Royal Marines appoint new Commandant General

The Royal Marines has a new Commandant General – the most senior officer in the organisation. 

General Gwyn Jenkins, who is already Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff, has taken over the role from Lieutenant General Robert Magowan.

A ceremony took place at Commando Training Centre in Devon to mark the changeover of leadership.

• King Charles takes over from Prince Harry as Captain General of the Royal Marines 
• New Vice Chief of the Defence Staff appointed
• Royal Navy and Marines take on joint training in Montenegro's mountains

Biography

The new Commandant General Royal Marines, General Gwyn Jenkins was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1990.

As a junior officer, he spent his time in the Commando Logistics Regiment, competing for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines in cross-country skiing and on operations in Northern Ireland with 42 Commando RM. 

He was a graduate of the Advanced Command and Staff Course at the Military College Shrivenham, where he completed a master's degree in Defence Studies in 2004, and went on to serve as a lieutenant colonel overseeing global operations in PJHQ, before a commanding officer appointment in 2009.

On completion of his command tour, he was promoted to colonel and deployed for 12 months to Afghanistan, for which he was awarded an OBE, returning to the UK in 2012 as the military assistant to the Prime Minster in No 10 Downing Street.

After two years in No 10, he completed the Higher Command and Staff Course, was promoted to brigadier, and took up a 3* civilian appointment in the Cabinet Office as Deputy National Security Advisor for Conflict, Stability and Defence. 

In April 2017, he moved back to the military and took command of 3 Commando Brigade, conducting exercises and overseeing operational deployments around the world.

He was promoted to major general in January 2019, in which rank he served first in the Royal Navy as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff and subsequently commanded a tri-service organisation.

In August 2022, he was selected for the role of Vice Chief of the Defence Staff and promoted to General.

This month, as he assumes the mantle of Commandant General Royal Marines, he becomes the Commodore of the Royal Navy Sailing Association, Admiral of the Hornet Services Sailing Club and President of the Royal Marines Association.