A marine was a soldier who came by sea, and the coastline was his battlefield as much as the gun deck. Beyond manning the ship in action, marine detachments were the navy's landing force: rowed ashore to spike a coastal battery, burn signal stations, seize an enemy ship lying in harbour, or hold a captured island. It was dangerous, improvised work, often by night and far from help, and it suited men trained to fight equally on a heaving deck and a strange beach. The motto says it plainly — "Per Mare, Per Terram," by sea and by land — and across the long war against Napoleon the marines made good on it on coasts from Spain to the Caribbean.

The six-figure set is a marine detachment drawn up at attention — an officer with drawn sword, a sergeant with his pike, a drummer, and three marines with shouldered muskets, in the red coats, white facings and black shakos of the Corps. It pairs naturally into a naval and amphibious diorama. Bring up the larger fighting detachment of the Royal Marines, crew the ship with the Royal Navy, and set the marines as the guard around Admiral Lord Nelson with Crew.

Tradition of London model 0075. 54mm, white metal, hand-painted in gloss enamel. Six-figure set — an officer, a sergeant, a drummer, and three marines, 1805. Supplied in the Tradition Classic Red Box. Allow 2–3 weeks delivery.