Arbroath-based Royal Marines ran 10 miles to Lunan Bay sand dunes on Wednesday morning to mark the changing of the guard.
The 45 Commando group at RM Condor has a new Commanding Officer, with Lieutenant Colonel Innes Catton assuming command from Lt Col Duncan Forbes.
As part of 45 Commando tradition, Lt Col Forbes’s departure was marked by the unit running from RM Condor to Lunan Bay.
The unit assembled in a hollow square before being addressed by Lt Col Forbes, which marked the official handover of command to Lt Col Catton.
Lt Col Catton’s previous role before assuming command of 45 Commando RM was at Navy Commitments where he was responsible for RN Task Group and multi-national exercise planning including budgetary oversight.
He joined the marines in September 2002 and has served in Afghanistan and Iraq.
He is now eagerly anticipating the significant privilege of commanding the Lead Commando Unit and is relishing the opportunity to develop the Future Commando Force in practice.
Lt Col Catton said: “It is my very significant privilege to take command of 45 Commando Royal Marines and serve alongside the unit’s men and women as the UK’s very high readiness Lead Commando Unit.
“I cannot wait to get stuck in to what will be a great a programme, which includes the largest Royal Marines deployment to Norway in a decade, and when at home in RM Condor deepening the already strong links with the local community which Lt Col Forbes has done so much to develop during his tenure.”
Lt Col Catton supports Chelsea during his spare time.
Meanwhile, Lt Col Forbes has been promoted to Colonel and will take the role of Chief of Staff for the Maritime Battle Staff at Navy Command Headquarters, Portsmouth.
In January this year, the unit deployed to California to conduct training with the United States Marine Corps (USMC).
As part of this training, 45 Commando ‘fought’ against the USMC in a peer-on-peer training exercise at their urban training facility Hidalgo City which was designed to replicate a Middle Eastern town.
Upon their return, 45 Commando took on the role of Lead Commando Group and have been held at high-readiness to respond to incidents around the globe.
In May, the unit was deployed to the Baltic Sea region to conduct maritime exercises and work alongside NATO Allies on a training exercise where they launched amphibious raids against the ‘enemy’ along the coast.
In the autumn, 45 Commando is undertaking mountain training in Scotland as part of preparations to deploy to Norway for an exercise in early 2020.
RM Condor is home to 579 personnel from the 45 Commando group.
