Royal Marines in action since December 1664!
Unit/ Formation: Marine Regiments Location: Cadiz Period/ Conflict: Second Anglo Dutch War Year: 1664 Date/s: December 1664
Possibly the first action where Marines were used was the suddenly attacked the Dutch Smyrna fleet.
Though the attack failed, the Dutch in January 1665 allowed their ships to open fire on English warships in the colonies when threatened.
Charles II used this as a pretext to declare war on the Netherlands on 4 March 1665 leading to the Second Anglo Dutch War.
Image: James, Duke of York, the Lord High Admiral of England and openly Catholic, argued in favour of a war between England and the Dutch.
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