The head of the Royal Marines has delayed moving on from the job so he can fight cuts to the elite force, he has told troops.

Maj Gen Rob Magowan was told by the head of the Navy to stay in post and keep fighting the Marines’ corner as the Corps goes through a defence review that could see 1,000 men axed.

Maj Gen Magowan, Commandant General Royal Marines, has written to the Corps official journal to assure troops he is personally confronting the threat from cuts, with a team of top staff.

The Armed Forces face another round of potentially deep cuts as they try to make £20bn of savings over the coming decade in return for new warships, planes and vehicles. At the same time a capability review led by Theresa May’s security adviser is looking at redrawing spending priorities in the wake of terrorist and cyber attacks.

Mark Sedwill is understood to believe it is more important to increase funding to fight cyber attacks than bolster the conventional Armed Forces.