Preface

Why study the Marines?In the years I have been researching and writing this work I've been asked this question countless times.It is usually quickly followed by, 'You mean the US Marine Corps, right?', which make sense being that I am an American.The truth is, I am interested in the first Marine Corps, the British, and their story is more interesting than previous scholarship would have you believe.In some small way telling their story is the primary purpose of this book.Marines, particularly in the eighteenth century, were not something unique to the British, as every European power with a naval force -including the fledgling United States by the end of the century -had a Marine Force of some kind.There then needs to be at least a statement about why the British are a unique model compared to their contemporaries.The French and Spanish had the largest naval services in the eighteenth century after the British, and both created and experimented with their Marine Forces.Both of these countries tried to develop different structural and administrative approaches to answer complex issues surrounding sea service.They both experimented with regimental and independent company structures.In 1717 the Spanish restructured their old Marines into the Cuerpo de Batallones de Marina, creating a force based on an independent battalion concept and giving it the structural flexibility necessary for sea services.The French Les Troupes de Marine in the eighteenth century were used operationally to guard the empire -famously so in Canada -alongside traditional sea service duties.These two countries' services were similar to the Marine regiments of the 1664-1749 period.If the comparison ended there it would give validity to the claim that these organisations were older, and potentially developed many of these methods before the British.However, the 1755 Marine Corps changed this and should be considered the first modern Marine Force.It is no coincidence that this happened during the largest global war the British nation was involved in to date, the Seven Years War, or the French and Indian War as it is known in the Americas.The new Marine Corps -this was the official name given to the British service at the time -while maintaining elements of the past was transforming into something new.Time and experience in amphibious settings was one major advantage the British marines had over all other Marine ix

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