Civvie to Sailor

This is class 10 of Cunningham Division, HMS Raleigh. These new

recruits have joined up to fight for Queen and country, but first

they have to survive basic training. Focus on the target, you can do

this. You're not going to fall. My future begins here.

I have just got a few blisters. Up you get. I am disappointed in

you as a class. The Royal Navy has core values and

not every recruit makes the grade. You have failed. Do I make myself

clear? Yes, ma'am!

Nervous laughter from new recruits as they are transported from civvy

street into her Majesty's Royal Navy. This is HMS Raleigh where all

Navy recruits are put through basic training. For nine weeks, this

Royal Navy ship built from bricks and mortar is their home. If they

can hack it. Where is your tie, Pop-eye?

In my bag. It is no good in your bag, is it?

On. I am the recruit school master- at-arms, I am a Royal Navy service

policeman. You address me now as master. That is how you address me.

Do you understand? Good. Good good. They come from all walks of life.

Some just 16 years old. No longer school boys, but not yet seamen.

These baby sailors have various tests to pass, including shedding

their fears. I am terrified of spiders and

snakes. Anything little that moves. I do not like taking lifts. I'm not

afraid of anything. I am indestructible. My only real fear

is failing this so I will be giving 100 per cent.

The biggest secret to passing is teamwork. Work together. For that,

you have to cut away individual fashion for uniform. There you go,

Sign there. Some sign in and some sign out.

Let us take you up to the main gate and you can leave that way.

How come you're leaving? I am homesick. I cannot deal with

it any more. I do not want to get down the rest of the group, so...

You have only been here a day. I know but I cannot stand being

away from my family. I might try again. I will see what happens.

March. After understanding that rain is

just water and they will spend years afloat on it, some march down

the gangplank and pass tests, so they are not jumping ship just yet.

I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to her Majesty Queen

Elizabeth, her heirs and successors...

This is 31-year-old James from Cornwall. He left his job at the

NHS to become an Navy diver. NHS to HMS.

It has been a lot to take on, it is an eye-opener, a whole new world.

It has been good. Are you going to stick with it?

Of course. I have got to! 21-year-old Ashley from Devon

worked in a supermarket while waiting to join the Navy and follow

in the footsteps of his father and brother.

It is a big decision to make. I didn't take it lightly. I was

seriously thinking about it. I will see what I can do.

Lisa from Derbyshire is 28 and used to work in a car repair shop. She

joined up for a change in lifestyle. I am really looking forward to

getting stuck into something. It is not long before they are

jumping to command. The Navy has several tests that new recruits

have to pass during training, like fitness.

3, 2, 1, go! The dreaded mile and-a-half run.

Concentrate on your breathing. I am going to do this, I will do this.

Switch this brain off. Working through pain will be a

skill the recruits have to master. The pressure is huge. If they fail

this, they will be discharged. Lisa has missed her target by just one

second. Fortunately, you are allowed more than one attempt.

I feel quite sick now. This is the Royal Navy and we have

a strong reputation to maintain. We set very high standards. These

recruits have nine weeks to prove to us that they can meet these

standards. Only the best will make it through to become sailors in her

Majesty's fleet. Wanting to be amongst the best is

27-year-old James. The ex-office temp from Bedfordshire is

Not every baby sailor learned Don't you dare give in. Keep your

head up. We have 10 seconds left. Treading water for two minutes

followed by a swim in wet clothing is taking his breath away.

Keep going! Keep going! Do not give in. You cannot fail this. Right.

Get out. Failing means doing it again and

again. I cannot believe I have to do it

again. I'm married with a child. Too small. To big.

Fitting into the Navy's regime means signing a contract for 18

years. If military life does not suit, there is a get-out clause but

only in the first six months. Any problems should not be kept under

the hat or the bed. Are you looking for anything in

particular? When they first get here they get a

list of contraband. The usual hiding places are under quilts and

pillowcases. We are stupid and will not look there(!)

The training and tests are relentless but ex-supermarket shelf

stacker at Ashley is in good shape. I am enjoying it now. The first

couple of days I wanted to go home but I am enjoying it now.

But ex-office temp James is still struggling to toe the line.

It just goes to prove that I am not meant to be here.

Are you getting a lot of pressure? Yes. I do want to talk about it.

This is not a boot camp. This is very definitely training and very

definitely mentoring and encouraging. Rather than kick them.

More carrot and less stick these days.

Why have you chosen to ignore what I said?

But sometimes the stick is needed. These recruits have failed kit

inspection twice in a row. If you do not want to be here, let

me know. I will fill out the relevant paperwork and make the

recommendations and you can go home. Is that what you want? Well start

showing me that you want to be here! Quick, march.

Someone else who is a step closer to leaving his 18-year-old Laura

from Norfolk. Why are you going to pass?

Laura, who used to work in a fast food chain, is the only recruit

left to pass her mile and a half run. If she fails this time, she is

out. Stretch those legs.

This is basically it for her. She has got one last chance to pass

this. Come on, keep going.

She feels the pressure as her big sister did make it and is serving

on HMS Liverpool. Excellent! Success, for now. In a few weeks,

they will have to do the run again and Laura will have to be a whole

minute faster. I feel brilliant.

Was a difficult? No because I put my head into it.

I like what I see in her, she has a potential feature in the Navy but

physical fitness has not been her strength. I think that this has

proved to her that she can do it but she still has a way to go. It

James is finding it difficult to get a grip, as he did with swimming

and now rifle training. This is my last attempt and if I

fail this I will be back two weeks. How does that make you feel?

Bad. Unload.

After five minutes of intensity, a You feel slightly daft to doing it

over and over again. It is a simple thing. I am glad I have done it now.

But there is more tough times ahead. They are now starting to look like

a proper fighting force. Laser technology is used before real

Trigger control, follow-through, and hopefully you should get it.

Interesting. First time I have ever fired a live weapon. It was an

experience. It is as frightening as it looks!

The first sniff of sea air. It is mainly to get the boots

broken in, get used to walking in a line as a team. A little bit of

map-reading skills. Again, team leadership.

Right, line up. Do not stop for any more than 10 minutes.

It is an long hike and Lisa is getting used to Navy-issue boots.

I have got a few blisters. They are a bit sore.

James is striding on home soil. did some fun things. Just working

up an appetite. A bit of a warm-up walk now.

Ashley thinks that if the army marches on its stomach, then the

Navy floats on its. This is pot mess. It is very hot at

the minute. It does not look right, it looks horrible but it tastes

nice. There is nothing like an any

assault course to help with the This is a Navy training compound

where recruits learn teamwork and the Navy's core values. One of

which is discipline. It is about growing them as

individuals and a team. Letting their natural competition come out

and preparing them to go out into Afloat at last, and the first

chance to sail with the Navy. Well, not quite. The ship is a static

training vessel with its engines removed, and it's permanently

anchored in a river. On board ship, this is the actual

dining room... But it does give the recruits a taste of life on board,

and the luxuries that await them. This is your accommodation. This is

where you will be sleeping, all right, on the bunks. If you're a

diver, this is the kind of ship you will serve on. They say never

volunteer, but indestructible ex supermarket worker Ashley couldn't

resist going overboard. volunteered for swimmer of the

watch, and it's really exciting actually. I was loving it in the

water. And, ex car body repair Lisa is loving the thought of her new

job. It was very fast. Wind in your eyes, it was hard to see where you

were going at some points. It will be part of my job to drive those

when I've fully qualified, so I look forward to the training on

that. Those that have survived the course so far now have to survive

Dartmoor. Right, make sure you, when you put it over the top, that

they go through the holes - you've got the two spiky bits sticking up.

Hey! All right, and don't ever let go of the tent or it will blow

away! LAUGHTER.

I knew there was a reason I nominated you as class leader,

Gormley, and it turns out it was comic relief! It's all right, there

we go. The intense training to become part of a fighting force is

a far cry from Ashley's supermarket shelf stacking. It has been really

good, to be fair. There is always something to do. I'm finding

weekends where there's only kit to do are the worst. Usually, at home,

That way, it says. They've gone a little bit off their track. They

are learning to navigate. This is a new skill for them to learn and

they've gone a little bit wrong. That's OK, and now they're working

out how to get back on track. The wind means that they have to speak

up when they talk to each other so they can hear each other well. And

the misty conditions mean they really have to concentrate on their

navigation. But they all make it back for more of the same. Come on,

come on! Good, good! The pressure doesn't stop. Ex fast-food worker

Laura Norman has to dramatically speed up or the only pass she'll

get will be for home. Go on, Norman, that's it! Is she going to make it?

It's tight. Very tight. Jogging there, fantastic. Absolutely

brilliant. I can't wait to tell my What does it mean to you?

Left turn. Forwards. Back in base, it's another dreaded

kit inspection. That just shows that he's ironed it twice, Ma'am.

He has. When they go on board ship they'll have such a small area -

much smaller in some instances than what they have here, so the

priority is that they get their folding correct, and their personal

organisation, so they can live in the confines of the ship or the

boat to which they will be assigned. It's got a wrapper in it. Nothing

is missed by the trained eye, even the deepest of pockets. That's not

good. No, there's no effort there at all. He hasn't checked, has he?

All the stuff that you spent hours folding and ironing, just chucked

over the top of your bed. Beautifully presented and it's all

just gone to pot. It's a bit disheartening when you come back

and, even though you've passed, you have got to iron everything again.

Now the exciting part, not. Underwear. It seems you have to

have a certain type of nose for a kit inspection. A bit like a police

sniffer dog. Detecting, in this case, dampness or dirt. It's not

like... No, that's cheese. That's not good. Oh, no! No, that is dirty.

OK, Ma'am. Fire, fire, fire! Damage control.

How to stop your ship from sinking if worse things do happen. This

ship has been attacked and is about to take another hit. A team is

tasked to go below deck and shore up the leaks. Laura Norman's face

Adding to the chaos, this ship is listing and the water flooding in

is a cool 10 degrees. Here on Havoc we're going to try to take them out

of their comfort zone. Put them in an environment they're not used to,

and this is a sinking ship. We try to promote their teamwork and give

them a taster of what it actually feels like. As they progress

through the training, the exercises become harder and harder as they

get more skills. So this isn't really that tough? No, this is easy.

It's an easy one to give them that feeling of cold water, a bit of

fear, and a rabbit caught in headlights look about them.

What did you think? It was horrible, thank you. Really good! I didn't

think we were getting anywhere, but we got there in the end. It was

amazing. But the success is short-lived.

I am completely disappointed in you as a class. And a current division.

Do you all understand? Yes! They were caught cap napping when

they were meant to be revising. But the punishment doesn't end here.

remind you, gents, of the core values - courage, commitment,

discipline, respect for others, integrity, loyalty. You have failed.

You are all on a discipline warning, irrespective if you were asleep or

not. You were in the same room. We act as a team. Do I make myself

clear? Yes, Ma'am. Carry on. They have now got one day left to

redeem themselves. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. Teams, helicopter down. Go,

go, go! This is the last big test before

they pass out on Friday. It's a tough test. We're looking for team

work, commitment and courage. Failure in this test means they

don't pass out on Friday, and in the past, we have seen people fail.

Don't stop, don't stop. Well done. Up you get. Up you get. Get up, get

with your team! One penalty, go! The pressure on Laura is enormous.

Calm yourself down. Calm down. Calm down. She gave up serving burgers

to serve her country. Her whole family were in the forces, so she

mustn't fail. Bit of determination. Focus on the target. You can do

this. You are not going to fall, I'm here. Let's go, come on. Move!

Move! Keep your legs where they are. Keep your legs where they are and

move your hands. Don't drop. All right, take a penalty. Take a

penalty. Get up! Get up this hill! It's mind over matter that keeps

James fighting to make it as a sailor. The image of his wife and

child keep him going. Sheer determination to pass with the rest

Reach for the top of the wall. That's it. Get up there! Set

yourself on the rope. One more hill You get to sleep all you want

tonight, mate. You've done really well. You must feel quite proud of

yourself. Yes, I am, exceptional. I can't really put it into words, to

be honest. It's the first time I've really accomplished something

properly. Push it. How are you feeling, Lisa? Half dead. But it's

over. That's it. No more PT. I did it, I made it. I'm not going to lie,

it is tough. But, you know, those people who said you can't do it,

you want to do it just so you can say to them, I made it. What are

you going to say now, sort of thing. The eliminator - let's have it!

I do feel very proud of the Cunningham Tens. They have done

exceptionally well. I feel that we are turning out from HMS Raleigh a

team of sailors, a team that I would be happy to serve with. Can

somebody give me a hand? Nervous tension as phase one

training comes to an end. It's a learning curve, it's totally

different to civilian life. Once you get used to it, it's all right.

Make sure everything is clean, no fluff. Help each other out. How are

you doing? Nervous, but I'm all right. I can't wait to get up there

and see the family. Shoulders back. It's your day, it's your pride.

Your family. Feed it! This is it, this is what we've all been waiting

So, after nine weeks of gruelling tests and being pushed to the limit,

the baby sailors are now fully grown-up and welcomed into Her

Majesty's Royal Navy. Eyes right! But, with the recent defence cuts,

how much of a future is there? There is a tendency to be rather

glum about the future, given the latest review. I see an alternative

in which, over the next decade, maritime power and sea power in

general is in the ascendancy. I think there is a very strong

argument to say that the last decade was the decade of land power,

and this decade is the decade of maritime power. Out of the 50

recruits who arrived at Cunningham Division back in September, 46

managed to make it through to become sailors. The trainee who

showed the best overall achievement is Cornishman James Gormley. It's

been the best day of my life. It's been nerve-racking from the moment

we got up this morning, but the adrenalin has kept us going. Yet

again, another day in HMS Raleigh where the adrenalin keeps you going.

Just fantastic. What do you think of your sister then? Really

impressed, proper proud of her. She's done really, really well.

Really well. I can't say much more than that, but the first drink is

on me. I'm glad to take him home with me.

It may be the end of Cunningham Class 10, but it's just the

beginning of their career in the beginning of their career in the