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Conflict and Change
Learning
Gunnery and repository
Gunnery on land
At the turn of the century most Royal Marines were serving in the Fleet. Since 1885 all Marines had been able to gain the same specialist qualification ratings in gunnery as seamen and the RMLI, as much as the RMA, manned the big ships’ guns.
The main role that the Royal Marine Light Infantry continued to develop in line with the changes to conflict was that of landing on defended and undefended beaches and establishing a beachhead prior to taking part in a land action.
Such a land action would either be in conjunction with the Royal Navy or the Army forces or as an independent force.
RMA repository training. Men of the Royal Marine Artillery lifting a piece from a heavy gun at Fort Cumberland, Eastney, Portsmouth, using a gyn. c.1905/10. (RMM)
The nature of contemporary warfare of the era led the Royal Marines to develop training in order to continue to provide an efficient land fighting force.
Land artillery training, or Repository Drill, took place at Fort Cumberland close to the RMA Barracks at Eastney.
Royal Marine instructors taught the skills necessary to transport light and heavy artillery pieces ashore. They then would move them over rough ground by building bridges and piers and lifting the guns using a type of crane or lifting block known as a ‘gyn’.
RMLI Field Training Company on a trestle bridge, March 1913. (RMM)
This level of training and practice meant that the Royal Marines would be able to adapt their skills to a variety of changes to artillery during both World Wars.
It also enabled them to gain much experience that would later be used in the development of their amphibious capability.
Due to the number of conflicts during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, such as the Boer War and Boxer Rebellion these skills were constantly honed and improved.
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Gunnery and repository
