Catalogue description MARINE OFFICERS

Although the Marines in their modern form, under Admiralty control, were established in 1755, very little correspondence from Marine officers before 1800 has survived. The corps had no battalion or regimental structure, but was organised in companies belonging to four depots or divisions (Woolwich, Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth) which supplied detachments, commanded by Captains or Lieutenants, to HM ships. Each depot was commanded by a Colonel Commandant, which was the highest active rank in the corps (the sinecure ranks of Colonel and General of Marines were reserved as rewards for distinguished flag officers), though Colonels Commandant often held higher rank in the army.

One Colonel Commandant resided in London and acted as adviser to the Admiralty on the affairs of the Corps. This officer was known as `Commandant in Town' until 1825, and thereafter as Deputy Adjutant-General. His correspondence is listed under `Commandant in Town' but there are also letters from him, 1802-1803, in ADM 1/3317 under `Field Officers', which in principle consists of correspondence from Marine officers of the rank of Major and Lieutenant-Colonel. The correspondence of the Commandants of each depot also includes the Colonels Commandant en second who were their deputies. Marine `Promiscuous' (i.e. miscellaneous) correspondence is chiefly from agents, relatives and others writing about or on behalf of Marine officers. A body of Royal Marine Artillery was established in 1804, initially as part of the existing division, but subsequently forming a separate division with its own Colonel Commandant.

Reports from the Commanding Officer Royal Marines in New South Wales, 1787-1792, are in ADM 1/3824.

When using the ADM 12 indexes to search for papers in ADM 1, documents in this sub-sub-series generally have the following references: 'Town Com.' or 'Mar. Town Comm.' for the Commandant in Town; 'Field Off.' or 'Mar. Fd. Off.' for Field Officers; 'Mar. Cap.', 'Mar. Lt.' and 'Mar. Pro.' for other Marine Officers/Promiscuous; 'Mar. Arty.' for the Marine Artillery; 'Ports. Commd.', 'Wool. Commd.', 'Cha. Commdt.', 'Ply. Commd.' for the various division commandants; and 'Ports. Div.', 'Wool. Div.', 'Cha. Div.', 'Ply. Div.' for the divisions themselves.