The Royal Marines 1956-84

Osprey Men at Arms #156

by Will Fowler, Paul Hannon (Illustrator)

As a "Special Forces" organization the Royal Marines and their supporting Commando-trained arms are unique. While other special forces trace their origins to World War I, the Royal Marines date back to 1664. Since then, they have seen action across the world, from their memorable role in the capture of Gibraltar in 1704 to their crucial involvement in World Wars I and II. This book examines the Royal Marines' service and training from the Suez Crisis of 1956, through to their involvement in Northern Ireland and the Falklands in the 1980s. Numerous illustrations, including photographs and color plates, detail the uniforms and equipment of the Marines.

Genres: History, Military Fiction, War, Nonfiction

48 pages, Paperback

First published November 22, 1984

About the author

Will Fowler is Professor of Spanish at the University of St Andrews, where he has taught since 1995. He earned his PhD at the University of Bristol and worked as a lecturer in Spanish at Leicester Polytechnic (subsequently renamed De Montfort University) for four years before joining the University of St Andrews.