Rudyard Kipling

Cosmopolouse-soldier and sailor to

The previous page was: "Royal Marines Bands"

Rudyard Kipling, the famous author wrote many verses about the Royal Marines their motto is: 'Per Mare Per Terram'. By Sea, By Land it is correct; and that was how these sea soldiers of the world started out.

Since then other deserved mottos have been written or attached to these glorious fighting troops one such motto is 'esprit de corps' it is so true in their spirit and their comradeship, if incorrect in word.

The modern-day commandos often use another motto it is: 'The impossible done immediately, miracles take a little longer.'

Royal Marines Bands

Fighting men of arms so unique

Regimental Pride alone is not what makes these fighting men of arms so unique. The human bond they build together during the demanding training, unites their hearts ready for action.

Time and time again they have given their lives for their comrades, Queen and Country with total disregard for their own survival.

The Royal's are a special breed of men, give them a job and they will do it; no questions asked.

It's no accident that the most famous symbol of the Royal Marine Commandos is worn on their heads. What sets these men who wears the green berets apart, isn't just that they're tough, it's that they can think on their feet.

The Royal Marines are renowned for the prominent roll they play in any type of warfare anywhere in the world.

In combat they always provoke their value

When it comes to combat they always provoke their value; and they have the ability to go where they have not been invited and kick down the door.

That is one reason why they are one of the most feared professional forces in the world. The British Royal Marines have always been meticulous about their appearance.

In 1756 orders stated: 'No Marine shall appear in the streets without his Hat beeing well cocked, his Coat hooked back, his Hair combed and tucked and tyed, if long enough, and he is to keep his clothes without Dirt, Spot, Ripp or Ragg.'

Casual attitude to dangerous life

An example of their casual attitude to dangerous life; during recruitment one was asked: 'can you swim,' he replied. 'Blimey, haven't you got any ruddy ships left?'

A recruit in the gymnasium tripped while running up to the vaulting box; he bumped his head very hard against the box, moving it a few inches. He got up and asked 'would you like me to do that again?' The clubswinger coolly replied: 'no could you please clear the box this time.'

At inspection on the Parade Ground the sergeant might walk up to a recruit and say: "did you have a shave this morning," "yes sergeant" he would reply. "Then next time I would suggest that you take one pace forward towards the razor." "Keep quiet you lot."

"Useful men to have about"

Rudyard Kipling had a high regard for the Royal Marines. "Er Majesty's Jollies" he called them. At the height of World War II he once said: "There isn't a job on top o' the earth the beggar don't know, or do. You can leave 'im on a bald man's 'ead to paddle 'is own canoe; 'E's a sort of bloomin' cosmopolouse-soldier an' sailor too."

The Royal Marines have always shown they have an aptitude for co-operation with others.

They are equally proficient, as Kipling pointed out, at paddling their own canoes; and when there are rapids ahead they shoot them with a cheerful heart.

They are, you might say, useful men to have about ship; and they are equally useful men to have about on shore.

That is why you will come across marines all over the world doing special jobs which require initiative and self reliance.

Special duties abroad

The training of the Royal Marines makes them particularly suitable to act as orderlies for special duties abroad. At Madagascar, Major General Sturges had a corporal and six marines attached to him from H.M.S. Ramilies.

Vice Admiral Sir Harold Burrough had others in personal attendance when he was commanding the Inshore Force during the North African landings.

When Lord Beaverbrook went to Moscow in September, 1941 he took three corporals to keep guard over the confidential books.

When the Prime Minister attended the Casablanca and Washington Conferences, special parties of Royal Marines accompanied him.

Modern-day Pages Fast Boats Pages Joe Wezley Pages

'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldier an' sailor too!

By Rudyard Kipling

As I was spittin' into the Ditch aboard o' the Crocodile, I seed a man on a man-o'-war got up in the Reg'lars' style. 'E was scrapin' the paint from off of 'er plates, an' I sez to 'im, "'Oo are you?" Sez 'e, "I'm a jolly -- 'Er Majesty's Jolly -- soldier an' sailor too!" Now 'is work begins by Gawd knows when, and 'is work is never through; 'E isn't one o' the reg'lar Line, nor 'e isn't one of the crew. 'E's a kind of a giddy barumfrodite -- soldier an' sailor too!

An' after I met 'im all over the world, a-doin' all kinds of things, Like landin' 'isself with a Gatlin' gun to talk to them 'eathen kings; 'E sleeps in an 'ammick instead of a cot, an' 'e drills with the deck on a slew, An' 'e sweats like a Jolly -- 'Er Majesty's Jolly -- soldier an' sailor too! For there isn't a job on 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 -- 'Es a sort of a bloomin cosmopolouse -- soldier an' sailor too.

We'vefought 'em in trooper, we've fought 'em in dock, and drunk with 'em in betweens, When they called us the seasick scull'ry-maids, an' we called 'em the Ass Marines; But when we was down for a double fatigue, from Woolwich to Bernardmyo, We sent for the Jollies -- 'Er Majesty's jollies -- sodier an' sailor too! They think for 'emselves, an' they steal for 'emselves, and they never ask what's to do, But they'er camped an' fed an' they're up an' fed before our bugles blew. Ho! they ain't no limpin' procrastitutes -- soldier an' sailor too.

You may say we are fond of an 'arness-cut, or 'ootin in barrick-yards, Or startin' a Board School mutiny along o' the Onion Guards; But once in a whilewe can finish in style for the ends of the earth to view, The same as the Jollies -- 'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldiers an' sailors too! They come to our lot, they was brothers to us; they was beggars we'd met an' knew; Yes, barrin' an inch in the chest an' the arm, they was doubles o' me an' you; For they weren't no special chrysanthemums -- soldier an' sailor too!

To take your chance in the thick of a rush, with firing all about, Is nothing so bad when you've got cover to 'and, an' leave an' likin' to shout; But to stand an' be still to the Birken'ead drill is a damn tough bullet to chew An' they done it, the jollies -- 'Er Majesty's jollies -- sailor an' soldier too! Their work was done when it 'adn't begun; they was younger nor me an' you; Their choice it was plain between drownin' in 'eaps an' bein' mopped by the crew, So the stood an' was still to the Birken'ead drill, soldier an' sailor too!

We're most of us liars, we're 'arf of us thieves, an' the rest are as rank as can be, But once in a while we can finish in style which I 'ope it won't 'appen to me. But it makes you think better o' you an' your friends, an' the work you may 'ave to do, When you think o' the sinkin' Victorier's Jollies -- soldier an' sailor too! Now there isn't no room for to say ye don't know -- they 'ave proved it plain and true -- That whether it's Widow, or whether it's ship, Victorier's work is to do, An' they done it, the jollies -- 'Er Majesty's Jollies -- soldier and sailor too!

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Rudyard Kipling The Commando

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