Dates: 1842 -

The Combined Operations Bombardment Units (COBUs) provided fire direction for ships in shore bombardment in World War 2. The first COBU was formed in 1940 and by the end of the war there were five in existence. In 1946 all were disbanded, except No.2 COBU which joined the School of Combined Operations (later the Amphibious Warfare Centre) at Fremington. 3 Independent Combined Operations Bombardment Troop (3 ICOBT) was raised to serve with the 40th Infantry Division in Hong Kong in 1949 and soon more Amphibious Observation Units, as they were now called, were in existence. These were combined to form 95th Amphibious Observation Regiment, with its headquarters at Fremington in Devon but batteries stationed at fleet bases throughout the world. 166 Battery, based at Malta, participated in the Suez invasion in November 1956(Operation Musketeer).

148 Battery has been in existence under various names since 1842. After 1945 it became a training unit but converted to the Amphibious Observation role in 1960. At around the same time it was decided that the Royal Marines, who no longer included gunners in their ranks, needed specialist fire support from an Army artillery regiment. Up until then 3 Commando Brigade had relied on whatever gunner regiment was available. 29th Field Regiment was serving in Kuwait in 1962 when it was chosen to take up this role. Its members were to be the first Army Commandos since 1946 and the first men to complete training received their green berets on 15 May 1962. The following year 95 Regiment was also re-roled as a Commando Light Regiment with the 105mm pack howitzer ( later the Light was dropped ). 148 Battery was to continue in the amphibious observation role for 95 as a Commando Forward Observation Battery, while 20 Battery did the same job for 29. Later a Territorial Army unit, 881 Battery, was formed. Members of 148 Battery saw service in the Malay Peninsula 1963-66, Borneo 1963-66, the Radfan in 1964 and in Aden at various times between 1960 and 1967.

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