Mountain Leader Training Cadre
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| Mountain Leader Training Cadre | |
|---|---|
| Active | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Branch | Royal Marines |
| Type | Training |
| Role | Instruction unit |
The Mountain Leader Training Cadre is a training element of the Royal Marines providing expertise in Mountain Warfare, cold weather survival and operations, and cliff assault. The cadre has a permanent staff of Mountain and Arctic Warfare instructors and trains Mountain Leaders for employment in the formations of the corps.
Mountain Leaders and The Cadre's role involve all aspects of mountaineering, reconnaissance, route-finding, climbing and survival in cold temperatures. Each company sized sub-unit within a Commando is required to have at least one Grade 2 Mountain Leader (ML2) who will have undergone training with the Cadre. Grade 1 Mountain Leaders will conduct Cold Weather Warfare for Company groups upwards.
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[edit] History
During the 1950s the Royal Marine Cliff Assault Wing formed to train Marines in rock climbing and assault techniques. The remit of the Wing grew through the 50s 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 NATOs northern flank.
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.
[edit] Courses
ML2 is open to Subalterns and Other Ranks who have completed Junior Command Course. The course is 8 months long and takes place over the autumn and winter months in the United Kingdom and Norway. Training includes rock climbing, survival, Resistance to Interrogation (RTI), patrolling and raiding, snow and ice climbing and cold weather survival. All candidates are required to qualify as Military Ski Instructors.
The final assessment is a patrol exercise in Norway involving infiltration, close reconnaissance, exfiltration followed by capture and RTI.
ML2s will provide Mountain and Arctic Warfare training within a sub-unit command and will support ML1s in unit training.
ML1 is open only to Marines who have completed Senior Command Course and is not open to Officers. Training similarly takes 8 months, with candidates instructing ML2 training under supervision before being assessed by experienced trainers instructing in regular units. The course completes on the PATROLEX with ML2s, as section leader and similarly culminating in capture and RTI.
[edit] Conflict Role
Whilst the Cadre is a training and instructional unit, the expertise held by the permanent staff can be exploited in conflict, as experienced ML1s these Marines may be called on to form reconnaissance patrols or lead cliff assaults for 3 Commando Brigade.
[edit] Falklands War
During the Falklands War the staff and students formed two patrol groups and were engaged in direct action alongside other Brigade assets, such as the Battle of Top Malo House.
