US Marine reacts to Britain's Ocean Warriors - Part 3 

In the Falklands, (with the nearly 100lbs on their back) the Royal Marines walked from San Carlos 56miles to port stanley. Battling all the way against the argies

The old guy was so tough. We had an attempted mugging of an old man by three youths outside work in the late 90s . The old man would have been 70 plus years old and unknown to the muggers he was ww2 RM commando. At the age of 70 something he defended himself leaving one mugger unconscious, and a second with a broken arm. The third lad his 20s ran for it . Hard as nails

RIP Major General Matthew Holmes. "The former head of the Royal Marines died as a result of hanging after "concerns" about his marriage and career, an inquest hearing was told. Maj Gen Matthew Holmes, 54, who served in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan, was Commandant General Royal Marines from 2019 until April." So sad. It's heartbreaking that he couldn't reconcile the problems in his life.

I lost my old man in 2019, he was 73 and served in Borneo and Singapore with 42 Commando. I have his green beret here and it's a constant reminder of the kind of man that he was. RIP Dad X

My boy started his commando test week like many with damaged knee and double abdominal hernia. Just a few troops ahead of this one. He successfully earned his green lid along with others in his troop who sported other injuries including leg fractures

To put it simply; "The King's Badge (otherwise known as the Diamond) Award is an accolade for the best overall recruit during training." Those with the Diamond will hold command responsibilities and oversee the troop, It will also accelerate a commandos career going forward. Sick video dude.

The young lad is an absolute beast. By the way he talks you know he’s switched on with a positive attitude. I can see him achieving everything he strives for in life. Well done boys.

The red diamond at 17:04 means he is a 'Diamond'. Bascially one of the best blokes in the troop and would be given extra responiblities etc.

The Falklands campaign - a campaign that was fundamentally won by soldiering to the highest level. The Yomp, The Tab, the boys went to work. It then got added to the annuls of history where feats of daring do are legion. To get that green lid is special.

My Dad was a Royal Marine, served all through WW2. By the end of the war he was training RM Commandos. I've always had a soft spot for the Marines. Very proud of my Dad for his service of course.

The mad thing is that RM Officers have to do 64 weeks and the time allowance for all tests are also lower. 30 Miler is 7 hours for them. I can’t imagine getting through it all, let alone going in even as a Marine. Commando’s are a different breed.

Got to say dude, found the channel through this trilogy of videos. The respect you show the Royal Marines is amazing. There isn't any scoffing at them or trying to compete with them. That alone raises my respect for you. Subscribed.

Ex Bootneck here went though training in 1999 … i personally found the 30 miler the hardest for me anyway .. I was running on fumes before it started and felt like it was never gonna end I can remember feeling absolutey knackered at the first hill … but the fact of getting the green lid at the end and the fact of not wanting to do a re run of the gives you some determination to get it cracked

diamonds have been recognised as having certain quality's and when they have got there lid they go before a panel and one is chosen and get a award that they carry for life on there uniform and is very respected

A brilliant watch....I'm a 72 y/o British grandma and I'm so, so proud of these fellas

Saw a message today from the MOD saying that there are 50 recipients of the Falklands Campaign Medal still serving in either Reserves or still in the regulars. Amazing.

Absolutely amazing At the risk of they 'keyboard warriors'....... Most of us couldn't carry that weight for 30 meters, yet alone 30 miles. Not only the UK, but to all men (and women) who are so passionate and committed and serve their country........ "We Salute You" You are an amazing example of commitment and courage

Absolutely superb! Being British this fills me with pride

one of my friends was in the Falkland's when they were told that all the helos had gone down with the Atlantic conveyer ship when it was sank , when they were told by the commanding officer they had to walk over the mountains and bogs to port Stanley and carry all of there gear, he asked for any comments and one marine said ok boss which way is Stanley, that's the esprit de corps.

It's the test directing staff who navigate the route for enlisted recruits. Officer recruits run the 30-miler test in small 4-man teams without supervision and must navigate the route themselves.

I watched this series when aired and wanted to watch it again with you so to speak. I have said it before i'll say it again, your respect for our Military is admirable and very much appreciated, thank you for all your kind comments. I am so pleased you are our Brothers from across the pond.

Very proud of these great Green Lidders! Congratulations Brit gents on your achievements. Train hard, fight easy! True Brit Grit👏👍

I have to give you the utmost respect Theo for the appreciation you give our British troops. After will did our final battle camp and a gruelling 28 miler we went straight into a assault course at sennybridge. Yes you are right!! “If You Know You Know” 👍

Huge respect for you man to be so humble about your training

I appreciate your observations because you clearly know what you are talking about. You've been there. Thanks. Keep coming.

Theo this was great, you keep showing things like this and I for one will keep watching, really liked this “cheers.”🇬🇧👍🏻

This was a fantastic short series, I would highly recommend the final episode (ep 4) about the Mountain Leader course, it's amazing!

Maj Gen Holmes sadly took his own life hence the obituary at the end. RIP.

What amazes me is the fresh faced boy is 16 or 17 in this series... I joined the British Army at 16... But it was not the marines.... Jesus this kid has an amazing career in front of him... It's mind blowing...

I like how the Commandos take heed to history, lessons learned baked into training and tactics. I believe this setup of making the yomp in relation to what you learn during the boot camp, a winning formula. I don't know if they do this here but I know the Commandos do their exercises as close to a moment in war as possible when it comes to testing the core of their soldiers. 30 miles under 8 hours - that's hardcore seen from any angle on its own! (The end test of the Swedish Jaegers is similar. Heavy loads, long yomp, and combat-related tasks after that. Like a 30-hour yomp carrying a total of 160 lb+ before a LEX with MAAWs and claymores, after which you carry off your wounded and finish with a run back to home base. All after a week-long free war exercise.)

The red diamond is ment as a symbol of best in training. The diamonds go in front of a selection panel and the best is given the king’s badge

Walking 56 miles with 80lb packs in subarctic conditions and then fighting a battle almost unbelievable....

Im a merchant seafarer, one of my captains was the second officer on the atlantic conveyor when it got hit..

Came across this by accident..couldn't stop watching it. Very well done to you all..Your country is proud of you

I know that Dartmoor terrain well, having lived and walked there for years. It's gnarly - seriously gnarly. The bogs and the tussock grass are exhausting - they break your rhythm every second step. To yomp over it with a heavy pack would be *seriously* challenging...

The training for these long marches really paid off when the majority of the Falkland task force helicopters were sunk while in transit and the marines, as well as other units, had to trek across the whole island carrying all their kit at speed and fighting along the way. Edit: Nevermind the Birgadier explains just that 🤣

I was at the Commando Training Centre in 1963. I had joined as a junior marine entry straight from school. One day during training on the assault course a big burly sergeant trainer approached me and a few of my recruit mates, and told us that the green beret is bullet proof. He kept a straight face while saying this and for a split second I almost believed him!! Best bit of bullshit that I ever heard.

Clifford is definitely one of those old veterans you sometimes hear about in the news, where some kid has tried to rob him and ended up taking a beating

Loved the reaction, the analysis and comparisons. Take you time with the rest of the series fit them in whenever you can, i really enjoyed these vids

In training they wear the blue beret with red tombstone behind the cap badge (historically worn by all Royal Marines who were not commando's; there used to be a lot of them RM Engineers, ships detachments, RM Infantry Brigades, the Armoured Support Group, Landing Craft crews and of course the band. After the Korean war most became Commandos with the exception of trainees and the RM Band Service? the cap comforter is worn in the field. Unlike the paras who give anyone their hat, you don't get the green lid unless you have passed the commando course. Candidates for the Kings Badge (like best recruit but far more important) wear the Diamond badge on their chest. The cap badge you asked about is the generals cap badge, worn there by a very fine gentleman RIP

40 years ago today...the Victory! I was in the RN then. Loved it.

Those boys deserve nothing but respect. Well fucking done you beautiful lads. You do our country proud. Big up the Royal Marines.👍

My Grandad build the Atlantic conveyor, he was hull construction manager on the project at swan hunters.

there is a bar on site open to anyone after the first couple of weeks of training, the chaplins office has a movie projector and is a safe zone from instructors.

Great work .. that was a great series and hope you get to see the rest of it. Nice to hear the opinion of someone who has experienced the military as you have .. all the best from a UK Veteran.

Dartmoor is indeed gnarly. Our prevalent weather systems come from the West and travel 3000 miles across the Atlantic and the first bit of high ground they hit is Dartmoor. I've hiked on moorland all over Britain but for some reason I can't explain Dartmoor feels different. It has a quite a dark and forbidding atmosphere and the weather changes very quickly. You truly get four seasons in one day. Several times when I've been there I've experienced hot sunny weather, thick fog, horizontal rain, hail, thunder and lightning, all in the space of a few hours. You need good navigation skills especially when the fog rolls in which can happen very quickly. There's a prison in the middle at Princetown and after it was built it used to be the place they sent the most dangerous criminals because if they escaped and tried to cross the moor there was a good chance they would die in a bog or from exposure. It was also the setting for the Sherlock Holmes story 'The Hound of the Baskervilles'. I once went there on a field course and my friends and I were getting some supplies at a small shop in Princetown. The old lady who ran it looked at the sky and said: "Fogs coming in boys. Stick to the roads. Don't go on the moors!" Just like the woman at the Slaughtered Lamb in 'An American Werewolf In London"☹

One of the best fighting forces in the world that make us British extremely proud 👏👏👏👏

17:23 he’s wearing the badge of the diamond. Only the top performing recruits get selected to be a diamond, from then they are up for being awarded the kings badge.

Just finished all three videos, that was amazing! I tried joining the Army (UK) back in 2000 but unfortunately couldn't pass the medical tests due to having chronic migraine amongst something else I had no idea about. everyone in this video is a legend. R.I.P to those two chaps that passed away.

Absolutely excellent! So proud of them and their heritage. Thank you for showing this!

there is only one civilian who has qualified as a RM commando Chris Terrill. he earned the green beret without carrying a weapon. he wanted to document the training, but not as a outsider looking in, but as a trainee. because of this he was allowed to deploy to afghanistan with a unit embedded as one of them. he is also the oldest to pass the course. aged 55

OMG great Video !!! My Cousin was a RMC and I was so proud of him at his passing out parade. The Diamond on his shirt signifies that he is the best in the class. I now live in Devon just over the estuary from Lympstone and get the helicopters flying over my house (Very Low) and often see boats in the river, makes me feel safe knowing those hard bastards are close by. Would love it if there was some way Theo could get to do the 4 Tests.. I believe that he would do it as he seems to be made of the right stuff.

I watched this series just a few weeks ago but it's awesome watching through it again along with your reactions, Theo. The following episodes are just as good, if not better so I hope you carry on! Big respect to the Commandos.

Please keep this series going the next episode looks amazing

Hats off to these guys. 30miles is 48km, longer than 41.95km marathon which is done without a bergen and riffle. They are really tough and super fit. They should be paid well for the kind of work they do.

Awesome....some tears in the eyes here. These guys have done incredible things....more than I could ever dream of....I want to salute them all but of course I can't because I haven't done the training........but in my mind I salute them all.

Thank u so much for your comments and your service too. 😊💕

Really enjoyed this 3 part series. Thanks!

I've just watched the rest of the episodes and you've got to try and react to them. The final episode is absolutely amazing. It follows experienced Royal Marines attempting the elite 8 month Mountain Leader Course, to become Mountain Leaders. The Mountain Leader Cadre are expert mountain climbers, including climbing snow and ice, advanced skiers, elite mountain and arctic warfare specialists, survival specialists, and reconnaissance specialists. They're the most elite tier within the Royal Marines Commandos.

So Glad I came across this channel! Really enjoyed watching them achieving their goals to be a Green beret Commando in the Marines. Makes one proud to be British! As the Americans are proud of their arm forces keeping us all safe.

It brought a tear to my eye so proud of Our lads

Respect to the Royal Commandos. Love and respect from Finland. What comes to arctic warfare, that is different story to tell.

First and foremost a respectful and complimentary video by a former US marine who didn't sit there saying he was better. Congratulations to all those who passed their commando course Big respect to all Armed forces, our veterans, serving and fallen who we must never forget 🙏

They are shown how to shape their berets in training (wetting and shaping) however, once completed, they can't wear them until they pass. Believe they also put them on a table outside the dorms to remind them what they are training for

Also the diamonds on the rank slide are given to recruits who have leadership qualities so they are normally the section commanders by the end of training.

Major General Matt Holmes CBE DSO who was shown at the end of this was a great guy and amazing leader. Sadly he took his own life. Another casualty of a life at war and personal issues. I shed a tear on seeing him put his lid on. RIP Royal

Joined the marines at 17 years 9months in 1970. The 30 miler at that time was run in groups of 5 with one weak link in every five. You all had to finish to pass. The fun part for the medical team was cutting the skin of your blisters and giving the raw flesh a coating of iodine. It worked and you were able to continue. Troop started with 75, 13 of the original finished !

I’m so proud to be British! Our army/navy/airforce/any armed forces are all volunteers. They’re the best in the world. Many nations come to us for inspiration and training. God bless the men and women in each and every service that keeps us/you/me and other nations safe and sound. 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

17:31 The diamond badge indicates the contenders for the King's badge, which is given to the best recruit at the end of training. 19:49 When you get to colonel, you wear that cap badge instead of your unit cap badge.

The spacing was Covid it’s the usual arms length in 2 or three ranks. We get the berets the week of the tests to shape. The cape that the recruits have on are also earned and were worn by commandos in WW2. That’s a recruit diamond each section of 8 lads have a diamond who is the leader. This is also selected and an honour to have.

The diffrent Golden Capbadge is worn by high ranking officers generally anything from brigade level onward.

i watched it locally as live in UK, but loved watching how other people perceive us British and how we do stuff ;o) ,, good video

Absolute love your respect for all nations military. My old man served in the British and American forces.

I believe that 'hanging out' is the shortened version of 'hanging out of my own arse'

Glad you enjoyed it and did the reaction video. I’ve met Julian Thompson, he was in charge of the amphibious landing on the Falklands. Very interesting to hear him talk about the war. Clever and honest man. Now I have heard of UK troops training in the USA who were surprised that there were buses taking them everywhere rather than going on foot. And on a charity war grave tour in Europe the Brits were a bit critical of the stamina and technique of the US troops when it came to walking from A to B. Personally I like the cadences of the US military. Better than bagpipes. If you ever want to wind up a British soldier just criticise his marching or praise someone else’s. Thanks again for the videos.

My elderly neighbour is a former RM career officer (we live about 15 miles from Lympstone). He is a hilarious font of stories from his days all over the world including a very amusing tale about how he and another junior (at the time) officer got a severe bollocking from their CO for inadvertently almost resurrecting the American civil war amongst a group of US marines and sailors they were hosting on board during some joint exercise or other. I forget the details, but it was something innocent on their part that somehow managed to cause a few ructions when the Americans were back on board their own vessel. There may have been beer involved.

Matt Holmes was a Major General in the RM [Gold cap badge] who took his own life by hanging, he was 54!

I love the respect and enthusiasm you have for British Forces. I wish I knew someone who could invite you to participate in the training our soldiers go through as I know you would get a massive kick from it. Enjoy your training in Finland, they have fantastic professional armed services there.

Dude, I watched the entire series, if you can you really really need get the other segments as it shows that completing the 30mile yomp isn't the end. Its only the beginning. Night climbs, Ice climbs, survival training. So much more starts at the end of the 3.

brilliant review. hats off to the US Marines too.

the ROYAL MARINES are a special outfit!,it was briefly mentioned in this video but what they did in the Falklands was unbelievable!. RIP to all involved

Great series, thanks for this

The noddy hats are exchanged for the Green lid then taken by the Marine and shaped to the form of a Marines style. The noddy hats I think look amazing.

The diamond is because he has been recognised by the training team as a very skilled recruit so they have more responsibility. It also puts them forward for the king badge which goes o your uniform and it gives you chances to get promoted a head of your oppos

I remember yomping across the falklands pissing with rain, blowing a gale and at night so we could start a fight at o600, it was the hardest and most miserable thing i have ever done. well done those recruits.

This made me think of the Grandad I never met,as he died before I was born. He was with RM commando signals in the special service brigades during WW2. His son,my Uncle,became a Rhodesian Army Scout.

Those instructors are super fit. They do it all with them and when they finish they start it again with new recruits. One 30 miler sounds bad enough

I have to say mate , sorry couldn't find your name and I don't want to disrespect you , I have to say I really enjoyed watching that with you and you didn't talk too much or say anything that was annoying or inappropriate so yeah , thoroughly enjoyed it. It was especially good to see the respect you have for our servicemen just as we have respect for the US Marines and all that they do for the safety of our world . You remarked that you didn't think too many would sit through the whole thing in one sitting but lol I did . Thanks for posting and watching and well thanks for your service. Good luck in the future and may Matt Holmes and Clifford Coates rest in peace. What two better warriors are there for us all to look up to and strive to emulate .

Something I notice from all the veterans on this is that they all have a certain intensity in the eyes. It's like a 'don't f with me' kind of stare that just shouts of how you would be the one that's down and hurting.

My youngest son was a Royal Marine Commando. I was so proud of him x

You just got to love Dartmoor, spent lots of time up there whilst in the army and as a civvy, it can be your worst nightmare and just a stunning location to be. I’m lucky enough for it to be a stones throw from where I live.

Yes mate my younger brother was in the 6th Paras and I am so proud of him that he did what he did. He saw action in Cypress during the fighting that went on there years ago when the island was in an uprising.

Recruits are sized for berets and are given them to shape for the ceremony (immerse in water). The Section commanders - the higher level recruits - are given the badge . They are called Diamonds - for obvious reasons. Brigadier Thompson was my CO in 40 Cdo and then ended up running the show down Zouth in the Falklands. These kids today are as good, if not better. Very proud. RIp Matt Holmes.

On every British armed forces course there is a nominated "duty recruit". The symbol represents duty recruit/student.

Our Falklands War: A Frontline Story Recently uploaded to BBCi player.. It's one of the best war docs I've come across in a long time.

WOW INCREDIBLE SERVICE .... THANK YOU

You only navigate the 30 miler as a YO (Young Officer) but regular nods (recruits not going for officer) don't. The YOs also need to complete theirs in 7 hours. On the 30 mile route there are 2 memorials of people who died: one a WO1 (Ex RSM) and a bootneck who applied for the YOs- the rest of his syndicate had to carry his body to the next checkpoint due to it being inaccessible for vehicles.

Bit of history for you. The Blue Beret with Red patch was issued to Royal Marines. The Commando roll came in during WWII. The operational headdress in WWIi was the “Cap-Comforter” and modern recruits wear it during the commando phase of training. The Royal Marines became Commando in 1942 and wore the “Commando” beret from then on.

Hi Combat Arms Channel, Thank you for your kind words and what seems like genuine admiration you have for us Royal Marines, I retired along time ago but am still in touch daily with Royal Marines I served with. It always makes me smile when I watch something with recruits putting there lid on for the first time. Just to answer some of the questions, or what we did anyway.. We first got presented our green berry straight after the 30 miler It wasn't shaped at that time. You then took it back to the grot and spent a week shaping it before pass out where we got presented it again in the Falklands hall infront of family and friends. The red diamond is one of the section commanders in the troop, there were 4 in my troop, then we all got interviewed at the end of training on things like Corps history, Military knowledge etc and one received the Kings Badge which they wear for the rest of there career. I am not sure but didn't hear them mention the weight you carry for the tests. It was 22Lb plus riffle in my day but believe its 21Lb now. Heavy when wet

You get to shape the berret after the 9 miler