Battlestripes (1999) S01E01

Battlestripes (1999). This program showed how the modern British Army selected some of the best NCO's in the world, its Sergeants.
The series followed a group of would be British Army Sergeants completing a Platoon Sergeants Battle Course in South Wales.

[@RCWB74]

Then, L/Sgt Andy 'Vern' Stokes said in the beginning of this episode "I'm doing well and want to be a Sgt because I've got ambition" - Well you've certainly got that bud as you've been the Garrison Sgt Maj/GSM for London District since 2015 I believe and had to organise not one but 2 funerals of the Heads of the Royal Family!! Your ambition defo paid off.......SIR!!

[@kevinthorp1419]

Turned into a legend 😂

[@christopherjones6607]

Well done that MAN💂‍♂️💂‍♂️

[@maxshand3946]

And what a guy remember his commissioned as a Captain but hold the appointment of Garrison Sgt Maj

[@JayMac-gh1kx]

Was on the same corse as andy !! Gd pal of mine 😊😊

[@kevinadamson5768]

​@@JayMac-gh1kxdid you know Gary Baker Scots guards.?

[@crusader8626]

Absolutly bonkers seeing vern stokes in this. Kept his ambition since then

[@stuc3195]

A lot of people dont know, or forget , the PSBC and the SCBC for that matter. These courses are tough going. I know, i did SCBC in 1996!!

[@csh5414]

I did PSBC No2 , it was fucking garbage.

[@shecksthesheckler423]

I remember my Sgt's course, had to give a presentation on mess etiquette, 30 minutes of drill instruction, a lesson on QR's and discipline, and a few lessons on how to open the lucky bag it came in, the Pay Corps course was tough, we left the office for 1 day it was a shock to our system

[@irvsstella]

😅😂😅😊 LOVE IT!

[@TooBadJim]

They should do a documentary on that course😂

[@DO-hz5yo]

Ken Hames (the officer running with the red sweat band) - was a captain in the SAS as well

[@alexwilliamson1486]

I was arty. We used to bring out guns and fire for the courses, sometimes we’d fire with mortars combined. We’d turn up on the day, whilst these guys had been out for days/weeks….i couldn’t believe the professionalism, but also the physical state of them. Brutal.

[@geezerp1982]

I'll pefer to be an ARMED citizen instead

[@LogicalCaptainkirk]

I rem my time there. Breacon is brutal in January, and it has to be. I totally failed this course but Im still glad I completed it. You live and learn. It was good to see those guys that passed that day. (shit when you fail, but that just life and its learning curve). Great memories. Thanks for this.

[@kevinadamson5768]

Good on you for trying it mate, tough old course.

[@LogicalCaptainkirk]

@@kevinadamson5768 cheers, aye Kev tough indeed, complete balls up of my 3 main command appointments, sucked to be me those days lol

[@kevinadamson5768]

@@LogicalCaptainkirk too respect to anyone who did it , I didn't cos I got out after six years for personal reasons. I did nco,s cadre course in battalion, gunnery course , radio standard two and household division pre Brecon course but something cropped up and I had to leave sharp. A lad on that course went on to be wo1 a good mate of mine . Met him again last year at a reunion he's never changed.

[@LogicalCaptainkirk]

@@kevinadamson5768 aye mate similar story, my daughter was born with serious disabilities, wheelchair rest of life thing, so pvr for me, (she' 34 now still attached to me hip like full cefo). Good memories though and kudos to any soldier who spent time in Brecon. I knows guys who went all the way too. Tough lads. Lots of respect due.

[@kevinadamson5768]

@@LogicalCaptainkirk they are tough mate . Enjoyed my time in battalion and was doing well but my young wife left me with my young son so I bought my ticket. We stayed together thirty years but separated few years ago, funny how life turns out . My son's thirty six now .

[@supervivet911]

Cheers for uploading the series as it was shown!

[@Deltaforce4567]

Remember Ken Haynes was OC senior TAC when I did my course in 97. Good bloke. Ex Regt. The Kings course Sgt Major was a right Di@k thou.

[@simpson7125]

Not like you to sit on the fence herbie 😆😆

[@markprior6009]

Love this, hope to see the next episode?? Please

[@coldc7]

Ohhh momma. Look at your medical nurses...all fit and dolled up! Id be reporting for groin strains daily on that course. 🇨🇦

[@4002corbe]

The physio was gorgeous ….

[@Ian-bq7gp]

The annapurna base camp trek with 25kg pack and food, water was hard. Fitness and pacinhg yourself with breathing is essential. It hurts for first 3 days then it starts to become easier.

[@Scaleyback317]

Corporals with a few years experience as infantrymen should be able to handle an 8 mile speed march with 60lbs in their stride. Knowing this was part of the course these men should have been doing this at least once a week as a build up to this along with gym work. Proper planning and preparation prevents piss poor performance permanently!

[@SnakePliskin762]

Be absolutely hammered back at our battalion if they'd failed on that.

[@patgeorge1]

If you were in N.I. You wouldn't be able to do much of the pre course fitness prep. This was 1999!

[@SnakePliskin762]

@@patgeorge1 if you can manage it couped up in cookstown or dungannon you can manage it anywhere. We had 2 lads pass selection straight after a tour there too.

[@GavTatu]

he said he'd been out over the xmas period, so you'd think he would have put in a few weighted 8 milers, to know his shin splints might be an issue ?

[@stuc3195]

This is truth. A lit of infantry bods just ain't that fit. It's not in their day to day. I did SCBC and you could see the difference with say the Para lads. They definitely had more phys in their general daily routines

[@grahamshepherd8096]

Vern stokes is he not GSM London?

[@glenmiller272]

Yes he is ,he took over from GSM Billy Mott 2015 I think...

[@davidmoore3565]

No Billy Mott was the GSM HQ NI, then moved to the job of GSM London about 2002. Vern Stokes replaced Mott later

[@chrismitchell4808]

Can I ask what's the bloody obsession with csms and sgts? They're not SFSG level or airborne/marine commando ready, it's just money, and a senior rank 😅

[@davidmoore3565]

@chrismitchell4808 That's because the Guards think the sun shines out of Mott and Vern Stokes arse. Mott was a bully in NI and a security risk when he was there. Fuck knows how he got the GSM job in London

[@shecksthesheckler423]

And without them you'd have 400 Junior ranks running around like headless chickens ​@@chrismitchell4808

[@wasp6594]

In 2000 we had 265,000 sodiers, both regulars and reserves. Today, the army is only a fraction of that size. Go figure.

[@SnakePliskin762]

155k both regular & reserve in 2000*

[@dennisokane1557]

Did mine in 81 great fun 3 Para👍

[@MrDanielvass]

Fun? Nostalgia is a dirty liar 😂

[@johnwatts9932]

Good o brecon beacons.. Suger loaf mountains.. Brings back memories... Looks a good coarse...

[@IO-zg8md]

Never mind PSBC, the cameraman cadre must be even tougher!

[@stevecolson8569]

Great memories of there

[@lto5270]

Bravo Zulu Vern Stokes. You've done well for yourself and your country.

[@nickmeardon2333]

We Aren’t playing games here, we aren’t making widgets, we’re training for war. Every thing I did in the British Army was training for war. Considering this is the Platoon Sergeants battle course the statement was a little misplaced.

[@timknight4384]

Are the remaining episodes going to be uploaded?

[@OldNavajoTricks]

Top totty for a physio lol...

[@csh5414]

Before Amy Whinehouse found booze drugs and a Dickhead boyfriend .

[@gw2891]

Tipping up for senior and can’t pass a CFT .. wtf ?

[@kevinthorp1419]

Agreed it’s just your annual CFT everyone had to pass it

[@yogi1kenobi]

Happy days

[@irvsstella]

😅😂😅 CSM, am I hurting you? I should be. I'm standing on your hair. Lead by example.

[@12dougreed]

Baker did you have a relation in 3rgj ?

[@billperry7549]

Best instructors in the world?? What about the better ones who beat them to teach officers at RMAS - Sandhurst? They had to do a selection course lasting 4 weeks!!

[@csh5414]

They are just arse kissers though. Most Officers are total garbage..a product of their instructors.

[@billperry7549]

Touched a nerve there then! Let me guess RMAS Fail??

[@csh5414]

@@billperry7549 funny how your fragile ego prompted you to reply. Sandhurst fail..lol. I turned it down. Some of us have personal standards. Stick to being an Officers piss boy mate, the rest of us will stick to teaching the pupils that matter.

[@csh5414]

@@billperry7549 Save your Sandhurst drivel for the daft Subbies who believe that shite.

[@EqyptianRuler]

Is that Peter Robinson in the thumbnail?

[@barryhamilton7845]

Is that Tom Hardy in the main picture?

[@robertstark8527]

25 years ago a proper army no woke. 5 P’s proper preparation prevents piss poor performance!

[@7gramrocknrolla]

Major with the SAS jump wings

[@rexwondo5429]

They are Para WIngs

[@IO-zg8md]

Para Jump Wings - although Ken Hames served with SAS

[@mandyfox9376]

Royal anglian Regament 💚

[@JammyDodger45]

With that standard of post you're probably from Norfolk.

[@mandyfox9376]

@JammyDodger45 no Northamton you melt 😆

[@mandyfox9376]

@JammyDodger45 where you at then ? Fraggle Rock I bet 😂

[@JammyDodger45]

@@mandyfox9376 - "Northamton". You couldn't make it up 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@mandyfox9376]

There's always one dickhead and it's you 🤣

[@bountyhuntermk2520]

The sergeant major is a bottom third clown

[@cristianocapasso5870]

@2:56 look at those kids. They look like a fitness commercial.

[@Augh98-nt2zn]

Stop looking at children.

[@philbeattie1623]

lol you want to do a Bootneck SNCO. At Lympstone lads pass or fail

[@MrDanielvass]

Best that’s NAILS

[@brentmeistergeneral2813]

Do any of them lose their rifles ?

[@philbeattie1623]

@@brentmeistergeneral2813 lol yes well remembered lad , , plus lads who get complacent what ever level, Recce , SG on ops have left there’s

[@philbeattie1623]

@@brentmeistergeneral2813 lol 😂 Always

[@MrTracker614]

Sorry guys. I’ve lost faith in the prowess of our Army. This documentary does nothing to change my views. I believe our Army is now unable to “Cut the Mustard” and, is only able to “Lick out the Jar”. Please show me different. From a former 22year SF soldier Please take care, guys. Cos when the shit hits the fan, you’re going to need it.

[@LogicalCaptainkirk]

Dont lose the faith m8, them guys in green are still beasting themselves for all o us.