What Is It Like To Be Deployed Into A War Zone? | Commando: On The Front Line | Wonder

[Music] Afghanistan and fighting as bloody as anything British forces have seen since the Second World War right on the front line elites Royal Marine Commandos advance against the Taliban in brutal conditions and unforgiving desert terrain 3,000 miles away and after 30 grueling weeks of training the recruits of 94 troop launch themselves on their final commando tests those that pass will win the famous green beret the right to fight for their country and a ticket to the killing fields of Afghanistan already in Afghanistan his second leftenant Bertie Carr who after months of unrelenting fighting is having to come to terms with the death of one of his men a human battering ram called Tom curry nicknamed bindus he was killed in action just ten days after his 21st birthday it was during a big attack enemy position tom was the first into the attack and was killed very early on he died straightaway [Music] 94 troops started with 50 recruits 25 have been back trooped that is put into a more junior troop because of injury or not being up to standard and 19 have left altogether that means out of the original 50 only nine have survived the training to this point he got so many I think the truth is almost cursed I mean the amount of lads had lost him from injury and illness is quite uncanny you can't plan for those things it's just luck of the draw and as with everything there's averages as above averages and as below averages in this troop unfortunately it's that completely bad luck and we've got really below average numbers physically is probably the most demanding course in the world you know to 32 weeks long physical training every week is arduous everything is different it's all progressive the training is designed to build you up but now and again the auto accident just happen the other trip in the odd fall and people break things or hurt themselves a simple trip on a speed March but carrying 30 pounds of ammunition increases the impact the result one badly split me and another broken recruit to be mended but if he did any damage to the knee joint itself it's going to become mildly inflamed just because of what you've done the medicine itself isn't that difficult it's balancing it with getting them back into training as soon as possible so that missus miss a minimum amount and and also you know the the troop setup form is really important their mates in the troop and a lot of attachment is within the trim so we try and keep them with the troop if at all possible but um but sometimes when they get more injured then they have to be back true tour will go into hunter for rehab and hunter is basically the rehab facility yeah absolutely yeah yeah they're always finding their limit inevitably just sort of crossing that boundary as well sometimes though when they get tired they tend to pick up more injuries so you know do the physicality of the training isn't just about can they do it you know whenever when they get tired the now she more like it was one one recruit so far undamaged is James Williams from Kent which is just as well because now he is fellow originals and a handful of extra battery recruits who've joined my to philtrum face the ultimate ordeal before they can claim their Green Berets and call themselves Royal Marines four grueling commando tests that will make them or break them the first test is the punishing endurance run six miles of rough terrain and flooded tunnels before joining up James had been a qualified plaster an electrician in civvy Street but eight months ago he reckoned there was more to life than just doing up other people's houses if I'd died at 70 years old having a comfortable life cracking on a bit money doing this and the most exciting thing I like to tell someone's you know a wide a massive mansion or you know rented a big house you know if I went it safer I had a good life and you know I had stories to tell yeah definitely living in it I mean when he says that he was going to do it with some you know comes down and yeah obviously you want the children clothes don't mean first mentions I will be going to Afghanistan I have been told that what's really choked don't matter to you did nothing we need to go there and see what to make sure you don't want me to go there you know I will be going there I can't worry but yeah I'm sure he'd be fine bounce off come on though from the beginning James never doubted he would make it through training you enjoying yourself I am enjoying myself sir why because I know in eight months time I'll be a commando now almost a commando James grits his teeth for the six torturous miles of the endurance run all Royal Marines have to pass these tests and officers are no exception indeed it's only been a few short months since second lieutenant Bertie car now in the thick of it in Afghanistan completed the tests to win his own Green Beret the iconic headgear awarded to all Royal Marine Commandos since the Second World War [Applause] now on his first deployment the 23 year old troop commander has seen more action than his father ever did in his entire career as a royal naval officer I think my father left his training of the naval officer Thomas and was immediately plunge into the second world war I did thirty-seven years in the Royal Navy and never shopped on anger and Bertie leaves training in ten days later he's crouching on a rock and shot at by Tata it's the luck of the draw my generation brought up during the Cold War saw very little of this kind of thing relative to what's going on that and you go back to the Victorian age I think lots of young men straight down that way down that way any of us dealing with the fact that your son's out there hmm well we've got a puppy you're just reckless huh it comes and goes I think we think about a mislead yeah good days and bad days ring um distractions for the uncertain but yeah it's a warning no question about it but we've known or anywhere suspected that we'd have to face this ever since Ian uncie wanted to join the Marines at the age of five or whatever it was it's never been real before and it's quite sharp edge now but it's not a surprise the fact that is something which she's good at and enjoy staying as far as we can tell is a great time anyone who gets to Royal Marine training will by definition be good before they do and that's exactly what 94 trooper trying to prove right now as they attempt the second of their commando tests the nine mile speed march on and rough ground carrying 32 pounds of equipment this speed mark has to be completed in less than 90 minutes it's an unrelenting by the 7 mile mark three originals fall out Oh need to be hospitalized with exhaustion two one two three four five six originals we've got left Williamson sparks liked Hogan Barnes and Williams but for the survivors of 94 troop the worst is yet to come test three the aerial Tarzan assault course absolutely not to be attempted without an ambulance standing by good concise correct technique all times two footed landings at all times the last thing you want now to get an injury day before you're 30 Marla all got the ability passes believe it in your heads that you can pass it and you will do you understand made you give out to you everything you've got the Tarzan assault course is a body crunching set of obstacles tackled at height and at speed it must be completed in under 13 lung bursting minutes it starts with the aptly named death light [Music] [Applause] [Music] eight months ago the recruit would have found this impossible but they can now boast the fitness levels of an international athlete [Music] with a time of 11 minutes 30 seconds James has now passed 3 out of 4 commander tests in just 12 hours he and the rest of 19 for truth will face the final and most extreme of the tests an early morning breakfast the calories have to be packed in before 9:00 to 4:00 troop embark on a back-breaking 30-mile route March mostly on the run across treacherous moorland and all of them remember battered and exhausted by the previous three days of tests this is for you the culmination of nine months training blood sweat and tears for every one of you only eight hours now stands between you and getting a green beret what you were joined men at the end of this it's the biggest [ __ ] boys club in the world okay the biggest and the best if anytime you'd feel that you want to give up do not take one more small step tie yourself you'll give up a mile later and a mile later 30 miles eight hours the recruits know that those who pass this and win the Green Beret could be sent to Afghanistan within days to replace battlefield casualties that have been mounting your countrymen second leftenant Bertie car has been in Afghanistan now for three months I've been hitting the chest [ __ ] grim he has seen many injuries on the front line he's also witnessed the death of one of his own men Tom curry was a massive marine known to everyone as vendors a fine rugby player Tom often doubled up as a sort of human battering ram but one week after I filmed him demolishing this wall he was dead it was during a big attack on an enemy position tom was the first into the attack and was killed very early on he died straightaway but uh as it was right at the beginning of the attack we still had the whole position to clear which the guys did to their credit although they knew that they'd lost their friend they'd seen him be killed they carried on fighting I knew it was Tom straightaway I was Shelton to the lads like the plaids would give him first aid and they just they knew that they them first aiders knew that he was dead but I didn't know instantly so I was shouting to them to help Tom because instantly tell straight away when I got up to Tom that had been killed and he was obviously didn't suffer anything in any sort of way or form so I had a quick check over his body and obviously Tom did look quite messy especially as he took a traumatic head wound so right next to him was a dead Taliban so I grabbed a scarf that was wrapped around his dead Taliban to wrap around Tom's face I didn't want the rest of the guys looking at Tom in that way he kiss her they've got good memories of Tom and I didn't want that one to be the last memory of him it was almost like talking to him bit strange but Tom Sorry mate I'm gonna have to do a wrap this scarf up around your face O'Donnell I've seen you like that once I realize that Tom had died I kind of got upset at first but then I after I knew I had to keep with it for the lads and because the lads were assaulting the big compound further on once we had retreated then back into the wadi with tom on a stretcher that's when I broke down in tears and I couldn't carry him I couldn't I couldn't do nothing I just had to stay on my own and my mate Ritchie was comforting me quite well sometimes it's been like a bad dream like it's not being nice watching the friends die around here like it was beyond guys we should be growing old watching our friends die around us when we're old like not the same everyone that will come out a train and come straight out here will be here for action but they learn that it's not as nice as it may look everyone had lost a good friend as a troop commander it was hard anyway but the fact that I'd lost the bloody good marine just meant that my troop was much weaker Marines trained to be frontline soldiers always ready to step into the breach when needed come on that's it's [ __ ] keep those dog to do strong so far it is barely a year since Tom curry himself completed the 30-mile er to earn his own green beret life ambition [Music] [Applause] the absolutely loved the Marines couldn't believe that he'd get paid for doing something that he loved you know I think the Marines suited him down to the ground he liked that camaraderie and now of being wanted and you know him he wanting other people so he's very determined stubborn at times and he's very big you know physically big one of the letters we got from one of the many people who wrote to us and he was a perfect memory and he was really [Music] absolutely we had a big party was went down with friends and and family and we were so proud of him because we we didn't know that he'd been awarded the commando Medal which is awarded by his peers and with all of the qualities that it takes to be a Marine following qualities of commando spirit courage determination unselfishness and cheerfulness the commando metal the 902 is awarded to [Applause] you want to have a group of people that you can go into battle with if you like and rely on each other and I think in a way perhaps that's how the course works it's a weed people out people who can't cope with it maybe people don't feel comfortable with other people and they realize that I think he was proud to be marine really there is a saying in the Marines pain is temporary but the Green Beret is forever [Applause] that's why nine to four troop now dig deep on their final commander test 30 miles is a long way across Dartmoor carrying 40 pounds of hit but a determination learned over the last thirty weeks is a powerful fuel not gonna give up now come too far to give up last he'll push this syndicate final like yeah this is dead [Music] the humpback bridge is the finishing line of the 30-mile and marks the end of 32 weeks of the hardest military training in the world [Applause] good says French design for their I've seen a group come across yeah fantastic very very solid very strong very strong finish yeah very pleased to that the Green Beret has been a long time coming for the recruits of 1940 thanks what's this pretty this moment just sitting down on the kid and just like looking at the bullets flying over this region that underneath that originally I was thinking just really don't even really at the end of the fight I never felt so happy when I see the bridge I'm just as soon as we sort of bridge I was just a coming over it brilliant I guess it's gonna mean a lot in a minute when you get presenters ago bring her a nice ask me after that yeah how'd you find that that was my dismay over that sir was it yes okay sure yes sir so if we had to turn around now and do it again can you do it someone named yourself with it on your head good lad right answer just six of the original intake of 50 have made it and they will pass out as Royal Marines commandos in a week's time and the two top recruits are immediately told that they are being sent to Afghanistan has urgent casualty replacements one is Mark blight from Warrington the other is James Williams [Applause] at last calls to celebrate a night out on the town recruits and training team as one and for all a tequila slammer will marine style [ __ ] snort the saw you down the Keeler and then you squirt the lemon in your eye all right obviously leaves by [ __ ] example Cole gone Field Nile crocodiles don't shoot three two one [Music] from now on whether on the lash or on the front line its all-for-one it's passing out de 492 Fortran proud families arrived at limp stone for the big day that many recruits probably thought would never come we spend 32 weeks tearing a hair over some of these kids driving up the wall but no I always watch that me and this feeling today passing them and shaking marbella hand does not call you colorful anymore I'm gonna call a member of first name space what that means definitely feeling second to know you've got two guys and cool space right out to the front line yeah yeah they'll be ready for obviously they will have to forget a few limbs than things it will be an operational campo de margin so they're gonna forget about or iron in their clothes and they're gonna concentrate on keeping alive and someone's gonna help them constantly on that so now that they'll be all right there - very very good lads so yeah hopefully the bill right it's sort exciting now you know what's it gonna be obviously for me and blyat going to Afghanistan that's bit more exciting I guess you're gonna make no friends and there's gonna be new faces but yeah for a while I guess other not other than I it's gonna be you know I've not done this before at first she was a bit you know you could tell in her voice every time you spoke about it she just didn't want to talk about it you know and she phones me up another marine died another marine died - the part what would you say how many people got run over today I'm really pleased it's sunny and I'm really proud of him maybe France blue but big buddies ghost waits with Kingston if I was to choose a career for Giants then he would probably bring their an electrician and he'd be living near settle down with someone with children and just stop the road race for you no I wouldn't have chosen or Marines for you till spring Williams well done congratulations what did you find toughest just lately I mean ever watch the news there's another marine I think the last marine that died was only about 25 can I say to James another Marines died he said boots the Marines that are out there mum he said to me said I'm actually doing something that I really really love he said so please don't worry don't worry about me it will be okay and if anything did happen then please remember that I wanted to do it so have to respect that [Applause] [Music] there's a demo maybe attention please passengers traveling fight Romeo Romeo three two four six to Kandahar cabal and on to camp Bastion your aircraft is finally ready for boarding leaving Britain today hundreds of extra troops bound for Afghanistan many will have served there before but for at least two is their first time to a war zone no I'm happy I wasn't happy before I'm gonna find the world that go out and click cables all day it's feeling quite dead all day actually it's just so mundane it wasn't me wasn't for me and now if I open my eyes I'm the out Raven wing commando you know one of the Queen's soldiers we can't fight through Queen yeah simple as that it's about minor concerns man that is my only concern mum movie [Music] [Applause] [Music] so for James who has reinvented his life just about a dramatically as anybody could a seven hour flight separates him from Afghanistan the battlefields and his duty as a role marines commander on the front line [Music] Camp Bastion the massive British base in southern Afghanistan and springboard to military operations throughout Helmand province and where the rookie Marines meet their troop commander for the first time second lieutenant Bertie car firstly congratulations on passing out Lim sanaya you both did quite well it's got a marking man getting through sir are you coming out and joining M company drawing a lemon tree which is extremely good truth don't know if you've met little ants in the truth yet they've had quite a hell of a time over the past few months out here in Afghanistan quite a few experiences what a means for you is that you should look to learn from them sort of loving their experiences and then to say within hours James along with the rest of his company prepares to move some fifty miles north to afford Operating Base known as fob price a remote British outpost built out of the desert the company of Marines around a hundred men will move in a convoy of armored viking personnel carriers once out of Camp Bastion nowhere is safe from enemy attack and for James of course this is as far from Kent and his mum that he's ever been [Music] fub price has been the frequent target of Taliban mortar and rocket attack but is strategically positioned to guard the town of goresh where the Marines are trying hard to establish good relations with the local people this is part of the other battle being waged in Afghanistan the battle for hearts and minds nonetheless a very real threat remains which birth he makes clear to his troop as they prepare for a patrol into the streets of Koresh attached to us we have lights attached to us we have four semuc one medic sort McGinley and one sir right the situation no changed enemy force activity continues on the outskirts of garage with checkpoints coming under sporadic attacks in reports of jazz enemy forces are intent on further attacks in the area it's my intent to conduct a foot patrol through the center of garage and patrol down through the south of the town can be picked up by the vehicles to return to price be prepared to defeat any enemy encountered any questions you'll set yeah good to go this one should be easy because of my hair but sporadic gunfire in distance but it shouldn't worry about nothing no harder than what you've done before just as Thomas a real bullet but first they move to garage and the convoy proceed with caution the big threat severe commitments are roadside bombs so every gunner scans the desert around them knowing that the Taliban are indistinguishable from civilians who look on with suspicion and probably fear patrolling the streets of garage partly a deterrence to any Taliban in the area but it's also an opportunity to meet and greet the locals floppy hats are the order of the day less aggressive than helmets and as always those most willing to break the ice are the children who just want to shake hands show a friendly presence is it yeah it is pretty much just to give them a bit of reassurance oh it's been a bit of fighting on the outskirts there haven't been fighting in the centre correct they're quite a long time say that way good to see lots of people in the market do business good that's alright before we're comes a big traffic jam [Music] Bertie leads his men up to a mud built fortress to greet the Afghan police who use it as a prison for captured Taliban one three yeah after checking on the prisoners the Marines surveyed the town below them and its flourishing market I feel good so nice slab of meat I was had a few flowers on the brush mark Ritchie managed to go to the castle I paid 13 pounds for my 13 pounds briefed others above what one pound fifty person yeah brand-new Casio watch from the local you get a warranty with it yeah you say come back anytime and I exchange it every Taliban shoots it how's he go alone yep stopwatch yep GPS [Laughter] you know why the prisoners are in prison sir because they're bad mandarins Queen's enemies the troop move out of garage for James this patrol though routine has been an eye-opener and of course his first chance to meet real kids ain't very friendly hopefully they'll be proud through the same actions and that then you know no country will get one just for a minute every day James goes on patrol into the desert into the villages and into the poppy fields there has to be a constant show of strength both to deter the enemy as well as to reassure a frightened and often the wilded people Yeah right use the boost up here you really crack yeah control even in this seemingly benign environment someone's taken a potshot and wrung this is after all bandit country dangerous lawless most Afghan is just one piece and to get on with their lives but in Helmand especially few forever far from back these Gunners are firing on an enemy position some 12 miles away and James now a month into his deployment takes his turn on sentry duty at the Taliban are never far away I can strike without warning guys time last year was shivering on some buildings so fed up with bloody keeping an old cable to another joist and now I one year on probably about failure degrees in another country [ __ ] loaded weapon in a war zone it's weird isn't it life is pretty straight with James on sentry duty Bertie leaves with the rest of his troop for an outlying district they are heavily armed and as ever weary of enemy attack and their mission a school visit to meet the very people that the Taliban will want to start recruiting before they're too much older this is a chance for the Royal Marines to commune with young Afghan ease and introduce them to a few of their own tribal rituals [Applause] do you want me to help you you wanna cheat five six six six oh four times six is what is 24 24 6 times 4 is 24 [Music] [Applause] shooting of other tanks and should be all being shot at by unit by helicopters did you do this yeah Taliban being a soldier on the front line in Afghanistan is as much about hearts and minds as it is about bullets and bombs but whichever way you look at it it's an immense challenge and that challenge is different for every Marine and before you come out here twenty many times but worse bit for me you know just so having my dear mom sitting at home worrying every day I hate her being like that but every day I talk to him I always say he getting upset no I've still got this cold she goes I still got these cold fine it's not just the fault of her just don't be you know always constantly worrying and going through that it's worse bit by the same time I can't give this up as a filmmaker I naturally get involved with those I film and it's difficult therefore to remain dispassionate especially when you see people you care about putting themselves at mortal risk 94 true James Williams the dirty car all these guys they've they've become extraordinary young men and you know combined by the the Brotherhood which of course they've been drawn into and motivated by the ignore marine ethos the qualities determination and selfishness courage and of course cheerfulness in the face of adversity a template's not just for being a raw marine but for myself I told by the politicians that the war here is could last a generation 2530 years which means that the young Royal Marines who will eventually have to serve out here with all the consequent resks have yet to go through training have yet to leave the school and then they'd have yet to be born that makes you think many of these young men have endured battle at it's very worst but James Williams is new to war and still has something to prove but let's have said I mean they're sick what they've gone through but I don't want to go through it again but I've yet to go through that it's wanting to be a real marine come on though you joined up for that you know you want the action and I've not not got my fix out here yeah still hungry yeah I want the delivery but you know on the realms coming past me maybe when it all happens I'll be are some of the guys breaking a drop saying nice enough for me now I'd like to think it hasn't changed us all too much I suppose I'd be very new tonight I think it hasn't changed us at all the things that we've seen and the things that we've had to do I was only gonna have an effect yeah but I like to think that the way we deal with it am i supporting each other and talking about it this reduces any negative effects that it may have there's a good system of looking after each other and that will continue when we get back and I'd like to think that if anything then it's just change us for for the better six months later the men of 42 commando back from Afghanistan speed marks through local lanes at their base in Devon but this is no ordinary speed March they're heading to a place called do Austin Hill on Dartmoor to remember the comrades they lost in Afghanistan a man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends our friends and colleagues hidden Richy Tom Scott Ben and Richard well earthlings and they lay down their lives for us for their country and in the process of making the world a better place may their memories live on in our hearts and in the hearts of all those whom they love they shall hold old age shall not weary them nor the years condemn at the going down of the Sun and in the morning we will remember them we will remember them [Music] obviously as parents who were always wearing Hollings away but he was very unconcerned about it he said that was his job when he'd get sent wherever he had to go it's what he wanted to do and I couldn't stop him we can't say you can't do this but I didn't think at the time that it would be such a difficult environment which it proved to be he was regarded as a perfect marine so I thought that you know he could cater for those situations but you can never cater for a random situation which is exactly how he was killed but you know you're a proud father someone who became a role marine and the best role marine on the day so yes very proud [Applause] out of the 50 recruits who arrived to join 94 troop 24 eventually passed out as Royal Marines commanders Bertie car is now a trip commander at the commando training base in Lipstein and James Williams is back in Afghanistan on his second tour of duty as a commando on the frontline [Music] [Music]

Channel: Wonder

Views: 59,808

Rating: 4.7640448 out of 5

Keywords: wonder, wonder channel, weird and wonderful, survival, human interest, toughest military training, british army, military training, military training documentary, military training exercises, military training videos, military training fails, military training motivation, emotional military videos, emotional military speech, toughest military training in the world, commando on the front line, comando on the front line s1 ep4

Id: 8S8HU6RG97Q

Length: 46min 20sec (2780 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 18 2019