British Marines Duties

[Goodshipvenus]

While the sailors on 18th-19th century warships were always busy scrubbing the desks, splicing ropes, trimming the sails, cleaning the heads, doing repairs, steering the ship etc. what were the many marines on board doing every watch? They couldn’t have all been standing guard or drilling all the time. What duties did they have that would have kept them as busy as the sailors?

[popeye2sea]

That was pretty much it. Standing guard or drilling. Marines did not stand watches like the sailors. Maintaining their uniforms and weapons also occupied some of their time.  Marines uniforms had to look in top condition all the time. Polishing brass and whitening leathers takes a good amount of time.  Trust me, I have to do it frequently. And I use modern cleaners and whiteners.

 

My profile pic is me in 1812 US Marine uniform.

 

Regards,

Henry

[mtaylor]

Way back in boot camp, I remember mention of being guards on board for captain's/admiral's cabins and on board messengers as needed. But there was a lot of uniform and gun cleaning/repairs, not to mention target practice and "repel boarders" drills.   How much of that applies to the Brits, I have no idea but I suspect it was similar.

[Roger Pellett]

There was a category of crewmen called “idlers” that did not stand watch.  This included some of the specialized ratings; the carpenter, gunner,etc. and of course the cook.  I don’t believe that Marines fit into this category.  Instead, they were a completely different shipboard organization.  I have read that however, that they could be employed to handle lines that were belayed on the deck.  Their main job when the ship was not at General Quarters was to act as a disciplined police force separate from the crew.

 

Roger

[popeye2sea]

Marines were definitely in a separate administrative and operational organization. They only received orders and disciplinary actions from the Marine officers. However the Marine officers answered to the Captain of the ship who was in ultimate charge of everything that went on in his ship. In the Royal Navy Marines could also be called upon to man the cannons during battle.

 

Regards,

Henry

Edited September 18, 2023 by popeye2sea

[Dr PR]

Interesting. On the USS Oklahoma City CLG-5 during the Vietnam War our Marine detachment operated the 5"/38 gun mount. Regular Navy Bosun's Mates manned the 6"/47 turret.

 

The Marine detachment (Mardet) guarded the nuclear weapons spaces 24/7 and were "on call" for Security Alert actions where the Marines manned stations on deck with pistols, rifles, machine guns and grenade launchers - basically a "repel boarders" type situation. And the Marines formed a shore party that could be sent ashore to scout/attack a hostile position - or perhaps board another vessel.

 

This is pretty much the same duties for the Marines as 200 years earlier.

[dafi]

If not needed on deck, the Marines still had some other helping tasks: Manning the guns and the capstan 🙂

 

XXXDAn

 

[wefalck]

Who would maintain the guns, the sailors or the marines? Cast-iron guns at see need constant maintenance to prevent them from becoming rusty ...

[popeye2sea]

That was the job of the gunner and his mates.

 

Regards,

Henry