Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
New commander takes charge of 45 Commando
ARBROATH’S Royal Marines have announced their new commanding officer.
Lieutenant Colonel Duncan Forbes has assumed command from Lieutenant Colonel Tony Turner.
In true commando fashion, Lieutenant Colonel Turner’s departure was marked by a 10-mile run, with Royal Marines covering the distance from their HQ at RM Condor to the sweeping sands of Lunan Bay.
Among the sand dunes, Lieutenant Colonel Turner addressed the assembled marines before officially handing over command to Lieutenant Colonel Forbes.
The Lunan Bay run is a rite of passage for the men of 45 Commando and is often followed by a compulsory dip in the North Sea.
After his address, Lieutenant Colonel Turner and Regimental Sergeant Major Warrant Officer 1 David Young took the plunge, swimming out to a waiting boats, which whisked the pair away.
Lieutenant Colonel Forbes joins the unit after serving as military assistant to Secretary of State for Defence Sir Michael Fallon.
RM Condor is home to 45 Commando Royal Marines, part of 3 Commando Brigade.
To become a Royal Marine, you need to undergo one of the longest and most physically gruelling infantry training regimes in the world.
Training takes 32 weeks for marines, with Royal Marine officers undertaking 60 weeks.
Training ends with the infamous Commando Course, a 30-mile march across Dartmoor with equipment and rifle, which needs to be completed in less than eight hours.