I WAS a Royal Marine from 1965 to 1985. I would like to put things straight as to the video that was ?exposed? by the News of the World last weekend. 1) No recruits were involved; 2) No initiation was taking place; 3) No bullying was taking place. There is a big piece of the video that has been cut out, ie it has been edited. The event took place at Bickleigh Barracks, the home of 42 Commando, that is true. It was a barbecue that was going along as normal when someone suggested that you could not get another drink unless you were naked. You can do this in your back garden, so can they. They then went on to ?play? bed roll fighting, no I do not know the rules, but you too can play silly games in your garden as well. It got out of hand when they knelt down and started hitting each other, but what you, me, or anyone else did not see was, because this was edited out, the bloke on the left was beating the living daylights out of the other bloke. The person in blue stepped in. Yes, he stepped in rather harshly and I believe that he is being taken to task on the matter. I lay before you the truth of the matter. The Royal Marines have an initiation ceremony, it is called training at Commando Training Centre, Lympstone, the culmination of that is the presentation of the Green Beret and the King?s Squad Pass Out, which is watched by all the family. Yorkie Malone 2 Camplehaye Cottages Lamerton
