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Warship Life in the Royal Navy S02E03
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00:06hello and welcome to his majesty's naval base Devonport here in Plymouth for hundreds of
00:12years this place has been a home to the Royal Navy and around half the nation's fleet is based here
00:19this is a remarkable place thousands of service men and women pass through here every week there
00:27are billions of pounds worth of warships and weapons and enough food to feed a Navy and then
00:33there's the staff and crew who live in and around the base we're here at a time of serious
00:43international tension when the Royal Navy has never been busier and they've given us access across the
00:55fleet you feel it reverberating through your whole body you feel like you could reach out touch that
01:02that is wild just off our bow is a Russian submarine throughout these special programs we're lifting
01:11the lid oh what are you doing on what life is really like in Britain's Navy today I'm sure you
01:19tied that tie correctly before being dragged through a hedge sound like my mum get this
01:23you're a fair move come on before it's a fit this is a different league within a different league
01:28I do feeling very safe hands thank you very much
01:34this is warship life in the Royal Navy in this episode putting the Royal in Royal Navy King Charles's
01:44astonishing journey from recruit to commanding officer he got the special privilege of driving his own car
01:50here his famous Aston Martin look that's the glory JJ takes to the stage what am I doing oh Lord
01:59to
02:00perform with the world-famous Royal Marines band and Kate is on board a 1 billion pound warship clear to
02:11fire to witness the full might of its firepower Wow I feel like I've just been at war
02:38hello and welcome to warship yes and our home throughout the series is going to be the
02:42magnificent HMS St Albans she's classed as one of the Royal Navy's big ships and she's predominantly
02:48designed to hunt for submarines but recently I was invited on board a very different kind of warship
02:54as she prepared for major NATO operations and it was quite an experience I can tell you
03:05the port of Stavanger in Norway is a major NATO base just 700 miles from Russia
03:18I've been told to report here by the Navy so obviously I have and I'm going to be put
03:24apparently on one of their most advanced warships it's all very James Bond and I've got no idea what to
03:33expect HMS Dragon is a type 45 destroyer and it's soon going to be joining a crucial NATO mission
03:46but before it can deploy on operations there's still a lot of work to do
03:52on the far side we've got a fuel barge at the minute fueling us up so it's all happening this
03:57morning Captain Ian Giffin has just a few weeks to get the ship completely ready
04:05it's a great hulking thing isn't it it's just fast it also does look very streamlined it looks like
04:15it's built for speed yes our job is air defense so so we need sort of up to 30 knots
04:21for that so yeah
04:21sorry 35 40 miles an hour and absolutely the streamlined nature makes it more efficient and my
04:28engines can absolutely get me up to that speed which is great I've been invited to join HMS
04:36Dragon's crew of over 200 people for a critical part of their preparations testing its advanced weapons
04:45which are capable of shooting down enemy missiles and aircraft permission to come on the bridge yes
04:52please thank you so welcome to the bridge captain is about to take charge of the ship from your
04:57watch right and he'll drive us off the wall okay but first HMS Dragon needs to get out to sea
05:05thanks all that bridge let go for a tug
05:13where are we heading so today we'll head up the fjord into the North Sea yeah the ship is making
05:20its
05:21way towards a NATO weapons testing area where the crew must prove dragons guns and missiles are
05:27working properly only then will they be signed off as ready for frontline duty wow it is enormous yeah
05:36no fairly big as I'm shown to my cabin the decks are a hive of activity as the crew prepare
05:43for the
05:44days that lie ahead you're just down the end of the single cabin oh wow okay wasn't expecting that
05:52that's properly grand amazing thank you very much indeed but there's no time to relax in the Royal Navy
06:01there's no time off when a ship is at sea this company is reminded that the whole of the upper
06:06deck
06:07remain out of bounds for all those not involved in this morning's gallery that is all although we're
06:12still a few hours away from the NATO firing range the ship's smaller guns can be tested on route so
06:18you're
06:19queen of guns I mean kind of a live firing exercise like this one doesn't happen very often so this
06:28is
06:28the first time 25 year old weapons engineer Zoe Leslie has been able to fire them now Zoe I know
06:36it's a
06:36really really big day for you and your team today but can you explain why and so we've got a
06:43few
06:43different systems on board especially the 30 mils which we're testing today and both of them have
06:48trials that we need to do so that when we operate it is more accurate to be allowed near Zoe
06:53as she checks
06:54that the 30 millimeter gun is working properly oh I should have a regulation haircut I need to be
07:01wearing full body armor yeah all good yeah good thank you
07:13this is a really really big moment for Zoe and all the gunnery team
07:21what I'm learning is the extraordinary protocols and systems that are in place to make sure that if
07:29and when a gun needs to be fired in anger everyone knows what they're doing and every part of that
07:37lethal machine is working properly I've been told it is extremely loud
07:53this is the oldest and most temperamental gun on the ship so to begin with the gun is set to
08:05fire
08:05manually one round at a time
08:18it's so loud and so terrifying
08:25you don't just feel that you feel it reverberating through your whole body
08:36all seems to be working well and now Zoe must prepare the ammunition for the real test
08:44setting the gun to fire automatically
09:07the gun is working properly and ready for the upcoming mission but HMS Dragon's biggest weapons are yet to be
09:16put in the air
09:17the gun is put to the test
09:23well that was amazing like it's not every day that you get orders to report to a one billion pound
09:29destroyer that's gearing up to join our friends at NATO
09:31I know I know I know how lucky I was I know how many people are jealous of me
09:36well well done for getting stuck in thank you
09:38and you guys make sure you stick around because this is what's coming up
09:47find out what happens when HMS Dragon unleashes fire
09:53and I join the Royal Marines band
10:04where I've only got two weeks to practice for a major UK performance
10:09it makes me nervous especially when I think about doing that on stage with them
10:14and I don't want to let them down
10:30welcome back to the program now many of you will be familiar with the rousing sound of a military band
10:37when they play at state events and royal receptions services of remembrance that sort of thing
10:43but what you may not know is that the Royal Marines band is considered one of the finest in the
10:50world
10:50JJ went to find out more
10:52let's hope no one gave him a tambourine
11:03they're one of the most celebrated military bands
11:07and several times a week Portsmouth Dockyard echoes with the sound of the rehearsals
11:12the Royal Marines band service with a rich history that dates all the way back to 1903
11:21Portsmouth Naval Base is home to the Royal Marines school of music
11:24where the band practice the tricky art of playing and marching at the same time
11:31listen to that
11:34making sure they're marching to the beat of his drum is bandmaster Jules Cooke
11:42that is hoofing
11:44JJ, welcome to the Royal Marines calling music
11:46oh mate they sound, they're so crisp
11:48I love it
11:49what do you think?
11:50it's just very rousing isn't it
11:52it fills me with a huge amount of pride
11:54how about we go and have a look around?
11:56I would love to
11:56okay
11:58the school of music is inside Portsmouth Naval Base
12:01and dates back to the days of Admiral Nelson
12:04when it was used for a very different purpose
12:09and as you come through you'll see
12:11it's a prison
12:12it's a prison, it looks like a prison still as well
12:15it's like a scene out of porridge
12:16yeah yeah absolutely
12:17we've actually got
12:18there's your sort of notice that you would have seen when you very first came in
12:21to the Royal Navy detention quarters
12:26from 1843 to 1996 this Royal Navy prison was home to offenders locked inside over a hundred cells
12:34serving time at his majesty's pleasure
12:37the netting's still there
12:39I mean obviously there has been some tweaks
12:41and with the doors
12:43they're still the original doors
12:44they've been sort of stripped back
12:45yeah a lot of the old features are here
12:49but the cells have a very different purpose these days
12:58so a prison makes a good sort of blueprint for a music school does it?
13:04yeah you absolutely
13:05I mean you can imagine how thick these walls were
13:07and the doors and everything
13:08so you can kind of hear now
13:09there's not a huge amount of noise going on
13:11but there's plenty of musicians around
13:13and they're practicing in their cell
13:14we still call them their rooms
13:16but we still call them cells
13:18we obviously don't lock them in at night
13:19and things like that anymore
13:21I've always wanted to try the bugle
13:23but this is the first time I've been let loose on one
13:26do you just blow into it?
13:29try and buzz your lips
13:30put your lips together
13:32yeah that's it
13:33and blow through
13:34okay
13:39I promise these are all the right notes
13:42just not necessarily in the right order
13:50wow
13:50wow
13:51wow
13:51that's what I could say JJ
13:52wow
13:54pretty good
13:55am I going places?
13:56yeah I'm not sure where we're going
13:58but we're going places
13:59I'm not sure the bugle is suited to you
14:01but how would you like to come and perform with us?
14:03what?
14:04yeah yeah
14:04what do you think?
14:05alright okay well
14:06I'll hang up my bugle
14:08cheers
14:08and put my hands up
14:09fair enough
14:10I would love to
14:11let's go
14:11let's see what we'll be finding
14:19remarkably
14:21after that performance
14:22Jules has invited me
14:23to join up with the Royal Marines band
14:25who are rehearsing for their upcoming UK tour
14:30their next performance is in Manchester in two weeks time
14:33and he wants me to play alongside these professionals
14:36in front of a sellout crowd
14:42the only problem is I don't have a musical bone in my body
14:45so let's hope he's picked something easy for me to play
14:49well that was beautiful
14:52I'm not quite sure how I'm going to add anything of value to it
15:01my orders are to report to the percussion section
15:04for the record I barely read English
15:06let alone music
15:07we'll keep it
15:08we'll keep it right
15:09okay
15:10Lance Corporal Harry Page is teaching me to use the tam-tam
15:14which is essentially a gong to you and me
15:16and I'm told anyone should be able to master it
15:19we're going to start off with a crescendo
15:22right
15:22so grab the mallet
15:24even me
15:30easy
15:30yeah
15:31that's likely yeah
15:32that'll be alright
15:33how do I know when to do it though
15:35well you'll match me essentially
15:37okay
15:37so it'll be
15:38three, four, quietly
15:40two, three
15:46and then
15:46is that too much
15:47no no no great
15:48you've just got to really go for it
15:49and then just let it ring
15:50this thing makes so much noise
15:52if you get it wrong
15:53people are going to notice
15:57with only a few ripples of the gong under my belt
15:59I'm being thrown in at the deep end
16:01as the band rehearsal begins
16:15whilst the rest of the band is following the conductor
16:19I'm following Harry to try and keep up
16:29the tam-tam is easily one of the loudest instruments in the room
16:38so if I get it wrong it could throw off the timing of the entire band
16:55yeah
16:55smashed it
16:56could have worn my head
16:57could have done that
16:59man
16:59cool huh
17:00that was unbelievable
17:01that went along in such pace
17:02yeah
17:03it's pretty relentless isn't it
17:05well
17:05well that was quite an introduction to performing with this world famous band
17:09I've now only got two weeks to practice until the big night in Manchester
17:14the sound of that music it instantly lifts my spirits
17:18it makes me proud to be part of the service
17:21it's powerful
17:22but I'm not going to lie
17:24I am pretty nervous about joining them on stage
17:27so I think I best get in there and practice
17:30and do my best not to mess it all up
17:37are you kidding me?
17:38are you actually going to play in a real life concert with that lot?
17:44how dare you be so surprised?
17:46no I mean it's pretty silly and I like a challenge
17:50I like to get outside my comfort zone and I will
17:53do they like a challenge more importantly?
17:55well they've got one
17:57now it is time to return to HMS Dragon
18:00as they prepare for NATO operations
18:03and things are about to heat up
18:14HMS Dragon is currently off the coast of Norway
18:17approaching a remote weapons range in the North Sea
18:20and I've been invited on board
18:23to watch the crew get ready for a special NATO mission
18:26Viper A-way take
18:28hostile Deltan Fox from 027
18:32Viper A-way take hostile 8276 strength 1
18:39I've been granted access inside HMS Dragon's operations room
18:43the nerve centre of the warship
18:48oh my goodness
18:51I had literally no idea of the scale
18:56what is everybody doing in here?
18:58so at the moment we've got everyone closed up for an air defence exercise
19:03executive officer Hugh Gaskell-Taylor is Dragon's second in command
19:09this is HMS Dragon's absolute core role
19:12if we were to go to war we would be an air defence asset
19:15so imagine an aircraft carrier in the middle
19:18we would be providing air defence for that
19:21we would be controlling fighter jets
19:24all in support of that mission to provide air defence
19:27before HMS Dragon is allowed to go on operations
19:30it has to prove its weapons are working perfectly
19:34assume at Sea Burundi State 1 condition Zulu
19:37close all red openings
19:39am I pushing my luck to ask if there's any other way I can experience what this
19:44being part of this exercise is like
19:46we'll get you sat down here
19:52so through this headset
19:55I will be able to hear what everybody is contributing
20:02absolutely
20:03160! Fire control radar! 160!
20:08today's exercise begins with HMS Dragon's radar spotting an incoming missile
20:13our electronic warfare specialists have detected a threat
20:17so everyone is now taking the necessary reactions to defend the ship
20:26that's the missile coming in towards the ship there
20:29ok, yeah
20:32160! Missile! 160!
20:40the next thing that we should be hearing is the missiles are being launched and we're going to shoot it
20:44down
20:46HMS Dragon is equipped with cutting edge Sea Viper missiles
20:50worth over a million pounds each
20:53and designed to shoot down any incoming threat
20:56wherever or whoever that may come from
21:01warning red, warning red imminent threat
21:03correct, request command approval
21:05clear to fire
21:06most of the crew will never fire one of these weapons in battle
21:11approved, Sea Weapon
21:12but exercises like this are essential to prove the missile's work
21:17three, two, one
21:32A-WO hostile ID delegation rescinded
21:36stand two, stand two, the raid says is grant slammed
21:39that's the air warfare officer has determined that we're okay
21:43so everyone's relaxing
21:46the ship wasn't in any danger today
21:48but these tests are designed to prove the crew are ready for frontline operations
21:56and in just a few weeks time
21:58HMS Dragon will begin her NATO mission
22:01there is so much going on
22:04there's so much information coming into those headphones
22:06presumably
22:08if you're in a real life scenario
22:09there's not just one missile that you're worrying about
22:12but could be tens of them
22:14exactly, we can come under attack from multiple directions
22:17multiple missiles and we'll be able to defeat them all
22:19that's what we're trained to do
22:20that's our mission
22:26wow
22:29I feel like I've just been at war
22:31that was an extraordinary insight into everybody knowing exactly what they needed to do
22:38and you start to understand that the training that everybody on this ship has gone through
22:44and continues to go through makes all the difference
22:52I've been on board HMS Dragon for a few days
22:57and I'm just starting to get my bearings
23:01but this bit I've never been to
23:04because this is the CEO, the commanding officer, the captain's lair
23:09and I've been given the huge honour to have lunch with him
23:15Hello
23:15Hello, can I come in?
23:17Hello Kit, yes please
23:18Hi, how are you doing, you alright?
23:20I'm alright, thank you very much
23:21Look at this
23:22It's alright isn't it?
23:25Well I suppose you've earned it
23:26and you've got a porthole
23:28Not just one, I've got three technically
23:30But that's the thing, because there's no other portholes on the ship
23:33so why do you get them and no one else does?
23:35Clearly driving the ship, I can't be on the bridge all the time
23:37Right
23:37So whenever the bridge team shout down to me
23:40it allows me a quick glance to see if we're going to hit anything
23:46Captain Ian Giffin is one of the busiest people on the ship
23:50overseeing everything that happens and all 200 members of his crew
23:54Right
23:56This looks delicious
23:57I've seen people carrying food up to you
24:00I get the same menu that everybody else has
24:03The captain of a warship dines alone, remaining separate from the crew
24:07Making friends could jar with a commanding officer's need to hand out difficult orders
24:15And this is your first ship then, that you commanded?
24:18It's the first one, yeah
24:18Must be quite a daunting prospect
24:21to be the person for whom the buck stops on a ship that has the capabilities that it has
24:28When we're doing this high-end kinetic activity
24:31clearly a lot of stuff goes round your head of
24:33let's just be sure, I'm sure, are we doing this for the right reasons
24:37All we can do is be good at what we're supposed to be good at
24:40Where Dragon's off to next is to lead a NATO task group of around nine ships
24:47for the best part of six months
24:48and just make sure that my ship's ready for whatever tasking I get
24:54The people I have met during my time at sea have been highly impressive
25:00Crew members as young as 17
25:03Stepping up to get this warship ready for important NATO operations
25:09Each and every one of them deserves our gratitude and our respect
25:21Pretty cool, hey?
25:22Yeah, that is cool and it is, I mean, it's a privilege to get access to a room like this
25:27This is the ops room on board St Albans
25:29But unlike that, all the screens are turned off here because we're in port
25:33But this room is full of cutting-edge equipment and probably a few secrets
25:37You know, you can tell me a thing or two about this place, right?
25:39Well, I could, but then obviously I'd have to kill you
25:42Cool
25:42But the one thing I can tell you is what's coming up next
25:48I'm exploring the King's connection to the Navy
25:51From an officer in training to commander of his own warship
25:55That was his first day ever before
25:57Okay, and that's you there?
25:58Yes, that's me. He was a brilliant captain
26:01And I get stage fright in Manchester
26:04Cause I, like, expect from, like, a school gym hall or something
26:08What am I doing?
26:10As I join the Raw Marines band for one final rehearsal
26:33Hello, I'm on the bridge of HMS St Albans
26:36This place is the beating heart of any warship
26:39And I'm actually sitting in the captain's chair
26:42And I'm pretty lucky to get to do that
26:44But back in the 1970s
26:46There was a young man named Charles
26:47Who dreamt of sitting in one of these chairs
26:50And he was a man who was destined for big things
26:58Since 1905, the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth
27:02Has been the training ground for all officers joining the Royal Navy
27:06Eyes put
27:08And the heir to the throne was no exception
27:11In 1971, at the age of just 22
27:14Prince Charles, as he was known then
27:16Began his Royal Navy officer training in these very rooms
27:20And it's become a specialist subject for Dartmouth's in-house historian
27:25Dr. Jane Harrold
27:27So, Jane, we all know that members of the Royal Family are expected to spend some time in the armed
27:36forces
27:37But do we know why Prince Charles, as he was then, chose the Navy?
27:41So, he'd actually started out in the RAF
27:43Oh, did he?
27:44But then he came here to Dartmouth, following the footsteps of his father, his grandfather
27:51And did he stay in the same quarters as everybody else, eat with everybody?
27:55Or did he have his sort of butler and his own sort of special royal bit?
27:59No, he was treated exactly the same as all the other cadets or students in his class
28:03There was just one bit of special treatment that he did get
28:07The norm would be, for all the cadets joining, to come down by train
28:11And then be coached into Dartmouth
28:14But he got the special privilege of driving his own car here
28:18Right
28:18His famous, infamous, Aston Martin
28:23Even if you're the future King of England, everyone who joins Dartmouth gets put through their paces
28:29Learning core military skills like leadership, navigation and warfare
28:36To learn more about how King Charles would have felt when he first came here
28:40I've been invited to take part in a sword drill
28:43Divisions, eyes, front, up, miss, carry
28:48A long-held tradition of the Royal Navy, dating back hundreds of years
28:53Divisions, on your shoulder, help
28:56Every rookie officer coming to Dartmouth still has to learn these skills
29:01Ceremonial training instructor Dean Jordan will be putting me through my paces
29:06I don't know why you've got a smile on your face, O.C. Humble
29:08Look at the state of you
29:10I thought I...
29:11You thought what? What do you think? Please enlighten me
29:13Do you think you can come here without putting any polish on those shoes?
29:17Have you even tried to iron your trousers?
29:20Stand up straight
29:21Okay?
29:22Mm-hmm
29:23I'm sure you tied that tie correctly before being dragged through a hedge
29:27You sound like my mum
29:28Oh, do I? Yes
29:30Right, shall I, um, go and stand with the rest of them then?
29:34Well, if you're ready, I mean, we could just wait for you if you want
29:37I'm ready, I'm ready, sir
29:38Let's go
29:40These basic drills are designed to instill discipline and comradery into the trainee officers
29:46If you're humble, listen in then
29:50Divisions, shoulder, on your shoulder, home, off your shoulder
29:55Salute, up, miss, cut
29:58Sword drills are used in special ceremonies and parades
30:02And only officers and warrant officers are allowed to carry them
30:06Eyes, front, up, miss, carry
30:10Some of you need to switch on with your timings, you're not keeping in time
30:14Although blunt, they weigh over a kilogram, making them very difficult to control
30:20It's really hard, every muscle is tensed and he's very scary
30:25Some of you are waving the sword around like Harry Potter's wand
30:30There are dozens of commands, but I'm struggling even with the most basic
30:34Division, stand, easy
30:38Five, four, three, two, one, steady
30:44Okay, take off your head gear, relax there
30:49According to legend, King Charles wasn't a fan of these drills
30:54Dismissed
30:55But I bet the drill instructor back then relished shouting at the future monarch
31:01I don't think I'm a natural
31:04I don't either
31:07It's fine then, it's fine, it's fine, but that's why it happens
31:10That's why we do it over and over again
31:12And if you were to stay here and do this over and over again
31:14100% it's become second nature
31:16Well, thank you, thank you very much
31:18I'm glad you enjoyed it
31:21After leaving Dartmouth, King Charles rose through the ranks as a naval officer
31:26In 1976, he became captain of the minesweeper HMS Bronnington and its 32-strong crew
31:34So was this when he literally had just arrived?
31:37That was his first day ever
31:39Okay, okay, and that's you there?
31:41Yes, that's me
31:43Coxon Peter Still served alongside him
31:48Now Peter, could you have a sort of, I don't know, a normal relationship with your captain
31:55Or did you always have to be very formal, not just because he was a captain, but also he was
32:00the Prince of Wales
32:00No, over my 35 years in the Navy, I've served with an awful lot of lovely captains
32:07He was up at the very top
32:09He was very knowledgeable and very aware of what he had to do and how he did it
32:16He cared about you, he was interested in all of you
32:19He was one of the boys
32:20He was one of the boys and he was just a regular captain
32:22No, he was a brilliant captain
32:24Did he know you all by name?
32:26Every one of us and I was I was with him in Buckingham Palace
32:32Last June and he knew us all and our wives names
32:36He came in the room and he said coxswain coxswain
32:41I said captain you good-looking young man
32:48And that is the two of you having such a laugh
32:51I hope that's a double gin and tonic in there, is it?
32:53It probably is
32:56Thank you for sharing your stories because it's given me a completely different insight into the man
33:03Who is the king of our country, so thank you
33:06Pleasure
33:14That was great, like so nice to hear from one of King Charles' shipmates
33:18Like it looked like they had a lot of fun at sea
33:22And a little earlier in the programme you will have seen that the Royal Marines band challenged me to take
33:27part in one of their concerts
33:30And because I'm a complete novice, I've been rehearsing hard, mostly out of fear of letting them down
33:36Or embarrassing myself in front of thousands of people
33:39But the time has come to join them on their UK tour
33:45Here's how I got on
33:48Manchester city centre
33:51Home to creativity, culture
33:54And tonight at the Bridgewater Hall, the Royal Marines Band
34:00Featuring me
34:02So the performance starts in a couple of hours
34:05It is a sellout crowd of 2,000 people
34:08And I'm here
34:09Now these guys are pretty well the best in the world at what they do
34:13And their performances raise money for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines charity
34:18So, I really don't want to mess this up
34:23With final rehearsals nearly complete, the countdown to the show is on
34:29Look at this
34:36This place is incredible
34:40Bit intimidating actually
34:45I don't know, was I like expecting like a school gym hall or something?
34:49What am I doing?
34:54In charge of the performance tonight is the band's principal director of music, Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Williams
35:02So, how's the tour going?
35:04Yeah, good
35:04Great venue tonight
35:05Bridgewater Hall in Manchester
35:07Completely sold out
35:08Every seat is sold
35:09We've had an incredible run
35:10Really good
35:11The band's sounding amazing
35:13Audience have loved it
35:14I don't want to put any extra pressure on you
35:15But this is
35:16I mean you are
35:17We have not started you at Topshin Village Hall
35:20This is
35:20Yeah
35:21This is not a gym hall
35:23No, it's a big concert hall
35:24You're just going to have to concentrate
35:26Try not to think about the size of the, you know, the hall, the size of the audience
35:30Focus on the team and the direction they're giving you
35:34Right
35:34Have you been practising?
35:36Er, yeah, like got the hubcaps off my car
35:39Yeah
35:39Give them a good bang throughout the week
35:40Yeah, good
35:41Yeah, yeah
35:44In all seriousness, I really have been putting in the hours
35:47And we're messing around
35:49Can't do some work
35:50Get in, Bob
35:51Now it comes down to one final rehearsal with the band
35:54Coming
35:56My last chance to get it right
36:00Got me wet
36:03I'm good
36:04Right
36:06My only safety net is percussionist Lance Corporal Harry Page
36:14Who will be guiding me through tonight's performance
36:34I'm no expert but I think I'm just about keeping up
36:37The problem is that banging a drum loudly is pretty easy
36:41Doing it with skill, timing and talent is what matters here
36:49Oh, I'm not going to lie
36:50Like, I am a little conscious of how loud I am being when I'm banging on the drums and stuff
36:54Because if it's out of time, you're going to tell
36:57Well, certainly I'm going to be told, I feel
37:04Coming up
37:05Right
37:06This is it
37:08You've got some glory
37:11JJ is given a grand introduction to a sell-out Manchester crowd
37:16We have a very special guest to join us
37:19Lance Orwell, Charles J
37:22But will he be a smash hit?
37:41Welcome back to Warship Life in the Royal Navy
37:44I'm in Manchester at the Bridgewater Hall
37:48Where the most famous military band in the world are about to perform
37:53And for one night only
37:55I've been invited to take part
37:58Hi JJ, military time for the show
38:00There's your uniform
38:01It's mega
38:02Have a great time
38:03We'll be at it in a minute
38:05My musical prowess might be in question
38:08But at least I can try and look the part
38:10Wearing the uniform of the Royal Marines
38:17Right, it's too late to go AWOL, absent without leave
38:21This is happening, performance time
38:23Steady the nerves
38:24Let's get this done
38:27The crowd are taking their seats
38:30Can you hear that?
38:33There's people out here man
38:35Oh my God
38:38With the entire place full
38:41It's time
38:42To cue the music
38:47Good luck boss
39:05To be this close to the Royal Marines band as they perform is spine tingling
39:14Every note is sheer perfection
39:22Just a few weeks ago, in the middle of their UK tour, this group performed at Windsor Castle for the
39:28state visit of President Trump
39:40Now though, it's my turn
39:45Right
39:46This is it
39:48No guts, no glory
39:50Now, we have a very special guest to join us in this section of the programme
39:56Lance Corporal Chalmers J
40:00Probably known better to you as JJ Chalmers
40:07What an introduction
40:08But the moment of truth, as they say, is upon me
40:28Wearing the uniform and performing with the band is both a huge honour and a serious responsibility
40:36Tonight, I'm representing the Royal Marines in a very public setting
40:41And I can't let them down
40:47It's been over ten years since I left the Royal Marines
40:51An unforgettable chapter of my life
40:54Like myself, many people in this crowd are veterans
40:58But also, these performances inspire future generations
41:08I can't help but enjoy my moment in the musical spotlight
41:12Even if I'm only banging on a gong
41:15I can't help but enjoy my moment in the musical world
41:32CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
41:35CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
41:45That was a lot of fun.
41:47It's just good being part of a band.
41:50This is why you join the Corps,
41:51to be part of something bigger than yourself.
41:53And it doesn't get much bigger than that.
42:02As the Manchester performance comes to an end,
42:04I get another special moment.
42:07I'm invited back onto the stage to take a bow with the rest of the band.
42:15APPLAUSE
42:19With my musical debut made,
42:21it's time for the standard military debrief.
42:26Right, how'd I do, boss?
42:28JJ, I thought it was fantastic.
42:31It was so good. You know, you really played the part.
42:34You actually played a meaningful part in the band.
42:36I must admit, the first one was a bit loud.
42:39Bit of a face-melter.
42:40But you controlled it, you kept the tempo, you were together.
42:44That's the most important thing, and that is not easy to do.
42:47So with the amount of preparation you've had,
42:49seriously well done, I think it was great.
42:50And to see all the veterans standing up at the end,
42:52Royal Navy, Royal Marines,
42:54you know, means a lot to a lot of people, this kind of thing.
42:57So, yeah, you've been a part of that. Well done.
42:59Yeah. It was great.
43:00Honestly, never in my wildest dream that I think I'd do that.
43:03I might hang up with my mallet at this point quite a while in my head.
43:06Well, you've got the uniform now, so, you know...
43:08OK.
43:08Maybe there's a future, you know, we'll be on tour again.
43:11You can draft me back in.
43:21Well, I smashed it, didn't I?
43:25You got a standing ovation.
43:26I certainly did.
43:28Yeah.
43:28Listen, that was pretty terrifying.
43:30Like, that was a big old venue.
43:33Yeah.
43:33And a lot of people counting on me,
43:34and I just didn't want to sort of ruin it for everybody.
43:37It was actually very impressive.
43:39Thank you. Well, this is what you guys can enjoy next.
43:45What are you doing?
43:48JJ's on Dartmoor to take on an elite Royal Marines challenge.
43:53And it's brutal.
43:57Ah, a horn in air!
43:59Is that the terminology?
44:01It is!
44:01Dwayne heads back in time...
44:03Mind your head.
44:04Oh, my goodness.
44:06...to discover the reality of life on board,
44:08the first British ship to circumnavigate the globe.
44:12A lot of salty seawater gets onto this deck.
44:15It would eventually mix with animal poo.
44:17So, if you ever did find yourself sleeping on here,
44:19don't sleep with your mouth open.
44:21That's about 15 minutes now and I haven't seen a single soul on board.
44:25And what happens when a fully armed Royal Navy warship
44:29intercepts a suspicious vessel in the English Channel?
44:32If you're in UK waters and you're up to no good,
44:34you should expect the Royal Navy to be looking at you.
44:37Goodbye.
44:38Bye.
44:41Catch all that new next Wednesday at 8.
44:44Drunken, dangerous drivers are causing chaos on the roads.
44:48Join the traffic cops in action,
44:49back with a new series Friday at 8.
44:52And the search for Katie continues,
44:54so what's twisted secrets will unravel tonight.
44:57And Joanna Scanlon stars in brand new drama, Mist Call, next.
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