The green beret doesn't get handed out at the gate. You earn it in the mud, in the cold, in the moments when your body wants to quit and your mind has to decide whether it's going to let it.
That's been true since the Royal Marines first formalized their basic training pipeline. Strip away the noise. But the core idea? On top of that, that hasn't moved. The course has changed names, locations, and durations more times than most people realize. Turn civilians into commandos. See what's left.
What Is the RM Basic Soldier Course
Historically, the Royal Marines Basic Soldier Course — often called the Commando Course in its modern form, but known by half a dozen designations over the decades — is the entry-level training pipeline that every Royal Marine recruit must pass before earning the right to wear the green beret and the commando dagger badge.
It's not "boot camp" in the way most armies run it. There's no separate basic training followed by advanced individual training. The RM model compresses everything into one continuous, brutal evolution. You learn to shoot, figure out, fieldcraft, endure, and operate as a team all at once. The course historically runs around 32 weeks at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) at Lympstone, Devon — though that number has fluctuated.
The name changes tell a story
Pre-1940s, there wasn't a single standardized "basic soldier course" for Marines. Recruits trained at divisional depots — Chatham, Portsmouth, Plymouth — with significant variation. The Second World War forced standardization. The "Hostilities Only" (HO) Marines went through accelerated courses. Post-war, the course settled at Deal and later Lympstone. The "Commando Course" branding solidified in the 1960s as the Corps leaned fully into its commando role.
But ask any veteran from the 70s, 80s, or 90s — they'll still call it "doing your time at Lympstone" or "the course." The terminology matters less than the experience.
Why It Matters
The British military has plenty of infantry training courses. Day to day, the Paras have P Company. The Guards have Catterick. The RM Basic Soldier Course is distinct because it doesn't just produce infantrymen — it produces commandos. That word carries weight.
A Royal Marine isn't expected to just hold ground. The doctrine historically demands amphibious capability, independent operation in small teams, and the mental flexibility to shift from high-intensity warfighting to humanitarian aid without missing a beat. The basic course is where that mindset gets installed It's one of those things that adds up..
Most guides skip this. Don't That's the part that actually makes a difference..
The filter function
Historically, the course acts as the Corps' primary filter. In real terms, six or seven out of ten recruits who show up at Lympstone don't leave as Royal Marines. That's not a typo. Pass rates have hovered around 30–40% for decades. They either voluntary withdraw (VW), get injured, or fail assessments.
The official docs gloss over this. That's a mistake.
This isn't cruelty. Still, you either have the capacity to develop it, or you don. The operational tempo the Corps maintains — short-notice deployments, Arctic warfare, mountain warfare, maritime interdiction — requires a baseline of resilience that can't be taught later. Plus, it's calibration. The course finds out which is which.
How It Works
The structure has evolved, but the skeleton remains recognizable to anyone who passed through in the last forty years.
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1–10)
The first ten weeks look somewhat familiar to other military basic training. Think about it: weapon handling (historically the SA80/L85A2, previously the SLR, before that the Lee-Enfield). Core values. The history of the Corps — and there's a lot of it — gets drilled in early. So you learn the battle honors. Because of that, fieldcraft basics. Drill. So physical training. Map reading. You learn why "Per Mare, Per Terram" isn't just a motto Practical, not theoretical..
But the physical ramp is steeper than most. The gym sessions aren't optional extras. By week six, you're carrying weight. They're assessed. The bottom field runs — the infamous "bottom field" at Lympstone — start easy and don't stay that way. By week eight, you're running the Tarzan Assault Course for time.
You'll probably want to bookmark this section.
Recruits live in troop accommodation — 30-odd men to a room in the older blocks, slightly better in the newer ones. Sleep deprivation starts here. Not as policy, but as consequence. You're up at 0530, lights out at 2300 if you're lucky, and there's always something to prep: kit, boots, rifle, locker layout Not complicated — just consistent..
Phase 2: Commando Skills (Weeks 11–22)
This is where the course diverges from standard infantry training. Now, the recruits move into the field for extended periods. Woodbury Common becomes home.
- Patrolling and reconnaissance — not just movement, but observation, reporting, and extraction
- Amphibious operations — small boat handling, beach landings, over-the-beach logistics
- Cliff assault techniques — rope work, abseiling, climbing — a nod to the Corps' raiding heritage
- Urban operations — fighting in built-up areas (FIBUA), room clearance, civilian interaction
- Chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear (CBRN) defense — operating in contaminated environments
- Communications — voice procedure, encryption basics, satellite comms
The field exercises get longer. On the flip side, five days. In practice, food becomes operational ration packs (ORPs). The directorial staff (DS) — all trained Royal Marines, many with operational tours — ramp the pressure. Seven. In real terms, they're not there to be liked. Hygiene becomes optional. Three days. They're there to see who functions when tired, cold, wet, and hungry.
Phase 3: The Commando Tests (Weeks 23–32)
The final phase is built around the four Commando Tests. These are the gatekeepers. Also, fail one, and you're back-trooped (repeating a phase) or discharged. Pass all four, and you earn the green beret.
The Endurance Course — Six miles across Woodbury Common carrying 21 lbs of equipment plus rifle. Obstacles include the "Sheep Dip" (a submerged tunnel), the "Death Slide" (a high rope crossing over water), and assorted walls, tunnels, and water crossings. Time limit: 73 minutes for recruits (71 for officers). It's not a run. It's a suffer-fest.
The Nine-Mile Speed March — Nine miles in 90 minutes as a formed body, carrying 21 lbs plus rifle. Sounds manageable until you've done the Endurance Course two days prior and your feet are shredded. The pace is relentless. Fall out, and you fail.
The Tarzan Assault Course — An aerial confidence course over water. Rope swings, cargo nets, high wires, the "Death Slide" again. Must be completed in 5 minutes (13 minutes for the full assault course version). Tests upper body strength, grip, and composure at height.
The 30-Miler — The final exam. Thirty miles across Dartmoor in under eight hours (seven for officers), carrying 21 lbs plus rifle, water, and emergency rations. Navigation is individual. No GPS. Map and compass only. The terrain is unforgiving — bogs, tors, unpredictable weather. This is where the mental game decides everything. Your body has nothing left. Your mind has to carry you Less friction, more output..
Historically, the 30-miler is the one that breaks the most men. Not because it's the hardest physically — though it is — but because it's solo. No troop mates to pull you along Not complicated — just consistent..
the rhythm of your own breathing, the weight of the pack, and the crushing silence of the moor. It is a psychological battleground where the primary enemy is the voice in your head telling you to stop That's the whole idea..
The Final Crucible: The Green Beret Ceremony
Once the tests are passed, the transformation is complete, but the celebration is brief. Think about it: there is no time for a long victory lap. The recruit who enters the barracks as a civilian or a basic soldier exits as a Commando.
The presentation of the Green Beret is a solemn, sacred rite of passage. It is not merely a piece of headgear; it is a symbol of a standard of excellence that is never truly achieved, only maintained. Practically speaking, when the beret is pinned to the head, the recruit is no longer just a member of the Royal Marines; they are part of a lineage that stretches back to the first Commando units of World War II. They have proven they possess the "Commando Spirit"—that unique blend of courage, determination, and selfless devotion to duty.
Conclusion
The journey through 32 weeks of training is designed to strip away everything non-essential. It breaks the individual down to their most fundamental components—physical grit, mental resilience, and tactical intelligence—and then rebuilds them into a highly specialized instrument of maritime warfare.
Here's the thing about the Royal Marines do not seek the easy path, nor do they seek comfort. That's why they seek the edge of human capability. For those who survive the mud of Dartmoor, the exhaustion of the speed march, and the mental toll of the Commando Tests, the reward is more than a qualification. It is the lifelong privilege of belonging to an elite brotherhood, ready to deploy anywhere in the world, at a moment's notice, under the most hostile conditions imaginable. They are the tip of the spear, and they are ready Small thing, real impact. Nothing fancy..
