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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 are lifting
01:11the lid what are you doing on what life is really like in Britain's Navy today I'm sure you tied
01:19that
01:19tie correctly before being dragged through a hedge you sound like my mum get yourself head moves come
01:24on these boys are fit this is a different league within a different league I do feeling very safe
01:30hands thank you very much this is warship life in the Royal Navy in this episode putting the
01:41Royal in Royal Navy King Charles's astonishing journey from recruit to commanding officer he got the
01:48special privilege of driving his own car here his famous Aston Martin oh that's not glory JJ takes to
01:56the stage what am I doing oh Lord to perform with the world-famous Royal Marines band and Kate is
02:08on
02:08board a one-billion-pound warship clear to fire to witness the full might of its firepower
02:19Wow 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 I've been told to
03:18report here by the Navy so obviously I have and I'm going to be put apparently on one of their
03:26most
03:27advanced warships it's all very James Bond and I've got no idea what to expect
03:37HMS Dragon is a type 45 destroyer and it's soon going to be joining a crucial NATO mission but
03:46before it can deploy on operations there's still a lot of work to do on the forest side we got
03:54a
03:54fuel barge at the minute fueling us up so it's all happening this morning Captain Ian Giffin has
03:59just a few weeks to get the ship completely ready it's a great hulking thing isn't it it's just fast
04:10it also does look very streamlined it looks like it's built for speed yes our job is air defense so
04:18so we
04:19need sort of up to 30 knots for that so yeah sorry 35 40 miles an hour and absolutely the
04:26streamlined
04:26nature makes it more efficient and my engines can absolutely get me up to that speed which is great
04:34I've been invited to join HMS dragons crew of over 200 people for a critical part of their preparations
04:43testing its advanced weapons which are capable of shooting down enemy missiles and aircraft
04:51permission to come on the bridge yes please thank you so welcome to the bridge captain is about to take
04:56charge of the ship from your watch right he'll drive us off the wall okay but first HMS dragon needs
05:03to
05:03get out to see thanks all that bridge let go for a tug where are we heading so today we'll
05:16head up the
05:17fjord into the North Sea yeah the ship is making its way towards a NATO weapons testing area where the
05:24crew must prove dragons guns and missiles are working properly only then will they be signed off as ready
05:31for frontline duty wow it is enormous yeah no fairly big as I'm shown to my cabin the decks are
05:40a hive
05:41of activity as the crew prepare for the days that lie ahead you're just down the end in the single
05:47cabin oh wow okay wasn't expecting that that's properly grand amazing thank you very much indeed but
05:58there's no time to relax in the Royal Navy there's no time off when a ship is at sea
06:04the ship's company is reminded that the whole of the upper deck remained out of balance for all those
06:08not involved in this morning's gallery that is all although we're still a few hours away from the NATO
06:14firing range the ship's smaller guns can be tested on route a live firing exercise like this one doesn't
06:26happen very often so this is the first time 25 year old weapons engineer Zoe Leslie has been able to
06:33fire
06:34them now Zoe I know it's a really really big day for you and your team today but can you
06:40explain why and so
06:42we've got a few different systems on board especially the 30 mills which we're testing today and both of
06:47them have trials that we need to do so that when we operate it is more accurate to be allowed
06:53near Zoe as
06:54she checks that the 30 millimetre gun is working properly should have a regulation haircut I need
07:00to be wearing full body armor yeah all good yeah good thank you
07:14this is a really really big moment for Zoe and all the gunnery team what I'm learning is the
07:23extraordinary protocols and systems that are in place to make sure that if and when a gun needs to
07:31be fired in anger everyone knows what they're doing and every part of that lethal machine is working
07:38properly start listening right relative and true bearing I've been told it is extremely loud I've got
07:50two sets of all defenders on as has everyone else this is the oldest and most temperamental gun on the
07:58ship 30 millimetre about to function so to begin with the gun is set to fire manually one round at
08:07a 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 setting the gun
08:45to 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 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
09:29that's gearing up to join our friends at nato I know I know how lucky I was I know how
09:35many people are jealous of me
09:36well well done for getting stuck in thank you and you guys make sure you stick around because this is
09:42what's coming up
09:48find 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
10:35of a military band when they play at state events and royal receptions
10:40services 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
10:49world
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 where the band practice the tricky art of
11:27playing 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 Cook
11:42that is hoofing
11:44JJ
11:45welcome to the Royal Marines School of Music
11:46oh mate they sound they're so crisp
11:48I love it
11:49what do you think
11:49it's just very rosin isn't it
11:51it builds me with a huge amount of pride
11:54how about we go and have a look around
11:55I 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
12:08and 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 and we'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
12:28this 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
12:50have 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 I mean you can imagine how thick these walls were
13:07and the doors and everything so
13:08you can kind of hear now there's not a huge amount of noise going on
13:11but there's plenty of musicians around and they're practicing in their cell
13:14we still call it their rooms but we still call them cells
13:17we obviously don't lock them in at night
13:19things 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
13:27do you just blow into it?
13:29try and buzz your lips
13:30put your lips together
13:31yeah that's it
13:33and blow through
13:34I promise these are all the right notes
13:41just not necessarily in the right order
13:49wow
13:50wow
13:51that's what I could say JJ
13:52wow
13:53pretty good
13:55am I going places?
13:57yeah I'm not sure where we're going
13:58but we're going places
13:59I'm not sure the bugle was 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
14:08and put my hands up
14:09fair enough
14:10I would love to
14:10let's go
14:11let's see what we can find you
14:20remarkably
14:20after that performance
14:22Jules has invited me
14:23to join up with the Royal Marines band
14:25who are rehearsing
14:26for their upcoming UK tour
14:30their next performance
14:31is in Manchester
14:32in two weeks time
14:33and he wants me to play
14:35alongside these professionals
14:36in front of a sellout crowd
14:41the only problem is
14:43I don't have a musical bone
14:44in my body
14:45so let's hope he's picked
14:47something easy
14:47for me to play
14:49well that was beautiful
14:52I'm not quite sure
14:53how I'm going to
14:54add anything of value to it
15:01my orders are to report
15:03to the percussion section
15:04for the record
15:05I 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
15:12is teaching me
15:13to use the tam-tam
15:14which is essentially
15:15a gong to you and me
15:16and I'm told anyone
15:18should be able to master it
15:20we're going to do
15:20start off with a crescendo
15:23so you grab the mallet
15:24even me
15:30easy
15:33how do I know
15:34when to do it though
15:35well you'll match me
15:36essentially
15:37so it'll be
15:38three
15:39four
15:39quietly
15:40two
15:40three
15:46and then
15:46is that too much?
15:47no no no
15:47great
15:48you've just got to
15:48really 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
15:56with only a few ripples
15:58of the gong under my belt
15:59I'm being thrown in
16:00at the deep end
16:01as the band rehearsal begins
16:14whilst the rest of the band
16:16is following the conductor
16:19I'm following Harry
16:20to try and keep up
16:29the tam-tam is easily
16:31one of the loudest instruments
16:33in the room
16:38so if I get it wrong
16:39it could throw off
16:41the timing
16:41of the entire band
16:55smashed it
16:56could have worn my head
16:58man
16:59that was unbelievable
17:01that went along
17:02it's such peace
17:02yeah
17:03it's pretty relentless
17:04isn't it
17:05well that was quite an introduction
17:07to performing with this world famous band
17:09I've now only got two weeks to practice
17:12until the big night in Manchester
17:14the sound of that music
17:16it 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
17:24but 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
17:29and practice
17:30and do my best not to mess it all up
17:37are you kidding me?
17:38are you actually going to play
17:40in a real life concert with that lot?
17:44how dare you be so surprised?
17:46no I mean it's pretty silly
17:48and I like a challenge
17:50I like to get outside my comfort zone
17:52and I will
17:53do they like a challenge?
17:54more 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
18:37I've been granted access inside HMS Dragon's operations room
18:43the nerve centre of the warship
18:48my goodness
18:49I had literally no idea
18:53of 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
19:13we 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
19:23all 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 cyber in east state
19:36one position Zulu
19:37close all red openings
19:39am I pushing my luck to ask if there's any
19:41any other way I can experience what this being part of this exercise is like
19:46we'll get you sat down here
19:52so through this headset I will be able to hear what everybody is contributing
20:02absolutely
20:031-6-0
20:04fire control radar
20:061-6-0
20:07today's exercise begins with HMS Dragon's radar
20:11spotting an incoming missile
20:13our electronic warfare specialists have detected a threat
20:16so everyone is now taking the necessary reactions to defend the ship
20:22hostile 0-2-7
20:26that's the missile coming in towards the ship there
20:29okay yeah
20:311-6-0
20:32missile 1-6-0
20:39the next thing that we should be hearing
20:41is the missiles are being launched
20:44and we're going to shoot it down
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
21:02warning 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
21:11sea weapon
21:12but exercises like this are essential to prove the missiles work
21:173, 2, 1
21:32AWO hostile ID delegation rescinded
21:36stand 2, stand 2
21:40that's the air warfare officer has determined that we're
21:42okay so everyone's relaxing
21:46the ship wasn't in any danger today but these tests are designed to prove the crew are ready for frontline
21:53operations
21:56and in just a few weeks time HMS Dragon will begin her NATO mission
22:01there is so much going on there's so much information coming into those headphones
22:06presumably if you're in a real life scenario there's not just one missile that you're worrying about but could be
22:13tens of them
22:14exactly we can come under attack from multiple directions multiple missiles and we'll be able to defeat them all
22:19that's what we're trained to do that's what we're trained to do that's our mission
22:52I've been on board HMS Dragon for a few days
22:57and I'm just starting to get my bearings
23:00but this bit I've never been to because
23:05this 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
23:17yes please
23:18how are you doing you alright
23:19I'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 uh whenever the bridge team shout down to me
23:40it allows me a quick glance to see if we're gonna 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
23:55this 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 to be the person for whom the buck stops on a ship that has
24:27the capabilities that it has
24:28when we're doing this high-end kinetic activity clearly it's a lot of stuff goes round your head of
24:33let's just be sure I'm not sure um 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
24:40um
24:40where Dragon's off to next is to lead a NATO task group of around nine ships um for the best
24:48part of six months
24:48and then to 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 stepping 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 yeah that that is cool and it is I mean it's a privilege to get access to
25:26a room like this
25:27this is the ops room on board St Albans but unlike that all the screens are turned off here because
25:33we're in port
25:33but this room is full of cutting-edge equipment and probably a few secrets
25:37you know you 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 from an officer in training to commander of his own warship
25:55that was his first day ever
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
26:04so I like expecting like a school gym hall or something
26:08what am I doing
26:10as I join the Royal Marines band for one final rehearsal
26:33hello I'm on the bridge of HMS St Albans this place is the beating heart of any warship
26:39and I'm actually sitting in the captain's chair and I'm pretty lucky to get to do that
26:44but back in the 1970s there was a young man named Charles who dreamt of sitting in one of these
26:49chairs
26:50and he was a man who was destined for big things
26:58since 1905 the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth has been the training ground for all officers joining the Royal
27:06Navy
27:06eyes
27:07and the heir to the throne was no exception
27:11in 1971 at the age of just 22 Prince Charles as he was known then began his Royal Navy officer
27:18training in these very rooms
27:20and it's become a specialist subject for Dartmouth's in-house historian Dr 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
27:36but 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 on following the footsteps of his father his grandfather
27:51and did he stay in the same quarters as everybody else eat with everybody or did he have his sort
27:56of butler and his own sort of special royal bit?
27:59no he was treated exactly the same as all the other cadets students in his class
28:03there was just one bit of special treatment that he did get
28:06the norm would be for all the cadets joining to come down by train and then be coached into to
28:13Dartmouth
28:14but he got the special privilege of driving his own car
28:17he is famous, infamous Aston Martin
28:23even if you're the future King of England
28:26everyone 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 Carrie
28:48a long held tradition of the Royal Navy dating back hundreds of years
28:53divisions, on your shoulder, help
28:55every 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?
29:12what do you think?
29:13please 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?
29:23I'm sure you tied that tie correctly before being dragged through a hedge
29:27you sound like my mum
29:28oh do I?
29:29yes
29:30right, shall I 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 camaraderie into the trainee officers
29:46closely humble, listen in then
29:50divisions
29:50shoulder
29:51on your shoulder
29:53home
29:54off your shoulder
29:55salute
29:56up
29:57miss
29:57cut
29:58sword drills are used in special ceremonies and parades
30:02and only officers and warrant officers are allowed to carry them
30:06eyes
30:07front
30:07up
30:08miss
30:09carry
30:09some 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
30:21every whistle 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
30:35divisions, stand
30:37easy
30:38five
30:39four
30:39three
30:41two
30:42one
30:43steady
30:44okay, take off your head gear
30:46relax there
30:50according to legend, King Charles wasn't a fan of these drills
30:54dismissed
30:54but 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
31:08it's fine
31:08it's fine
31:09but that's why it happens
31:10that's why we do it over and over again
31:11and if you were to stay here and do this over and over again
31:14100% it's become second nature
31:16well thank you
31:17thank you very much
31:18I'm glad you enjoyed it
31:18laughter
31:21after leaving Dartmouth King Charles rose through the ranks as a naval officer
31:26in 1976 he became captain of the minesweeper HMS Bronington and its 32-strong crew
31:34So was this when he literally had just arrived?
31:37That was his first day ever.
31:39OK, and that's you there?
31:41Yes, that's me.
31:43Cox and Peter Still served alongside him.
31:48Now, Peter, could you have a sort of, I don't know,
31:51a normal relationship with your captain?
31:55Or did you always have to be very formal,
31:57not just because he was a captain, but also he was the Prince of Wales?
32:00No. Over my 35 years in the Navy,
32:04I'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
32:12of 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.
32:27And I was with him in Buckingham Palace last June
32:33and he knew us all and our wives' names.
32:36He came in the room and he said,
32:39Cox and Cox and I said,
32:42Captain, 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, isn't it?
32:53It probably is.
32:56Thank you for sharing your stories
32:58because it's given me a completely different insight
33:02into the man who is the king of our country.
33:05So thank you.
33:06Pleasure.
33:14Oh, that was great.
33:15Like, 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,
33:24you will have seen that the Royal Marines Band
33:26challenged me to take part in one of their concerts.
33:29And because I'm a complete novice,
33:32I've been rehearsing hard,
33:34mostly out of fear of letting them down
33:36or embarrassing myself in front of thousands of people.
33:40But the time has come to join them on their UK tour.
33:45Here's how I got on.
33:49Manchester City Centre.
33:51Home to creativity, culture,
33:54and tonight, at the Bridgewater Hall,
33:56the Royal Marines Band.
34:00Featuring me.
34:02So, the performance starts in a couple of hours.
34:05It is a sell-out crowd of 2,000 people,
34:08and I'm here.
34:10Now, these guys are pretty well the best in the world
34:12at what they do.
34:13And their performances raise money
34:14for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines charity.
34:17So, I really don't want to mess this up.
34:23With final rehearsals nearly complete,
34:26the countdown to the show is on.
34:29Look at this.
34:36This place is incredible.
34:40A bit intimidating, actually.
34:42Oh, no.
34:45I don't know.
34:46Was I, like, expecting, like,
34:47a school gym hall or something?
34:49What am I doing?
34:54In charge of the performance tonight
34:56is the band's principal director of music,
34:59Lieutenant Colonel Hugh Williams.
35:02So, how's the tour going?
35:04Yeah, good.
35:04Great venue tonight.
35:06Bridgewater Hall in Manchester completely sold out.
35:08Every seat is sold.
35:09We've had an incredible run.
35:11Really 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
35:19Topsham Village Hall.
35:20This is, uh...
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
35:28the size of the, you know,
35:29the hall, the size of the audience.
35:31Focus on the team
35:32and the direction they're giving you.
35:34Right.
35:34Yeah.
35:35Have you been practising?
35:36Uh, yeah,
35:37like, got the hubcaps off my car.
35:39Give them a good bang throughout the week.
35:40Yeah, good.
35:41Yeah, yeah.
35:44In all seriousness,
35:45I really have been putting in the hours.
35:48And we're messing around.
35:49Can't do some work.
35:50Get in, Bob.
35:51Now it comes down to
35:52one final rehearsal with the band.
35:54Coming.
35:56Oh, my Lord.
35:57My last chance
35:58to get it right.
36:00You got me wet?
36:02How's it going?
36:03I'm good.
36:04Right.
36:06My only safety net
36:08is percussionist
36:09Lance Corporal Harry Page.
36:13Who will be guiding me
36:15through tonight's performance.
36:34I'm no expert,
36:35but I think I'm just about keeping up.
36:37The problem is
36:39that banging a drum loudly
36:40is pretty easy.
36:42Doing it with skill,
36:43timing and talent
36:44is what matters here.
36:49Oh, I'm not going to lie.
36:50Like, I am a little conscious
36:52of how loud I am being
36:53when I'm banging on the drums
36:54and stuff.
36:55If it's out of time,
36:56you're going to tell.
36:59Certainly, I'm going to be told,
37:00I feel.
37:04Coming up.
37:05Right.
37:06This is it.
37:09No guts, no glory.
37:11JJ is given a grand introduction
37:13to a sell-out Manchester crowd.
37:15We have a very special guest
37:18to join us.
37:19Lance Corporal Charles J.
37:22But will he be a smash hit?
37:41Welcome back to Warship,
37:43life in the Royal Navy.
37:45I'm in Manchester
37:47at the Bridgewater Hall
37:48where the most famous military band
37:50in the world
37:51are about to perform.
37:53And for one night only,
37:55I've been invited
37:56to take part.
37:58Hi, JJ.
37:59It's the time for the show.
38:00There's your uniform.
38:01Mega.
38:02Have a great time.
38:03We'll be out in a minute.
38:05My musical prowess
38:07might be in question,
38:08but at least
38:09I can try and look the part,
38:10wearing the uniform
38:11of the Royal Marines.
38:17Right.
38:18It's too late to go AWOL,
38:19absent without leave.
38:21This is happening.
38:22Performance time.
38:23Steady the nerves.
38:25Let's get us done.
38:27The crowd
38:28are 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.
38:47Look at that, boss.
39:05To be this close
39:07to the Royal Marines band
39:08as they perform
39:09is spine-tingling.
39:14Every note
39:15is sheer perfection.
39:22Just a few weeks ago,
39:24in the middle of their UK tour,
39:25this group performed
39:27at Windsor Castle
39:28for the state visit
39:29of President Trump.
39:40Now, though,
39:42it's my turn.
39:44Right.
39:46This is it.
39:48No guts, no glory.
39:50Now,
39:51we have a very special guest
39:53to join us
39:53in this section
39:55of the programme.
39:55Lance Corporal
39:57Chalmers J.
40:00Probably no better to you
40:01as JJ Chalmers.
40:06What an introduction.
40:08But the moment of truth,
40:10as they say,
40:11is upon me.
40:28Wearing the uniform
40:29and performing with the band
40:31is both a huge honour
40:32and a serious responsibility.
40:36Tonight,
40:37I'm representing the Royal Marines
40:39in a very public setting
40:41and I can't let them down.
40:47It's been over 10 years
40:49since I left the Royal Marines,
40:51an unforgettable chapter
40:53of my life.
40:54Like myself,
40:56many people in this crowd
40:57are veterans,
40:58but also,
40:59these performances
41:00inspire future generations.
41:08I can't help
41:10but enjoy my moment
41:11in the musical spotlight,
41:13even if I'm
41:14only banging on a gong.
41:15the Royal Marines,
41:43I can't help you in the
41:45world.
41:45That was a lot of fun.
41:47It's just good being part of a band.
41:49Like, this 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.
42:16APPLAUSE
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 dreams.
43:01Don't I think I'd do that.
43:03I might hang up with my mallet at this point quite while I'm ahead.
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?
43:24You 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.
43:40Well, this is what you guys can enjoy next.
43:44George, what are you doing?
43:49JJ'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.
44:05..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,
44:23and 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,
44:49and back with a new series Friday at 8.
44:51And 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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