The commander of the Royal Marines unit involved in an incident in which some of his men were forced to fight naked, with one apparently beaten unconscious while others looked on, said yesterday that none of those involved had complained.

However, in a statement following the release of a video of an initiation ceremony, Lieutenant Colonel Ged Salzano, the officer in charge of 42 Commando, based at Bickleigh Barracks near Plymouth, said he was keen to reassure families that the incident was being investigated by the military police at his request.

He said that he had briefed his senior personnel earlier this year about "zero tolerance of bullying and harassment". That was reflected in the unit's standing orders, he said. The Conservative party's spokesman for homeland security, Patrick Mercer, a former senior army office, said he had occasionally come across "this sort of thing".

He added: "I can't tell you how damaging it is. Just imagine a young man turning up in his unit and being made to wrestle naked in a field while his non-commissioned officers are dressed up in women's frillies. I mean, it's not very dignified stuff, is it?"

Adam Ingram, the armed forces minister, insisted yesterday that the incident "was not typical of what goes on". He was speaking at Chivenor, North Devon, where he met troops flying out to help victims of the Pakistani earthquake. Marines from 42 Commando were among them.

He said the work to be carried out by troops in Pakistan "will end up saving lives". Mr Ingram added: "This is the correct face of the British armed forces. We are a force for good, we have been and will continue to be."

He said that the armed forces continued to be "a tremendous career for young men and women".

He said he could not say how long the military police inquiry would take. But such behaviour "cannot be condoned and where it is found to be happening it must not be repeated", he said. "We are not perfect; there is no organisation in this country which is perfect," added Mr Ingram.

The Liberal Democrat MP Lembit Opik, questioned whether bullying had led to the deaths of four young recruits at the army's Deepcut barracks in Surrey. "I am amazed that anyone can suggest this barbarism is a necessary part of army life", he said.

And this is the la-*test*-('") Action Man toy to reach the shops for christmas

I think it was a bit hard but then again what do you want from your soldiers? should they be nannys or Soldiers?
I am ex forces and had to do some stupid things when in training and in a way it bonded us all together so i dont think by fighting each other in the nude is as offensive as it does bond but the KO from the NCO was well out of order and he should be dealt with hard!!

I mean if your at War then you dont worry about if you are correctly dressed or not, to be able to fight you dont need a clean uniform or have to be freshly shaved.


Sorry but once again i think they are going OTT on this..



Steve

The kick in the head should be dealt with and it was lucky the chap wasnt killed. Other then that it was a bunch of squaddies having a mess about thats it

I read this story in the Sun the other day. They had a website where you could watch a covertly recorded video of this incident.

I will try to find it and post soon.

Try this one: News of The World Homepage:

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/story_pages/news/news1.shtml

I've come across numerous reportings of 'Initiation Cermonies' in the Forces in the past, and I have to say, not only was I disgusted, it put me off the Forces altogether.

I've read instances of beatings, humiliation, severe sexual assault and even setting people on fire.

Not only is it irrespsonsible, it's dangerous!

I mean, what drives someone to smother others in urine and faeces?

If this is all voluntary (and that raises some questions in itself), then fair enough. But I can't for the life of me, see what kind of sick or even sadistic desire would lead to this sort of thing.

Pride and Joy of Her Majesty?? I think MP's were more than right to be outraged.

In the Army bullying goes on to an extent. Heavy handedness by the instructors yes probably.

The kick in the head was WRONG plain and simple.

But if these lads, who are training to be some the Hardest bas&*^ds in the world and who wear a military uniform and fight for this country, are captured during a battle they WILL get a lot worse, including buggery , being forced to EAT feaces let alone be smothered in it.

At least they be able to say to themselves I used to do this for fun. They may not like it, but it all helps with the warrior/survivor mindset.

It's like our Officer safety training is getting watered down every year, because of injuries and ooh I might break a nail get scratched up when I elbow strike the pads.

Bring back 3 minute milling and proper roughty toughty training in the Police too!

At the end of the day if you can hack what your own throw at you then anything the enemy throws at you you can laugh at!! it sorts the men form the boys and the marines have to be tough if they are not then someone will die because someone else cant hack it!


Steve

I work with an ex para and his party trick is to drink a pint of urine.

Not my idea of fun but he doesn't seem to mind apart from when he isn't invited to the christmas meal

Put it this way obp most cosmetics have urea in them including shaving foam.

I am sitting here just picturing all the worker peeing in the big Vats waiting to be turned into shaving foam!!!!!!!!!!


Our party trick was the "Bucket" you would get the barperson to fill the bucket with everything that was drinkable behind the bar!! and i mean everything, then it was passed along the guys and everyone had to drinkout of it even if someone spat or spewed into it and no one left before it was empty!!! and that could take a long time...


Steve