Two city Royal Marines were hospitalised for five days with altitude sickness during the first British land forces exercises to be held in northern India for 60 years.The marines from Bickleigh-based 42 Commando were treated and later flown back to the UK after coughing up blood and experiencing extreme shortness of breath during the hazardous mountain and cold-weather exercises in the Himalayas. Training at a height of up to 18,300ft, the marines of 42 Cdo's M Company have since made a full recovery.

A report into the exercises states that all 112 members of the party experienced symptoms such as shortness of breath on exertion, headaches, difficulty sleeping, reduced appetite and dehydration.

It also states that altitude sickness - including high-altitude pulmonary oedema, which put the two men in hospital, and acute mountain sickness - had been expected.

"In summary, only four men were unable to participate in the final exercise," the report states.

"This is considered to be an excellent result reflecting careful acclimatisation and expeditious treatment of cases of mountain sickness.

"The exercise proved an excellent learning experience for medical and non-medical staff in the prevention and management of altitude related illnesses."

Exercise Himalayan Warrior was the first opportunity for M Company to work together as a formation since returning from operations in Afghanistan.

Trekking and climbing across the snow-covered picturesque Himalayan mountains, the marines made history by becoming the first British land forces to train in Northern India since 1947.

Working alongside the Indian Army, the marines carried out various mountain and cold- weather exercises including high-altitude training, ice drills and cliff-top assaults.

The culmination of the exercise saw 'M' Company and the Indian Paratroopers combine to attack two mock enemy positions, with the main assault combining a cliff assault and a conventional attack.

Major Martin Collin, in charge of M Company, said: "As soon as we landed and departed the aircraft I began to feel light-headed and dizzy, which progressed to a strong headache later in the day.

"I've conducted mountain training around the world, never at this altitude, but nothing can prepare you for the feeling you get here.

"Thankfully, all my symptoms stopped as we moved through the acclimatisation package, although I still suffered from shortness of breath and being exhausted during physical exertion: no change there, then!"

Maj Collin said the exercises were an invaluable opportunity for 42 Commando to enhance its knowledge and experience of operating at high altitude.

Major Sandeep of the Indian Paratroopers also described the training as being hugely successful.

"The lessons learned by all parties were exceptional and I can only hope that this is the start of a lasting relationship between the Royal Marines and our paratroopers," he added.

On its return from India, M Company will continue to prepare for deployment to Norway in the early part of next year. h+tp://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=133464&command=displayContent&sourceNode=133158&contentPK=18758824&folderPk=78031&pNodeId=133174

for a bunch of guys who live at sea level sounds like they did well.

Since SCCOMarine isn't here, I'll say it...the United States Marine Corps would have had NO altitude casualties!  The USMC INVENTED high-altitude warfare!

Doesn't surprise me, Bootnecks pride themselves on their ability to survive and operate in any climate or terrain, I've always liked the RM's tough non BS lads , I hate to be the Johnny comparealot, but compared to the Paras they do seem a "smarter" bunch less up their own arse in elitism...there I said it.

Having just re-read Max Hastings' book on the Falklands, it still amazes me what a fantastic coincidence it was, that prior to yomping over the freezing bog of the Falklands, the RM had been training for years in the cold fiords of Norway...

 

I know that if was a Marine, I would much rather be counting coconuts after an amphibious assault on a tropical island, rather than freezing my butt off climbing up a rock.

I guess my point was, if you look at other Marine or Naval Infantry units in different armies around the world, one doesn't typically equate the title "Marine" with "specializing in mountain and cold-weather warfare".
Sure, the USMC has units that train in the cold, but I think that it would be a real stretch to say that the USMC specializes in it.

I just stumbled on this thread, but if you cant tell jfky is trying his hand at satire.  Veeerrry clever jfky.

But in fact dummy, 2 or 3mths ago I posted the exact opposite regarding Mtn Wrf and the US & UK Marines. 

In a discussion w/ ArtyEngineer, who is in the UK Army attached to Marines, he asked me about the USMC MtnWfr program and I said that some of it was based off of the RM program also that the RM rotates Mtn Ldrs to thru the USMCs MWTC staff to lend there expertise, b/c  they specialize in Cld Wthr/Mtn Wrf.

Unless I am mistaken, I believe ArtyEngineer actually works for BAe Systems.

I think its true to say tyhat MAW is not a traditional UK activity, a shortage of both mountains and seriously cold weather is the basic problem.  Yes there were odd excursions in the 19th C, eg Robert's column wintering at the top of the Kurram pass at the start of the 2nd Afghan War, the Korean winter wasn't sunbathing weather either.

 

There was nothing in either WW (although with traditional humour the Brit Army trained 52 (Lowland) Div as their mtn fmn).  It should also be noted that 3 Cdo Bde is actually part of the UK/NL amph force, mtns not being something homegrown for the RNLMC either.

 

Real HAW is very much something developed by the Indians and presumably the Chinese because that's where high altitude is.