- SURNAME
Smith
- FORENAME
Martin Linn
- UNIT
R.M. Staff Officer to Chief of Staff, HQ RM (MBE), Commandant General R.M. (CB)
- RANK
Captain (MBE), Major General (CB)
- NUMBER
N027987R
- AWARD
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) , Commander of the Order of the Bath (C.B.)
- PLACE
1998 (MBE), New Year Honours 1.1.2017 (CB)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
born 30.7.1962
graduated Bristol University
RM 1984
45 Commando (troop commander) 1985
HQ 3 Commando Brigade (Forward Air Controller) 1987
45 Commando (Mortar Troop) 1991
45 Commando (squadron commander) 1992-94
graduated R.N. Staff Course (M.A.) 1995
unit ops officer
Staff Officer to Chief of Staff,HQ RM 1998
Lieutenant Colonel 1999
Ops Staff,Permanent Joint HQ 2000-01
Senior British Military Advisor's Staff,US CENTCOM,Tampa,Florida September 2001
45 Commando (2IC) November 2001
Ops Staff Officer,US CENTCOM,Qatar 2002
UK Landing Force Command Support Group (C.O.)
M.O.D. (SO 1,Directorate of Joint Committments) May 2005
Colonel August 2006
DACOS Plans,FLEET Operations August 2006
Deputy Commander,3 Commando Brigade July 2008
Commandant General 13.6.2014
London Gazette 55155, 15th June 1998, Page 5 (MBE)
London Gazette 61803, 31st December 2016, Page N2 (CB)
In 1984, Smith joined the Royal Marines. He was commissioned in May 1984. During his early career, he served as a troop commander, a forward air controller and a mortar troop commander. He completed postings to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, and to Norway. He went on to specialise in reconnaissance and was deployed as part of the Gulf War in 1991.
In 1995, he attended the Royal Navy Staff Course and completed a Master of Arts (MA) degree in defence studies. From 1996 to 1997, he served as a staff officer specialising in operations. He then joined Headquarters Royal Marines where he served as Staff Officer to the Chief of Staff. From 2000 to 2001, he worked at the Permanent Joint Headquarters within its Operations Division.
Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, he was posted to the United States as part of the initial UK advisory team attached to the United States Central Command. In November 2001, he was appointed Second in Command of 45 Commando. With them, he deployed to Afghanistan and took part in Operation Jacana in 2002. With the start of the Iraq War, he was posted to the multinational headquarters as Deputy Chief of Operations.
He was appointed Commanding Officer of 30 Commando Information Exploitation Group. In August 2006, he joined FLEET Operations as head of plans. In July 2008, he was appointed Deputy Commander of 3 Commando Brigade. He was deployed to Afghanistan where he served as Commander Battle Group Centre South during Op HERRICK 9. In 2011, he was appointed Brigade Commander of 3 Commando Brigade. In June 2013, he left to study at the Royal College of Defence Studies.
In June 2014, he was promoted to major general. He was appointed Commandant General Royal Marines on 13 June 2014, in succession to Major General Ed Davis.
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