What do St. David's Day & the United States Marine Corps have in common?

During the Boxer Uprising (1900), at Tientsin and Peking, the Marine Battalion in the international relief column was Brigaded with the Royal Welch Fusiliers (23d Foot), one of Britain's most renowned Regiments. The resulting fellowship between the two organizations is symbolized each year on St. David's Day (1 March, the Welsh national holiday), when the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Colonel of the Fusiliers exchange by dispatch the traditional watchword of Wales: "...And St. David." The greeting is reciprocated on 10 November, the birthday of the Marine Corps.

http://marinecorpsbrotherhood.usmchq.com/custom2.html

The Royal Welch Fusiliers have their own customs for St. David's Day as well:

The Royal Welch Fusiliers do not celebrate battle honours but the national day of Wales, St David's Day (1st of March) is celebrated wherever there are Royal Welch Fusiliers. In Battalions the ceremony 'Eating the Leek' is observed by the youngest soldier in each company, and by newly-joined officers and guests at dinner in the Officers' Mess, whilst drummers and fifers, led by the Regimental Goat, march round the table.

It is only on St David's Day that the Loyal Toast is drunk. Shortly after the 1797 Nore Mutiny when dining with the Regiment, King George IV expressed his wish that the Loyal Toast should be dispensed with as 'the loyalty of the Royal Welch is never in doubt'.

http://www.rwfnet.co.uk/news/tradition.htm

My wee Red Dragon flag will be flying from my desk at work today, Derek, in honour of you and all of Welsh heritage.

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus! Happy St David's Day!

Slainte!

Todd