This is Devon --Former special forces trooper and television adventurer Bear Grylls took on the assault course at the Royal Marines Commando Training Centre in Lympstone to mark being awarded an honorary Green Beret.
The newly-appointed Royal Marines Reserves Honorary Lieutenant Colonel was among VIPs at the Kings Squad pass-out of 162 Recruit Troop, taking pride of place in front of the new marines and their families.
On his visit to the camp the 39-year-old also took on the Tarzan assault course and breezed across the regain obstacle, where marines have to travel along, and then hang off a rope across a water tank, propel themselves back round and continue across. In his time in the TA, Bear was almost paralysed after a parachuting accident. After recovering, at the age of 23 he summited Mount Everest. He also crossed the Atlantic in an inflatable boat. He was made the youngest ever Chief Scout at the age of 35 in 2009.
He said getting an honorary Green Beret was a "total privilege". "For me it's about encouraging Marines in all their endeavours, especially down here at Lympstone where it's pretty daunting for recruits and young officers when they start training. But they're on the path to something special.
"Worthwhile things in life don't come easy," he said. "It's just about encouraging them to stick with it and embrace those Corps values that mean so much." Reported by This is 3 days ago.