Marines aim to prove they’re up to the challenge

Angus team to run 1,664 miles over 100 days starting from RM Condor

Angus Royal Marines are to run the streets of Courier Country as part of a charity challenge celebrating the history of the elite corps.

During next week, men from the 45 Commando, based at RM Condor on the outskirts of Arbroath, will be involved in the 1664 Challenge, a nationwide effort involving a Royal Marines team running 1,664 miles over 100 days, linking up with local units as they pass through the regions of the UK.

The 1664 Challenge is raising money for the Royal Marines Charity and between Monday and Saturday will pass through the east of Scotland, starting at RM Condor.

Along with the 45 Commando personnel, the core team will be visiting Union Square, Aberdeen, on Monday, Dundee City Square on Tuesday, St John’s shopping centre, Perth, the following day, the Abbeygate centre, Arbroath, on Thursday and Tesco, Montrose, on Friday.

The 1664 Challenge baton will then be passed to the Royal Marines Reserve Scotland on Saturday at Princess Street Gardens in Edinburgh.

Lieutenant Colonel Tony Turner, commanding officer of 45 Commando Group, said: “The 1664 Challenge started in April.

“45 Commando Group is delighted to play its part in supporting the team in achieving their goal of running 1664 miles in 100 days.

“The challenge is raising money for the Royal Marines Charity, a very worthy cause which relies on events like this in order to be able to continue its important work of providing charitable support to serving Royal Marines, veterans and their families.”

Ambassadors for the charity include Academy Award-nominated Revenant and Black Hawk Down actor Tom Hardy, and Henry Cavill, the Superman star whose brother, Nick, is a senior Royal Marines officer who has served at 45 Commando.

As well as their work for the charity, both actors have spent time at the Angus base, including a 2015 visit by Hardy in which he joined in a series of gruelling training sessions, as well as receiving a tour of the Woodlands Garden, opened in 2011 as a site of remembrance.

The 1664 Challenge team can be sponsored at www.justgiving. com/45commando.