Royal Marines set to quit Scottish base

THE Royal Marines could pull out of their Scottish base at Arbroath as part of a major reorganisation of British forces, Ministry of Defence sources have revealed.

The Scotsman has learned that shifting 45 Commando nearer their "heartland" in Exmoor and Plymouth is "a serious option" and would be the "preferred option".

If a decision is made to move the unit, which is currently serving in Afghanistan, it will end a relationship with RM Condor that has lasted four decades since the unit was moved there from Plymouth in 1971.

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The removal of the unit would come on top of the loss of two of Scotland's three RAF bases with either Leuchars in Fife or Lossiemouth in Moray set to join Kinloss in being closed down in the basing review due to report before the summer recess.

As revealed in The Scotsman yesterday, ministers hope to mitigate the impact of the loss of RAF personnel and possibly the Royal Marines by at least doubling or possibly trebling the size of the army in Scotland and stationing a new multi-purpose brigade of 6,000 north of the Border.

Ministers are also acutely aware of the impact of defence cuts on an independence referendum which is likely to be held in the next few years following the SNP's Holyrood election victory last month.

• Background: Unit which has served nation with distinction in war and peace

With the SNP effectively on a referendum campaign-footing for 2014 or 2015 Defence Secretary Liam Fox, originally from East Kilbride, knows that a reduction in the military footprint in Scotland will undermine the case for the Union.

And MoD sources have made it clear that the coalition wants to be able to claim it has increased the military footprint in Scotland.

It is understood that the presence of 45 Commando in Scotland is seen as a Cold War hangover no longer needed at a time when wars have been fought in the Middle East.

The unit was originally moved Arbroath to be closer to Norway primarily for Arctic training to allow the UK to deal with the Soviet threat.

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However, it is understood the current base RM Condor could instead become the home of a battalion in the new brigade to be set up in Scotland partly because it already has the facilities required by the army rather than the other option of putting them in former RAF bases.

The army is understood to be demanding new purpose-built barracks but with the MoD budget severely stretched ministers are looking for existing sites with the vacant RAF bases the leading option.However, there are concerns that the different command structures of the RAF and Army, as well as the fact that most airforce personnel are married while most soldiers are single, means that the housing at bases such as Leuchars, Kinloss and Lossiemouth will not be appropriate for the Army.

There is also speculation that the Marines could be reduced in number, although this was denied when the strategic defence and security review (SDSR) was published last year.

Clive Fairweather, a former SAS commander who has seen some of the proposals and is shortly due to retire as an honorary colonel in the Argylls, said: "The move for the Marines makes sense because of training facilities and any loss for Arbroath is likely to be mitigated with the arrival of a battalion from Germany.

"However, I would be surprised if 45 Commando is moved in the first phase, it is likely to happen later, possibly in the second phase."

On numbers, he added: "The question is how many units the government wants to have. When they promise to keep the Commandos, you can almost certainly read into that that they intend to cut them."

Defence analyst Tim Ripley added: "Everything is up in the air at the moment, but it is clear that the government wants to reduce the number of military personnel.

"What happens to the Marines is not certain, but 45 Commando would prefer to be in the West Country and that leaves a place to station a battalion returning from Germany."

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An MoD spokeswoman yesterday confirmed that "all options are being considered" including moving the Royal Marines from Condor.

She added: "No decision has yet been made on the future of the RAF bases in Scotland or on the UK military basing review overall."

There is widespread speculation, denied by the MoD, that at least four battalions will be cut, possibly including the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders currently based in Canterbury and the Highlanders based in Germany, both part of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.

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