On Saturday 8th March 2025, myself & fellow Oxfordshire firefighter Dave Bragg will be heading up to the Scottish Highlands to take part in the Commando Speed March, in aid of the Fire Fighters Charity & the Commando Association Charity.

This is a gruelling annual military event steeped in Commando history (see below), with teams from some of the fittest military regiments taking part. The distance is a tad shy of 7 miles with the first mile straight up ascending 7% hill climb. Military competitors must wear combat boots, combat trousers, T-shirt & carry a minimum additional weight of 36 pounds (16.5kg) in a bergen/daysack.

Both Dave & I have various links to the military, but as we're firefighters first & foremost we've decided to do the march in fire kit (leggings & tunic) & carrying Breathing apparatus (BA). The military teams will be looking to finish within the golden hour, however in fire kit & with a cylinder strapped to our backs we're not sure how feasible that will be. Our goal is to take part and make it to the end.

As Firefighters we're always keen to raise some money for the Fire Fighters Charity. However, we'd also like to raise some money for the Commando Association Charity who hold the event, and require the funding to keep the rich heritage of the Commando history alive.

Brief history of the march-

The Commando Speed March follows the original route used to select personnel for Commando training who if successful, would be trained in and around the grounds of Achnacarry Castle, in the Scottish Highlands during the Second World War. Achnacarry Castle was used as the HQ of the primary British Basic Commando Training Centre (BCTC) from 1942 - 1945.

Volunteers from the Army & Marines wanting to earn the infamous Commando 'Green beret' would first arrive by train at Spean Bridge railway station. Quickly disembarking across the railway track, kit bags would be loaded up onto transport & the troops would go straight into a 7 mile speed march carrying rifle & webbing (36 pounds of weight) heading for the gates of Achnacarry Castle aka Castle Commando. Those who couldn't keep pace would be failed & returned to unit (RTU'd). Their Commando careers over before they'd even stepped foot within the training centre.