43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines The 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines ( 43 Cdo FP Gp RM ) , formerly Comacchio Company Royal Marines ( 1980 – 1983 , Comacchio Group Royal Marines ( 1983 – 2001 ) and Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines ( 2001 - 2012 ) , is a 790 man unit of the Royal Marines responsible for guarding the United Kingdom ' s Naval nuclear weapon s and other security - related duties . It falls under the authority of 3 Commando Brigade . History . Second World War . Early Commando units were all from the British Army but by February 1942 , the Royal Marines were asked to organize Commando units of their own , and 6 , 000 men volunteered . 43 Commando was formed in July 1943 after the decision was made to convert the battalion s of the Royal Marine Division into commando units . The initial intake of personnel was drawn from the 2nd Battalion , Royal Marines , and following commando training at Achnacarry in Scotland , the unit consisted of about 450 men organized into a headquarters , five infantry troop s consisting of three officers and 63 other ranks , along with a heavy weapons troop — armed with Vickers machine guns , 3 - inch mortars and 6 - pounder anti - tank guns — and a signals platoon . Along with No . 2 , No . 9 and No . 40 ( Royal Marine ) Commandos they formed the 2nd Special Service Brigade . Throughout the course of 1943 – 45 , No . 43 ( Royal Marine ) Commando served in Italy , Yugoslavia and Greece . Victoria Cross . Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter of was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during Operation Roast at Lake Comacchio , Italy during the Second World War . Hunter cleared a farmhouse containing three Spandau machine - gun s on his own , firing a Bren Gun from his hip . Hunter then proceeded to draw enemy fire until most of his troop had taken cover . The Commanding Officer , Lt Col Ian Riches RM was also awarded the DSO in this action . He went on to be Commandant General Royal Marines between 1959 and 1962 . Re - forming . 43 Commando RM was reformed between 1961 - 1968 for " as a further contribution to the forces available for seaborne operations " . On 1 May 1980 , the Comacchio Company Royal Marines was formed to guard the UK ' s Naval nuclear weapons and as a Maritime Counter - Terrorism unit for offshore installations , including oil rigs and ships . The Comacchio Company RM initially numbered around 300 personnel . Taking its name from a Second World War battle honour , the Comacchio Company ' s purpose was deemed inappropriate for a Commando - level specification . Instead , the Comacchio Company was named after a battle fought in Lake Comacchio , Italy , by Royal Marines in 1945 , where Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter of 43 Commando posthumously received the Victoria Cross for his actions . On its formation , Comacchio Company took on the colours and traditions of the - then defunct 43 Commando . The Comacchio Company RM became Comacchio Group RM in November 1983 to reflect a manpower increase to over 400 Royal Marines . From 1987 onwards , Comacchio Group also ceased performing the Maritime Counter - Terrorism role , after a study transferred the task to the newly formed M - squadron of the Royal Marines Special Boat Service . The Comacchio Group RM was renamed Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines in March 2001 , and was restructured into its current organisation . The Group also moved from RM Condor in Arbroath Angus ( where it was co - located with 45 Commando ) to HM Naval Base Clyde , which is situated near Helensburgh , Argyll and Bute ( both in Scotland ) . In 2004 , rifle squadron P was renamed S squadron and the Group was further expanded to a complement of 530 . In 2012 , FPGRM formally adopted the name 43 Commando . Tasks and organisation . As of 2009 , the Fleet Protection Group has over 550 personnel and is organised into several sub - units : The Group currently performs several tasks , including : Only a proportion of squadron manpower is deployed at any one time , with the remainder taking leave , courses or training . When not on duty , the squadron conducts field firing , mountain training and other sub - unit training . It is also liable to be deployed on exercises such as Exercise Trade Winds ( in the Caribbean ) , to take part in November Ceremonies at the Cenotaph in London , or conduct cross - training with the USMC during the biannual Exercise Tartan Eagle . FPGRM is responsible for running the selection process for Royal Marines who wish to join the UK ' s Special Forces Support Group . Royal Navy Reserve Augmentation . Naval ratings of the Royal Naval Reserve have been attached to the Fleet Protection Group to support the force protection tasks outside of the United Kingdom .