A new BBC series goes behind the scenes of the gruelling training that Royal Marine Commandos have to go through, culminating with four tests that must be passed. Watch a clip here:
Commando: Britain’s Ocean Warriors lets viewers see first-hand just what it takes to make the grade for one of the world’s most revered military units, while also exploring the ‘heritage, ethos, culture and indeed the modern role’ of the Royal Marine Commando.
According to the four-part series, the road to becoming a Commando begins with the ‘longest infantry training in the world’. With 26,000 hopefuls applying every year, only 400 go on to succeed.
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In the first episode, we meet young recruits Dom and Kane as they prepare to take on the four hellish final tests, completed over the course of a week. Only then can they call themselves a Commando, but if they don’t pass them all, eight months of training will be for nothing.
Matt Holmes, who was Commandant General of the Royal Marines between 2019 and 2021, says: “If you haven’t got a hint of nervousness, you’re probably lying – partly because it means so much to you.
“You’ve come through all that training and you’re desperate to pass the tests.”
The first test is known as the Endurance Course, which sees recruits tackle a 6.5-mile track within a time limit of 73 minutes to test stamina, nerve, speed and marksmanship.
Falklands veteran Ricky explains: “The first test: two-and-a-half miles of cross country – undulating ground, wading through bogs, crawling through tunnels, you’re freezing cold, you’re soaking wet – followed by a four-mile run, with a shooting test at the end of it, which must be passed.
“You’ve got to keep pushing yourself.”
Recruits then have to complete the 9 Mile Speed March, a team test that sees them start and finish a squadded run as a troop within 90 minutes.
“It’s a collective test, in time, in step with each other,” Ricky says.
“You need those other guys around you, and they need you as well.
“You’re getting from A to B, fit to fight at the end, that’s what the 9 Mile is designed for.”
After this, it’s the one-mile Tarzan Assault Course, which is designed to push recruits’ bodies to the limit – a test that is responsible for more serious injuries than any other.
"It’s high intensity military agility at speed, at height, ground, crawling, climbing, everything else,” Ricky explains.
“You can’t pace yourself, you’re overcoming lots of different types of obstacles as quickly as you can to maintain the momentum of battle.”
Within just 13 minutes, recruits must work through a number of obstacles including ‘The Deathslide’, ‘Commando Crawl’, ‘The Net’, ‘Rope Bridge’ and ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ before a rope climb up a 30ft wall.
If they finish after the time limit or miss any obstacles, they still fail the whole commando course.
Once finished with that, they’re still not done, with the 30 Miler still remaining – the longest task of the week, which is designed to ‘weed out the weak when they’re at their lowest ebb’.
With less than eight hours to finish the final test, recruits must race through 30 miles of varying terrain across Dartmoor, all while carrying 30lbs of equipment that would traditionally be taken into battle.
“Some of that is through bogs, crossing rivers, up and down hills, over undulating ground,” Ricky explains.
“It’s endurance of the highest level. To keep going, hours and hours and hours on end. You’ve got to navigate as well, it goes part and parcel with everything that we do in the Royal Marines.
“So much is riding on that test. Once you’ve passed it successfully, it is so special. You’ve earned your green beret, believe me. You really have.”
Watch Commando: Britain’s Ocean Warriors on BBC One on Sunday 8 May at 8pm.
Topics: TV and Film
Jess Hardiman