Royal Marines Hone Live Firing Skills In Germany

A Royal Marine squadron has swapped Faslane naval base for the open country of the Sennelager Training Ranges in northern Germany.

Exercise Deutsche Strike is a test of troops' live firing and close-quarter battle skills, that are essential in their complex working environment.

'O' Squadron are usually tasked with protecting the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent on the waterfront, but it is the Sennelager training ranges where they train, testing themselves in its countryside and mock villages.

Maj Chris Payne, Officer Commanding, 'O' Squadron, 43 Commando, said: "[It's] a huge responsibility, and an unusual one, because we’re actually in support of the MoD police, but we're effectively operationally deployed on UK soil."

The troops are practising urban close combat tactics, where the ability to think and act quickly is essential.

"As soon as you walk in you don't know what’s inside that building - you don't know where things are or the layout of the building, so it's working on initiative," says Mne Stacey Todd, 'O' Squadron, 43 Commando.

Lt Ian Smith, Troop Commander, 43 Commando, says:

"It's a lot more space-constrained in the UK - out here it's open country, which is good for scaling up the attacks and the complexity of the situations we're dealing with."

"The facilities over here have been good. It's obviously a very big area - we've got a lot more space and freedom to do our training."

'O' Squadron are part of the 550-strong 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group, meaning they rarely leave Faslane.