Simon Campbell

Posted at 1523 hours on 27/06/08 | Posted in Life

Campbell, J Royal Marines Commando

Its very rare I talk about my boys’ achievements as it’s up to them to carve out their niche in this world, but in this article I make an exception. After all its my blog and I can do what I like!!! Giggleswick, the school Jim attended was fortunate to have, as part of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), a Royal Marines detachment – one of only 18 in the country…

When it came to choosing a CCF service from Army, RAF and Royal Marines. Jim, typically, went for the most hardcore option; the Royal Marines and this is where he caught the bug.

He decided not to go to university and drove us mad, hanging around the house for 12 months. As you can imagine we had many conversations about what he was going to do next!! One day he announced he was going to join up, we had talked about it and I was delighted as I really believed that it would be good for him.

Not being from a military family, we were very green and didn’t know really who or what the Marines were. Clearly they have a reputation for excellence but it wasn’t until I started to delve into the history that the true magnitude of their achievements became apparent. This was a fantastically successful fighting force; the best in the world.

The next thing we looked at was the selection criteria which looked daunting indeed. I will skip over this as its pretty tedious but if you want to know the full story visit the website of the Royal Marines Commando’s. Believe me, to pass all the criteria so you can start basic training is an achievement in itself; I calculated that Jim was one out of 80 hopefuls that made it to training.

The Commando Training Centre, Royal Marines is located at Lympstone outside Exeter. When he went off with his bag packed, many of his friends and of course us lot, his family, waved him off at the station in Colne. There were tears…

The Royal Marines Commando course

The Royal Marines training is the longest basic infantry training programme of any NATO combat troops. Jim engaged upon the 32 week training programme joining 594 troop with some trepidation.

Showing at the same time was the ITV series ‘Commando’ which documented a troop of guys undertaking the fearsome training programme. Angela, Joe (my youngest son) and myself watched in horror as the series documented, in detail, the horrendous journey through the system of the 50 recruits. Each week more blokes were eliminated from the programme due to injury, inability to pass tests and just giving up… Throughout the show, the action cut to Afghanistan, showing the Commando’s in action.

When he is away normally, we never hear from him; all change now as he called us every night without fail. Watching the series and talking to Jim at length I became more and more impressed with the organisation. The training team teach the guys, by demonstration, to do everything; how to shower, shave, clean their teeth, literally everything. They never tell them to do something they have not been shown how to do.

If you make a balls up in any way its press-ups, lots of them and of course these are marine press-ups… If it a bad cock up and you have exhausted your ability to do press ups, they will move you to squat trusts etc etc… Badass.

The instructor team are not permanent ‘teachers’ coming from operational units and going back into operational units once they have done their ‘stint’ as trainers. The recruits therefore benefit as they are being taught by real, active Royal Marines who know what its all about, not teachers (but don’t get me on that subject – I feel another article coming on).

The other great thing is that Officers train at the same base; this gives a real team feel and is quite different to the other forces which tend to have ‘Officer’ training establishments such as Dartmouth, Cranwell and Sandhurst.

On a few occasions Jim has told me of officers and NCO’s (Non Commissioned Officers) coming out on the monster ‘yomps’ (these are basically runs across Dartmoor with between 30/140 pound of weight in their packs known as ‘burgans’) just because it was a ‘nice day and ‘fancied the exercise’. This clearly not only built a bond between recruit and the instructor team, but also showed the recruits that it wasn’t that difficult!!!

I could go on about the arduous course but if you are really interested go on the excellent [Royal Marines website](http://www.royalmarines.mod.uk) and you can see week by week what they have to face…

Pass out

So, he passed out and one of only 15 ‘originals’ that started the course with 594 troop. It was an amazing day which again generated tears amongst family and friends. The whole Campbell family was immensely proud that he made it. Even our friends are telling everyone.

I did notice after the pass-out when he walked in with his green beret (I cried) that, compared to his friends, he was now different. He carries himself differently and has a confidence that belies his nearly 20 years; I am sure after operational experience he will change again.

He is now off to Leckenfield to do a month ‘driving’ courses where he will learn to drive everything with wheels and tracks which of course are great skills and qualifications to achieve for his future. Following this he goes to join his first choice unit, 45 Commando based at HMS Condor in Arbroath and then probably off to Afghanistan in September.

Finally

It’s currently fashionable to criticise the military. My experience has been nothing but excellent to date and I am not worried about his ability to do the job; the training was superb. I am also not worried about his colleagues, NCO’s and Officers. After meeting a selection I would be proud to be in a team with and commanded by them. I am always worried however about the idiot politicians who decide what they do (I am not saying its wrong to be doing what they are currently doing incidentally).

So summing up, I am the proudest father in the world and to all those who didn’t think that he could do it, I will restrain myself from saying I told you so.

Will keep you all posted with his progress…

12 comments

1. Stephen Hodgkins on 23/07/08 at 1856 hours

   Good to see your son picked the best unit within the british military. Incidentally the only purely fighting force this country currently has. The unit that gets the job done !!!!

   He will never regret the decisions he has taken and whilst he will have some hard times over the next 36 months, only good can come of his time with the marines.

   Marines ..... Only the best.

   I still do stuff from time to time with 42 special ops unit at Lympstone and Barnstaple and will look out for him.

2. Simon on 24/07/08 at 0835 hours

   Thanks for your comment.

   Yes, i agree with you - the best…

3. Karen Harwood on 03/08/08 at 1832 hours

   Wow - Congratulations to your son and your family, you must be so very proud of him.

   What a fantastic achievement for a young man and what a career prospect ahead.

   You need to lock him up from all those girls who have a passion for a man in uniform - he will be a heartbreaker!

   My son is away playing CCF on a destroyer in Portsmouth.

   
   Regards

   
   Karen x

4. Simon on 03/08/08 at 2024 hours

   We are indeed… Try locking up a Royal Marine :-)

5. Jordan on 11/06/09 at 2322 hours

   I just stumbled across this sight, I actually served with James in afghan we were in the same tent together

6. Simonski on 12/06/09 at 0038 hours

   I have heard about you! Check out the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/erskinecorp/sets/72157619161066314/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/erskinecorp/sets/72157605878432369/

   I am writing an article on the medal parade shortly…

7. online stock trading advice on 11/01/10 at 0210 hours

   I usually don’t post on Blogs but ya forced me to, great info.. excellent! … I’ll add a backlink and bookmark your site.

   
   I’m Out!  :)

8. Jonny Knight on 24/09/10 at 2322 hours

   Bump.

   I was awestruck.
   I really want to join the CCF marines, but there is an entry test. If you get hold of your son, can you ask him what stuff he did for the entry exam?

9. connway on 10/03/11 at 1440 hours

   this gives me so much inspiration to carry and get that green lid !

   great blog utterly inspriring

10. Simon on 10/03/11 at 1616 hours

    Good man. Carry on!!!

11. Carol Linnane on 23/11/11 at 0136 hours

    Hi Simon
    What a gorgeous young man Jim is! So many of them are. We are the proud parents of a Royal Marine. Our son undertook the training with a young wife and child to support. He was injured and in Hunter Troop twice. He recovered and continued training. We were amazed by the determination shown by our son and his young wife during these trying times. We of course, were in Australia and very anxious.  I hope that your young man is thriving. They certainly have a challenging existence, those Marines. All the best to you and yours.

12. Simon Campbel on 23/11/11 at 1017 hours

    Thanks for your kind words Carol; we are very proud of him. He’s in Somalia at the moment dealing with those pirates!!!

    Being injured in training is tough, but they make it difficult and thats why they are the best of the best, no question. I wish you and yours our best wishes.

RSS Feeds

View available feeds

RSS feeds allow you to see when websites have added new content. You can get the latest headlines and video in one place, as soon as its published, without having to visit the websites you have taken the feed from. More about RSS