BRd 2118 Issued 2005 Superseding BRd 2118 Dated November 2003 BRd 2118 ROYAL MARINES DRILL THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HER BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT. The information in this document is not to be communicated to any person not authorised by the MINISTRY OF DEFENCE to receive it. Any person finding this document should hand it to a British Forces unit or to a police station for its safe return to the MINISTRY OF DEFENCE, DDefSy, Main Building, Whitehall, LONDON SW1A 2HB, with particulars of how and where found. THE UNAUTHORISED RETENTION OR DESTRUCTION OF THE DOCUMENT IS AN OFFENCE UNDER THE OFFICIAL SECRETS ACTS OF 1911-1989. (When released to persons outside government service, this document is issued on a personal basis and the recipient to whom it is entrusted in confidence, within the provisions of the Official Secrets Acts 1911-1989, is personally responsible for its safe custody and for seeing that its contents are disclosed only to authorized persons). By Command of the Defence Council COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF FLEET i 2005 Edition BRd 2118 SPONSOR This publication is sponsored by Second Sea Lord/Flag Officer Training. All correspondence concerning this publication is to be forwarded to the Operational Publications Authority: CINCFLEET - PFSA Fleet Staff Authors Group Pepys Building HMS COLLINGWOOD FAREHAM Hants PO14 1AS (fao: FSAG-CS4 (HMS COLLINGWOOD Tel Ext: 2709)) COPIED to the Lead Authority: FIRST DRILL CTCRM LYMPSTONE EXMOUTH DEVON EX8 5AR UK Crown Copyright 2002 © ii 2005 Edition BRd 2118 INTRODUCTION Military discipline is founded on drill. This has been proved again and again in battle. Drill is also the basis of the military way of carrying out any task. It sets the standard for the execution of any duty, both for the individual and for the unit. Good drill demands precision and effort. It is an exercise in obedience, alertness and control. It develops confidence between commander and subordinate and so builds morale. A unit which turns out well and drills well can be relied on to do anything required of it well. Good drill and a high standard are not learnt on the parade ground to be discarded in everyday life except for ceremonial occasions. If an idle action or bad turnout is allowed to pass, the standard is lowered, discipline weakened and bad habits will multiply. It is therefore the duty of all officers and non-commissioned officers to insist on the standard they know to be right, both on and off parade and in all circumstances. The drill of the Royal Marines is fundamentally the drill of the Infantry, adapted and supplemented to suit the special needs of the Corps and to accord with its regimental traditions. This book is intended to: a. Contain a common doctrine for all drills and ceremonials which formations, units and detachments of Royal Marines may be called on to execute in the normal course of their duty. b. Give an exposition of drill and ceremonial which all officers and non- commissioned officers can refer to for guidance. c. Provide adjutants and drill instructors with an authoritative manual of parade work. To help the reader to use the book as a whole, reference is made in the text to relevant paragraphs in other parts, and a full list of contents is provided. The aim of basic drill is to develop in the individual Marine personal pride in his appearance and bearing, and a sense of instinctive obedience which will assist him at all times to obey orders. Manoeuvre drill incorporates most of the common basic drills and practises leaders in giving words of command. For guidance when parading with units of the Army, reference should be made to the Army Manual of Ceremonial. A list of references to drills which appear in the army drill book, but not in this book, is given in Appendix B. iii 2005 Edition BRd 2118 PROPOSALS FOR CHANGES Protective Marking...................................................................................... Ship/Establishment ....................................... Originating Dept .................................... Date .......................... Title of Publication Current Issue Status DETAILS OF COMMENTS Page Para No. Comment Continue on a separate sheet if required Originator: (Name in Block Letters) Signature Rank/Rate Protective Marking.................................................................... Forward through usual Administrative Channels to the addressees listed on Page ii. iv 2005 Edition BRd 2118 RECORD OF CHANGES Note: The incorporation of Temporary Amendments such as Signals and AILs etc should be recorded on page vi overleaf. CHANGE DATE SIGNATURE NAME RANK REMARKS No INSERTED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 v 2005 Edition BRd 2118 RECORD OF TEMPORARY AMENDMENTS NOTE: The incorporation of Signals and AILs etc should be recorded below. REFERENCE DATE SIGNATURE NAME REMARKS NO. INSERTED vi 2005 Edition BRd 2118 DEFINITIONS IN RELATION TO THE DRILL BOOK Alignment Any straight line on which a body of personnel is formed, or is to form. Blank File A file in which there is no centre and rear person, or no centre person due to the inequality of numbers within a body of personnel. This file is second from the left both in three ranks and in two ranks. Close Order The normal distance between ranks in line: (a) In three ranks - 1 pace. (b) In two ranks - 2 paces. Close Column A column with distance reduced to suit requirements. Column Bodies of troops one behind the other on parallel and successive alignments, at such a distance from one another that, when formed to an angle of 90 degrees to either flank, they will be brought into line at 3 paces interval. Column of route A column of threes with not more than three personnel abreast in any part of the column, including officers and supernumeraries. The Officer in charge at the head and the Supernumary/2i/c at the rear. The normal formation for marching on a road. Column of threes A column of threes with not more than three personnel abreast in any part of the column, including officers and supernumeraries. The Officer in charge on the directing flank and the Supernumary/2i/c on the opposite flank. Covering The act of placing oneself directly in rear of another body. Depth The space occupied by a body of personnel from front to rear. Directing Body The body, unit or sub-unit on which the direction, pace and alignment or relative positions of the several parts of a formation depend. Directing Flank The flank by which a body of personnel takes its dressing. Distance The space between individual bodies from front to rear. Dressing The act of aligning oneself with and covering others within a body of personnel. Even Blank File A blank file with both front and rear rank personnel. vii 2005 Edition BRd 2118 File Either two or three personnel in different ranks who are covering each other or a body of personnel in two ranks facing a flank. Front The direction in which troops are facing or moving at any given time. Frontage The extent of ground covered laterally by personnel, measured from flank to flank. Flank Either side of a body of personnel as opposed to its front or rear. Forming A method of changing direction as opposed to wheeling. Incline The movement by which an equal amount of ground is gained to the front and flank simultaneously. Inner Flank That nearer the directing flank and serving as a pivot when a body is changing its direction. Interval The space between adjacent flanks of units, or between individual personnel, measured at right angles to the direction of advance. Line Ratings formed on the same alignment. Markers Officers or men who are placed so as to indicate the position which a unit will occupy on falling in. Mass A commando with it’s companies in line of close column of platoons, with 5 paces of interval between companies. Odd Blank File A blank file with a front rank person only. Open Order An increased distance between ranks for ceremonial or inspection purposes: (a) In three ranks - 3 paces. (b) In two ranks - 4 paces. Outer Flank That opposite to the inner or directing flank (often known as reverse flank) Pace A measurement of distance on foot e.g., 30 inches. Also rate of movement. Parade Commander The officer in actual command of all troops on parade. Parade Ground The area where parades/reviews are conducted. See Fig 1. viii 2005 Edition BRd 2118 Rank A line of personnel, side by side. Single file Personnel one behind the other on a frontage of one person at normal marching distance. Supernumeraries Personnel not fallen-in in the unit or platoon, but who form an additional rank. Unit A term which denotes a number of personnel organized to act as one body. Wheeling A movement by which a body of personnel change their direction of advance. Fig 1. Parade Ground Layout Legend: A: a. Before marching past by companies, a Commando will form up at point A facing left in a close column of companies, the front rank of the leading company being in alignment with point A. b. Before marching past in line, a company will halt and turn left at point A. c. A unit marching past in column of route or column of sixes will wheel on to the passing line at point A. ix 2005 Edition BRd 2118 B: a. The command ‘Open - Order!’ will be given on reaching point B when marching past in slow time. b. When marching past after trooping the colour, guards will form to their left opposite and at point B. C: The command ‘Eyes - Right!’ will be given so that the leading officer is at the salute when he reaches point C.