Royal Navy waiting list
Discussion
Good Luck Sparks! 
As has been said, Raleigh is as crap as it gets, but just do what they ask, keep your nose clean and get through it, then it'll all become much easier and more fun afterwards. Well done on getting in as a CT too, lots of very interesting opportunities await you further down the line.
Looking forward to reading how it all went when you come out the other side a proper Matelot!
As has been said, Raleigh is as crap as it gets, but just do what they ask, keep your nose clean and get through it, then it'll all become much easier and more fun afterwards. Well done on getting in as a CT too, lots of very interesting opportunities await you further down the line.
Looking forward to reading how it all went when you come out the other side a proper Matelot!
sparks_E39 said:
Well.... I start on Sunday. Oddly not s
tting myself. I feel I should be nervous... I definitely thought I would be. The acquaint course helped a lot.
Good luck with basic training, best advice is not to be the one that sticks out and upsets the staff so be Mr Grey with loads of enthusiasm for whatever is thrown at you . Raleigh and HMS Collingwood are little like the reality of life on the grey funnel line but you've got to start somewhere, I can still remember that journey to Raleigh vividly nearly 30 years ago.tting myself. I feel I should be nervous... I definitely thought I would be. The acquaint course helped a lot.Basic training certainly won't make you into a proper matelot though as that takes many many years of practice on runs ashore around the world, that really can't be taught in a classroom but it is most definitely fun learning!
Edited by wal 45 on Friday 25th April 14:54
sparks_E39 said:
Thanks. Just trying to get my head round 10 weeks! It's a long time but I'm guessing it flies by.
LOL only ten weeks, I joined up almost 43 years to the day at HMS Ganges and had to do 10 months. I`m sure the Royal Navy and the training has changed one hell of a lot since my day but you get in there and make the most of it, you`ll have a great time and you will be a changed person, for the better.phumy said:
sparks_E39 said:
Thanks. Just trying to get my head round 10 weeks! It's a long time but I'm guessing it flies by.
LOL only ten weeks, I joined up almost 43 years to the day at HMS Ganges and had to do 10 months. I`m sure the Royal Navy and the training has changed one hell of a lot since my day but you get in there and make the most of it, you`ll have a great time and you will be a changed person, for the better.It definately changes you for the better. I left 20 years ago yet I still hate being late for anything, and when I say something will be done, it gets done!
Go for it mate!
Keep pushing in basic and keep a smile on your face.
Do they still do the Dartmoor exercise finishing a the Plume of Feathers pub?
Best thing about the navy is the opportunity. I had my "papers raised" for officer candidate (upper yardman) at Raleigh, and subsequently was only a junior rate for two years before walking through the gates at BRNC for officer basic. So it can be done if you work for it.
Good luck mate.
Keep pushing in basic and keep a smile on your face.
Do they still do the Dartmoor exercise finishing a the Plume of Feathers pub?
Best thing about the navy is the opportunity. I had my "papers raised" for officer candidate (upper yardman) at Raleigh, and subsequently was only a junior rate for two years before walking through the gates at BRNC for officer basic. So it can be done if you work for it.
Good luck mate.
sparks_E39 said:
Going well so far. From what our superiors say the days are long and the weeks are short, we've lost a few already due to not turning up or failing medicals. Phys is hard but I enjoyed it.
Good luck mate, remember you talking of applying a while ago in the petrol station!sparks_E39 said:
Still going well. I'm st at folding at the moment but the more I wash my kit the easier it gets. Lots of shouting, but hardly any at individuals, more at groups/teams. Kit prep is a nightmare!
Everything will become second nature, just at the point you no longer have to do it like that. Kit prep is a pain, but its drilling into you that you must be organised, and clean. You have ft at folding at the moment but the more I wash my kit the easier it gets. Lots of shouting, but hardly any at individuals, more at groups/teams. Kit prep is a nightmare! k all space on a ship so you will need to store your entire kit + everything personal in a space the size of half a normal wardrobe.At some point you will also forget how to synchronise your arms and legs while marching, even though its nothing more that walking in time
The Lordflashart said:
Go for it mate!
Keep pushing in basic and keep a smile on your face.
Do they still do the Dartmoor exercise finishing a the Plume of Feathers pub?
Best thing about the navy is the opportunity. I had my "papers raised" for officer candidate (upper yardman) at Raleigh, and subsequently was only a junior rate for two years before walking through the gates at BRNC for officer basic. So it can be done if you work for it.
Good luck mate.
They do the Dartmoor exercise still, not sure about what goes on there as it's in week seven.Keep pushing in basic and keep a smile on your face.
Do they still do the Dartmoor exercise finishing a the Plume of Feathers pub?
Best thing about the navy is the opportunity. I had my "papers raised" for officer candidate (upper yardman) at Raleigh, and subsequently was only a junior rate for two years before walking through the gates at BRNC for officer basic. So it can be done if you work for it.
Good luck mate.
sparks_E39 said:
The Lordflashart said:
Go for it mate!
Keep pushing in basic and keep a smile on your face.
Do they still do the Dartmoor exercise finishing a the Plume of Feathers pub?
Best thing about the navy is the opportunity. I had my "papers raised" for officer candidate (upper yardman) at Raleigh, and subsequently was only a junior rate for two years before walking through the gates at BRNC for officer basic. So it can be done if you work for it.
Good luck mate.
They do the Dartmoor exercise still, not sure about what goes on there as it's in week seven.Keep pushing in basic and keep a smile on your face.
Do they still do the Dartmoor exercise finishing a the Plume of Feathers pub?
Best thing about the navy is the opportunity. I had my "papers raised" for officer candidate (upper yardman) at Raleigh, and subsequently was only a junior rate for two years before walking through the gates at BRNC for officer basic. So it can be done if you work for it.
Good luck mate.
Glad to see it's going well Sparks. 
Before you know it, you'll be at Collingwood, going home at weekends, going to the bop on Wednesday nights, pulling young Wrens, going to Emma's in Gosport, fighting with Wafus and stokers from Sultan, turning up at classes giggly and stinking of booze, playing 5-a-side every night, going to the bowling alley over the road for sports make and mends...........................
Happy days
Before you know it, you'll be at Collingwood, going home at weekends, going to the bop on Wednesday nights, pulling young Wrens, going to Emma's in Gosport, fighting with Wafus and stokers from Sultan, turning up at classes giggly and stinking of booze, playing 5-a-side every night, going to the bowling alley over the road for sports make and mends...........................
Happy days
Under no circumstances start a relationship with a wren. Shag loads but never get emotional attached.
Soon as they deploy on ship they go from rats to the fittest woman on earth in the space of 3 days. Everyone then starts snaking them from bootnecks, handsome young officers, middle aged MEs to the bar goblin
Soon as they deploy on ship they go from rats to the fittest woman on earth in the space of 3 days. Everyone then starts snaking them from bootnecks, handsome young officers, middle aged MEs to the bar goblin
Training going well. Very tiring though and physically/mentally very tough, I've already lost a fair bit of weight and I'm getting fitter. I can't belive how fast time is flying by. The days are long but the week goes so quickly! Weekends are spent catching up with kit and on Sunday morning we go to church. Good and bad days, lot's of admin and powerpoint presentations in the first couple of weeks. I get homesick now and again, especially when you see people who are with their families passing out, but think I made the right choice. About to go into week three.
sparks_E39 said:
Training going well. Very tiring though and physically/mentally very tough, I've already lost a fair bit of weight and I'm getting fitter. I can't belive how fast time is flying by. The days are long but the week goes so quickly! Weekends are spent catching up with kit and on Sunday morning we go to church. Good and bad days, lot's of admin and powerpoint presentations in the first couple of weeks. I get homesick now and again, especially when you see people who are with their families passing out, but think I made the right choice. About to go into week three.
Just remember this phase is there to beat the civillian out of you and this is as hard as it gets. Gradually the crap will go, and you will learn to do your job rather than cleaning kit, getting fit, and marching.The homesickness can be pretty crap, but you get over it. The big jolt for me was that when I met up with mates from school (I joined at 16). With everything I had experienced in such a short space of time I was a completely different person, but my mates were still school kids. In a way it was good as I realised I had very little to go back to other than family. My forces mates were now my only mates.
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