Naval commandos (France)

Commandos Marine
Commando beret badge
Active	1947–present
Country	France
Branch	French Navy
Type	Navy Commando
Role	Special Operations Counter Terrorism Direct Action Long-Range Reconnaissance Special Reconnaissance Joint Terminal Attack Controller Underwater Demolition Amphibious Warfare
Size	~ 650+ SOF Operators
Garrison/HQ	Lorient Saint-Mandrier-sur-Mer
Nickname(s)	bérets verts (green berets)
Mascot(s)	Jean-Louis
Commanders
Current commander	RADM Olivier Coupry
Notable commanders	CDR. Philippe Kieffer LCDR Victor Servent

French Navy
(Marine Nationale)

Motto: Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline (“Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline”) Command Naval Ministers Maritime Prefect Components Naval Action Force Submarine Forces Strategic Oceanic Force (FOST) Squadron of Nuclear Attack Submarines (ESNA) Naval Aviation FORFUSCO (Marine Commandos, Naval Fusiliers) Maritime Gendarmerie Equipment Current fleet Current deployments Personnel Ranks in the French Navy History History of the French Navy Future of the French Navy Ensigns and pennants Historic ships Battleships Cruisers Destroyers Submarines Ships of the line Sail frigates Historic fleets Awards Cross of War Military Medal Legion of Honour Ribbons

The Commandos Marine are the Special Operation Forces (SOF) of the French Navy. They are made up of some 650 members plus support, mostly based in northwestern France (Brittany), with several bases across the country for specific training needs. The Commandos Marine are nicknamed Bérets Verts (Green Berets). They operate under the Naval Riflemen and Special Operations Forces Command (FORFUSCO) and form part of the French Special Operations Command.

The Commandos Marine were formed in 1942 during World War II, in the United Kingdom and were modelled on the British Commandos (who were founded in 1940). They were formed from Free French volunteers from different services, mainly from Navy Fusiliers Marins (Naval Infantry), other Navy specialities and even from the Army. They were trained at the Commando Training Centre Achnacarry, in Scotland and joined the No. 10 Commando (Inter-allied) as the 1st and the 8th Troops. To commemorate this, the beret of the French naval commandos is worn pulled to the right with the badge worn over the left eye or temple, the opposite of all other French military units.

The 1st BFMC (Battalion de Fusiliers Marins Commandos, Commando Naval Riflemen Battalion) took part in the Normandy Landing on D-Day under the command of Lieutenant Commander Philippe Kieffer, on SWORD beach, and were for the occasion integrated in No. 4 Commando. They further participated in the Netherlands campaign, still associated with No. 4 Commando. When the British Commando Units were disbanded at the conclusion of World War II, the two French Troops (forming the 1st BFMC) were repatriated to France to relieve in position the 1st RFM (1st Naval Infantry Regiment) departing for Indochina. Most of them demobilised or returned to their services (Army or other Navy specialities) but Commander Philippe Kieffer made the case to the French Ministry of the Navy that a Commando Corps was a capacity required to counter the guerrilla warfare in Indochina. The surviving members of the 1st BFMC formed the core leadership and the cadres for the Commando Training School to be created in Algeria in 1946 (Siroco Center, Matifou Cape).