Commando Training Centre Royal Marines

History

The site was established in 1940 as the "Royal Marines Depot Exton" and was renamed the "Royal Marines Depot Lympstone" later in the Second World War. In February 1960 the Commando School Royal Marines, which had been based at Bickleigh Barracks, moved to the site. The site was renamed the "Commando Training Centre Royal Marines" in 1972.

Organisation

CTCRM is under the full command of Fleet Commander and Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, and responsible for providing commando trained officers and other ranks for the front line. CTCRM is overseen by the Commandant CTCRM, a colonel, Royal Marines. CTCRM is structured with three training wings (Command Wing, Commando Training Wing and Specialist Wing) each with its own commanding officer.

Courses

Candidates for the RM are required to attend the Potential Royal Marine Course (PRMC), held at CTCRM, in addition to academic, medical and interview assessments for candidates to the British armed forces. PRMC lasts four days and assesses physical ability and intellectual capacity to undertake the recruit training. New entry training for Royal Marines other ranks (the "commando course") is undertaken at CTCRM, Woodbury Common and Dartmoor and is conducted over thirty-two weeks. Candidates who pass the commando course receive the award of the green beret, the distinguishing mark of a commando.

Lympstone Commando

CTCRM is served by Lympstone Commando railway station on the "Avocet Line", only open to those having business at the base.