Guys, I've just read an excellent book called AMONGST THE MARINES by a British Royal Marine called Steven Preece. I got it from www.amazon.ca in good old Canada. I've been following this after its release in the UK. It appears that the old boy network condone it and the majority of people who served with him or around his time love it.
This is the synopsis:
Synopsis
Amongst the Marines is Steven Preece's first-hand account of life as an elite Royal Marine Commando. He delivers a direct and unflinching depiction of the
excessive and often shocking lifestyle of the Marines and explains the impact this had on his own personality and behaviour. Preece fulfilled his childhood ambition by earning the coveted Green Beret from the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone when he was 18. He was unaware at that time of the brutal rite of passage that awaited him and all the other 'pieces of skin' (new recruits) at his first Marine commando unit. Violence in the Marines, as Steven discovered, was not limited to the battlefield but a continual part of a pervasive culture of bullying and aggression. It did not take long for Preece to be accepted into this culture and to adopt it as his own. His personality changed beyond recognition - from friendly and approachable to hard and unforgiving - as he embraced the customs and values of the 45 Commando Unit. On duty he was fit, committed and loyal, while off duty he displayed a mammoth capacity for drinking, fighting and, when the drink had run out, womanising. On home leave, Steven found it increasingly hard to adapt to civilian life. His drinking sessions in local pubs frequently ended in fights with the locals and even in violence against members of his own family. Preece earned a reputation amongst his fellow Marines for pranks and dangerous behaviour, and his eagerness to accept any challenges from other commandos eventually led him to be court-martialled. True to form, however, Preece was finally acquitted by the court. 'Amongst the Marines' is an intimate expose of the culture of the Marines, from foul practical jokes and rough justice to the off-duty orgies of drink, sex and violence. It is a no-hold-barred account of the many shocking incidents Preece witnessed and participated in, from his first day as a new recruit to his exit from the Marines with his reputation intact and his scores settled once and for all.
These are a couple of comments that were written:
Regarding quotes of bullying and cries of "not in my Corps" and "no, it never happened" when I joined in the mid eighties (Not RM, I'm of the maroon persuasion), bullying was rife and beatings and kickings for even slight misdemeanours were commonplace. I can remember it clearly as I was on receiving end a few times. Thank god it's been all but eliminated nowadays but it DID happen back then and was more commonplace than most of you care to remember.
and this one:
I knew the author at HMS Warrior. The instance's that took place are true. He may have put in urban myth's ie; pace stick incident but it is a book, and this makes good reading. The fights, drinking contests and shit bits all happened. The author, was a good marine very capable in his job, and someone I would want in my section, when the shit hit the fan. I left 45 for a JCC immediately after serving on op corporate. At my time of joining 45,beasting's of new marines straight out of training was common, much the same as my initiation into 41 cdo as a young 17 year old. This is a worrying time for a sprog after the high of finishing training, but was part of the character building that many of us underwent. I find it strange that many people on this forum find this unusual, maybe a lot of members here are national service men. Did you go to a unit together, after finishing training and stay together? If you did, that may explain why these instance's did not happen. Who didn't enjoy a fight with the matlos when ever possible or a good grunge contest? The author's book is a condensed series of run's ashore, that happened over a 7 year period, how about all the unmentioned run's ashore that were peaceful. If the exbootneck that live's in Truro doesn't believe this book, or the author's authenticity I will be happy to visit him on my way to Falmouth to prove that it is true, and the author is a bootneck. I enjoyed this book as it brought back memories of youth, good times with little pressures of life, just a sense of belonging.
There's a lot of passion here and I personally thoroughly enjoyed the book. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
This is the synopsis:
Synopsis
Amongst the Marines is Steven Preece's first-hand account of life as an elite Royal Marine Commando. He delivers a direct and unflinching depiction of the
excessive and often shocking lifestyle of the Marines and explains the impact this had on his own personality and behaviour. Preece fulfilled his childhood ambition by earning the coveted Green Beret from the Commando Training Centre at Lympstone when he was 18. He was unaware at that time of the brutal rite of passage that awaited him and all the other 'pieces of skin' (new recruits) at his first Marine commando unit. Violence in the Marines, as Steven discovered, was not limited to the battlefield but a continual part of a pervasive culture of bullying and aggression. It did not take long for Preece to be accepted into this culture and to adopt it as his own. His personality changed beyond recognition - from friendly and approachable to hard and unforgiving - as he embraced the customs and values of the 45 Commando Unit. On duty he was fit, committed and loyal, while off duty he displayed a mammoth capacity for drinking, fighting and, when the drink had run out, womanising. On home leave, Steven found it increasingly hard to adapt to civilian life. His drinking sessions in local pubs frequently ended in fights with the locals and even in violence against members of his own family. Preece earned a reputation amongst his fellow Marines for pranks and dangerous behaviour, and his eagerness to accept any challenges from other commandos eventually led him to be court-martialled. True to form, however, Preece was finally acquitted by the court. 'Amongst the Marines' is an intimate expose of the culture of the Marines, from foul practical jokes and rough justice to the off-duty orgies of drink, sex and violence. It is a no-hold-barred account of the many shocking incidents Preece witnessed and participated in, from his first day as a new recruit to his exit from the Marines with his reputation intact and his scores settled once and for all.
These are a couple of comments that were written:
Regarding quotes of bullying and cries of "not in my Corps" and "no, it never happened" when I joined in the mid eighties (Not RM, I'm of the maroon persuasion), bullying was rife and beatings and kickings for even slight misdemeanours were commonplace. I can remember it clearly as I was on receiving end a few times. Thank god it's been all but eliminated nowadays but it DID happen back then and was more commonplace than most of you care to remember.
and this one:
I knew the author at HMS Warrior. The instance's that took place are true. He may have put in urban myth's ie; pace stick incident but it is a book, and this makes good reading. The fights, drinking contests and shit bits all happened. The author, was a good marine very capable in his job, and someone I would want in my section, when the shit hit the fan. I left 45 for a JCC immediately after serving on op corporate. At my time of joining 45,beasting's of new marines straight out of training was common, much the same as my initiation into 41 cdo as a young 17 year old. This is a worrying time for a sprog after the high of finishing training, but was part of the character building that many of us underwent. I find it strange that many people on this forum find this unusual, maybe a lot of members here are national service men. Did you go to a unit together, after finishing training and stay together? If you did, that may explain why these instance's did not happen. Who didn't enjoy a fight with the matlos when ever possible or a good grunge contest? The author's book is a condensed series of run's ashore, that happened over a 7 year period, how about all the unmentioned run's ashore that were peaceful. If the exbootneck that live's in Truro doesn't believe this book, or the author's authenticity I will be happy to visit him on my way to Falmouth to prove that it is true, and the author is a bootneck. I enjoyed this book as it brought back memories of youth, good times with little pressures of life, just a sense of belonging.
There's a lot of passion here and I personally thoroughly enjoyed the book. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
:threat: ;D
:threat: 
