'Owdun' Just a Thought

[El Prez]

These days Blur and his mangy crew of despots would move them from ship to ship, establishment to establishment, counting them as 'new' Marines every time, thereby convincing a gullible public that the forces are in good spirits and well manned.

[Artist]

JR

Didn't there used to be Royal Marine Engineers in the past?

I seem to remember seeing something about them in one of James Ladd's books.

aye Artist

[thokenda]

1939 - 1945.
Royal Marine Engineers (RME) were formed on 19th March 1940, most of the officers being civil engineers. The force rose to 8000 all ranks by 1945. Those employed in the Far East built an MTB base in Ceylon. the Gan airfield on Adu Atoll and repaired docks at the liberated ports of Akyab, Rangoon, Singapore and others. They also supported 3 Cdo Bdes landing at Kangaw in Burma, reinforcing the Chuang beachhead.
They generally were used in support of MNBDO's.
....Extract from History of the Royal Marines by Peter Smith and Derek Oakley.
1914 - 1918.
To add to the above information , there was a 1st Field Company RM Engineers attached to the RN Division at Gallipoli, later it was attached to the 63rd RN Division in France and Flanders, where it was transferred to the Royal Engineers and became the 247th Field Company RE.

[JR]

As thokenda stated RME supported MNBDOs and were frequently the only people available to restore captured ports and airfields.The first MNBDO unit was formed at Fort Cumberland in 1923-24.the RME depot was at Farrington,Berkshire.Advanced military training was carried out at Eastney Portsmouth.And not forgetting the RM Armoured support Regiments using Sherman and Centuar tanks.'Quote' from Brother 'Kipling',For there isn't a job on the top O' the earth the beggar don't know nor do- You can leave 'im at night on a bald man's 'ead,to paddle 'is own canoe- 'E's a sort of a bloomin'cosmopolouse-- soldier an' sailor too.Aye JR.

[El Prez]

'Quote' from Brother 'Kipling',For there isn't a job on the top O' the earth the beggar don't know nor do- You can leave 'im at night on a bald man's 'ead,to paddle 'is own canoe- 'E's a sort of a bloomin'cosmopolouse-- soldier an' sailor too.

There is that other famous saying, which I believe was always intended to be about Royal, Harry Enfield as Tim Nice-but-Dim, "He's a Bloody Nice Bloke!"

[Artist]

Thankee kind sirs.

I knew I had read it somewhere in the past. Just goes to show that Royal can turn his hand to anything.

Aye artist

[JR]

Anyone interested, I have the Formation Patches of the various Royal Marine Units WW2,these are in B/W I do have the unit colours to go with the patches,anyone out there who is a dab hand with the paint shop program,with each patch is a run down of the units history,any takers PM me.Cheers all.Aye JR

[harry hackedoff]

Brother Kipling eh, hmm
As an aside, the Anzac landings at Gallipoli where slotted in for St George`s day. However, bad weather delayed the landings till 25th April
Not many people know that Aye,

[Guest]

GRIPPING STUFF!!

[Shoulderholster]

As well as being a top flight poet he makes bloody nice (although a bit exspensive) cakes!!.
SH

[harry hackedoff]

If that`s yer idea of positive contribution, you two best piss orf to www.surplusspals.com, where that type of post is the norm
Bastards

[JR]

Hey and having just checked me old pay book (S43A Pt 2) I see we had a pay increase in 1950 and consisted of 75% rise in the basic daily rate of pay for Marines and Cpls and 33% for SNCOs,A Marines Pay went up to 6/6 (35p) Cpls to 8/6 (45p) and Sgts to 10/6 (55p).A futher incentive was the offer of £100 bounty to Marines and NCOs who re-engage on completion of 12 years service.And the Brigade was worth every penny of the increase in pay.Aye JR

[harry hackedoff]

Hope you spent it wisely, young man
"Drinking, smoking, loose women. The rest I just wasted"
On yer, Jim
Aye

[Bing Crosbie]

I always thought the strength of the Corps was around the 100.000 mark when I joined in 47. After all if you count the detachments aboard all those ships, all the Buglers and the Bands it must have been.
..Bing Crosbie

[Andy O'Pray]

THE ROYAL MARINES 1919-1980
James D. Ladd.

The Corps strength was over 78,000 in early 1944.

Aye - Andy. [/img]