The Royal Marines are in a recruitment crisis – but can the regiment survive?

Ric Cole was 19 years old when, in 1995, he joined the Royal Marines as a young Commando. He’d applied for three services – Royal Marines, Army and RAF – but picked the Marines, he says, partly because they immediately offered him a job. And, he adds wryly, “I think the biggest motivator for me was that a lot of people said I couldn’t do it. I wasn’t particularly sporty, in the traditional sense. I wasn’t big or strong – I’m not a stereotypical Commando.”

Related Keywords

United Kingdom ,Red Sea ,Djibouti General ,Djibouti ,Sudan ,Finland ,Afghanistan ,Ukraine ,Norway ,Lympstone ,Devon ,Ukrainian ,British ,Britain ,Alee Spencer ,Grant Shapps ,Ben Brabyn ,Sidharth Kaushal ,Royal United Services Institute ,Tesco ,Gucci ,Britain Senior Service ,Commando Training Centre In Lympstone ,Royal Navy ,Eric Cole ,Royal Marines ,Green Beret ,Commando Test ,Mark Ormrod ,Marines Commandos ,Defence Secretary Grant Shapps ,Future Commando Force ,Special Forces ,Defence Staff ,Royal Marine ,Deputy Chief ,Armed Forces ,Commando Training Centre ,Major Cole ,The Marines ,Commando ,Vic Cole ,