There was 2 types of Marine on board, the 'Red' RMLI (Light Infantry) and the 'Blue' RMA (Artillery). During action, he said there was a 'big' marine with rifle and bayonet stationed above this hatch to make sure no-one came up.Īye, the marines would man a main turret on a dreadnought, or group of mounts if on a cruiser, they also fought a section of the secondary armament. To get there he had to go through a armoured hatch. I also remember reading of a sailor whose action station was under the armoured deck. This will be a historic remant of sailing ship days but the marines have always been used to quell mutinies and go after absconders/ship jumpers. An example of this would be the sentry outside the captains cabin. It's a mutiny thing isn't it? The Marines are like the ships police force and they guard the officers from attack by other ranks. This was as some one said to stop them murdering each other. Traditionally The Marines 'barracks', thneir mess, was between the officers quaters and ward room aft, and the ratings mess decks foreward. Sniff around the traps as it were and see if I could come up with any pertinent figures. Too many gunners and they would get in each others way but would consist of loaders, trainers, elevation operators etc. As to the numbers required to man a gun turret it would depend upon the numberf of guns be it two,

From memory a gun turret is probably commanded by a Lieutenant-commander or Lieutenant, or even possibly aĬommissioned gunnery bosun (Sub-lieutenant essentially). The manning situation is rather harder to find. Privately I think it probably was to keep them out of the way during action stations and give them useful I have not beenĪble to find out any real reason other than 'tradition'. They are as you know, basically seagoing soldiers and as such manned a gun turret or position prior to landing ashore and fighting as soldiers.

Part of your request only but use of marines to man a gun turret probably goes back to the 1600's when marines were first recruited for HM ships.

Crew breakdown for a battleship gun