The Netherlands Marine Corps is the elite naval infantry corps of the Royal Netherlands Navy, one of the four Armed Forces of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The marines trace their origins to the establishment of the Regiment de Marine on 10 December 1665, by the then grand pensionary of the Dutch Republic, Johan de Witt and famous Admiral Michiel de Ruyter. It is the second-oldest still-active marine corps in the world.
The Raid on Chatham, the first action of the Dutch marines in 1667
Marine Corps monument in Rotterdam
Marine conscript aiming down the sights of Carl Gustaf anti-tank weapon during NATO exercise Northern Wedding in 1978
Marines on patrol during the multi-day Operation Ghat Mahay in the vicinity of Kakarak, Uruzgan in 2009
Marines, or naval infantry, are soldiers who specialise at operating in littoral zones, both on land and at sea. Historically, the main tasks undertaken by marines have included raiding ashore in support of naval objectives, and the boarding of vessels during combat or capture of prize ships. Marines also help maintain discipline and order aboard the ship. In most countries, marines are an integral part of that state's navy.
United States Marines aboard USS Wasp engage Royal Marines on HMS Reindeer in 1814
Assyrian bireme with visible marines
Ancient Greek trireme
Italian marines in 1911 landed on the Libyan coast during the Italo-Turkish war