United Kingdom: Royal Marine Unit Flags

Each unit of the Corps of the Royal Marines has is own house flag and will fly this where they can. The Corps uses the Union flag when in Barracks, as a Commando in its home, on land base is working under the Army Act. This may change with the new amphibious force which is forming now jointly commanded by the Commandant General as the Military head and an Admiral as the amphibious head. The Corps uses the White Ensign on all her boats as they belong to the Navy, but as you say may fly a house flag alongside this. The Corps always uses a White Ensign on Naval Bases but may fly the Corps Colours (Blue, Red, Green, Yellow). You might also find that at Barracks like Lympestone and Stonehouse the Corps might only use this flag in preference to either the Union flag or the White Ensign.
Roger, Royal Marines, 26 December 2001

Just a note on the RMR flags on this web page (which stands for Royal Marines Reserves, as opposed to the full-time, professional units): they are obviously geographically based, with the London and the Scottish units using the London flag and the Scottish saltire respectively defaced with the badge of the Royal Marines. The other three units, Bristol, Mersey and Tyne, are vertical tribands with the RM badge on a red ground in the centre while the two outer bands have an element from the arms of the relevant city - the Liver bird for Mersey (Liverpool); the tower for Tyne (Newcastle upon Tyne) and the unicorns which are the supporters on the arms of Bristol.
André Coutanche, 14 November 2005

Please note that these flags are unit "flags" and not "Colours".
T.F. Mills, 14 November 2005

Collection of United Kingdom Marine Unit Flags

The illustrated collection below attempts to shows some of the Marine flags and ensigns used by United Kingdom Royal Marine units and commands.¹ It is by no means meant to be conclusive of all the flags, colours, and standards that are used.
Ian Sumner and Pete Loeser, 18 January 2022

Note: Click on Individual Flag's text to see additional information about specific unit provided elsewhere on FOTW pages.²


Headquarters Royal Marines Non-ceremonial Corps Flag	43rd Fleet Protection Group Royal Marines	Logistic Regiment Royal Marines	539th Assault Squadron Royal Marines

40th Commando Royal Marines	41st Commando Royal Marines	42nd Commando Royal Marines ⁴	45th Commando Royal Marines

Commando Training Centre Royal Marines	Royal Marines Reserve City of London	Royal Marines Reserve Merseyside	Royal Marines Reserve Scotland

HQ 3 Commando Brigade Signals Squadron Royal Marines	Royal Marines Reserve Bristol	Royal Marines Reserve Tyne	Royal Marines Reserve Poole

School of Music Royal Marines	Amphibious Trials and Training Unit Royal Marines	Commando Helicopter Force Royal Marines	Special Boat Service Royal Marines

Royal Marine Commandos ³	539 Assault Squadron Royal Marines Pennant	3rd Commando Brigade Royal Marines Pennant	47th Commando Royal Marines

Commando Helicopter Force ³	Royal Marines Variant ³	42th Commando Variant ³

¹ These flags are not placed in chronological or alphabetical order, but rather as they were provided for FOTW's use.
² Additional information links are provided for all military flags shown here if they have been added to another existing page.
³ Manufacturer's Variant Flag (not official).
⁴ This flag is a copy of the Lieutenant-Colonel's colour of the Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot from 1664, the first unit to be raised specifically for service with the fleet. It was (re-)adopted by 1st Royal Marine Battalion during the Second World War, and continued to be carried when the battalion was reorganised into 42 Commando in 1943.

United Kingdom: Royal Marine Unit Flags

Introduction: United Kingdom Marine Unit Flags

Collection of United Kingdom Marine Unit Flags