A PROUD RECORD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 171, 10 June 1940, Page 5

A PROUD RECORD

THE ROYAL MARINES

HANDY MEN AFLOAT AND

ASHORE

The Royal Marines have a hundred and one militarj' and navai duties, but the one job they relish more than ony other is to be offer-i ed the opportunity of rowing themselves ashore from their warships in a landing party, states a writer in a journal. To this end a recruit is trained (illnost from the moment of joining. His original engagement is for 12 years with, the Colours, but if he is of good- elkmreler he is allowed to complete 21 years and qualify for a pension. The majority stay for as long as they can, though assured of good jobs in civil life if they leave. Anti-aircraft and coast defence gunnery, searchlights, signals and infantry work are only a few of the Marine's duties on shore. Afloat they must be able to sling heavy guns into boats from their ship— the Marines' specialty this, of which they are very proud. Parties of Royal Marines are embarked in all cruisers and capital ships. Normally, about one-fifth of the total armament of the ship is allocated to them. These detachments are under the immediate command of a Royal Marine officer, usually of the rank of captain, who is accountable to the captain of the ship. In addition, the Marines provide the guards-of honour, buglers and sentries, and they are responsible for certain parts of the ship below decks. Their mess is traditionally known as "The Barracks," and is always situated amidships between the quarter-deck and the naval personnel. The dual role of the Marines 's puzzling sometimes. When serving on shore they are subject to the Army Act in all matters of discipline. When afloat they are subject to the Naval Discipline Act. The corps is administered by the adjut-ant-general, who is responsible for the Royal Marines in all circumstances. Marines are organised into three main divisions, Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth, to which the personnel return between periods of service afloat. In the last war the strength of the Marines rose to 55,000, but it dropped again 'in peace-time to aboiit' 9000. In this war, the figures are climbing again, and a proportion of first class recruits have been taken for "hostilities only." Marines set great store by tradition. They arc fussy about things they consider important. A year before this %var they bought themselves new boat cloaks with scarletlinings for visiting other warships and for church parades. Because their ancestors had worn a garb like this they returned to it again. The Royal Marines have a proud service record. They were in the boats with Nelson at Teneriffe. They were at St. Vincent, Camperdown, tTie Nile aind Copenhagen. During the Great War they landed at Antwerp, Gallipoli, East Africa, and numerous other places where the Fleet was operating.