History of the Royal Marines

The Corps of Royal Marines, the infantry land fighting element of the United Kingdom ‘s Royal Navy, was formed as function of the Naval Service in 1755. however, it can trace its origins back equally far as 1664, when english soldiers first went to sea to fight the dutch. early in their history, Marines were creditworthy for leading and repelling boarding attacks on the lower deck, while harassing the enemy from the upper decks with effective musket fire. At present, the Royal Marines are an elect contend pull within the british Armed forces, having undergo many substantial changes. [ 1 ]

lineage

The ‘first official ‘ whole of English Naval Infantry, in the first place called the Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot and soon becoming known as the Admiral’s Regiment, was formed on Tuesday, 28 October 1664, with an initial forte of 1,200 infantrymen recruited from the Trained Bands of London as character of the mobilization for the second Anglo-Dutch War. James ( later King James VII & II ), the Duke of York and Albany, Lord High Admiral and buddy of King Charles II, was Captain-General of the Company of the Artillery Garden, now the ethical Artillery Company, the unit of measurement that trained the trained Bands. It was the fourth european Marine unit formed, being preceded by the Spain ‘s Infantería de Marina ( 1537 ), the Portuguese Marine Corps ( 1610 ) and France ‘s Troupes de marine ( 1622 ). It consisted of six 200 homo companies and was initially commanded by Colonel Sir William Killigrew with Sir Charles Lyttleton as Lieutenant-Colonel. Killigrew had commanded an english regiment in Dutch service and many of the regiment ‘s initial complement of officers had served there equally well.

Reading: History of the Royal Marines

The Holland Regiment ( subsequently The Buffs ) was besides raised to serve at sea and both of these “ naval ” regiments were paid for by the Treasurer of the Navy by Order of Council of 11 July 1665. They were besides unlike in that they had no pikemen, every serviceman being issued a musket. The Holland Regiment remained on the naval establishments until May 1667. The name “ Marines ” first gear appeared in official records in 1672. The Regiment was identical classifiable, being dressed in old gold, quite than the Red coat of the other regiments, until 1685. John Churchill, later the 1st Duke of Marlborough, was the most celebrated member of this regiment. A company of Foot Guards served as Marines to augment the Marines of the Admiral ‘s Regiment during the key sea battle the Battle of Solebay in 1672. Marlborough ‘s behavior as an Ensign in the Guards during the battle indeed affect James that he commissioned him a captain in the Admiral ‘s Regiment after four marine captains died during the battle. Marlborough served eight years in the regiment and led a battalion of the regiment in the down battle, the Battle of Enzheim in 1674. The regiment was disbanded in 1689 concisely after James II was deposed in the glorious Revolution. The Buffs replaced them as third in precession in the british Army .
Two marine regiments of the united states army were raised in 1690 and disbanded in 1696. They were the Earl of Pembroke ‘s and Torrington ‘s, by and by Lord Berkeley ‘s. Each had twelve companies ( 948 men ) and a Grenadier company ( 237 men ) and again there were no pikemen, each man carrying a dutch snaphance musket. In summation, each Marine carried a bayonet, which was strange at that time. These two regiments participated in an oppose land during the Williamite War in Ireland at Cork, Ireland on 21 September 1690 under the command of John Churchill, now the Duke of Marlborough. On the peace of 1697, two foot regiments raised in 1692, Mordaunt ‘s and Seymour ‘s were converted into Marines. In 1702, six Regiments of Marines and six Sea Service Regiments of Foot were formed for the War of the spanish Succession. When on kingdom, the Marines were commanded by Brigadier-General William Seymour, once of the fourth Foot. The most historic accomplishment of these Marines was the capture of the mole during the attack on Gibraltar ( sailors of the Royal Navy captured the Rock itself ) and the subsequent defensive structure of the fortress alongside the dutch Marines in 1704. In 1713, after the Peace of Utrecht, three of these Regiments were transferred to the Line, where they became the 30th through 32nd Foot, and the others disbanded. alone four Companies of Marine Invalids remained. Six Marine Regiments ( 1st to 6th Marines, 44th to 49th Foot ) were raised on 17 November–22 November 1739 for the War of Jenkins ‘ Ear, with four more being raised late. One boastfully Marine Regiment ( Spotswood ‘s Regiment, late Gooch ‘s Marines, the 43rd Foot ) was formed of american english colonists and served aboard british Marines at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia and Guantánamo Bay, Cuba in the War of Jenkins ‘ Ear ( 1741 ). Among its officers was Lawrence Washington, the stepbrother of George Washington. In 1747, the remaining regiments were transferred to the Admiralty and then disbanded in 1748. Many of the disbanded men were offered exile to Nova Scotia and helped form the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia. even though they were function of the Army, these Marines were quite nautical at times. Some Royal Navy officers began in these Marine regiments and some kept their Marine absolute throughout their careers, one Royal Navy Captain even serving as the Captain of Marines on his own embark. They were used by the Admiralty to rig ships before they were placed in commission as the Royal Navy had no supernumerary sailors – the police required that all sailors must be part of a commission vessel. It was another law, one which required that an entire Army Regiment had to muster before it could be paid, that led to their transfer to the Admiralty. This necessity was intemperate for the Marine Regiments to follow, as their Companies were stationed on many different ships. On 5 April 1755, His Majesty’s Marine Forces, fifty Companies in three Divisions, headquartered at Chatham, Portsmouth, and Plymouth, were formed by Order of Council under Admiralty master. Initially, all field officers were Royal Navy officers as the Royal Navy felt that the ranks of Marine plain officers were largely honorary. This mean that the farthest a Marine officer could advance was to Lieutenant Colonel. It was not until 1771 that the first gear Marine was promoted to Colonel. This situation persisted well into the 1800s. During the remainder of the eighteenth century, they served in numerous landings all over the world, the most celebrated being the landing at Bellisle on the Brittany slide in 1761. They besides served in the American War of Independence, being particularly brave in the Battle of Bunker Hill led by Major John Pitcairn. These Marines besides much took to the embark ‘s boats to repel attackers in small boats when RN ships were becalmed on close up blockade. On 14 February 1779, Captain James Cook took with him the following Marines : Lt.Phillips ; a Sgt ; Corporal Thomas and seven Privates ; besides Cook, four Marines-Corporal Thomas and three Privates Hinks ; Allen, and Fatchett-were killed and 2-Lt Phillips and Private Jackson-wounded. In 1802, largely at the fomentation of Admiral John Jervis, 1st Earl of St Vincent, they were titled the Royal Marines by King George III. [ 2 ] The Royal Marine Artillery ( RMA ) was formed as an establishment within the british Royal Marines in 1804 to man the artillery in bomb calorimeter vessels. This had been done by the Royal Regiment of Artillery, but a lawsuit by a Royal Artillery military officer resulted in a court decisiveness that Army officers were not subject to naval orders. As their coats were the amobarbital sodium of the Royal Regiment of Artillery, this group was nicknamed the “ Blue Marines ” and the Infantry element, who wore the scarlet coats of the british infantry, became known as the “ loss Marines ”, often given the derogative nickname “ Lobsters ” by sailors .

Predecessors

A boastfully count of English and British marine regiments were raised for versatile specific wars. After the war for which they were raised, these regiments either became ordinary united states army infantry regiments or were disbanded. His Majesty ‘s Marine Forces raised in 1755 are the oldest direct harbinger of the Royal Marines .

1664: Duke of York and Albany’s Maritime Regiment of Foot raised from the Trained Bands of London and later renamed Lord Admiral’s Regiment. This marine regiment is the predecessor of The Buffs, itself a predecessor of the princess of Wales ‘ Royal Regiment.
Two Marine Regiments of the Army raised in 1690 and disbanded in 1696: Earl of Pembroke’s Regiment and Torrington’s, (later Lord Berkeley’s) Regiment.
1697: Mordaunt’s Regiment and Seymour’s Regiment converted into Marines.
1702: Six Regiments of Marines and six Sea Service Regiments of Foot raised. In 1713, three of these Regiments were transferred to the Line to become the 30th foot (a predecessor of the Royal Anglian Regiment), 31st Foot (a predecessor of the princess of Wales ‘ Royal Regiment), and 32nd foot (a predecessor of the Rifles). The others were disbanded.
1739-1748: Marine Regiments raised in the War of Jenkins’ Ear.
1741: Spotswood’s Regiment, later renamed Gooch’s Marines, later becoming the 61st Foot (a predecessor of the Rifles) was raised from North American colonists.
1755: His Majesty’s Marine Forces raised. The oldest predecessor to which the Royal Marines can trace a direct lineage.
1802: His Majesty’s Marine Forces designated Royal Marines in recognition of past services to the nation.
1804: The Royal Marine Artillery (RMA) raised to replace Royal Artillery units formerly assigned to ships of the Royal Navy[3]
1808: First Corps of Colonial Marines raised
1814: Second Corps of Colonial Marines raised from escaped American slaves
1855: His Majesty’s Marine Forces renamed the Royal Marines Light Infantry (RMLI)
1862: Royal Marines Light Infantry slightly renamed Royal Marine Light Infantry (RMLI)
1914-1918: Royal Naval Brigades used during the First World War were composed of both marines and sailors
1923: The Royal Marine Artillery and Royal Marine Light Infantry amalgamated into the Corps of Royal Marines

nineteenth century

french Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars

The Royal Marines served throughout the Napoleonic Wars on-board Royal Navy ships in every celebrated naval conflict including St Vincent, Camperdown, the Nile, Copenhagen, Trafalgar, the Dardanelles, Cape Lissa and Aix Roads. The marines besides saw action in respective amphibious operations. The number of marines on board Royal Naval ships depended on the size of the ship and was by and large kept at a proportion of one marine per ship gunman, plus officers. For example : a first Rate Ship of the Line contained 104 marines while a 28 accelerator Frigate had 29. between 1807 and 1814, the sum marine establishment number was 31,400 men. Manpower ( recruitment and retention ) problems saw regular infantry units from the british Army being used as shipboard replacements on numerous occasions. One consequence of the Royal Navy ‘s authority of the seas in Europe, and the barricade of the french Navy ‘s ports did mean that manpower constraints became less of an issue at the end of the Napoleonic Wars. From 1812, such nautical domination meant the Mediterranean and Channel Fleets were assigned extra marines for function ‘in destroying signal communications and other junior-grade harassing modes of war ‘. [ 4 ] The british established respective Royal Marine raiding battalions at this clock. In the War of 1812, the engagement of the Royal Marines was not limited to battles at sea. Royal Marines in the raid battalions harassed the coasts of Maryland and Virginia in 1813, and participated in the Chesapeake crusade ( Jul-Sep 1814 ), including the take after actions : Battle of Bladensburg – the use of Congreve rockets by the separation of Royal Marine Artillery commanded by Lieutenant John Lawrence resulted in the rout of the US militiamen. [ 5 ] burn of Washington – performed by those men, of the Royal Marines battalion and the 21st Foot, in the 3rd Brigade. [ 6 ] Battle of Baltimore – Royal Marine Artillerymen aboard HMS Erebus ( 1807 ) illuminated Fort McHenry with the “ rockets ‘ bolshevik glare ”, as mentioned in The Star-Spangled Banner besides present on prop up during the Chesapeake campaign was a complex battalion of Marines, formed from ships ‘ Marine detachments, frequently led by Captain John Robyns. A smaller composite battalion of about 100 men ( 23 officers, [ 7 ] 2 of whom ( John Wilson 1787-1850 & John Alexander Phillips 1790-1865 ) were Trafalgar veterans, and 80 other ranks ) besides took separate in the Battle of New Orleans, under the command of Brevet Major Thomas Adair. The only british achiever at New Orleans was an approach on the west bank of the Mississippi River by a 700-man force, consisting of the 100 Royal Marines, 100 sailors under Captain Rowland Money, and 3 companies of the eighty-fifth Foot. [ 8 ] A Corps of Colonial Marines existed from May 1814 to 20 August 1816, and was formed from volunteer escaped slaves. It served on the Atlantic slide .

Crimean War and beyond

In 1855, the nautical Infantry forces were renamed the Royal Marines Light Infantry ( RMLI ) and in 1862 the name was slenderly altered to Royal Marine Light Infantry. The Royal Navy only saw limited active service at ocean after 1850 ( until 1914 ) and became matter to in developing the concept of landings by Naval Brigades. In these Naval Brigades, the function of the Royal Marines was to land first and act as skirmishers ahead of sailors trained as conventional infantry and weapon. This skirmish was the traditional function of Light Infantry. It was not until 1923 that the separate Artillery and light Infantry forces were formally amalgamated into the Corps of Royal Marines ( see below ). During the Crimean War in 1854 and 1855, three Royal Marines earned the Victoria Cross, two in the Crimea and one in the Baltic. The use of the modern “ torpedoes ” ( mines ) by the Russians in the Baltic made the campaign there peculiarly suited to RM marauding and reconnaissance parties. Landings by the british and french Navy and Marines in 1854 were repulsed by the Russians at Petropavlovsk on the Pacific coast of Russia. In the respite of the nineteenth Century, the Royal Marines served in many landings, particularly in the First and Second Opium Wars ( 1839–1842 and 1856–1860 ) against the Chinese. These were all successful except for the landing at the Mouth of the Peiho in 1859, where Admiral Sir James Hope ordered a landing across extensive mudflats even though his Brigadier, Colonel Thomas Lemon RMLI, advised against it .

early twentieth hundred

The Royal Marines besides played a big character in the Boxer Rebellion in China ( 1900 ), where a Royal Marine earned a foster Corps Victoria Cross. For the first base part of the twentieth hundred, the Royal Marines ‘ role was the traditional one of providing shipboard infantry for security, boarding parties and small-scale landings. The Marines ‘ other traditional position on a Royal Navy embark was manning ‘X ‘ and ‘Y ‘ ( the aftermost ) accelerator turrets on a battleship or cruiser. During both World War I and World War II Royal Marine detachments were limited to Cruisers and above and until the latter part of the twentieth century Royal Marine Bands were besides carried on those ships. In times of war the Bandsmen traditionally operated the embark ‘s comprehensive fire-control system, situated for stability and safety at the lowest deck of the ship. consequently, when ships were sink, about inevitably the entire transport ‘s band was lost. Pursuing a career in the Marines had been considered closely a form of ‘social suicide ‘ for the ambitious as, through much of the 18th and 19th centuries, the social standing of Royal Marine officers was not considered to be the peer of their Royal Navy counterparts. An effort was made in 1907 through the park entry part of the Selborne scheme to reduce the master differences between RN and RM officers. This provided for an initial period of service where both groups performed the same roles and undergo the same trail. Upon promotion to Lieutenant, officers could opt for permanent wave servicing with the Royal Marines. The system was abandoned after three years when only two of the new entrants chose this choice over that of overhaul as naval officers, for whom promotion prospects were much greater. At the outbreak of World War I, the Corps was 58 subalterns under administration .

First World War

During World War I, in addition to their usual stations aboard ship, Royal Marines were separate of the Royal Naval Division that landed in Belgium in 1914 to help defend Antwerp and belated took partially in the amphibious landing at Gallipoli in 1915. It besides served on the western Front in the trenches. The Division ‘s first base two commanders were Royal Marine Artillery Generals. other Royal Marines acted as land parties in the Naval campaign against the turkish fortifications in the Dardanelles before the Gallipoli landings. They were sent ashore to assess wrong to Turkish fortifications after barrage by british and french ships and, if necessity, to complete their end. The Royal Marines were the last to leave Gallipoli, replacing both british and french troops in a neatly planned and executed withdrawal from the beaches. It even required some Marines to wear french uniforms as part of the magic trick. In 1918, Royal Marines led the Zeebrugge Raid. Five Royal Marines earned the Victoria Cross in the First World War, two at Zeebrugge, one at Gallipoli, one at the Battle of Jutland and one on the western Front. After the war Royal Marines took separate in the ally intervention in Russia. In 1919, the 6th Battalion RMLI rose in mutiny and was disbanded at Murmansk .

Between the World Wars

The Royal Marine Artillery ( RMA ) and Royal Marine Light Infantry ( RMLI ) were amalgamated on 22 June 1923. [ 9 ] Post-war demobilization had seen the Royal Marines reduced from 55,000 ( 1918 ) to 15,000 in 1922 and there was Treasury pressure for a far reduction to 6,000 or flush the entire disbandment of the Corps. As a compromise an establishment of 9,500 was settled upon but this meant that two separate branches could no longer be maintained. The abandonment of the Marine ‘s weapon function meant that the Corps would subsequently have to rely on Royal Artillery defend when ashore, that the title of Royal Marines would apply to the entire Corps and that only a few specialists would now receive naval gunnery train. As a shape of consolation the dark blue and red uniform of the Royal Marine Artillery now became the entire dress of the entire Corps. Royal Marine officers and Senior NCO ‘s however continue to wear the historic scarlet in mess full-dress to the present day. The ranks of Private, used by the RMLI, and Gunner, used by the RMA, were abolished and replaced by the rate of Marine. [ 10 ]

second World War

During the early parts of World War II, a small party of Royal Marines were first ashore at Namsos in April 1940, seizing the approaches to the norwegian township preparatory to a land by the british Army two days former. The Royal Marines formed the Royal Marine Division as an amphibious war trained division, parts of which served at Dakar and in the capture of Madagascar. After the assail on the french naval base at Antsirane in Madagascar was held up, fifty Sea Service Royal Marines from HMS Ramilles commanded by Captain Martin Price were landed on the quay of the free-base by the british destroyer HMS Anthony after it ran the gauntlet of french shore batteries defending Diego Suarez Bay. They then captured two of the batteries, which led to a immediate resignation by the french. [ 11 ] In addition the Royal Marines formed Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisations ( MNBDOs ) similar to the US Marine Corps Defense Battalions. One of these took separate in the defense of Crete. Royal Marines besides served in Malaya and Singapore, where due to losses they were joined with remnants of the 2nd Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the “ Plymouth Argylls ” ( as there is a football club called Plymouth Argyle F.C., and the Royal Marines were associated with Plymouth ). The Royal Marines formed one Commando ( A Commando ) which served at Dieppe. One calendar month after Dieppe, most of the 11th Royal Marine Battalion was killed or captured in an amphibious land at Tobruk in Operation Agreement, again the Marines were involved with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders this clock time the 1st Battalion. In 1943 the Infantry Battalions of the Royal Marine Division were re-organised as Commandos, joining the Army Commandos. The Division command structure became a special Service Brigade command. The support troops became landing craft crew. A sum of four particular Service, by and by Commando, Brigades were raised during the war, and Royal Marines were represented in all of them. Nine RM Commando ( battalions ) were raised during the war, numbered from 40 to 48. 1st Commando Brigade had just one RM Battalion, No 45 Commando and took character in the Allied invasion of Sicily and the D Day Operation Overlord invasion of german -occupied Normandy, then campaigns in the Rhineland and crossing the Rhine.

2nd Commando Brigade had two RM battalions, No. 40 and No. 43 and was involved in the Salerno landings, Anzio, Comacchio, and operations in the Argenta Gap. 3rd Commando Brigade besides had two, No. 42 and No. 44 and served in Allied invasion of Sicily and Burma. 4th Commando Brigade was wholly Royal Marine after March 1944, comprising No. 41, No. 46, No. 47 and No. 48 Commando served in Normandy and in the Battle of the Scheldt on the island of Walcheren during the clear of Antwerp. In January 1945, two far RM Brigades were formed, 116th Royal Marine Brigade and 117th Royal Marine Brigade. Both were conventional Infantry, quite than Commando brigades, and were formed by excess landing craft crews. 116th Brigade saw some action in the Netherlands, but 117th Brigade was barely used operationally. In addition, one Landing Craft Assault ( LCA ) unit was stationed in Australia late in the war as a train unit. That calendar month the elements of the Royal Marines saw action in the Pacific theater when they were deployed to Arakan as separate of the british campaign in Burma. 42 Commando & No. 44 Commando as contribution of 3 Commando Brigade took part in the Battle of Hill 170. Royal Marines besides took separate in capturing Ramree and Cheduba islands, the latter achieved without resistance. In 1946, the Army Commandos and all but three Royal Marine Commandos and three out of four Commando brigades were disbanded, leaving 3 Commando Brigade and 40, 42 and 45 Commando Royal Marines to continue the Commando function ( with supporting Army elements ). A number of Royal Marines served as aircraft pilots during the second World War. It was a Royal Marines officer who led the attack by a geological formation of Blackburn Skuas that sank the german cabin cruiser Königsberg. Eighteen Royal Marines commanded Fleet Air Arm squadrons during the path of the war, and with the formation of the british Pacific Fleet were well represented in the concluding force on Japan in the Pacific Theatre. Captains and Majors broadly commanded squadrons, whilst in one sheath Lt. Colonel R.C.Hay on HMS Indefatigable ( R10 ) was Air Group Co-ordinator from HMS Victorious ( R38 ) of the entire british Pacific Fleet. Some were captured including Captain Guy Griffiths, who was captured very early on in the war. only one Marine, 21 year honest-to-god Corporal Thomas Peck Hunter of 43 Commando, was awarded the Victoria Cross in the second World War. The decoration was awarded for legal action at Comacchio lagoon during Operation Roast in the spring 1945 nauseating in Italy. Hunter was the last Royal Marine Commando to be awarded the decoration to date .
Throughout the war Royal Marines continued in their traditional function of providing transport detachments and manning a proportion of the guns on cruisers and das kapital ships. They besides provided the crew for the UK ‘s minor Landing Craft and operated two regiments of Centaur IV tanks of the Royal Marines Armoured Support Group on D Day. The Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment, The Cockleshell Heroes, under Blondie Hasler carried out Operation Frankton and provided the basis for the post-war lengthiness of the Special Boat Service .

After 1945

Royal Marines were involved in the Korean War. 41 ( Independent ) Commando was reformed in 1950, and was in the first place envisaged as a foray into force for use against North Korea. It performed this character in partnership with the United States Navy until after the landing of United States Army X Corps at Wonsan. It then joined the 1st Marine Division at Koto-Ri. As Task Force Drysdale with Lt. Col. D.B. Drysdale RM in command, 41 Commando, a USMC party, a US Army company and separate of the divisional educate fought their direction from Koto-Ri to Hagaru after the Chinese had blocked the road to the North. It then took part in the celebrated withdrawal from Chosin Reservoir. After that, a small come of raiding followed, before the Marines were withdrawn from the conflict in 1951. It received the Presidential Unit Citation ( United States ) after the USMC got the regulations modified to allow foreign units to receive the award. After playing a part in the long-running Malayan Emergency, the future action came in 1956, during the Suez Crisis. Headquarters 3 Commando Brigade, and Nos 40, 42 and 45 Commandos took part in the operation. It marked the first gear time that a helicopter assault was used operationally to land troops in an amphibious attack. british and french forces defeated the Egyptians, but after pressure from the United States, and french domestic atmospheric pressure, they backed devour. From 1955 to 1959, 40 and 45 Commando interchange duties in Cyprus undertaking anti-terrorist operations against the EOKA guerrillas during tensions between the Greek and turkish inhabitants of the island. The EOKA were a little, but knock-down organization of Greek Cypriots, who had great local support from the Greek community. On 6 September 1955, the UN called 45 Commando at a moments notice to move to Cyprus amid escalating tensions and EOKA atrocities. The unit, based in Malta at the time travelled to the Kyrenia batch area of the island and by 10 September, around 1,300 Marines and 150 vehicles used by the unit had arrived in the and ready to patrol. further action in the Far East was seen during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation. Nos 40 and 42 Commando went to Borneo at assorted times to help keep indonesian forces from worsening situations in the neighbor region, in what was an already heat separate of the populace, with conflicts in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. During the campaign there was a company-strength amphibious attack by Lima Company of 42 Commando at the town of Limbang to rescue hostages. The Limbang raid saw three of the 150 marines involved decorated, L ship’s company 42 commando are however referred to today as Limbang Company in memory of this archetypal commando raid. In January 1964, separate of the tanzanian Army mutinied. Within 24 hours. Royal Marines had left Bickleigh Camp, Plymouth, Devon, and were travelling by vent to Nairobi, Kenya, continuing by road into Tanzania. At the like clock time, Commandos aboard HMS Bulwark sailed to East Africa and anchored off-shore from Dar e Salaam, Tanzania. The disgust was put down and the following six months were spent in touring tanzanian military out-posts disarming military personnel. The Royal Marines were then relieved by Canadian armed forces. From 1969 onwards, Royal Marine units regularly deployed to Northern Ireland during The Troubles, during the course of which 13 were killed in action. [ 12 ] A far eleven died in the 1989 Deal bombing of the Royal Marines School of Music. between 1974 and 1984, the Royal Marines undertook three United Nations tours of duty in Cyprus. The beginning was in November 1974 when 41 Commando took over the Limassol District from the 2nd Battalion of the Guards Brigade and became the first base Commando to wear the light blue berets of the UN when they began the Corps ‘ first six-month tour with the UN forces in Cyprus ( UNIFCYP ). The Commando besides consisted of the 8th ( Alma ) Battery of 29 Commando RA and two troops of Independent Squadron Royal Engineers. In 1974, 41 Commando was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for “ The institution or unit which contributes the most towards establishing thoroughly and friendly relations with the inhabitants of any district within, or outside the UK. ” The Falklands War provided the backdrop to the following action of the Royal Marines. Argentina invaded the islands in April 1982. A british task storm was immediately despatched to recapture them, and given that an amphibious assault would be necessary, the Royal Marines were heavily involved. 3 Commando Brigade was brought to full battle lastingness, with not only 40, 42 and 45 Commandos, but besides the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Parachute Regiment attached. The troops were landed at San Carlos Water at the western end of East Falkland, and proceeded to “ yomp “ across the entire island to the capital, Stanley, which fell on 14 June 1982. A Royal Marines divisional headquarter was deployed, under major-general Jeremy Moore, who was commanding officer of british land forces during the war. The chief chemical element of 3 Commando Brigade was not deployed in the 1991 Gulf War. however, 24 men from K Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines were deployed as six world teams aboard two Royal Navy frigates and two Royal Navy destroyers. They were used as ship board parties and took function in numerous boardings of suspect shipping. There were besides far elements deployed to provide security of shipping whilst in ports throughout the Gulf. The chief chemical element of 3 Commando Brigade was deployed to northern Iraq in the consequence to provide help to the Kurds as partially of Operation Safe Haven. The remainder of the 1990s saw no major warfighting deployments, other than a divisional headquarter to control domain forces during the short NATO treatment that ended the bosnian War. More recently, Royal Marines detachments have been involved in operations in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, East Timor and the Congo where aboard french troops they prepared for a NEO Non-combatant elimination operation of Brits from the embassies. From 2000 onwards, the Royal Marines began converting from their traditional inner light infantry role towards an expanded wedge auspices type function, with the initiation of the Commando 21 concept, leading to the presentation of the Viking, the first armor fomite to be operated by the Royal Marines for half a century. In November 2001, after the seizure of Bagram Air Base by the Special Boat Service, Charlie Company of 40 Commando became the inaugural british regular forces into Afghanistan, using Bagram Air base to support British and US Special Forces Operations. Bravo Company 40 Commando arrived in December 2001, finally moving into Kabul itself, beginning the build of the infrastructure which became ISAF. 40 Commando continued to roulement Companies until October 2002 .
2002 saw the deployment of 45 Commando Royal Marines to Afghanistan, where touch with enemy forces was expected to be heavy. however fiddling action was seen, with no Al-Qaida or Taliban forces being found or engaged. 3 Commando Brigade deployed on Operation TELIC in early 2003 with the USMC ‘s 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit under command. The Brigade conducted an amphibious assault on the Al-Faw peninsula in Iraqin digest of the US Navy SEALs, The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 42 Commando securing the port of Umm Qasr and 40 Commando conducting a helicopter assail in ordering to secure the anoint installations to assure stay operability of Iraq ‘s export capability. The attack proceeded well, with light up casualties. 3 Commando Brigade served as share of the US 1st Marine Division and received the US Presidential Unit Citation, in fact the 2nd time in 50 years the Royal Marines received this. In former 2006, 3 Commando Brigade relieved 16 Air Assault Brigade in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, as part of Operation Herrick. In 2008, Lance-Corporal Matthew Croucher of 40 Commando was awarded the George Cross ( GC ) after throwing himself on a grenade to save the lives of the other marines of his patrol. unusually, he managed to keep his backpack between himself and the grenade, and that, together with his body armor, mean he suffered merely very child injuries. [ 13 ]

Uniforms

historically, Marine uniforms broadly matched those of the contemporary british Army, at least for wax dress. The constraints of shipboard duty however brought some practical considerations – for ordinary work duties during the former 18th and early 19th centuries the marines would put aside their easily-stained red coats and wore the loose “ slop ” invest of the british sailors ( then known as Jack Tars ). The wax uniform was worn for watch and guard duties and would besides normally be worn in action. It is recorded that at Trafalgar many marines fought in their undress checked shirts and blasphemous trousers. The original british marines of the Duke of York and Albany ‘s Maritime Regiment of Foot ( 1664–1689 ) wear yellow ( credibly amber ) coats with loss breeches and black felt hats. other short lived marine regiments during the time period 1685 to 1699 wear blue blue, blush or crimson coats. Queen Anne ‘s six Marine Regiments wear red coats with different coloured facings according to the preference of their individual colonels. The dress of the ten Regiments of Marines raised for service between 1739 and 1748 is well documented in the color illustrations of the official 1742 Clothing Book. All wear loss coats and breeches with miter dash caps. Facings, buttons and spike varied according to the regiment. From the institution of a permanent corporation of Marine Regiments in 1755 to 1802, red coats with white facings were worn. The convention headdress was a tricorn ( subsequently bicorn hat and the overall appearance closely resembled that of the Army ‘s Regiments of Foot. Grenadier companies were issued with fur hats, for estate avail entirely, during the American War of Independence .
In 1802 the allow of the title “ Royal Marines ” meant a transfer to dark blue facings and a classifiable cycle hat made of lacquer feel. This is the headdress normally associated with the marines of Nelson ‘s navy. White breeches and gaiters were worn for parade during the Napoleonic Wars but blue or egg white trousers were normal shipboard clothing. Short white jackets and bag-like undress caps were part of the sea-kit for ordinary duties, replacing the earlier casual or slop clothing that had frequently led to confusion between sailors and marines. The newly created Royal Marine Artillery wore the dark bluing coat faced in crimson of the Royal Artillery with lone buttons and badges as a eminence. The relatively passive period that followed the Napoleonic Wars saw the uniforms of the Royal Marines again closely comply Army styles. “ Bell Top ” Shakos and close buttocks coats were adopted, careless of their suitability for seagoing conditions. ( This expressive style of undifferentiated can be seen in pictures of the Fort Cumberland Guard reenactment company. ) The Royal Marine Light Infantry continued to wear red coats with dark blue collars and cuffs. The Royal Marines wore dark blue serge jackets in the Anglo-Egyptian Campaign of 1882 with embroidered badges on their collars – bugle horns for the RMLI and grenades for the RMA. During the subsequent Sudan Campaign a unaccented grey field consistent was adopted. During the siege of the Peking Legations in 1900 the RMLI wore their common blistering weather ship-board working full-dress of blue field avail cap, blue tunic and white trousers. Khaki or all white tropical uniforms were wear subsequent to the relief of the Legations .
In 1905, a white fabric helmet with bronze fittings was adopted to be worn with the red and aristocratic full dress of the RMLI and the night blue and red of the RMA. This headdress was replaced in 1912 by the white Wolseley traffic pattern pith helmet, which remains the most distinctive feature of modern Royal Marine full dress. The Royal Marine Brigade sent to Ostend in August 1914 tire benighted blasphemous undress uniforms but khaki avail dress or khaki drill was worn for subsequent active avail on estate during World War I. During the Inter-War years the newly merged Royal Marines wore a full preen that combined features of both the RMLI and RMA uniforms worn until 1914. This comprised a Wolseley helmet, darkness bluing tunic and trousers with red collars and trouser welts. shoulder cords and slashed cuffs were in yellow. This dress is still worn by the Royal Marines Band Service. During World War II, the Royal Marines wore khaki or blue battledress but retained their dark blue undress uniforms with red-banded top out caps for certain off duty or ceremony occasions. The well known green beret was introduced for the Royal Marine Commandos in 1942.

See besides

Notes

References

A Brief Chronology of Marines History 1664-2003, Royal Marines Museum [1]
H. R. Knight Historical Records of the Buffs, East Kent Regiment, 3rd Foot, Formerly Designated the Holland Regiment 1905.
The Whitefoord Papers; Being the Correspondence and Other Manuscripts of Colonel Charles Whitefoord and Caleb Whitefoord, from 1739 to 1810, by Charles Whitefoord, Clarendon press, 1898. Charles Whitefoord served in Wynyard’s (4th Marines), Gooch’s, and the 5th Marines in the 1740s.
Historical record of the Royal marine forces, by Paul Harris Nicolas, Thomas and Boone, London, 1845.
Per Mare, Per Terram: Reminiscences of Thirty-two Years’ Military, Naval, and Constabulary Service by William Henry Poyntz, Economic Print. & Publ. Co. (1892).
Britain’s sea soldiers : a history of the Royal Marines and their predecessors and of their services in action, ashore and afloat, and upon sundry other occasions of moment, by Cyril Field, Liverpool: The Lyceum Press, 1924, (2 vol.) Covers British Marines until around 1900.
Britain’s Sea Soldiers: A Record of the Royal Marines during the War 1914-1919, by General Sir H.E. Blumberg, Devonport, 1927.
By Sea and Land by Robin Neillands, 1987, Cassell Military Paperbacks, ISBN 0-304-35683-2.

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