Netherlands Marine Corps
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| Korps Mariniers | |
|---|---|
 Badge of the Korps Mariniers |
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| Active | 10 December 1665- |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Branch | Koninklijke Marine |
| Type | Commando |
| Role | Rapid reaction force |
| Size | Six battalions |
| Garrison/HQ | 1et Mariniersbataljon - Doorn 2e Mariniersbataljon - Doorn 4e Mariniersbataljon - Aruba/Curaçao Gevechtssteunbataljon - Doorn Logistiek Bataljon - Doorn |
| Motto | Qua Patet Orbis (Wherever the World Extends) |
| Commanders | |
| Ceremonial chief | HM The Queen |
The Korps Mariniers is the marine corps of the Netherlands, and is part of the Royal Netherlands Navy. The Dutch Marines Corps is a highly disciplined force trained to operate anywhere in the world, under any condition. Its motto is Qua Patet Orbis, which means Wherever the World Extends.
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[edit] History
The Corps was founded on 10 December 1665 during the Second Anglo-Dutch War by the unofficial leader of the republic Johan de Witt and Admiral Michiel de Ruyter as the Regiment de Marine. Its leader was Willem Joseph Baron van Ghent. The Dutch had successfully used ordinary soldiers in ships at sea in the First Anglo-Dutch War. It was the fifth European Marine unit formed, being preceded by the Spanish Marines (1537), the Portuguese Marines (1610), the French Marines (1622) and the British Marines (1664). Like Britain, the Netherlands has had several periods when its Marines were disbanded. The Netherlands itself was under French occupation or control from 1810 until 1813. A new Marine unit was raised on March 20, 1801 during the time of the Batavian Republic and on August 14, 1806 the Korps Koninklijke Grenadiers van de Marine was raised under King Louis Bonaparte. The modern Korps Mariniers dates from 1814, receiving its current name in 1817.
The battle honors on the Korps Mariniers' colors are: Chatham (1667), Kijkduin (1673), Sennefe (1674), Spain, Dogger Bank (1781), West Indies, Algiers (1816), Atjeh, Bali, Rotterdam (1940), Java Sea (1942), Java and Madoera, and New Guinea.
In 1667, led by van Ghent, the Regiment de Marine played a prominent part in the large Dutch raid, the "Raid on the Medway" on England. The Korps' battle honor "Chatham" is one of the few ever won on British soil by a foreign unit.
In 1704, Netherlands Marines were part of a combined British-Netherlands force under Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt that captured Gibraltar and defended it successfully shortly afterwards. They would combine with the British again for the bombardment of Algiers in 1816.
The Korps Mariniers served in some of the operations of the Netherlands in the Dutch East Indies colony. The Netherlands took a slow appproach to conquering the entire colony and operations consolidating their rule lasted from the 1850s until shortly before World War I. The battle honors from the Aceh (Atjeh in Dutch) War (1873-1913) and Bali date from this time.
In World War II, a Korps Mariniers unit in Rotterdam preparing to ship out to the Dutch East Indies successfully defended the bridges across the Maas, preventing the German paratroopers in the central city from hooking up with conventional German infantry. The Germans ended the stalemate by bombing Rotterdam.
Some Mariniers later joined the Princess Irene Brigade to fight against the Germans.
Starting in 1943, the United States Marine Corps trained and equipped a new brigade, the Mariniersbrigade, of the Korps Mariniers at Camp Lejuene and Camp Davis in North Carolina in preparation for amphibious landings against the Japanese in the Dutch East Indies. The Japanese surrendered before such landings were needed, but the Mariniersbrigade, fully trained and equipped, left North Carolina in six transports in 1945 and fought against the Indonesians in their war of independence. It was part of the A Division, which was itself commanded by a Korps Mariniers officer. It was disbanded in 1949.
The Dutch kept West New Guinea after the Indonesian war of independence and the Korps Mariniers served there until 1962 when it was granted independence. The same year it was invaded and incorporated into Indonesia.
On June 11, 1977, Dutch Marines stormed a train that was being held hostage since May 23 by armed South Moluccan extremists in the village of De Punt, in the province of Groningen. Six Dutch Air Force F-104 Starfighters buzzed the train as a diversion during the assault. Six terrorists and two hostages were killed in the storming. The Marines have since become the Dutch government's primary counter-terrorism force. (See "Combat Support Battalion" below.) They were also deployed in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and have since been deployed in Afghanistan.
More recently, Dutch Marines were involved in the unsuccessful search for Natalee Holloway, an American teenager who disappeared while on vacation in Aruba. In September 2006 the Marine Corps got bad publicity when the media revealed clear and unacceptable misbehaviour of marines towards the local population when on training in Northern Norway.
The Corps celebrates its birthday each year at the Oostplein (lit., East Square) in Rotterdam, where the dead of the Corps are remembered.
[edit] Structure
All operational units of the Netherlands Marine Corps fall under the Groep Operationele Eenheden Mariniers (GOEM).
The GOEM is a brigade sized organisation which contains two of the three Marine Battalions (MARNSBATs), the Combat Support Battalion (GEVSTBAT), the Logistical Battalion (LOGBAT), the Amphibious Support Battalion (AMFOSTBAT), and the Battle Casualty Replacements (BCRs).
[edit] Marine Battalions
The Royal Netherlands Marine Corps has 3 operational Marine Battalions. Two of those (1MARNSBAT and 2MARNSBAT) are stationed in the Netherlands. The 3rd Marine Battalion (3MARNSBAT) has two active company stationed in the Caribbean. 31 Coy on Curaçao and 32 Coy on Aruba. These units are under direct command of the Navy Commander of the Caribbean (CZMCARIB)
1MARNSBAT is the main contribution of the Royal Netherlands Marine Corps to the United Kingdom/Netherlands Landing Force (UK/NL LF). 2MARNSBAT is the core of the Dutch contribution to the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land) (AMF(L)), a fast intervention force of the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). 2MARNSBAT regularly participates in United Nations missions or other international operations.
[edit] Combat Support Battalion
The Combat Support Battalion (GEVSTBAT) exists to provide (combat) support to the Marine Battalions, by using heavy weapons or trained specialists.
GEVSTBAT contains two 120mm Mortar Companies (MRCIE1 and MRCIE2), an Air Defense Platoon (TLPEL), and an Engineer Reconnaissance Platoon (GNPEL).
GEVSTBAT also contains Special Forces (SF) units of the Dutch Marine Corps. These units are:
- Special Support Unit Marines (Bijzondere Bijstands Eenheid or BBE) (a Counter-terrorism unit);
- Amphibious Reconnaissance Platoon (AMFVERKPEL) (combat divers);
- Mountain Leader Reconnaissance Platoon (MLVERKPE) (mountain and cold weather specialists).
GEVSTBAT also provides the necessary means to create the Long Distance Reconnaissance Company (LAVERCIE). LAVERCIE, when combined with the Commando Corps of the Royal Netherlands Army, forms the Netherlands' Special Operations Forces (NL SOF). NL SOF contains units from AMFVERKPEL, MLVERKPEL, and the BBE.
[edit] Logistical Battalion
To operate successfully, the Marine Battalions need logistical support. This basically means providing transportation, supplies, food, housing, and mental and medical care. When the GOEM was created, the Logistical Battalion (LOGBAT) was created with it for this reason. It has 3 tasks:
- Maintaining the units of the Group Operational Units Marines;
- Provide housing for the Group Operational Units Marines;
- Provide the Group Operational Units Marines with the possibility to train and better themselves, to perform their tasks.
LOGBAT contains 3 companies to perform a variety of tasks. The Logistical Company (LOGCIE), the Medical Company (GNKCIE), and the Transport Company (TCIE).
LOGCIE is responsible for maintaining supplies, distributing supplies among combat units, providing communication possibilities, and handling administration. It is divided in 5 platoons:
- Supply Platoon (BEVOPEL);
- Maintenance Platoon (ONDERHPEL);
- Clothing and Food Platoon (KLEVOPEL);
- Administration Platoon (ADMINPEL);
- Communications Platoon (VBDPEL).
GNKCIE is responsible for providing medical and mental care to GOEM units. The company contains an infirmary, a Field Dressing Station (FDS), and an environmental health / workplace safety section. The FDS is a mobile field hospital similar to the United States Military combat support hospital. It is able to provide full surgical capabilities and is set up in a small amount of time.
TCIE's task is to provide and maintain the mobility required by any GOEM units. It contains 3 platoons:
- Transportation Platoon;
- Workshop Platoon;
- Support Echelon Platoon.
[edit] Amphibious Support Battalion
The Amphibious Support Battalion (AMFOSTBAT) contains all amphibious landing craft as well as the Amphibious Beach Unit. It has 2 companies, the 1st Boat Company, and the 2nd Boat Company.
[edit] United Kingdom/Netherlands Landing Force
Since 1973, units of the Netherlands Marine Corps have formed part of the British 3 Commando Brigade during exercises and real conflict situations. Together, these form the UK/NL Landing Force. Either the First or the Second Marine Battalion can be assigned as the Dutch contribution to this force.
The cooperation between the Korps Mariniers and the Royal Marines has led to extensive integration in the areas of operations, logistics and materials. Within NATO this is seen as a prime example of what can be achieved in military integration.
The RNLMC and Royal Marines have a long history of cooperation. During combined actions by the British and Dutch navies during the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-1713), amphibious operations were carried out, the most notable being the Siege of Gibraltar in 1704. During this action, a successful attack was carried out against the fortress of Gibraltar by an 1800-strong brigade of Dutch and British Marines under the command of Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt. Both corps share this battle honour.
[edit] Alliances
United Kingdom - Royal Marines (Bond of Friendship)
[edit] References
- Beknopte geschiedenis Korps Mariniers [1]
- Klein, Edwin,'The Dutch Marines and the Indonesian Problem', Marine Corps Gazette, Aug 1946.
- Dorren, C.J.O., De geschiedenis van het Nederlandsche Korps Mariniers van 1665-1945, 's Gravenhage, 1948.
- Coox, Alvin D., 'The Dutch Invasion of England: 1667', Military Affairs, Vol. 13 No. 4, Winter 1949, pp. 223-233.
- Dorren, C.J.O., 'Een historische terugblik op de ontsluiting van Japan na de maritieme strafexpedities tegen Kagoshima en Simonoseki (1863-1864)', Marineblad, 1950.
- Edwards, H. W., 'Netherlands Korps Mariniers', Marine Corps Gazette, Sep 1953.
- Dorren, C.J.O., Onze marineiersbrigade (1945-1949). Een veelbewogen episode in de korpsgeschiedenis, 's Gravenhage, 1955.
- Strandberg. Carl, 'Netherlands Marines', Marine Corps Gazette, Dec 1961.
- Bosscher, Ph. M., 'De gezantschapswacht te Peking', Marineblad, Vol. 75, 1965, pp.1145-1198.
- Middelhoff, A.J.M., 'De geschiedenis van het 1ste Bataljon Marinetroepen', Marineblad, Vol. 79, 1969, pp. 627-642
- de Korver, Michael, 'Royal Netherlands Marines belong to the world's second oldest marine corps', Marine Corps Gazette, Feb 1979.
- Scharfen, 'Het Korps Mariniers' (interview), Marine Corps Gazette, Oct 1987.
- Schoonoord, D.C.L., De Mariniersbrigade 1943-1949 Wording en inzet in Indonesië, Instituut voor Maritieme Historie, The Hague, 1988.
- van Holst-Pellekaan, R.E., de Regst, I.C. and Bastiaans, I.F.J, Patrouilleren voor de Papoea's: de Koninklijke Marine in Nederlands Nieuw-Guinea 1945-1960, Amsterdam, 1989.
