New South Wales Marine Corps

New South Wales Marines
The uniform of the British Marines. Engraving by Joseph Stadler, 1815.
Active	1786–1791
Country	Great Britain
Branch	Her Majesty's Naval Service
Type	Marine Infantry
Size	One battalion
Colours	Wreath of thistles and roses on white background[1]
Commanders
Notable commanders	Major Robert Ross 1786–1791

The New South Wales Marine Corps (1786–1792) was an ad hoc volunteer unit that the British Royal Navy created to guard the convicts aboard the First Fleet to Australia, and to preserve "subordination and regularity" in the penal colony in New South Wales.^[2]

Established in 1786, the Marines saw active service in New South Wales from 1788 to 1792 and was instrumental in establishing the colony's rule of law. Study of the complete New South Wales Marine complement indicates they were chosen from Plymouth and Portsmouth Divisions with only one exception. Beginning with guards arriving with the 2nd and 3rd fleets but officially with the arrival of HMS Gorgon on 22 September 1791 the New South Wales Marines were relieved by a newly formed British Army regiment of foot, the New South Wales Corps.^[3]

On 18 December 1791 HMS Gorgon left Port Jackson taking home the larger part of the still serving New South Wales Marines. Those leaving included Maj Robert Ross, Watkin Tench, William Dawes, and Ralph Clark, and 90 non-commissioned officers (NCOs) and privates. Of the departure, Tench said, "we hailed it with rapture and exhilaration". There remained in New South Wales a company of active Marines serving under Captain George Johnston, consisting of three officers, eight NCOs, two drummers and 50 privates. Also remaining in the colony were some 90 discharged Marines, many of whom became settlers. The official departure of the last serving Marines from the colony of New South Wales was in December 1792 when Governor Phillip departed aboard Atlantic Transport accompanied by the remaining three Marine lieutenants and some 20 NCOs and privates who received their final discharges at the Marine headquarters in Portsmouth in June 1793, marking the official disbandment of the Corps. Officers were allowed to transfer into other divisions to continue their careers.