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Marines In Norway
Marines In Norway
Just been looking at the Royal Marines website at the Marines in Norway looks like a hard but very enjoyable deployment. Does every Marine at some point go to Norway??
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davidemmerson
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I THINK the RM train in Norway because they used to help with the defence of Norway in the Cold War? Artist will be able to confirm that all for sure. Or rubbish it as the case may be!
I also think that is why 45 Commando were based in Scotland, so they could hop across the water dead quick if the Government sensed the Russkies were about to invade. Obivously this worked both way, if the Soviets invaded Norway, they would have a short space to cross to invade the UK. Also I think that is why they were always known as 45 Commando Group, because they always had a battery from 29 Commando attached.
Obviously today the Cold War is over, so Norway is used to enhance their cold weather warfare skills and the terrain etc.
David
I also think that is why 45 Commando were based in Scotland, so they could hop across the water dead quick if the Government sensed the Russkies were about to invade. Obivously this worked both way, if the Soviets invaded Norway, they would have a short space to cross to invade the UK. Also I think that is why they were always known as 45 Commando Group, because they always had a battery from 29 Commando attached.
Obviously today the Cold War is over, so Norway is used to enhance their cold weather warfare skills and the terrain etc.
David
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Wholley
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themattmeister
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- Posts: 759
- Joined: Mon 21 Mar, 2005 11:19 am
- Location: Bristol, U.K
Norway is reasonably challenging and has it's good points. We still go to Norway to maintain the mountain and cold weather warfare capability which is the marines 'specialisation'. There's no operation going on.
It's not enjoyable for me at the moment on account of my perferated ear drum and not being able to do fark all.
It's not enjoyable for me at the moment on account of my perferated ear drum and not being able to do fark all.
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Wholley
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themattmeister
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- Posts: 759
- Joined: Mon 21 Mar, 2005 11:19 am
- Location: Bristol, U.K
Nothing that gucci, just did a 15km ski race with a throat infection that decided it preferred my ear so moved up to it and the pressure of the middle ear infection popped the ear drum, the whole process was emotional to say the least.Wholley wrote:How did you do that then?themattmeister wrote:
on account of my perferated ear drum
Bad drills on the indoor range?
You keeping well mate?
Don't hear much from you these days.
Don't really use the internet that much at Bickers but seeing as I have pretty much fark all to do in Porsangmoen for 2 weeks I'll be dropping a few lines.
Shit luck Matt, not bad enough to get you home early though?
davidemmerson, you're not far off. During the Cold War, the powers that be decided that, should the Russians decide to kick off, the least protected and therefore easiest route across Europe was through Scandinavia. The Russians obviously also had a fair degree of competency in operating in that kind of environment, unlike most other nations. Therefore it was decided that a force of arctic specialists was required to counteract the threat. Bootnecks, being generally hoofing at everything, were the obvious choice.
Nowadays as Matt said it's just used for training; we are the UK's designated mountain and arctic warfare specialists, although it is not particularly relevant to current ops (I did go skiing in north Afghanistan though, on pusser's planks as well
). And the Noggies are far better at it, skiing's second nature to them, which helps!
If you're not on ops you'll catch up a Norway deployment most years, first time out you do a Novices Cold Weather Warfare Course, which is four weeks of everything from learning to ski and constructing harbour positions through to building snow holes and section attacks on skis (interesting, to say the least
). That's followed by another month of more specialist exercises. It is a good laugh, and much better than being on ex in the UK, though some lads hate it. Normally get the chance to do some good civvy snowboarding/skiing as well.
davidemmerson, you're not far off. During the Cold War, the powers that be decided that, should the Russians decide to kick off, the least protected and therefore easiest route across Europe was through Scandinavia. The Russians obviously also had a fair degree of competency in operating in that kind of environment, unlike most other nations. Therefore it was decided that a force of arctic specialists was required to counteract the threat. Bootnecks, being generally hoofing at everything, were the obvious choice.
Nowadays as Matt said it's just used for training; we are the UK's designated mountain and arctic warfare specialists, although it is not particularly relevant to current ops (I did go skiing in north Afghanistan though, on pusser's planks as well
). And the Noggies are far better at it, skiing's second nature to them, which helps! If you're not on ops you'll catch up a Norway deployment most years, first time out you do a Novices Cold Weather Warfare Course, which is four weeks of everything from learning to ski and constructing harbour positions through to building snow holes and section attacks on skis (interesting, to say the least
). That's followed by another month of more specialist exercises. It is a good laugh, and much better than being on ex in the UK, though some lads hate it. Normally get the chance to do some good civvy snowboarding/skiing as well.In days long gone Royal would deploy to Norge and anybody not Artic trained would attend an M&AWT course, supervised by ML's, rear ranked by MSI's From each respective unit deployed.
Back then the first few weekends were dreaded by the bosses............More Bootnecks ended up being casevaced back to the UK due to being silly after a session in the NAAFI/Sgt's Mess/Wardroom.
Me and my Oppos thought it would be a laugh to try downhill sking on pussers 110 planks one Norge trip. I ended up creaming into this ere open air cafe at the bottom of the slope. Me Oppo went one better and hit the carpark where he encountered a VOLVO estate.
I was just badly bruised, he was well bolloxed with two broken legs and one broken collar bone and was back in the UK come the Tuesday. He was still in RNH Stonehouse a year later as his right leg would not get better.
As it was I loved Norge bigtime.
Artist
Back then the first few weekends were dreaded by the bosses............More Bootnecks ended up being casevaced back to the UK due to being silly after a session in the NAAFI/Sgt's Mess/Wardroom.
Me and my Oppos thought it would be a laugh to try downhill sking on pussers 110 planks one Norge trip. I ended up creaming into this ere open air cafe at the bottom of the slope. Me Oppo went one better and hit the carpark where he encountered a VOLVO estate.
I was just badly bruised, he was well bolloxed with two broken legs and one broken collar bone and was back in the UK come the Tuesday. He was still in RNH Stonehouse a year later as his right leg would not get better.
As it was I loved Norge bigtime.
Artist
