The New Royal Marines Museum, Portsmouth: A Very Pleasant Surprise

I come from a family of Royal Marines and, for many years, was a regular visitor to the old Royal Marines Museum at Eastney. So, I approached the opening of the new 'Royal Marines Experience' in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard with rather mixed feelings.

Sadly, the old museum building at Eastney is now looking rather forlorn and derelict. Having closed some years ago, I understand that it is once again up for sale. It is disappointing to see the old home of the Royal Marines Museum in such a state, particularly for those of us with a personal connection to the place.

The good news, however, is that a new Royal Marines Museum (known as the Royal Marines Experience) has opened in Portsmouth Dockyard following a £15 million investment.

The Royal Marines Experience, Portsmouth Dockyard

Original Royal Marines Museum, Eastney

I have to confess that I went along with some trepidation. I was very fond of the old museum and wondered whether the new one would live up to expectations. Would it be dumbed down, overly orientated towards children or perhaps rather superficial? Would the artefacts and historical content that I had come to expect be missing?

My expectations were, if I'm honest, relatively modest.

I needn't have worried. I came away enormously impressed.

A new home in Portsmouth Dockyard

The museum is housed in an attractive old building alongside one of the dockyard's basins. Upon reflection, it is an appropriate location. Portsmouth Historic Dockyard already offers a wonderful collection of naval attractions, and the Royal Marines have an obvious and longstanding association with the dockyard.

On entering, the foyer initially seems quite understated, with the museum shop to the right and reception ahead. Visitors are directed towards two distinct areas, and it is here that one of the museum's greatest strengths becomes immediately apparent.

The designers have managed to separate the family-friendly, interactive experience from the more serious historical interpretation. This is something I particularly liked.

So many museums nowadays seem determined to appeal to everybody in the same space. The result can be a compromise that satisfies nobody, with historical content simplified to the point where it loses much of its value.

Here, the approach works extremely well. The more interactive and family-oriented exhibits occupy the outer areas, while the central space is devoted to the history of the Royal Marines.

The history at the heart of the museum

I would describe the central historical exhibition as a gateway into the Royal Marines' remarkable history and, importantly, into the museum's archive.

The space is arranged around a series of glass display cabinets, with further exhibits around the perimeter. The selection of artefacts is excellent, and the way they have been brought together tells the story of the Corps remarkably well.

There are interactive screens which allow visitors to explore the objects in greater detail. At the centre of the exhibition is a large interactive table, divided into three sections, through which visitors can explore a wonderful collection of photographs, maps, biographies and other material drawn from the archive.

The main exhibition area

The interpretation is particularly impressive. It is clear that considerable care has been taken to get the history right, rather than simply producing an attractive but superficial account.

I know something about the Anglo-French campaign in China between 1856 and 1860, and I was particularly interested to see how the Royal Marines' involvement in that campaign had been presented. I have to say that it was absolutely spot on, avoiding many of the historical pitfalls that can creep into more popular accounts.

Alongside the familiar stories of the two World Wars, the exhibition also covers more recent conflicts, including Northern Ireland and Iraq. The result is a genuinely comprehensive account of the Corps' history, extending well beyond the familiar episodes.

The Mahdi's Sudan artefacts

One particularly thoughtful feature is the treatment of the Sudan campaigns of the late nineteenth century. Among the artefacts on display are examples of clothing and weapons associated with the Mahdist forces.

What impressed me was that the museum team had taken the trouble to engage with the local Sudanese community, bringing together members of that community with historians and experts from the Royal Marines Historical Society.

This collaboration has produced a much richer interpretation. It is an excellent example of how museums can bring different perspectives together to provide a more rounded understanding of historical events.

A superb medal collection

One of the highlights for me was the display of medals.

The medal display

The medals are arranged thematically, with examples from different periods of the Corps' history, accompanied by relevant artefacts. It is a beautifully presented exhibition and one that deserves some time.

In front of the display is an interactive unit which allows visitors to explore the history behind the medals. You can look up recipients of the Victoria Cross, examine medal groups and discover more about individual objects.

In each case, there are photographs, biographies and supporting archival material. It is an excellent way of bringing the stories behind the medals to life, rather than simply displaying them as objects in glass cases.

Something for all the family

Having spent time in the central historical exhibition, I moved on to the more interactive areas around the outside.

The first section includes an impressive immersive presentation about the modern Royal Marines Commandos. It has something of the feel of a recruitment film, but it is very well produced and provides a good insight into the challenges faced by today's Royal Marines and the extraordinary demands of their training.

Beyond this is an area which I suspect is primarily aimed at younger visitors, although I would challenge anyone of any age not to find something entertaining here.

There is an eye-catching section devoted to the Royal Marines Band and its history, including the instruments used by the musicians. One of the interactive exhibits allows visitors to put on headphones and try their hand at playing drums, attempting to keep time with the Royal Marines Corps of Drums.

Joining the Corps of Drums

There are also opportunities to try various activities, including a climbing wall and drill exercises.

But perhaps the most spectacular of the interactive exhibits are the virtual reality experiences.

Put on a VR headset and you find yourself immersed in a military scenario, whether in the Middle East or another operational setting. You are moving through the environment with your fellow Marines, dealing with threats, engaging the enemy and, importantly, having to remain aware of the presence of civilians.

It is hugely entertaining and exceptionally well done. Although clearly designed to appeal to younger visitors, I suspect plenty of adults will enjoy it just as much. I certainly did!

A fitting place for remembrance

As you leave the exhibition, there is one final area which I thought was particularly appropriate.

This is a space devoted to remembrance, with photographs of Royal Marines who have lost their lives over the years. Visitors can also listen to the Royal Marines Prayer and other appropriate music while spending a few quiet moments reflecting on the sacrifices made by members of the Corps.

It provides a thoughtful and dignified conclusion to the visit.

Royal Marines - The Falkland Islands

A few minor reservations

No new museum is entirely without its teething troubles, particularly one which has opened relatively quickly following a substantial investment. There are one or two rough edges which I suspect will be ironed out as the museum settles into its new home.

For example, some of the labelling is a little awry, and there are occasions where labels are in place but the associated artefacts are not. These are relatively minor points, but tidying them up would undoubtedly improve the visitor experience.

The external signposting could also be better. Although there are signs directing visitors towards the building, there is no obvious sign on the building itself identifying it as the Royal Marines Museum. It took me a little while to establish that I had actually found the right place!

There are also inevitably some things that visitors might wish to see more of. I would have liked a little more material on the Royal Marines Artillery (RMA), which receives a mention but perhaps deserves rather more attention. That may, admittedly, reflect my own family interest.

Similarly, some visitors might wonder why certain artefacts from the history of the Corps are not on display. However, I think it is important to understand that this is not necessarily intended to be a traditional museum displaying as many objects as possible. Rather, the central exhibition provides a window into the much wider Royal Marines archive, allowing visitors to explore its photographs, documents, biographies and other historical material.

Seen in that context, the approach works extremely well.

One of the precious objects on display

A thoroughly worthwhile visit

So, what did I make of the new Royal Marines Museum?

I went along with relatively low expectations, concerned that the move away from Eastney might have resulted in something less substantial than the museum I had known and valued for so many years.

I could not have been more pleasantly surprised.

The new museum manages to achieve something that many museums struggle with: it successfully caters for different audiences without compromising the quality of the historical content.

The central exhibition is historically rigorous, intelligently interpreted and supported by an excellent selection of artefacts and archival material. The medal display is particularly impressive, while the interactive facilities provide a wonderful opportunity to explore the history in greater depth.

The family-oriented areas are equally successful, offering a range of activities that are genuinely engaging rather than simply being there to keep children occupied.

Most importantly, the museum treats the history of the Royal Marines with the seriousness and respect it deserves. It recognises the Corps' extraordinary heritage while also showing how it has evolved to meet the demands of modern warfare.

I still regret the loss of the old museum at Eastney, and I hope that something positive can eventually be done with that historic building. But having visited the new museum, I am convinced that the Royal Marines now have a very worthy home in Portsmouth Dockyard.

I went expecting to be disappointed. I came away genuinely impressed.

The total obliteration of Fort Loncin, Liege, Belgium (15 August 1914)

Nowadays, the once-mighty Fort Loncin, one of a chain of fortifications built around the strategically important Belgian city of Liège, resembles an alien landscape. The hill that once concealed the fort is now a jumble of peaks, craters and escarpments, punctuated by grotesquely tilted steel structures and twisted metalwork.

When I visited the site earlier this year, I expected to find evidence of wartime destruction. However, the scene that greeted my fellow battlefield walkers and me was astonishing. What had once been a formidable fortress had been transformed into a landscape of almost total devastation.

Fort Lonsin, Liège - copyrite Phil Curme

So, what had caused such devastation? To answer that question, we need to return to the opening days of the First World War and examine how Belgium had prepared to defend itself against the threat of a German invasion in the 1880s.

The rivalry between Germany and France continued unabated following France’s defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. The unification of the German states, coupled with the deeply resented reparations imposed on France, created the conditions for a future confrontation between the two great powers.

Belgium recognised that, in any future conflict, German forces might attempt to outflank French defences by advancing through Belgian territory. To counter this threat, a ring of forts was constructed around Liège to protect the strategically important crossings of the River Meuse and obstruct a German advance.

By the early years of the twentieth century, however, many of these fortifications had fallen into a state of disrepair, and their defences were increasingly outdated. Nevertheless, they would soon be called upon to play a crucial role in Belgium’s resistance to the German invasion of August 1914.

Destroyed casement, Fort Loncin - copyrite Phil Curme

The German Schlieffen Plan envisaged precisely such a manoeuvre. Compounding the perilous position of the Belgian defenders, the plan called for the Netherlands to remain neutral, providing Germany with what has often been described as a ‘neutral windpipe’ through which trade could continue in the event of war.

This left the German advance into France dependent on a rapid passage through Belgium. When General Alexander von Kluck’s First Army, some 320,000 strong, moved to attack France in August 1914, it faced a narrow corridor between the southern border of the Netherlands and the foothills of the Ardennes. The fortified city of Liège lay directly in its path.

The forts around Liège would have to be overcome—and quickly.

To overcome Belgian resistance, the Germans brought forward artillery of unprecedented calibre. The forts around Liège had been designed to withstand bombardment from 21 cm mortars, but the German siege guns proved far more destructive than the fortifications’ designers had anticipated.

Among the weapons deployed were road-mobile Škoda 30.5 cm howitzers, which could be transported into position to bombard the Belgian defences. More formidable still were the enormous 42 cm mortars, popularly known as Big Bertha. These siege guns could hurl shells weighing approximately 2,200 pounds over distances of up to nine miles, delivering a devastating blow against the concrete and steel fortifications.

Big Bertha, Fort Loncin Museum - copyrite Phil Curme

Under the weight of this artillery bombardment, the forts began to fall, despite the courageous resistance mounted by Lieutenant-General Gérard Leman’s force of some 34,500 defenders. The first to succumb was Fort Barchon, situated on the right bank of the River Meuse, to the north-east of Liège.

Conditions inside the forts were horrendous. The relentless bombardment, dust, heat and mounting casualties made life for the defenders increasingly unbearable. Matters were made worse by a significant design flaw: the latrines were located outside the main fortifications, separated from them by an exposed area vulnerable to enemy fire. This shortcoming was addressed in the much more modern Fort Eben-Emael, constructed in the 1930s.

The decisive moment came when only three forts remained in Belgian hands. As the massive Big Bertha mortars opened fire on Fort Loncin, the defenders could hear the approaching shells. Leman himself survived the bombardment and later described its terrifying intensity:

‘We heard a rushing of air which increased in intensity until it became a hurricane roar and ended in a dreadful crash of thunder; fountains of earth and smoke were thrown into the air, and the whole earth shook.’

The undamaged entrance to Fort Loncin - copyrite Phil Curme

Comparison - the undamaged cap at Fort Lantin

After more than two hours of bombardment, which must have driven the garrison to the limits of endurance, a shell penetrated the fort’s protective dome of concrete and steel and exploded in the magazine. The resulting blast devastated the fort and brought resistance to an end. Of the 550 men manning the fort, 350 became casualties. General Leman himself survived, just.

A German pioneer who had rushed forward to help the stunned and confused garrison described what he found.

We could hardly make out the trace of the fort. The ruins formed a miniature alpine landscape, with debris strewn about like pebbles in a mountain stream. Heavy artillery and ammunition had been thrown everywhere; a cupola had been blown from its place and now looked like a monstrous tortoise, lying on its shell. A few blackened and dazed Belgians were stumbling about the wreckage'.

This devastating demonstration of the destructive power of modern artillery prompted the surrender of the neighbouring forts of Hollogne and Flémalle, opening the way into France for von Kluck’s forces.

Fort Loncin Memorial - copyrite Phil Curme

There is a modest admission fee to visit Fort Loncin. Near the entrance, a fascinating little museum is packed with photographs, artefacts, uniforms and other memorabilia. To reach the fort itself, visitors must walk around a small bungalow that has been built, rather incongruously, within the boundaries of the destroyed fort.

On the day of our visit, the bungalow’s owner was also running the museum. Delighted to welcome us, he generously took the time to show us a wealth of additional material that was not normally on public display.

Given the experience of the Liège forts, it is perhaps surprising that the French Army embraced the concept of a static, fortified line to defend its frontiers in the 1930s. Moreover, the fall of Fort Eben-Emael to German airborne troops on 11 May 1940 would demonstrate that heavy artillery was not the only threat to the effectiveness of fortifications as a means of conducting defensive warfare.

For my portfolio of Liege photographs, including the forts, click here.