Royal Marines Reserve join with BNY Mellon Races again for Historic Year
The Boat Race Company Ltd is delighted to confirm that the Royal Marines Reserve will be on hand again on Saturday for The 2015 BNY Mellon Boat Races.
The Marines will once again be responsible for security along the full length of the four and a quarter mile Championship Course. They will also transport the precious trophies after the official coin tosses to the finish podium before the Races.
David Searle, Executive Director BRCL, said, “I would like to take this opportunity to extend my gratitude to the Royal Marines Reserve for once again assisting us on Boat Races day. We are extremely proud that The BNY Mellon Boat Races is a free to watch event which encourages hundreds of thousands of spectators to come down to the banks of the Thames, as well as millions more on TV, and the support from the Royal Marines Reserve is integral in ensuring the safe running of the Races for all spectators to enjoy.”
The Royal Marines Reserve (RMR) are fully-trained elite Commandos that combine a full time civilian career with military service. Formed in 1948; they’re trained to operate in any location, environment and terrain – like the regular Royal Marines Commandos. Primarily focused on amphibious assault, they are also experts in mountain and extreme cold-weather warfare and trained in climbing, skiing and mountaineering. As a Reservist, each man completes exactly the same rigorous commando course as his regular counterpart. Part of the Maritime Reserve (MR) and numbering only around 600, most have no previous military experience. What they have in common is that they’re all volunteers.
The Royal Marines Reserves have participated in almost all major modern operational deployments and conflicts that the regular Marines have been deployed to, such as Operation Telic (Iraq) and Operation Herrick (Afghanistan). More recently, RM reservists have deployed to Sierra Leone to combat Ebola and have taken part in overseas training exercises in Norway and California, United States alongside their regular counterparts from the Royal Marines. All trained ranks within the Royal Marines Reserve have the opportunity to serve in the Full Time Reserve Service (FTRS) with the regular Corps anywhere in the world, on exercise or operations.These periods can vary from 2 weeks up to 12 months. These opportunities are advertised within the RMR Units based all around the UK. It is estimated that up to 60% of all Reservists have served on combat operations, some deploying to Afghanistan several times.
The RMR has bases in and around London (Southfields, Cambridge, Portsmouth and Henley-on-Thames) and is looking for volunteers to complete the Commando Course, earn the coveted Green Beret and serve in support of the Regular Royal Marines. You’ll sustain the same levels of fitness and you’ll maintain the Royal Marines state of mind – all in your spare time. All Reservists who successfully complete the demanding training package will be offered a rewarding and exciting career, along with the opportunity to serve on frontline amphibious operations worldwide.