THE KING'S MARINES

ROYAL CORPS OF MARINE INFANTRY  •  1777-86

Between 1772 and 1782, the marine corps of the Royal French Navy consisted of eight regiments, one for each of France's major naval ports. Detachments of the Corps Royal d'Infanterie de Marine (not to be confused with the Compagnies Franches de la Marine) were allotted to all major warships, their principal duties being maintenance of shipboard ordnance and service ashore as infantry. Marine sergeants and bombardiers (corporals) also supervised naval gun crews on those occasions when it was found necessary to send ships' cannon ashore. Officers wore naval uniform; the troops were uniformed in blue coats faced scarlet and equipped as infantry. Sergeants and bombardiers wore bearskin bonnets like those of the grenadiers of infantry regiments. The drapeaux d'ordonnance of the Corps Royal d'Infanterie de Marine were of the Army infantry pattern, colored differently for each regiment, with the naval connection symbolized by anchors in the quarters. Since the corps bore the appellation "royal," the white crosses of the drapeaux were strewn with fleurs-de-lis. Regiments were not, however, permitted to carry an all-white Colonel's Color. In 1782 the corps was reorganized, the eight regiments being disbanded and replaced by three "sections" stationed in Brest, Toulon and Rochefort. See also Kingdom of France Naval Ensigns & Flags.