16 year old Commando
One of the Youngest Ever to Become an Elite Royal Marines Commando
I initially wanted to join the Royal Air Force. So when I was 15 years old I went to the careers office with my dad one Wednesday afternoon. When we got there however, the RAF office was closed but the Royal Marines office was open. It wasn’t long before I found myself hanging by my arms from a makeshift pull up bar across the stairs with this marine sergeant shouting ‘arms bend…and stretch’ as I preceded to do pull ups. I got to about 8 or 9 I think before he said ‘stop!!…yep you are fit enough’
A few weeks later and after getting permission to take time off from school, I attended and passed the pre-selection process for Royal Marines Commando Training, which was a gruelling 3 days of physical and mental tests.
A couple of months later, I then joined the Royal Marines Commando training programme, at the commando training centre in Devon, a shade over my 16th birthday. I arrived one cold morning in September 1991 at the infamous ‘commando halt’ train station not really knowing what I had let myself in for. There was about 54 of us in the initial group of recruits, most were lads in their early to mid 20's. I was the youngest.
19 Years old in Northern Ireland
The training to become a Royal Marines Commando is tough and over the next 8 months many of the original 54 dropped out or failed to pass the intensive series of tests along the way. By the time we reached the Commando phase there was about 24 of us left.
The ‘Commando Tests’ are the pinnacle of training. These are a relentless series of physically demanding tests of strength, stamina, and mental toughness. Many do not pass these tests and for them their journey is over. I passed all of them first time.
Job done, heading home!
After the 8 months of training, I was completely transformed. There were 15 of the original group of lads left and I was one of them. We had all successfully completed, the first time around, one of the hardest, most gruelling military courses in the world, the Royal Marines Commando training programme, and earned the right to wear the coveted Royal Marines Commando shoulder flashes and green beret with globe and laurel. Still at 16 years old I was one of the youngest ever to do so. The journey had begun!
Ready for anything!
From there I went on to serve all over the world in extreme, challenging and hostile environments. I had some amazing times, but that is for another blog perhaps!
