Royal Navy Commandos
| Royal Naval Commandos | |
|---|---|
A beach party from the Royal Naval Commandos at Normandy, 13 June 1944
|
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| Active | 1942–45 |
| Country |
 United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Type | Commando |
| Size | 22 units each consisting of 10 officers and 65 ratings |
| Motto(s) | In Primo Exulto (First in last out) |
| Engagements | |
| Insignia | |
| Combined Operations Shoulder Flash |  |
The Royal Naval Commandos were a commando formation of the Royal Navy which served during the Second World War. The first units were raised in 1942 and by the end of the war, 22 company-sized units had been raised to carry out various tasks associated with establishing, maintaining and controlling beachheads during amphibious operations. Royal Naval Commando parties took part in all Allied amphibious landings from early 1942 to the end of the war, when they were disbanded. Operations included the landings at Diego Suarez on Madagascar, Operation Torch, Operation Neptune, the Screwdriver operations in Burma, Operation Market-Garden and the assault on Walcheren.
Early Allied amphibious operations during the war were hampered by poor organisation and control of the landing beaches. In 1941 the Royal Naval beach parties, which were the forerunners to the Royal Naval Commandos, were raised.
The first Royal Naval Commandos were formed from these beach parties shortly after Operation Ironclad, the initial Allied landings on Madagascar to capture the Vichy French-held port of Diego Suarez in early May 1942. During this operation specially-trained Royal Navy beach parties were landed along with the first wave of assault troops in order to organise the beachheads and control the landings. The success of these parties led to the decision to form the Royal Naval Commandos and over the course of 1942–43 personnel were selected and training undertaken at HMS Armadillo at Ardentinny and then later at the commando school at Achnacarry in Scotland.
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