R.M. Infantry Brigades

During The German Collapse

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The Commandos were not the only Marines to a part in the invasion of Germany. Another remarkable example of the versatility of the Royal Marine Corps was shown by the two R.M. Infantry Brigades.

In the late summer of 1943, when the invasion of Normandy was being planned, the Royal Navy was hard put to find the men to man the vast fleets of small landing craft.

At that time the Admiralty had a Light assault division, composed entirely of Royal Marines. They settled the man-power crisis by breaking up the assault division and converting its men into crews.

The necessary numbers were also made up of Marines from the "Mobile Navy Base Defence Organisations" when they returned home.

Winnie and Pooh

10,000 Trained Within Six-Months

On D-Day about two-thirds of the assault craft that landed the first waves of the Army on the beaches were manned by Marines and commanded by Royal Marine officers.

As the Allied Armies advanced towards the Rhine, the Marines in the little ships were withdrawn gradually in order, as they thought, to train for operations in the Far East.

But by now it was the Army who began to feel the shortage of man-power, and to meet the shortage the Marines of the Landing Craft Flotillas were converted into infantry to form the 116 and 117 Infantry Brigades Royal Marines.

The two Commanders, Brigadier C.F. Phillips, D.S.O. R.M., and Brigadier W.I. Nonwiler, both came from the Royal Marine Commandos.

116 Brigade Formed First

And going into action on the Maas under command of the Canadian Army, they took part in the operation that formed the hinge of the great sweep across the Rhine and North-west Germany and then continuing on until finally reaching the German ports.

The 28th battalion of the Brigade distinguished itself in the advance into Oldenberg under the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, whose Commander Major-Genral Voke, paid high tribute to their services.

When The German Collapse Came

116 Brigade was rushed forward to support the Royal Navy in the famous German Naval Bases. Although 117 Brigade was not quite ready yet, the 33rd Battalion was flown out to take the surrender of the German ports.

It moved into Kiel and on the night of its arrival thirteen German destroyers entered the harbour. Their crews were armed, and as they did not regard themselves as involved in the collapse of Germany, the situation was ripe with uncertainty.

Under the glare of the searchlights trained on the wharves a company of Marines stood ready. They soon made the position clear to the German crews. In one instance the firing of shots over their heads was necessary.

Then without further trouble the crews were disarmed and landed, and the Marines took charge of the destroyers, placing guards on each one.

German Prisoners Of War

The 28th Battalion of 116 R.M. Infantry Brigade, also reached kiel and were soon engaged in clearing thousands of German soldiers who were pouring into the port from ships. In the course of one night the battalion dealt with 14,000 disembarking Germans.

Then the Battalion moved into wilhelmshaven and, seizing the big naval headquarters and barracks at Sengwardau with only a small party of Marines in jeeps, took control of all the naval installations including the magnificent Tirpitz lock which had been specially built to take the "Tirpitz" and the "Bismarck."

The Marines also were put in charge of the cruisers "Prinz Eugen" and "Nuremberg" and placed guards on numerous U-boats when they came in to surrender.

The Marines Were Highly Outnumbered

The scene was unbelievable, with the once proud Germans vastly outnumbering the Marines and yet going like sheep into a pen with a collie behind them.

Had one man resisted then the others would probably have followed and backed him, but by now both the spirit and the flesh were weak. When he is led, there is no stouter soldier or sailor in the world than a German. When the leadership fails, his collapse is almost certain.

During these days of surrender the Marines had to deal with many curious incidents, which would sound too amazing to believe, if mentioned; that's why when they smile or shake their head they are probably re-living the strange occurrences; which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

True And Typical Of Many Others

The Nine Mortar-Men Of Monkeberg

Corporal G.H. Baker and eight Marines of the 28th Battalion of 116 R.M. Infantry Brigade, received orders to guard two oil jetties at Monkeberg in the Kiel area.

Having found a wooden hut to house his party, Corporal Baker reported to an Army officer and discovered that guarding the jetties was only a minor part of their task.

The First Evening was Easy

Two small boat-loads arrived and the hundred or so prisoners were dealt with according to the instructions they were given. The next day was different, the tempo increased, and the nine mortar-men had to deal with 3,000 prisoners from a single ship.

That afternoon they coped with approximately another 6,000 men. Far from being overwhelmed Corporal Baker felt that the Germans were too slow coming ashore. He therefore sent one mortar-man to shake them up.

These tactics succeeded admirably and were continued until the end of a very strenuous week during which the nine mortar-men landed and searched 27,000 prisoners and turned them over to the Army.

This Was Not A Formal Routine

The mortar-men searched not only the prisoners, but also each ship which landed them, they threw all arms and ammunition overboard. On several occasions the prisoners had daggers concealed in their gaiters and boots.

Revolvers were found in curious places, one in a case of cotton-wool marked Red Cross and another in a tin of sugar. Another complication was that small bands of prisoners kept wandering out of their area where the Army had stored them.

On more than one occasion the mortar-men had to provide search parties, and on finding them hiding in the woods that were close by, they brought them back. The search party had to chase one group; by firing over their heads they gained control over them and handed them back to the Army.

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The Strange Days Of Surrender

During one day when the intake of prisoners reached its peak the nine mortar-men were helped for a few hours by a platoon of Marines. Otherwise they did the whole job alone.

Trained to expect the unexpected, a Marine is never surprised, and so it was with the mortar-men of Monkeberg. The one sign of pride which they showed had only an indirect connection with the magnitude of their task.

It was revealed in the last sentence of Corporal Baker's report: "Between the arrival of prisoners we did our own cooking."

The Marine Infantry Battalion in the area of the German naval ports, having locked the gates of defeat on the German Fleet; and disarming the crews of destroyers, u-boats, and other naval shipping in the four German naval bases of Kiel, Cuxhaven, Wilhelmshaven and Emden, had completed the finishing touches to the ending of World War II.

They also boarded over 200 German merchantmen and, mounting guard over the German crews, made them sail their ships into Scottish ports.

"Soldier An' Sailor Too" is too inadequate a description of the modern Marine-A man who can, and who does, adapt to the different tasks which are required of him; and carries them out boldly; even in the face of adversity. If there is a more versatile handy-man in the world than a Royal Marine, then I do not know where he is to be found.

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