Commando Training Wing ExCommando Forge

by Sgt Johnson 365Tp and Cpl Roberts 369Tp

The last two iterations of Ex Commando Forge for Portsmouth Coy tested both 365 and 369 Tps’ Commando spirit against the forces of Dartmoor Search and Rescue (DSR) in evasion and survival. These exercises provided valuable lessons in understanding modern battlefield and traditional search techniques.

365 Tp’s mission was to travel undetected from Four Winds Car Park ten kilometres south to Brisworthy Wood, while Dartmoor Search and Rescue attempted to locate them. The recruits stepped off at 1200hrs; the weather was, of course, traditionally unkind to our recruits as per SOPs for Dartmoor. However, not as you might imagine, this time it wasn’t sideways rain and 80 mph winds, but clear skies and visibility for miles, giving Dartmoor Search and Rescue the advantage. Despite this, 365 Tp used their 32 weeks of Commando training, knowledge of camouflage and route selection, to avoid paths and tracks that DSR might have anticipated.

369 Tp being briefed on the Search and Rescue Dogs’ capabilities

DSR used drones to screen Jobbers Lane as the sections moved south, each skilfully using re-entrants and gullies to evade capture. When drone batteries began to drain, DSR improvised by charging them with a Land Rover real-world experience that they had not trained for before. Despite DSR’s persistent efforts, the recruits managed to remain undetected. However, with nightfall came the new challenge of thermal imaging. Each section was held up in the woodblock around Burrator Reservoir, protected from the drone. As the sections broke cover from the wood line, three in turn were detected by a thermal drone. The last section escaped detection as the final battery of the drone died. The exercise ended with a 3-1 victory for Dartmoor Search and Rescue. Despite the defeat, the recruits learned critical lessons about the vulnerabilities of ground manoeuvre in modern conflict zones and the importance of basic soldiering skills in evasion.

Next up, 369 Tp faced a different hunter to evade during their movement phase on Dartmoor. This time, a good old-fashioned K9: the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Dog Handlers. Cpl Roberts’ fortunate family connections meant that five DSR dogs were released in pursuit of the recruits. Each section was given an hour’s grace period to move across the ground, sit and conceal themselves in layup positions, and then await darkness.

Dr Paula Holbrook, the search manager, gave a brief to the recruits on how the dogs operated and what would make their jobs more difficult as handlers. However, the qualified and fully operational search dogs had no problems locating the entire Tp, despite the Tp’s best efforts and willingness to hide amongst some of the worst terrain Dartmoor has to offer. The final scores were 3-1 for the drone team and 4-0 for the dog team. It could be argued that traditional techniques proved to be more reliable than technology, at least in locating recruits.

Both exercises underscored the importance of adaptability, teamwork and the need for diverse skills in modern warfare. The recruits gained first-hand experience in evading both technological surveillance and trained search dogs, preparing them for real-world operations. The exercises also provided Dartmoor Search and Rescue with invaluable training, enhancing their ability to locate individuals in difficult terrain and under challenging conditions, which will no doubt help save lives on the moor in the future.

Hunter Coy: Keeping the Nod Train on the Tracks

Dr V Carr

Let’s be honest most people outside the wire think Royal Marines are born Green-Lidded, granite-jawed and yomp-ready. Maybe deep down, we like them thinking that. But everyone in the Corps knows the truth: it takes blood, sweat, phys and 32 weeks of being forged into a Royal Marine. For those who need a bit of extra time or take a detour on the road to the King’s Squad, that’s where Hunter Company steps in. Tucked away on the banks of the Exe, Hunter Company is the quiet engine room of CTCRM. Often overlooked, it’s home to the team who catch, coach, fix and fire back into training the recruits who’ve taken a knock physically, mentally, or just need a bit more time in the saddle before they’re good to go.

OC Hunter Coy Maj Matt Gray RM

CSM Hunter Coy WO2 Dave Green RM

Parker Hall rehab facility

ROP: Easing into MST: Every recruit’s journey kicks off with the Recruit Orientation Phase (ROP) a four-week limber-up before they’re released into the joys of mainstream training. It’s there to soften the blow of what’s coming, give them the admin basics and hopefully stop them from turning up in civvies asking where the kettle is!