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mrbassbone
Acting Colour Sergeant
Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 710
Location: Orlando, FL USA
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 Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:03 am Post subject: Commando Training Centre |
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I just got through watching an hour special on Commando Training at the CTC Lymphstone in Devon. 53 recruits started in class 771 sometime in 1999 and only 13 finished.
Do the Musicians go through this course as well? |
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sticky blue
Corps Bandmaster
Joined: 09 Oct 2005
Posts: 1700
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 7:36 am Post subject: |
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of course we do - 'not' - back in the old days, there were some buglers who did the conversion course before being drafted to a Comando Unit but, I don't think this happens these days, also buglers who went for promotion did the general duties command course's rather than the band command course's, but again, that was a long time ago when the buglers branch was part of the general duties branch - there maybe a few bandies who have done the course but that was because they wanted to do it rather than had to - Military training is still carried out every year for all band ranks so as to be able to carry out the non musical duties. (check out the dairies link) We are All Royal Marines with the same cap badge and history. Some are serving, some are no longer serving - as someone once said - We are like a stick of rock, cut us in half and it says 'Royal Marine' all the way through
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Malcolm (Tommo) Thomas ex sticky blue
An advantage of growing old is that flossing your tooth takes much less time
Last edited by sticky blue on Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:26 am; edited 1 time in total |
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mrbassbone
Acting Colour Sergeant
Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 710
Location: Orlando, FL USA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:22 am Post subject: |
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| sticky blue wrote: | | of course we do - 'not' - back in the old days, there were some buglers who did the conversion course before being drafted to a Comando Unit but, I don't think this happens these days, also buglers who went for promotion did the general duties command course's rather than the band command course's, but again, that was a long time ago when the buglers branch was part of the general duties branch - there maybe a few bandies who have done the course but that was because they wanted to do it rather than had to - We are All Royal Marines with the same cap badge and history. Some are serving, some are no longer serving - as someone once said - we are like a stick of rock, cut us in half and it says 'Royal Marine' all the way through |
Reading the two brochures that outline a career in the RMBS, I noticed that you do have to attend the Leadership & Command Courses at Lymphstone. Granted, you are not being trained in the 30 week COMMANDO course, but how much of what was shown did you guys & gals have to go through?
Granted all services train their recruits differently, but I do know that with the USMC, you are always considered a MArine Rifleman first and then whatever specialty second. Us Navy types...well...even though we went through basic training and then off to the SOM...I always felt like we were musicians first and then sailors second. When on deployment, we were a band on a "floating hotel"...granted it was painted haze-grey. We stayed out of the way of the real crew. Our GQ stations were our racks. |
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Aaron Aardvark
Forum Mascot
Joined: 17 Oct 2005
Posts: 3871
Location: very secret MOD mascot retirement home
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:29 am Post subject: |
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yuk...Lymphstone......terrible place. I caught a nasty gland disease there  |
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sticky blue
Corps Bandmaster
Joined: 09 Oct 2005
Posts: 1700
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 8:49 am Post subject: |
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| mrbassbone wrote: | | sticky blue wrote: | | of course we do - 'not' - back in the old days, there were some buglers who did the conversion course before being drafted to a Comando Unit but, I don't think this happens these days, also buglers who went for promotion did the general duties command course's rather than the band command course's, but again, that was a long time ago when the buglers branch was part of the general duties branch - there maybe a few bandies who have done the course but that was because they wanted to do it rather than had to - We are All Royal Marines with the same cap badge and history. Some are serving, some are no longer serving - as someone once said - we are like a stick of rock, cut us in half and it says 'Royal Marine' all the way through |
Reading the two brochures that outline a career in the RMBS, I noticed that you do have to attend the Leadership & Command Courses at Lymphstone. Granted, you are not being trained in the 30 week COMMANDO course, but how much of what was shown did you guys & gals have to go through?
Granted all services train their recruits differently, but I do know that with the USMC, you are always considered a MArine Rifleman first and then whatever specialty second. Us Navy types...well...even though we went through basic training and then off to the SOM...I always felt like we were musicians first and then sailors second. When on deployment, we were a band on a "floating hotel"...granted it was painted haze-grey. We stayed out of the way of the real crew. Our GQ stations were our racks. |
When drafted to ship all everyone on board has an Action Station, including the band. Back in the old days before automation the bands usual Action Station was the Magazine, sending the shells up to the Guns, a high % of the were killed because they were locked down and if the magazine blew or the ship went down, well say no more - Again back in the old days the rearmost Gun Turret of the ship was manned by Royal Marines as they were considered to be better shots, the Captain would turn the ship - if the band were just embarked for a Jolly trip then the 'rack' it is but, someone would find them something to do - Royal Marines bands have a duel roll Music & Military so it depends on the situation
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Malcolm (Tommo) Thomas ex sticky blue
An advantage of growing old is that flossing your tooth takes much less time |
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chalkyc
Term 5s Passed
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Posts: 74
Location: SCOTLAND
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:40 pm Post subject: |
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I had good times military training in Lympstone. Remember going out one night and meeting a 10 beer darling !! Next morning woke up to see a picture of one of the training team at the bedside.
Made it back for breakfast and laughed the whole week....
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chalkyc
Term 5s Passed
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Posts: 74
Location: SCOTLAND
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 12:49 pm Post subject: On board |
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Going back to the music / military theme above, I remember on board the Fort Grange in 1986, we were heading for the Malaka Straits and an American ship before us had been boarded by modern day pirates and emptied of their cargo. Us being the only Royal Marines on board were given SLR'S and training 2 weeks before. The only person to get nearly shot was the chinese laundry man who came on deck for a quiet fag at 4am, a gun was cocked and he screamed at us. Paul Brennan (Looney) I believe was the rifle man.
Memories....
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Trying is the first step towards failure.
Homer J Simpson |
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jock
Lance Corporal
Joined: 03 Oct 2005
Posts: 281
Location: stuck in the bottom of an empty vodka bottle
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 1:40 pm Post subject: |
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nope it was bammy  |
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chalkyc
Term 5s Passed
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
Posts: 74
Location: SCOTLAND
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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Ah Bammy the pale skinned one. Your memory is obviously less pickled than mine !!
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Trying is the first step towards failure.
Homer J Simpson |
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jock
Lance Corporal
Joined: 03 Oct 2005
Posts: 281
Location: stuck in the bottom of an empty vodka bottle
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:34 pm Post subject: |
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i know it unusual for a monday, but im not pickled, YET  |
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Bronco
Trained Rank
Joined: 25 Feb 2006
Posts: 87
Location: South Devon
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:03 pm Post subject: |
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I transfered across to Lympstone for Commando training along with Bugler Dave Clay back in 1979. It was the toughest 6 months of my life. I transfered back to the Band service for many reasons shortly after completing training, yet never saw the training as a waste of time. It teaches you many things about yourself including your strengths and weakneses. Many aspects of a marine commando's job have been performed by the band service to great effect. This was evident in the Falklands war when Band service personnel were performing many tasks 'above and beyond' on the Uganda and Canberra, and more recently in Iraq.
The Band service is very unique ( we have Richie Barriball to prove it!!! )
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mrbassbone
Acting Colour Sergeant
Joined: 10 Feb 2006
Posts: 710
Location: Orlando, FL USA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Bronco wrote: | I transfered across to Lympstone for Commando training along with Bugler Dave Clay back in 1979. It was the toughest 6 months of my life. I transfered back to the Band service for many reasons shortly after completing training, yet never saw the training as a waste of time. It teaches you many things about yourself including your strengths and weakneses. Many aspects of a marine commando's job have been performed by the band service to great effect. This was evident in the Falklands war when Band service personnel were performing many tasks 'above and beyond' on the Uganda and Canberra, and more recently in Iraq.
The Band service is very unique ( we have Richie Barriball to prove it!!! )
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Speaking of that...what did the Bandies do during the Falklands War and in the Gulf? |
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Co-admin
Site Admin
Joined: 05 Nov 2005
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sticky blue
Corps Bandmaster
Joined: 09 Oct 2005
Posts: 1700
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:34 pm Post subject: |
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anything else you want to no mrbassbone ??
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Malcolm (Tommo) Thomas ex sticky blue
An advantage of growing old is that flossing your tooth takes much less time |
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sticky blue
Corps Bandmaster
Joined: 09 Oct 2005
Posts: 1700
Location: Over the hills and far, far away
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| Posted: Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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I think it's 'wet o'clock - the suns way over the yard arm - in fact it's so far over it's dark 
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Malcolm (Tommo) Thomas ex sticky blue
An advantage of growing old is that flossing your tooth takes much less time |
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