An oddity

[Brian Rose]

HM Royal Marines is testing a streaming channel on YouTube. A number of clips featuring the various bands shown 24/7. The clips tend to alternate between indoor and outside performances.
One of the outdoor performances is the RM 350th anniversary celebration. It features the massed bands of the Royal Netherlands Marines, the U.S. Marines Europe and all of the RM bands. The massed bands have the RM in the center and the visiting Marines on either side. One can see a troop of RM along the rear of the parade ground. As the celebration nears it's close, the troop in the rear breaks into two companies (closest term) and moves to front flanking the bands on either side.
One of the RM companies appears to be commanded by an officer of 2 Scots. Full RRS uniform with a white hackle. It seemed really odd to see that. I know services often have "exchange" personnel but it seems highly unusual to have one in a command position especially at a anniversary celebration.
I'll admit my military knowledge is secondary and the traditions of British miltary even more so. I've been unable to find this celebration as a complete video. The RM are only showing parts of this performance at a time so it's hard to get full context. I'll welcome other knowledge or delete this if it's not appropriate.

[Jock Scot]

I seem to recall that the RM and 2 Scots go way back in time, I think they have faught many a battle together. The last, I think, was at the fall of Singapore.

I was at a RM do a couple of years ago and 2 Scots Pipe Major was in attendance. I enquired what the connection was and a senior RM Officer gave me a run down on the history. However all of the above may not explain the situation that you are enquiring about, but I suspect it might.

[Brian Rose]

Thank you, Jock. It certainly gives a little context to the story. I can only think of the uproar over here should an Army officer lead a US Marine company at an important Marine celebration.

[Jock Scot]

Thank you, Jock. It certainly gives a little context to the story. I can only think of the uproar over here should an Army officer lead a US Marine company at an important Marine celebration.

Or, the RM chap fell down the stairs just before the parade and the Army helped out?

[Pleater]

There is history - lots of it, and tradition from way back, which even Kings acknowledge -

This story shall the good man teach his son,
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
60From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be rememberèd—
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
65This day shall gentle his condition;
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

[Bruce Scott]

One of the outdoor performances is the RM 350th anniversary celebration. It features the massed bands of the Royal Netherlands Marines, the U.S. Marines Europe and all of the RM bands.

Can you provide a link to this video?

[Brian Rose]

Can you provide a link to this video?

This is the current link to the channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_8SBHf-qb0

It will change. A YouTube search for Bands of HM Royal Marines should turn up the current one. Here are the caveats. The RM are trying this channel out- it may or may not stay. There are usually less than 5- people world wide streaming it. As I said, I can't find the 350th celebration as a stand alone video. Nor can I find it complete. I've watched bits and pieces of it for 1 week or so now. If one has found an outdoor parade ground video that has Marine Bands in white trousers flanking the combined bands of the RM, that's the celebration video. Then one will have to watch that clip to see if it's the finale which has the march past the reviewing stand of the RM companies and then the combined bands. It's not easy. It took me a week to find out which performance it was. Fortunately I like British Brass bands and Military bands ( regular and pipe) in particular. " Brassed Off" is a favorite movie.
Edit part 2. I've found another video of a different 350th anniversary performance. RRS officer is visible at :51.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ty9vr9xtJE
I may have been mistaken about his regiment. A brief look at the uniform regulations seems to show that in that ceremonial uniform, the hackles are not unit specific. I'm a mere colonial, I could be wrong.

[Bruce Scott]

This is the current link to the channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_8SBHf-qb0

It will change. A YouTube search for Bands of HM Royal Marines should turn up the current one. Here are the caveats. The RM are trying this channel out- it may or may not stay. There are usually less than 5- people world wide streaming it. As I said, I can't find the 350th celebration as a stand alone video. Nor can I find it complete. I've watched bits and pieces of it for 1 week or so now. If one has found an outdoor parade ground video that has Marine Bands in white trousers flanking the combined bands of the RM, that's the celebration video. Then one will have to watch that clip to see if it's the finale which has the march past the reviewing stand of the RM companies and then the combined bands. It's not easy. It took me a week to find out which performance it was. Fortunately I like British Brass bands and Military bands ( regular and pipe) in particular. " Brassed Off" is a favorite movie.

Thank you Brian, I have just found this video which shows a RRS officer at the 1:18 minute mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z9ph0pWX9E

And just to add a little to Jock's first post above:

"Early connections between the regiment and the Royal Marines date from Balaclava in the Crimean War and Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, but the main association stems from World War II. In July 1940, after the fall of Dunkirk, the 5th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders served with the Royal Marine Brigade for over a year. When HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk in December 1941, the Royal Marines survivors joined up with the remnants of the 2nd Battalion, in the defence of Singapore. They formed what became known as 'The Plymouth Argyll's', after the association football team, since both ships were Plymouth manned. Most of the Highlanders and Marines who survived the bitter fighting were taken prisoner by the Japanese. The Royal Marines inter-unit rugby football trophy is the 'Argyll Bowl', presented to the Corps by the Regiment in 1941."

From:https://www.theaudiodb.com/artist/135141

[OC Richard]

"Early connections between the regiment and the Royal Marines date from Balaclava in the Crimean War and Lucknow during the Indian Mutiny, but the main association stems from World War II. In July 1940, after the fall of Dunkirk, the 5th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders served with the Royal Marine Brigade for over a year. When HMS Prince of Wales and Repulse were sunk in December 1941, the Royal Marines survivors joined up with the remnants of the 2nd Battalion, in the defence of Singapore. They formed what became known as 'The Plymouth Argylls', after the association football team, since both ships were Plymouth manned. Most of the Highlanders and Marines who survived the bitter fighting were taken prisoner by the Japanese. The Royal Marines inter-unit rugby football trophy is the 'Argyll Bowl', presented to the Corps by the Regiment in 1941."

I did read about the Plymouth Argylls connection.

However the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders became 5SCOTS and wear a green hackle.

I believe they were once again reduced to company strength in 2014 as The Balaclava Company.

Which doesn't seem to explain an officer of 2SCOTS (with white hackle) marching with the RM.

[Bruce Scott]

I did read about the Plymouth Argylls connection.

However the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders became 5SCOTS and wear a green hackle.

I believe they were once again reduced to company strength in 2014 as The Balaclava Company.

Which doesn't seem to explain an officer of 2SCOTS (with white hackle) marching with the RM.

We don't know that he's an officer of 2SCOTS as hackles are not worn in ceremonial dress.

In ceremonial dress a "cockfeather" is worn in the glengarry by all ranks of all units of the RRS as per page 6 here: https://electricscotland.com/history...nsHandBook.pdf

Unfortunately the video referenced in my post above is not very clear but what I see looks like a blackcock feather white side out, which may be a trick of light, camera angle or (unlikely) officer error.

From a separate 350th birthday celebration:

E9E2CX.jpg

Gibraltar - 26th October 2014 - The British Royal Marines continued their 350th Anniversary celebrations with a Freedom of The City Parade in Gibraltar. The Royal Marines, whose historical links go back to the Great Seige era, were granted the Freedom of the City by the Government of Gibraltar and have since been able to march freely through the City Centre.