Episode 1 in our four part mini-series following Parachute Regiment Recruits through Test Week, also know as P Company, at ITC Catterick in the United Kingdom. My channels: zez.am/mike.thwaite
I recruited a very special young man who features in this series. I’ve watched him grow from the amazing young lad he was to the amazing young man he’s become in these videos. I’m so so proud seeing him pass and get that beret. A brilliant and inspirational series! Well done to all
A proper course for proper warriors that deploy at the very sharp end of the stick! Had the privilege of fighting with them in Afghanistan and will never forget Herrick 8 with them.
Hi, I have always thought that the hardest thing for me at the Depot in 1960 was the log race. Up the hill and down the hill, the last 100 yards we had to drag a bloke who fainted from exhaustion. The one fact that kept me going was the Physical Training Instructor who kept on hitting me with his stick, I hated the bas….d so much that I never felt the exhaustion until we finished. I then chundered my guts out! I had already served in Africa and then in the Far East with the Brits before signing up in the Paras for a 22/9 contract. What I remember the OC saying on the Pass Out parade was that to remember that we had just completed our basic, got our wings and all looked like Hairy Ass Paras; but this was just the start, the most important part had yet to start. We were going to be posted to our Battalion, we would see our Boss the Colonel and our Colours. Then we would learn about what it means to be a Para. In my case C Coy, 3 Para! 60 years later, I can truly say “Once a Para, always a Para”. Cheers mates. Harera
@@1anre Hi, never felt the need, for me the Regimental family was home. Your name is Yoruba? I knew a Sandhurst Officer Cadet with that name! Cheers mate. Harera
@@towhitby1 Guards really arent better mate.The dross on D&Ds was shocking in comparison. Hence why their best usually come Para regt guard platoon and most try transfer across
@@towhitby1 Different roles. Despite the name, parachuting behind enemy lines isn't the main concept behind them now. The idea behind them is rapid reaction. Having a force capable of reacting quickly to a situatuation anywhere in the world is one of the massive advantages the US/UK/France have over Russia and China in the context of power projection. They can rapidly deploy to a situatuation and establish a beachhead so to speak where other capabilities such as Guards/light infantry and then begin their operations.
That bought back memories! Excellent video, well produced and showed good staff and potentially fantastic future Airborne Warriors. I'd do it all again :-)
Fascinating, scary and very worth watching. The level of fitness and focus that the Recruits have to demonstrate is inspiring to the likes of me who would never be Paratrooper material. All the best and Happy New Year
Excellent video. Every man an emperor. Well done. Good comments and advice. Switched on recruits selected for interview. Cannot wait for next episode. DS comments great as well.
Had to get parents consent to sign up as only 17, completed Abingdon parachute training course a week after my 18th birthday. Sept 1971. All kinds of courses followed, after a spell as jnco in selection staff, finally ended up as senior MFC at 21 yrs old. I declined further advancement and went on a different track in 1976. No regrets, worked worldwide after that. Best training in the world. I fear no one. Utrinque Paratus
Some of the finest men I know or have met, have served with the Parachute Regiment - 3 Para, Mt Longdon. Great to see these young men, continuing with the standards demanded from the Regiment.
I love these inside the military series. My training in 1983 wasn't anywhere near as tough as this, being in the RAF, but I certainly appreciate having these guys around.
I remember as a youngster walking home from school and seeing two or three drunken paras messing boisterously with each other around in the town square. I had to walk past them. Absolutely terrifying, lol. Fast forward, another 50 years, and I am disabled and queuing at 04:00 to get a wristband to see the Queen lying in state. The disabled queue is monitored and stewarded by the Para's Royal Signals. Completely professional, engaged and helpful. A class act and we were safe. A credit to us all.
P company is known all over the world as one of the hardest most gruelling training regimes to ever exist hence why the parachute regiment are one of the most elite and feared fighting units to exist absolutely brutal
This is excellent recruitment material. All the infantry units in the Army should step up for videos like this. The pointy end of the spear is a totally different mindset to traditonally less front line regiments, and some young men need the trained aggression that Catterick can deliver.
I watched the movie a Bridge to Far as a school boy and that sealed it for me. I joined the South African Parachute Brigade who went on to make the Cubans and Angolans pay with a lot of their blood until they eventually went home ending the longest guerrilla war in the world. Respect to our British Para brothers 👊🏻
Always had an interest in African military especially Rhodesian special forces. I couldn't imagine what warfare was like in the bush. Scary stuff. I once had the privilege of spending a few hours in the company of an ex-Rhodesian soldier who regaled us with stories. Independence for most of these countries worked out fine, didn't it...
High quality production. Whoever hired this production company should be promoted. Absolutely. Love the series, love my Regiment! Good luck going forward lads, big task but big reward. Good news that in garrison you get a ten miler every Thursday, but then you are largely free. Go on boys!
I’m so glad we have these men to protect us ~ having been through a much smaller tactical unit training ~ can definitely appreciate the incredible work these men go through .. huge respect to you all .. 🇦🇺
The second you go under that tunnel in Helles barracks you know it’s going to be a bad day,I left p company far too late in my army career and ended up failing due to my absoulute fear of heights ,run jump net got me,I done 6 back to back p companies,stand up fails are soul destroying,but I loved every second of it,speed marching past infantry regiments like they were nothing,the stretcher race was fkn nails,anyway all my admiration,a hat
Finally a video showcasing Airborne not just Royal Marines 🙌. Awesome video, be great if they could do one about PRAC. More Airborne videos for us people training for it. 💪
Prac don't need a video mate. Just work hard before you arrive to be the fittest person there. Also they like if you arrive with your regimental tattoo all ready done
I did it with a huge blister under the pad of my heel, i couldn't put any pressure on it, I couldn't let on though as I was not going to get backsquadded, they tincbenzed it and I went through the med centre ceiling, it burst on one of the tabs and filled my boot up with blood. Fun times, we were getting paid less than it cost us to stay in the depot with all the shit we had to pay for.
Do yous still go up penyfan on a section race at the last exercise on phase one and do u still do the 20miler on the Monday on the day before the stretcher race up over 2 trig points .I was 663plt
Day before I was due to go to carriers office as a kid I got into a fight which went terribly wrong . I ended up in prison and have kicked myself every day of my life since . God bless the Paras
Sorry if a daft question, but can you fail the 10 mile march, which as they say is the bread and butter of the paras, but do well in the other events and still pass p company?
With the exception of the Trainasium and Milling events are not pass or fail they're each scored against set criteria, time and completing a test being part of that criteria. Recruits scores are added up at the end of the week which determines a pass or fail on P Company.
To contextualise the 1 hr 50 minute for 10 miler. Rest of Army gets 2 hrs to do 8 miles, with the majority having less weight and probably easier terrain to complete it.
I think someone should make a program pitting Jo against ex Reg lads on P-coy 😜😜 would be good to see the blokes go against the new boys💪💪💪 p.s ill volunteer first 😜
Anyone know an Andrew Gerrard originally from Gosforth who claims he is a warrant Officer grade 2 based at catterick . He claims he has been in paras since he was 16 and claimed to serve in Afghanistan. There are red flags in his stories and said he’s not allowed to show me his medals, uniform, or talk about his daily routine at catterick eg training his so called recruits. He said he was in charge at catterick being second in command. I’m just curious as to if he actually exists in the paras at catterick. He has tattoos of a paratrooper . Koi carp. Roses (which he said are for the 25 friends he lost in Afghanistan),Regiment logo and a knife on his arms which can easily identify him if he is indeed serving at catterick
Hello. In 1990 I did P Company in Aldershot but as a REME mechanic going to 7 Para. Is this the same course as the three week one I did? Or is it different because its for the Regiment? Nice meeting you all, we have so much in common.
Brian, you will have undertaken All Arms Pre PARA Selection (AAPPS), the last week of which was test week (P Company). That's the same for the attached and supporting arms in 16 BCT now. PARA Reg officers also undertake this course too after RMAS and Brecon. The video depicts the PARA recruits on test week. At this point they're 20 weeks into training at ITC Catterick. 👊
Did all arms P COY in 2005, not for the faint hearted! But so relieved to hear my number being called and saying “pass!” Plus the DS have a brilliant sense of Humour, and agree thoroughly with the P COY staff, the high standards are the reason for being the best airborne forces in the world 🆎
It's done on a different system to the Commando Course. Royal has four tests which they must pass over a week, with the opportunity to go back and re-take anything they fail in those seven days. On P Company recruits have one shot to score a maximum of ten points on 8 separate events over a week. Those that don't score higher enough cumulatively fail, with the exception of the trainasium which they must pass to continue.
Good video, however .... "unlike the Commando Tests which are only a slack handful of events " ... obviously never been to Lympstone ;) .... those who know, know !
He's not entirely incorrect though is he? Although he is a Para so he's clearly struggling with the concept that the Commando Tests come 10 weeks later in CTCRMs programme after weeks more of thrashings, lots more field time and tonnes more fatigue. And can you imagine him trying to get his head around the brutality of Final Ex! But, P-Coy events, taken in total isolation, do look a bit cheeky.
Yeh yeh it’s just a silly comment so let’s not get our nappies in a twist. We have enough guys on both sides doing exchanges not to mention joint unit in SFSG
Lade Edal. No it's just typical of some Paras disrespecting other units with their over inflated opinions of themselves a little humility would go a long way that's why they are always fxxking up.
![[SUB] 베몬이 교관님 멘탈을 탕탕 후루후루~٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ FOREVER 웃게 되는 갓기들의 수련회 | 돌들의침묵 | BABYMONSTER(베이비몬스터) 'FOREVER'](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FISAO7BwIxE/mqdefault.jpg)
I recruited a very special young man who features in this series. I’ve watched him grow from the amazing young lad he was to the amazing young man he’s become in these videos. I’m so so proud seeing him pass and get that beret. A brilliant and inspirational series! Well done to all
A proper course for proper warriors that deploy at the very sharp end of the stick!
Had the privilege of fighting with them in Afghanistan and will never forget Herrick 8 with them.
@@2007lewis2007 beefer
Hi, I have always thought that the hardest thing for me at the Depot in 1960 was the log race. Up the hill and down the hill, the last 100 yards we had to drag a bloke who fainted from exhaustion. The one fact that kept me going was the Physical Training Instructor who kept on hitting me with his stick, I hated the bas….d so much that I never felt the exhaustion until we finished. I then chundered my guts out! I had already served in Africa and then in the Far East with the Brits before signing up in the Paras for a 22/9 contract. What I remember the OC saying on the Pass Out parade was that to remember that we had just completed our basic, got our wings and all looked like Hairy Ass Paras; but this was just the start, the most important part had yet to start. We were going to be posted to our Battalion, we would see our Boss the Colonel and our Colours. Then we would learn about what it means to be a Para. In my case C Coy, 3 Para! 60 years later, I can truly say “Once a Para, always a Para”. Cheers mates. Harera
Never tried out for SAS Selection throughout your time in?
@@1anre Hi, never felt the need, for me the Regimental family was home. Your name is Yoruba? I knew a Sandhurst Officer Cadet with that name! Cheers mate. Harera
@@pierevojzola9737 Yes it is.
Good o know our people are representing us the world over.
Fair winds Piere
Mad respect for you guys. Sincerely, Fmr. Sgt. CJ 2/504 PIR, 82nd. Airborne Div.
The paras are probably one of the best regiment's ever, and no wonder when you look at all the training and P Company they have to do to become one.
Easiest week in depot
Guards are better..Para officers are limited
@@towhitby1 Guards really arent better mate.The dross on D&Ds was shocking in comparison. Hence why their best usually come Para regt guard platoon and most try transfer across
@Walter Mitty so the whole army then
@@towhitby1 Different roles. Despite the name, parachuting behind enemy lines isn't the main concept behind them now. The idea behind them is rapid reaction. Having a force capable of reacting quickly to a situatuation anywhere in the world is one of the massive advantages the US/UK/France have over Russia and China in the context of power projection. They can rapidly deploy to a situatuation and establish a beachhead so to speak where other capabilities such as Guards/light infantry and then begin their operations.
Decent bunch of lads. Looks like the staff have done an excellent job to get them thus far. Good luck to them.
Well said Ian! Cheers!
Fantastic video, well made and maximum respect to both the lads and staff.
"Unlike the Commando test where there's only a slach handful" Ha ha, shots fired!
He's 100% correct. Best soldiers in the Navy..... only soldiers in the Navy.😂
Brilliant video. Shame this kind of thing isn’t on TV! This pisses all over the ITV’s depiction. Good video. Thanks for doing this.
Forces TV did a series on para training back in 2014 (?). It's on amazon and isn't half bad
@@latch9781 It’s Terrible after Episode 1.
@@latch9781 ITV Series that is. Not this. This is the real deal.
Brilliant insight to what these fellas endure. Best of the best.
That bought back memories! Excellent video, well produced and showed good staff and potentially fantastic future Airborne Warriors. I'd do it all again :-)
Fascinating, scary and very worth watching. The level of fitness and focus that the Recruits have to demonstrate is inspiring to the likes of me who would never be Paratrooper material. All the best and Happy New Year
Great filmmaking! Can't wait for the next one.
@Mike Thwaite. Fantastic film production. Brings it all back for me. Glad to see that standards are still so high.
That is a really good video, you should be rightly proud of it very well produced, I look forward to the rest of the series.
Absolutely brilliant, brought back some interesting memories 🤪🤪💪
I love watching these videos, thanks!
Excellent video. Every man an emperor. Well done. Good comments and advice. Switched on recruits selected for interview. Cannot wait for next episode. DS comments great as well.
fantastic video,the real deal made by the real deal, love it,respect to all.
you have my respect and i'm an old man. thank you for sharing these videos.
Fantastic episode, great insight, and some eloquent young men there. Brilliant education for me.
I am so motivated after watching this. My trip to the supermarket now will be deep, hard and relentless.
Over and out.
🦅
Fabulous. Brilliantly filmed and edited too.
Had to get parents consent to sign up as only 17, completed Abingdon parachute training course a week after my 18th birthday. Sept 1971. All kinds of courses followed, after a spell as jnco in selection staff, finally ended up as senior MFC at 21 yrs old. I declined further advancement and went on a different track in 1976. No regrets, worked worldwide after that. Best training in the world.
I fear no one. Utrinque Paratus
Really enjoyed that, well done all
Some of the finest men I know or have met, have served with the Parachute Regiment - 3 Para, Mt Longdon. Great to see these young men, continuing with the standards demanded from the Regiment.
Very nice docu! Can't wait for ep 2!!
I love these inside the military series. My training in 1983 wasn't anywhere near as tough as this, being in the RAF, but I certainly appreciate having these guys around.
I remember as a youngster walking home from school and seeing two or three drunken paras messing boisterously with each other around in the town square. I had to walk past them. Absolutely terrifying, lol. Fast forward, another 50 years, and I am disabled and queuing at 04:00 to get a wristband to see the Queen lying in state. The disabled queue is monitored and stewarded by the Para's Royal Signals. Completely professional, engaged and helpful. A class act and we were safe. A credit to us all.
We same age…met one at my hen party, so damn cute….yep married man shouldn’t have….
So true, after P Coy the weights, distances and discomforts multiplied way past P Coy standards ... Awesome days.
Good stuff. Thank you. Takes me back.
P company is known all over the world as one of the hardest most gruelling training regimes to ever exist hence why the parachute regiment are one of the most elite and feared fighting units to exist absolutely brutal
This is excellent recruitment material. All the infantry units in the Army should step up for videos like this. The pointy end of the spear is a totally different mindset to traditonally less front line regiments, and some young men need the trained aggression that Catterick can deliver.
The Ten Miler is a great event. P company is an amazing experience
I watched the movie a Bridge to Far as a school boy and that sealed it for me. I joined the South African Parachute Brigade who went on to make the Cubans and Angolans pay with a lot of their blood until they eventually went home ending the longest guerrilla war in the world. Respect to our British Para brothers 👊🏻
Where you the guys in the gods must be crazy film?
@@1anre lol…no, I still youngsters at school when that movie was made in 1980. I only entered service in 1985
Always had an interest in African military especially Rhodesian special forces. I couldn't imagine what warfare was like in the bush. Scary stuff. I once had the privilege of spending a few hours in the company of an ex-Rhodesian soldier who regaled us with stories. Independence for most of these countries worked out fine, didn't it...
This is awesome, Mike. 👌
High quality production. Whoever hired this production company should be promoted. Absolutely. Love the series, love my Regiment! Good luck going forward lads, big task but big reward. Good news that in garrison you get a ten miler every Thursday, but then you are largely free. Go on boys!
Thanks for the feedback, appreciated 👊🇬🇧🆎️
I’m so glad we have these men to protect us ~ having been through a much smaller tactical unit training ~ can definitely appreciate the incredible work these men go through .. huge respect to you all .. 🇦🇺
Why did they murder unarmed Irish citizens in Derry? Did king charles give the order to kill those people?
Outstanding work gents.
Mike, this has turned out so well. Great editing and use of footage 👌
Thanks mate 👊
grate video I'm joining feb and cant wait
Well done Boys👍you do this country proud🇬🇧
Thanks for helping us upload this, doubt the official channel has the video up even.
@Mike Thwaite
Thank you brother for the uploaded. Happy new year
This is a well put series 👏
Great video and I totally agree - Its a Job interview - please keep up the Good Work
Superb! Manners maketh man...
Have to respect the guys who wear that beret/badge - ultra fit, ultra determined, and balls of steel!
Well done to all our young men,it just shows our boys have got the mettle of their Grandfathers
The commando tests, a slack handful! Oh that will piss a few people off!
Loved working with Paras both on exercises in Norway and on deployment in Afghanistan.
Awesome video 🇬🇧
Good video, looking forward to watching the rest
The second you go under that tunnel in Helles barracks you know it’s going to be a bad day,I left p company far too late in my army career and ended up failing due to my absoulute fear of heights ,run jump net got me,I done 6 back to back p companies,stand up fails are soul destroying,but I loved every second of it,speed marching past infantry regiments like they were nothing,the stretcher race was fkn nails,anyway all my admiration,a hat
Bold lads TASH itself is a weapon! That tash is on point!
Great stuff
I loved my 12 years in the Armed Forces , go on boys be the best you can be 👍🏼
Really good video 🆎😎🤟
Its a chat up line in Manchester nowadays 'I'm joining the Paras'.
Finally a video showcasing Airborne not just Royal Marines 🙌. Awesome video, be great if they could do one about PRAC.
More Airborne videos for us people training for it. 💪
Prac don't need a video mate. Just work hard before you arrive to be the fittest person there. Also they like if you arrive with your regimental tattoo all ready done
So much respect too ya all 🇬🇧
Do you get issued one of those ‘taches if you pass?
Good luck to you all.
Former Vet.... it kills me to say especially with us being the Best but " Heroes" full stop !
Love the para/ marine banter 😂
Do you ever get training staff in these videos who were recruits in one of the original p company series
Once you have two hands on the weapon and start tabbing, no matter how light or heavy the bergan is you will be in sitches.
I did it with a huge blister under the pad of my heel, i couldn't put any pressure on it, I couldn't let on though as I was not going to get backsquadded, they tincbenzed it and I went through the med centre ceiling, it burst on one of the tabs and filled my boot up with blood. Fun times, we were getting paid less than it cost us to stay in the depot with all the shit we had to pay for.
Do yous still go up penyfan on a section race at the last exercise on phase one and do u still do the 20miler on the Monday on the day before the stretcher race up over 2 trig points .I was 663plt
"A slack handful of commando tests"
😂😂
Yeh what a knob that Full Screw was saying that 🤣
My respect. I couldn't pass the fitness and I'm afraid of heights.
I love it
Day before I was due to go to carriers office as a kid I got into a fight which went terribly wrong . I ended up in prison and have kicked myself every day of my life since . God bless the Paras
Mike, what percentage come from north of England/Scotland….just curiosity. Pv
In the Army, training and courses such as this are classed as 'Arduous duties'.
Nothing in civvy street comes close.
I see the DS are wearing old school light weights 👍
10 miles ? dead easy go do 30. Per Mare, Per Terram! ; )
Sorry if a daft question, but can you fail the 10 mile march, which as they say is the bread and butter of the paras, but do well in the other events and still pass p company?
With the exception of the Trainasium and Milling events are not pass or fail they're each scored against set criteria, time and completing a test being part of that criteria. Recruits scores are added up at the end of the week which determines a pass or fail on P Company.
To contextualise the 1 hr 50 minute for 10 miler. Rest of Army gets 2 hrs to do 8 miles, with the majority having less weight and probably easier terrain to complete it.
6.06 the Commando Tests are a slack handful...yeah, yeah, yeah...
My Blood will always run Red I said, reply, well every bodies Blood runs Red... I said Na not this kinda Red.
'Men apart
Every Man an Emperor'
Brilliant! I will hopefully be on P coy in March, when is episode 2 being uploaded?
Drops on Sat 8 Jan 👊
Buzzin
1st Battalion Parachute Regiment 1984-1990, Depot Para Aldershot maroon machine factory 👊🏻🇬🇧
No walking or marching in depot, only running.
I think someone should make a program pitting Jo against ex Reg lads on P-coy 😜😜 would be good to see the blokes go against the new boys💪💪💪 p.s ill volunteer first 😜
Anyone know an Andrew Gerrard originally from Gosforth who claims he is a warrant Officer grade 2 based at catterick . He claims he has been in paras since he was 16 and claimed to serve in Afghanistan. There are red flags in his stories and said he’s not allowed to show me his medals, uniform, or talk about his daily routine at catterick eg training his so called recruits. He said he was in charge at catterick being second in command. I’m just curious as to if he actually exists in the paras at catterick. He has tattoos of a paratrooper . Koi carp. Roses (which he said are for the 25 friends he lost in Afghanistan),Regiment logo and a knife on his arms which can easily identify him if he is indeed serving at catterick
Hello. In 1990 I did P Company in Aldershot but as a REME mechanic going to 7 Para. Is this the same course as the three week one I did? Or is it different because its for the Regiment? Nice meeting you all, we have so much in common.
Brian, you will have undertaken All Arms Pre PARA Selection (AAPPS), the last week of which was test week (P Company). That's the same for the attached and supporting arms in 16 BCT now. PARA Reg officers also undertake this course too after RMAS and Brecon. The video depicts the PARA recruits on test week. At this point they're 20 weeks into training at ITC Catterick. 👊
"...unlike the commando test where theres a slack handful..." L0L
Episode 2!!
UTRINQUE PARATAS. AWESOME.
Whoever is the videographer is, well fucking done.
Thanks, appreciate the feedback 🙏
Served 1960 1966 ,the food on show looked like the fucking ritz!
Did all arms P COY in 2005, not for the faint hearted! But so relieved to hear my number being called and saying “pass!” Plus the DS have a brilliant sense of Humour, and agree thoroughly with the P COY staff, the high standards are the reason for being the best airborne forces in the world 🆎
How long did you serve Aaron?
You should be proud man!
It's not quite the Commando course is it....
Up the Reg 👍🏻
Royal - "LOL"...."you mean they don't have to finish a test to pass"......"cute"
It's done on a different system to the Commando Course. Royal has four tests which they must pass over a week, with the opportunity to go back and re-take anything they fail in those seven days. On P Company recruits have one shot to score a maximum of ten points on 8 separate events over a week. Those that don't score higher enough cumulatively fail, with the exception of the trainasium which they must pass to continue.
Will there b a episode 2
Drops on Sat 8 Jan 👊
Good video, however .... "unlike the Commando Tests which are only a slack handful of events " ... obviously never been to Lympstone ;) .... those who know, know !
He's not entirely incorrect though is he?
Although he is a Para so he's clearly struggling with the concept that the Commando Tests come 10 weeks later in CTCRMs programme after weeks more of thrashings, lots more field time and tonnes more fatigue. And can you imagine him trying to get his head around the brutality of Final Ex!
But, P-Coy events, taken in total isolation, do look a bit cheeky.
Agreed Ken, was thinking the same thing. But then he is wearing a neck warmer indoors so we can let him off. ;)
You are a 100% Ken RM every time. A lot tougher Soldier , the thinking man's soldier.
Yeh yeh it’s just a silly comment so let’s not get our nappies in a twist. We have enough guys on both sides doing exchanges not to mention joint unit in SFSG
Lade Edal. No it's just typical of some Paras disrespecting other units with their over inflated opinions of themselves a little humility would go a long way that's why they are always fxxking up.
Class
A question for those in the know.
Why do not hear about 1 Para these days.
Have they been disbanded, or incorporated in another Regiment ?
They're busy cleaning up all the brass the SFSG Bootnecks leave behind.
😝
@@JammyDodger45 So you have no idea.
@@skylongskylong1982 - my response is the correct answer.
If you can't work it out that's your problem not my issue.
@@JammyDodger45 😂🍿🍿