Mountain Leader Training Cadre - History

History

During the 1950s the Royal Marine Cliff Assault Wing formed to train Marines in rock climbing and cliff assault techniques. Elite training of Cliff Leaders in the late 1950s required rocky landings from various small craft (kayaks, Zodiacs and other motorized assault craft) often in heavy seas onto the Cornish coast, and rapid tactical ascents and descent of the vertical faces. This skill set was necessary for exposing all trainees during the last week of the commando (green beret) course. Instructors publicly demonstrated (e.g. at Navy Days) commando methods of abseiling and high-speed fixed rope descent from clifftop grapple-hook anchors. These would typically include the 'run-down' method (a simple face down arm wrap, sometimes demonstrated on high urban buildings, and essential when carrying small arms) and the 'front swallow' and other dangerous slides down a fixed rope. These demonstrations were discontinued after Captain Antony Easterbrook, a 31 year old member of the Cadre, fell to his death during a display in Madison Square Garden in 1960.

The remit of the Wing grew through the 1950s and '60s until it became responsible for Winter Warfare and Reconnaissance, becoming the Reconnaissance Leader Troop. Becoming the Mountain and Arctic Warfare Cadre in 1970 the personnel moved to Stonehouse Barracks in Plymouth, training all units in 3 Commando Brigade in its new role in defence of NATO's northern flank covering Northern Europe during the later Cold War.

In 1992 the Cadre was split, forming the nucleus of the Brigade Patrol Troop and becoming the Mountain Leader Training Cadre. The Cadre later reunited before splitting up again in 2000. The Cadre remains based in Stonehouse however cold weather training is carried out in Norway.