployed on Operation Corporate . On 21 May the Commando were among the first troops ashore and secured the beachhead at San Carlos . The Unit was subsequently split having two companies attached to the Welsh Guards , preparing to attack Port Stanley , when the Argentine surrender came . 1980s . On their return from the Falklands , the Commando spent the rest of the decade involved in a variety of tasks including two Northern Ireland tours to South Armagh , a six - month Peace - Keeping tour in Cyprus and a six - month operational tour in Belize . During the tour in Cyprus , the Commando was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for the third time . Also during this period , in 1983 , the Commando relocated to Norton Manor Camp near Taunton . 1990s . In 1991 the Unit undertook its first Norway deployment but found itself undergoing a dramatic climatic change when , due to the Gulf War , it deployed to Northern Iraq to ensure the security of Kurdish refugees . Northern Ireland tours , Norway winter deployments and a major Asia - Pacific Exercise kept the Commando busy through the following years . In November 1993 the unit deployed to West Belfast in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary ( RUC ) , returning in May 1994 . In 1998 a substantial part of the Commando deployed to the Congo to ensure the safe evacuation of UK nationals from Kinshasa City . Recent history . The new millennium saw the Commando deploy to Northern Ireland and on their return they were the first Commando to reorganise under a new structural concept called Commando 21 . The Unit deployed in its entirety in January 2003 , initially part of the Naval Task Group ( NTG ) 03 in HMS " Ocean " , HMS " Ark Royal " and Royal Fleet Auxiliary ships " RFA Sir Galahad " and " RFA Sir Tristram " . The group sailed through the Mediterranean Sea , after a brief stop at Cyprus , continuing through the Suez Canal bound for the Persian Gulf . The United Nations were engaged in diplomatic efforts to avoid the need for military intervention in Iraq , as the Unit was busy rehearsing in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait for possible operations against Iraq . In March 2003 a coalition force , under the overall command of the United States , entered Iraq . During Operation TELIC 1 , the liberation of Iraq , on the night of 20 March 2003 , 40 Commando RM , under the command of Lt Col G K Messenger DSO OBE , mounted an amphibious helicopter assault to seize key Iraqi oil infrastructure on the Al - Faw Peninsula . As the first conventional troops on the ground , the strategic significance of the operation was immense and , as the Divisional Main Effort , the assault was supported by a vast array of coalition firepower . The Commando Group ' s role in the success of the coalition operation in Iraq was pivotal and profound . In a two - week period of intense operations , it secured key oil infrastructure , cleared a large expanse of enemy held terrain , and defeated a major enemy stronghold on the periphery of Basra , killing over 150 Iraqi soldiers and taking 440 prisoners . In 2004 the Unit returned to Iraq as part of a multi - national division peace - support operation . The commandos returned in April 2008 from a tour in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan as part of Operation Herrick . During the tour L - Cpl Matthew Croucher was awarded the George Cross for his action of jumping on a live grenade during a patrol . 40 Cdo returned to Afghanistan in 2010 for Op Herrick 12 . They were the last British troops to leave Sangin , described as the " deadliest place in Afghanistan " , after command was handed over to the US Armed Forces . A Company deployed with the UK Response Force Task Group in April 2011 . Additional follow up were on board RFA Cardigan Bay ( L3009 ) . They just completed Exercise Red Alligator which trained their skills for the role of the Lead Commando Group . Active service . List of 40 Commando RM ' s active service : Battle honours . The following Battle honour s were awarded to the British Commandos during the Second World War .