HMS Raleigh

[Flying Lawyer]

I'm trying to help a young lad who starts basic training at HMS Raleigh in a few weeks.

Any tips which I could pass on please?

[Woff1965]

A few tips from my brother who went through Raleigh in the 80's when he joined the RNR for a variety of training courses.

1) Plain toothpaste is excellent for whitening canvas belts, putees etc.
2) Buy a LOT of Brasso (and get really good at using it)
3) Cellotape is really good at getting fluff off your No 2's.

Oh and don't accept any offers to go looking for the Golden Rivet.

[Hilico]

Similarly, if asked if he wants to play Freckles, he should say No.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Flying Lawyer

Last May I also went to HMS Raleigh, unfortunately I failed :{ I am sure that some people will slag me off for giving advice - but it is worth noting that people learn from their mistakes far more than successes - possibly. Without going into the details of my own tale (which was mostly attributable to me :{ ) I will say the following.

1. Fitness. Get as fit as possible before going. The careers office should issue him with a pre entry fitness programme, obey it. If time allows you might consider a more intense fitness programme, eg GetfitTA (www.getfitta.co.uk) .

2. Kit. Every thing (shirts, trousers, jumper, overalls) will need to be folded down to A4 size. It might help to practise now. Also practise ironing trousers and shirts neatly with immaculate creases in the right places.

3. Footwear. Learn to polish shoes/boots using spit (or water if he smokes) and Kiwi polish. The entire boot/shoe should be nice and shiny, and the toecaps should be shiny enough to see your face in.

4. Try to adopt a positive attitude. Do not let initial problems get you down - but try to sort them out immediately, try not to fall into the trap of thinking "I'll sort it out tommorow".

5. Get into the habit of constantly taking on water throughout the day. It might seem dumb, but I consider dehydration may have complicated my problems. Get used to drinking lots of water now - it may take several weeks for the body to adjust to it.

Unfortunately, I didn't do these things throughly last year, which is why I experienced a swift return to civvy life as a disgrace and a failure - something I feel deeply ashamed and guilty for and which I hate myself for. If I had followed points 1 to 5..........

Good Luck to your lad.:ok:

Note to to other PPRuNeRs: Please do not use this thread to slag me off, start another one if you feel the need.

[Triple Matched TQ]

Common sense is a must. The fitness of some trainees is unbelievable - its not difficult to acheive a base level it just takes a few weeks hard work and after all its your future career your looking at (22 yrs). Take advice from your instructors, they are there to help you and to weed out the people who the RN doesn't want/need.

Finally enjoy it - Your make some great mates who you'll know for years to come. Good luck.

[Colonel W E Kurtz]

I was a divisional Officer for 3 months at raleigh.
Basically its easy as long as you don't:

Fail your exams
Fail on fitness
Fail on Kit musters
Get involved in fights
Get involved in bullying
Borrowing or lending money(not allowed under regulations)
Urinating in public
persistent lateness
trying to comit suicide

all of the above were reasons people were kicked out during my brief tenure at torpoint.

[TC27]

I imagine that all this advice is good for RAF College Cranwell? Though its officer training.

[Iron City]

And hence attracts a much better class of derelict?

[FEBA]

Useful Tips
1) Learn how to roll a service issue towel in to a rats tail. A small corner of the towel should protrude which should be dipped in water before combat. Owww!!
2) Deposit a large sum of money into a bank account. He will need this to pay the bloke that's good at shining shoes. Every course has one.
3) Buy an Oxyacetylene welding kit and weld the springs to the bed
4) Buy the lastest unbreakable uncuttable explosive proof padlock for his wardrobe.
5) Learn how to accept well meaning helpful advice from his instructors like "what do they do for a village idiot now that you've joined the Navy" "You're a waste of good sperm" etc
6) Ensure that every sentence begins, includes or ends with at least two expletives

Good Luck

[maninblack]

Press good creases into trousers by ironing them with a damp pillow case over the top and a wooden ruler between the trousers and the board.....don't try it with a plastic one.

Buy a water spray bottle for ironing.

Take some good quality yellow dusters for shoe/boot shining and don't listen to stories about using beeswax, floor polish, paint etc on footwear.....never spit on boots.

Remember that it is a big game. Follow the rules, play the game and you win. Try to break the rules and the rules will be used to break you.

Always appear cheerful and positive, even when crying inside. (nil illigitimus carborundum or similar)

[bullseyecontrolla]

Didnt go through Raleigh myself, had the easy life at Dartmouth...

Biggest bit of advice I have is get fit, meet the standards set out in the guide booklet talked about before you get there. I was one of the few who passed all the fitness/swimming tests first time. Those who didn't had to go for extra time at the gym/pool, which meant they had less time for kit prep, exam study, and so they ended up under pressure accross the board.

Timekeeping to is a must - never be late, be five minutes early for everything.

Plan ahead whenever possible. Tomorrow in its entirerity needs to be sorted out, everything ready, before the end of today.

Oh and finally, try and enjoy it - see your training as a challenge and not as an obstacle.

Good luck.

[Miserlou]

And don't use soap or candle wax to make your creases last longer.
They do but the side effects aren't worth the humiliation.

Fitness is the key. Concentration is much better if you're not knackered!

[timzsta]

Oh the practical jokes:

Don't ever go to see the Buffer to get a "long weight".
Never volunteer for "splash target coxswain".
Never volunteer for "weather balloon pilot".

Never come to the bridge to exchange ID's with the following warships:

Dutch Navy Frigates:
HMNLS Hurtz van Rentel
HMNLS Naafi van Drivar

Saudi Navy Patrol Boat
Sheikh Muhandi

When HQ1 orders a blanket search, do not run into Damage Control HQ with you bedding.

Never pay a bunk light bill.

Best practical joke of my career - whole of BRNC on the parade ground with their sords in the left hand (on April fools day). No one noticed until the march past!!!! Then WO(M) ordered "Officers will return swords, return swords. Sort that bag of bastards out you horrible lot"!!!!!

[Flying Lawyer]

Many thanks to those who've responded. :ok:
One more week before he goes, so any further tips for me to pass on will be gratefully received.

FL

[FEBA]

Mike
I have a question for you, does Kiwi Parade ground gloss really work when bulling boots compared to Kiwi original? The reason I ask is that I bought a tin recently (not for bulling I stopped that years ago after the end of my right index finger became worn away) thinking that it would produce a good shine. It did exactly the opposite and was inferior to the original. For a regimental parade I introduced black spray paint (purchased from a garage in Amesbury) as an instant bull alternative. It caught on quick and most of Roberts Barracks used it.......it didn't survive the first call to attention however....guess who was Mr unpopular!
Spray starch...boy that brings back memories, can you still get it?
FEBA

[maninblack]

Never found parade gloss to be any better than standard. On the final bull a drop of meths or aftershave in the water removes smears!

[FEBA]

Maninblack
Did it work though?
Feba

[MadsDad]

A couple of memories about polish.

Firstly when son was setting off for Cranwell shopping expeditions were made to find the 'suggested' items. There was an apparent shortage of Kiwi 'original' but some 'parade gloss' was acquired instead. Later feedback said that while it wasn't as hard to get the required polish in the first place at the end of the day it wasn't anywhere near as good (cracking badly) and all the hard work had to be redone.

As to the wedding story I recall sitting in the sun in the garden on the day before my daughters wedding. My son was sat there, partaking of a tinny or two, polishing his shoes and he then offered to do the same for the best man and the groom. The offer was accepted (I passed him mine as well, on the offchance) and they were duly returned gleaming. The groom then said "I'll take them in in a couple of minutes", to which the reply was "if you leave them out the sun will dull them". Hint taken the shoes were all taken inside immediately.

And nearly forgot to mention. One thing son took with him when he went to Cranwell (which wasn't on the list) was an old vacuum cleaner that we had in the loft. Only one on his course and made him extremely popular at times.

[WE Branch Fanatic]

Practice folding sheets on your bed so that they have nice sharp house cut corners. Learn to do this in a few minutes - practice.

Parade gloss polish if not allowed - so don't worry about what it can/can't do. Normal Kiwi is fine - along with spit OR water. A proper polishing clothe (which you can get from the NAAFI) is far superior to yellow dusters. I'm polishing my boots as I read/type this.

Since it is now after 1st May, your standard dress will be No. 4s with sleeves rolled up to just above the elbow - the fold should be four finger widths wide.

The food at Raleigh is dubious at times - but some of it isn't bad. Eat as much as you can - for energy. I'm told the salads are good - but I can't vouch for this myself. At lunchtimes fresh fruit will be on offer and you might want to have some to boost your vitamins and minerals. But above DO NOT GET DEHYDRATED. Things to watch for include a reduced urine output, urine dark in colour (in fact if its darker than straw you need more water) and constipation. These are the early signs. Recognise then and act on them.

One last thing before you go - relax and unwind. Try and go free of stresses so you have a fresh mind.

PS Take an old toothbrush for cleaning the bottons of your shoes and boots, and sellotape (or masking tape) for removing fluff from your beret (and other things.......)

[DamienB]

My brother went through Raleigh highly successfully (top division for just about everything) a couple of years ago and he had a few bits of advice...

Perhaps too obvious but surprised nobody's mentioned it... you're in a team. Don't try and do everything yourself. Bound to be a bloke who's amazingly good at ironing/polishing/whatever - rely on each other's strengths and it'll hopefully cancel out your division's weaknesses.

Buy the best iron you can. It's going to get some use and the people with little travel irons etc. had a hell of a hard time.

My brother's division cheated on the boot polishing front, and were never discovered. For obvious reasons I am not going to say how...

Don't complain. About anything.

And that was all he had to say...

[ExGrunt]

Resist the temptation to turn up in a smart pair of new shoes. If the grey funnel line training establishments are similar to green ones, then it will be a couple of days before you are issued with your uniforms. You will be marched around in your civvies. New shoes could cripple your feet. Equally I have seen several trainee's shoes drop to bits with the strain.

Take a pair of smart, comfortable but sturdy shoes with you. I also had one of those little "dust buster" vacuum cleaners. Easily packed away for inspections.

Good luck

:ok: