About this time the Corps was introducing a Swedish anti-tank weapon. It was the 84mm Carl Gustav and a real lump, I think it weighed about 35 pounds plus the Rounds! It was deadly and widely bought. What no-one realised, at first, was that when fired the Venturi Tube/Breech ‘rang’ at a very high pitch causing lasting hearing damage. Once that was spotted a canvas ‘muffler’ was affixed but for many that came too late so they were medically discharged.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 10 Aug 2020 13:23:02 BST
The brick building in rear is the old a Gymnasium.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 10 Aug 2020 13:05:48 BST
If any Instructor at CTCRM is reading this he can wander off to the left from the stream at the bottom of the re-entrant, trees were marked in paint for route markers and he will find the ‘second’ bog, it was about 100 yards, slightly uphill leading towards the “Smartie Tube” Tunnels on the old 25 yard (not meters then) Pistol and Sten a Range. If brought back into use timings might have to be amended, it was really sticky and hard work!
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 10 Aug 2020 13:04:09 BST
If you drive from Woodbury to Budliegh Salterton you pass thru a junction known to Royal Marines as Four Firs, further down the road on the right hand (southerly) side you will pass two brick built sentry posts about 100 yards apart. During WW2 when the Range, now part of the Endurance Course was in use, these would be manned. When any traffic approached their job was to was to notify the Firing Point, the order, “Cease Fire!” given, Red Flags run up, and only then would traffic be allowed to proceed. Back then some of our Instructors had trained at Dalditch Camp on the Woodbury Common so we had this type of yarn from them.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 10 Aug 2020 12:52:17 BST
You can see that he has tried to waterproof his rifle because once back at CTCRM he will be firing ‘live’ as part of the Course, 10 rounds at ‘snap’ targets on 25 metre range. A good shoot can knock time of the run.
Posted by David Prichard on Sun 09 Aug 2020 09:42:50 BST
Fourth from left was an ex-Para and Sniper (Nicholson?) next to,him is “Dutchy” Van Beck later WO2, he was the other B Pass, C was Average, D meant try again, E meant Goodnight Ladies!
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 21:07:44 BST
The other Corporal is named Holmes and he was the holder of the Kings Badge.
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 20:57:09 BST
I think he joined from the RMR where he had earned a Green Beret so this was second time around.
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 20:20:21 BST
The current tunnel is far more sophisticated and Recruits now go under water and depend on their Oppos to get through safely, once you have done this you are soaked to the skin, not funny in a Winter! They work in threes, one swimming, one shoving and the other grabbing and hauling!
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 20:16:32 BST
781 Squad RM yomping up onto Dartmoor for field firing. It must be Winter (gloves) but a fine day, Dartmoor could be very cruel! There is no-one looking at the camera as you might expect.
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 20:11:22 BST
I was up on Woodbury Common one gorgeous Summers’ Day doing Section Battle Drills/Attacks. It was mid-afternoon and the lads had been working flat out and we arrived at the Water Tank. I shouted, “ Strip off, keep boots on (in case of glass) you have a 10 minute break. “ They were soon in hooting and hollering with me acting as Weapons Sentry. I dug out my ‘The Infantry Platoon in Battle’ Book (Vol lV) and was having a quick refresh when the Camp Commandant turned up out of the blue. He was Colonel A J S Crockett RM. I believe he was the holder of the DSO. I saluted and explained, he made no demands. At 10 minutes I gave a blast on my NCOs whistle, the lads were soon rigged and ready for the off. I gave the axis of advance heading up to Four Firs, put in another Attack with the Commandant tagging along, talk about me being nervous! Transport was waiting, He called me to one side and thanked me saying, "I enjoyed that, Corporal."
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 13:19:53 BST
In those days non-Royal Marines joining Brigade did a 1 week Acquaint at Lympstone then joined up with Recruit Squads on a “sink or swim” basis. Not many failed because by that time the actual Squad would have a strong Team Spirit and would help anyone struggling in ‘their’ group. Some did fail then it was a case of “pack your bags and leg it!”
Posted by David Prichard on Sat 08 Aug 2020 12:51:37 BST
Posted by Pete Rogers (Admin) on Fri 07 Aug 2020 14:46:25 BST
6th from left is ‘Pincher’ Martin later a Drill Instructor Sergeant at CTCRM, saw him when on RMR attachment to 41 Commando RM in Sardinia on Exercise ‘Dawn Patrol’ an Annual massive NATO Ex centred around US 6th Fleet - Awesome! Starts at Gibraltar ends in Turkish Thrace. Involved UK, US, Dutch, Italian, Greek and Turkish Marines, these latter will NOT train together!
Posted by David Prichard on Fri 07 Aug 2020 11:30:24 BST
Magazine on .303” Bren held 28 rounds, these were rimmed rounds , the 7.62mm Bren used rimless rounds.
Posted by David Prichard on Wed 05 Aug 2020 19:19:21 BST
This should be seen together with 2 Section loading before patrol, I was
Section Bren Gunner.
Posted by David Prichard on Tue 04 Aug 2020 23:01:17 BST
TOMS’ brother was also in the Corps at that time, another ex-coal miner.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 18:10:15 BST
In those days every Marine had a dhobi bucket, pussers scrubbing brush and dhobi powder in brown Trip Flare tin, it kept the powder dry, my tin is in the garage now!
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 18:08:46 BST
On patrol we would routinely see large groups of these Baboons scampering across a Country, there would be hundreds!
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 18:04:55 BST
Over the years the bogs disappeared but at one time there were two, this is the first then it was through the small copse and away to the left where the second bog awaited, this was very long and slightly uphill, one hell of a drag. In my day we started on the old brick road (built with bricks carted up from bomb damaged Exeter when there was a big RM Camp at that location. This was the original 600 Yard Rifle and Machine Gun Range). We ran down and straight across to the Butts, through both bogs to the start line then made a second circuit the same way. There were no Water obstacles or Tunnels. The run back to Camp was the same but at the bottom of Red Barn Lane we ran down to Pink House Corner onto the Exmouth Road then back up to the Main Gate.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 17:59:39 BST
Recruit on Endurance Course.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 17:47:46 BST
This Recruit is just through the Water Tunnel on the ‘new’ route Endurance Course. He wears ‘58:Pattern Fighting Order his Personal Weapon is the 7.62mm Self Loading Rifle (SLR)
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 17:46:44 BST
Coming out of the Water Tank.
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 17:42:01 BST
Recruit ‘on the ropes’ over water tank at CTCRM. He is NOT admiring the view! I was showing a USMC Officer around the Camp on his Acquaint Week (which was all any got in those days - no long ‘beat-up’ at RM Chivenor). They were then thrown in with a Recruit Squad and it was sink or swim, fail and pack your bags. He stood at the bottom of the main Drag looked out across the Exe Estuary and said, “This is a most beautiful place to put a Commando Training Centre.” Not commonly known is that if a US Marine fails the Course he flies home and is sacked!
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 17:28:57 BST
The building to their right was the Trained Ranks Galley, to the immediate rear the old NAAFI , Corporals Club and the “Blue Pig” Bar where local Scrumpy cost a tanner (sixpence about 2 1/2 pence), Happy days and nights. Out of sight to the left was the Recruits “Galley where they would rush, yaffling spanners grasped firmly anxious to top up on loads of scran and gophers!
Posted by David Prichard on Mon 03 Aug 2020 17:12:11 BST
