UK Royal Marines' CLR renamed 48 Commando Support Group, reviving WWII D-Day unit name

A historic Royal Marines commando name has been revived, with the Commando Logistic Regiment (CLR) redesignated as 48 Commando Support Group Royal Marines, the Royal Navy has announced.

The change, approved by King Charles, restores a name last carried by a unit raised during the Second World War. According to the Royal Navy, it retires the Commando Logistic Regiment title after 54 years of sustaining operations including the Falklands Conflict, two wars in Iraq, and Afghanistan, while preserving the unit's role in providing expeditionary logistics from ship to shore for the UK Commando Force. The change becomes official on 1 August 2026.

Alignment with Commando Force Naming Conventions

The Royal Navy stated that the new name aligns the unit with the naming conventions of the UK Commando Force, which now comprises:

• 24 Commando
• 29 Commando
• 30 Commando
• 40 Commando
• 42 Commando
• 43 Commando
• 45 Commando
• 47 Commando
• 48 Commando

The change reinforces the unit's position as a fighting component rather than solely a logistics organisation.

Role and Capabilities

Based at Chivenor in North Devon, the unit will continue to provide:

• Supply to the front line
• Transport
• Combat and surgical medical care
• Refuelling
• Ammunition supply
• Drone operations
• Vehicle repair and recovery
• Protected movement using armoured vehicles including the Viking

Commanding Officer's Statement

Commanding Officer of 48 Commando, Lieutenant Colonel Jolyon Simpson, was quoted in the press release as saying:

"This name change marks the coming together of traditions: 48 Commando's offensive actions on Juno Beach and the assault on German gun batteries in Walcheren in 1944 with CLR's 54 years of sustainment operations across the Falklands War, two wars in Iraq, Afghanistan and other global operations."

He added:

"The combination reflects the reality of contemporary warfare, that there is no distinction in combat between fighting units and those that sustain them. The marines, soldiers, and sailors of 48 Commando must stay in the fight to keep others in the fight."

Historical Background

The original 48 Commando was raised in 1944, the last of the Second World War commando units, and landed alongside Canadian forces on Juno Beach on D-Day a little under three months later. In November 1944, the unit fought at Walcheren in the Netherlands, a battle vital to freeing the approaches to the port of Antwerp. Simpson said the name would now carry forward the history of both units, adding that the change brought a responsibility to maintain soldiering excellence and sustainment expertise.

Senior Leadership Comments

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the First Sea Lord and Commandant General Royal Marines, was quoted as saying:

"For more than half a century, the Commando Logistic Regiment has sustained major operations including in the Falklands, Iraq and Afghanistan. Its new name, 48 Commando, is a continuation of that proud record, while also honouring the legacy of those who fought to liberate Europe during the Second World War."

He added:

"However, this is about more than just a name. It is a recognition of new ways of operating, being more dispersed on the battlefield, with greater resilience, and acting more independently to better serve the modern Commando Force. The title 48 Commando is a clear acknowledgment of that transformation."

Brigadier Richard Morris, Commander of the UK Commando Force, was quoted as saying:

"The re-birth of 48 Commando aligns neatly with the launch of the UK Commando Force in June of this year. 48 Commando therefore joins the other eight Commando units to provide a globally deployable amphibious strike force, capable of operating in the most demanding of environments, against the hardest targets. Optimised for operations in Europe, it draws upon a heritage that incorporates Operation Overlord, ensuring that the history of the Royal Marines is woven into the future force."