Royal Marines played a significant role in helping the Royal Navy and the Allies succeed with many different operations during the Pacific War and in the lead up to VJ Day. Fleet Marine detachments aboard Royal Navy warships were fighting in the Far East from the beginning.
In January 1942, 210 surviving Royal Marines from HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales combined with survivors from the 2nd Battalion, the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Their unit was nicknamed the ‘Plymouth Argylls’, after the football team, and helped defend Singapore.
