Royal Marines / Para Troopers ?

The SAS are a bunch of cowboys.

Really? I suppose you can say this because you have worked with them?

Just look at the Bravo Two Zero mission

I'm sorry but Bravo Two Zero is a poor example. A lot of it is balls, and Andy McNab is regarded as reckless within the SAS.

Need I mention the Embassy? Two got tangled in their ropes whilst abseilling and 1 bomb charged a room via a window, ON THE WRONG FLOOR!

Well after you have served in the CRW you can come back and tell us how easy it is

When the Paras were there (time of the 3 para book) they were holed up in their FOB's dodging Mortars and RPG's and not daring to step foot outside their perimeter protected by the Sangars.

Would this be the same tour where, during the Taleban's summer offensive, Corporal Bryan Budd was posthumously awarded the VC in a firefight? But then again I suppose they were hiding inside the wire... Edited to say: Why the hell would you not try and dodge RPGs and Mortar fire?!

There is no question who is the most elite, the RM could on their own operate for months in a warzone, with all their specialisations and the Marines being able to do everything from being a Pilot to a Chef to Special Forces, to Signals.

Why do threads like this act as such magnets for opinionated and ill-informed idiots?

The SAS are a bunch of cowboys. If you want a real statistic, 90% of the SBS come from the Marines.

Still not beleive me? Lets look at the present - Afghanistan.
When the Paras were there (time of the 3 para book) they were holed up in their FOB's dodging Mortars and RPG's and not daring to step foot outside their perimeter protected by the Sangars. Then at the end of the tour the Royal Marines came in and they shook things up, began patrolling day and night and pushed the Taliban back for up to 2 km from some FOBs and out of the area completely with others.

By that definition the Royal Anglian Regiment are the most elite

Thank you! I was told the exact same thing by their Recruiting Officer.

Ah yes. The Capt is a great bloke. He was one of my mate's platoon commanders in Afghanistan in 2007

Top man, he's changed posting now and his successor hasn't been in touch since, which is kind of annoying. And I don't seem to be able to contact him to arrange a FAM visit.

Just remeber what Army stands for guys!

Aren't Ready for Marines Yet

Tomo - you have an unhealthy interest in RMs. Are you a groupie? For a student you seem to worship them.

Tomo - you have an unhealthy interest in RMs. Are you a groupie? For a student you seem to worship them.

I think you are confusing 'worship' with 'banter'. I am a student, doesnt mean I cant have a poke at army guys !

Banter is the (often harsh, occasionally good-humoured) ribbing that goes on between equals. It usually involves someone denigrating an aspect of the others skills, capability etc and the resultant reply of a similar nature.

A student saying that the RM are better than the Army is just a bit silly and certainly isn't banter. It does, however, come across as an unhealthy adoration for those in green berets. Keep on ploughing this furrow if you so wish.

Id apply for the Royal Marines, they are the best of the best when it comes to Britain's conventional armed forces. Ive had the privilege of meeting a few and they are generally a bunch of extroadinarily capable individuals. To be an officer requires something else, you need to be truly exceptional.

Wherever the toughest fighting for British troops is, the RM will always be at the heart of it. The guys I knew had served on every continent in various wars and police actions. They'd each done a few tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

You do know you can be a student and be in the RN at the same time right?

Not properly, no.


You wouldn't put them that way round if you were in the RN. Now, RNR, is different. An URNU is not proper, pretending it is only increases the dislike between in for real and those who are university cadets.