Royal Marines in the First World War (Hardback)

The Royal Marine Light Infantry have been one of the mainstays of the British Armed forces involved in countless conflicts since their formation. Their involvement in the First Word War is broad and varied and Matthew Richardson’s “Royal Marines in the First World War” does a good job in summarising their roles in various campaigns.

The book is broken down into seven chapters covering the Antwerp operation (1914), Dardanelles (1915), At Sea, the Western Front, The Zeebrugge raid (1918), Russia (1918-19) and the Flying Marines. Although some of these campaigns stand out as lending themselves to the Marines others are probably a surprise.

Each chapter lays out the chronology of the Marines in each campaign illustrated with excerpts from official diaries, letters and diaries from the men themselves as well as photographs bringing life to the events:

Serving with the fleet is a varied four year odyssey which saw them in action around the globe including off German Sudwest Afrika, Kamerun, dodging U-boats in the Atlantic and the Battle of Jutland.

The role of the Marines on the Western Front includes the Battle of the Somme, actions at Miraumont, Gavrelle as part of Bullecourt, third Ypres as well as the work of the Royal Marine Artillery which is often overlooked.

One of the most daring naval exploits of the whole War was the raid on Zeebrugge. The Marines were at the forefront of the attack on the port and the bloody fighting on the Mole, against stiff German resistance and heavy fire, that saw over eighty of their number killed in the action. It is a story of bravery in the face of adversity and Richardson’s book uses first hand testimonies masterfully to show what the Marines faced and how they survived the ordeal.

I was really pleased to see the Chapter on the Russian Campaign, as this is a front that is often not covered as it falls outside the traditional period of the Great War. This chapter charts their use in guarding the port of Archangel and then moving over to offensive operations against the Bolsheviks. It includes the story of Private Thomas Pyle, 6th Battalion, who was captured and held for nine months and would receive the DCM for bravery.

We often think of air operations belonging to the RFC and the succeeding RAF but the Royal Navy Air Service was just as active through the war with pilots drawn from the Navy and the Marines. Their operations included flying from HMS Ark Royal in the Dardanelles, attacking Zeppelin sheds in Germany, further actions on the Western Front and out to Russia.

The story of the Marines during the First World War is a subject that could see a rather heavy tome written and although this book is quite short it is beautifully written and illustrated and gives an excellent overview of their involvement and is a great jump off point for further reading.

Chris Sams, Salient Points

"The amount of primary resources and photos sourced by the author of, 'Royal Marines in the First World War,' is impressive and gives validity to the accuracy of the information and its interpretation. It helped me appreciate a world I was unfamiliar with, and to the extent that the Royal Marines really are an asset in any field of conflict. The chapters highlight instances where Great Britain was able to apply the dedication and adaptability of these men and this volume would be an asset to anyone with an interest in this subject."

Laura McCoy