Active 1940–1943 Branch Royal Marines Engagements Operation Menace | Country United Kingdom Role Amphibious warfare Notable
commanders Lt-Gen. Robert Sturges | |
The Royal Marines Division was formed in August 1940 as the British Royal Marines expanded to meet operational demands during the Second World War.
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The RM Division's primary role was to serve as an amphibious warfare formation. It was to be organised on the same lines as an Army division with 3 infantry brigades, an artillery brigade, an engineer battalion, a machine gun battalion, and a 'mobile' battalion equipped with motorcycles.
Operational history
101 Brigade, supported by 2 battalions from 102 Brigade, went into action at Dakar, Senegal in July 1940 at part of Operation Menace, the unsuccessful attempt by the British and Free French to seize control of the Vichy French port in West Africa. 103 Brigade never reached full strength as its recruits were constantly drafted to provide personnel for the Royal Marines naval base defence forces. The division headquarters participated in the Allied planning for Operation Ironclad (the capture of Madagascar), but the RM division itself was not assigned to the operation as its infantry brigades were understrength and its divisional artillery had not formed. In 1943, the decision was taken to disband the division and reassign its personnel. Several of the infantry battalions were converted to Royal Marine Commandos and other divisional personnel were assigned as landing craft crews. The division headquarters under Major General Robert Sturges formed the new Headquarters Special Service Group (Commando).