As a fighting force, the Royal Marines date back to the time of the late Stuarts (in the late 1600s). At the time they were not yet known as the Royal Marines. Their first major engagement was the taking of Gibraltar, with an allied Dutch force, during the War of the Spanish Succession. While the Duke of Marlborough's exploits in Bavaria (Blenheim) and Flanders (Ramillies, Malplaquat, and Oudenarde) are better known today as "major battles" of this war, the Gibraltar operation firmly established the fighting worth of "soldiers on ships." In this era of post-colonialism and post-imperialism, Gibraltar still a possession of the United Kingdom. The crest of the Royal Marines contains a banner, in addition to their motto: By Land and by Sea, with the battle honour of Gibraltar, the only battle honour to be accorded this respect.

In addition to their versatile skills in combat situations, the Royal Marines have gained fame in the musical world by the excellence of their wind band. Together with the regimental bands of the Black Watch and the Scots Guards, they performed admirably at the British farewell ceremony at HMS Tamar during the handover of Hong Kong on June 30/July 1, 1997. With their characteristic white pith helmets and deep blue tunics (brilliant white for overseas), the Royal Marines band has always been a standard of musical excellence.

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