New commando action figure unveiled

HE WALKS. He’s cammed up. He’s got a big gun. And now he talks too.

Two years since the launch of the officially-endorsed HM Armed Forces action figures range, a new batch of dolls has been introduced – now with sound effects.

Three figures, one each for the branches of the Services, have been brought out by manufacturers Character Options: an RAF police dog handler (plus dog), an infantryman from the Army and from the Senior Service, a Royal Marines ‘stealth operations’ figure (although quite how stealthy you can be with a Minami machine-gun is questionable…).

The voices of real Service personnel were recorded with each character reciting six phrases (such as ‘objective secure’ in the case of the commando) if you press them in the stomach (warning: don’t try this with real marines…).

As with the non-talking figures already on sale, the new toys feature ‘hawk eyes’ – allowing the figures to ‘look’ left and right (not to be confused with the ‘eagle eyes’ feature on a popular action figure of the 1970s and 80s…) – and you can remove the doll’s clothes and replace them with kit from another figure in the series such as the RN diver, upper deck gunner or RM sniper (or you can leave the 10in doll naked for the true commando experience…).

The ‘stealth operations’ marine retails for £19.99, requires three LR44 batteries and is only suitable for children aged five and above.

See www.character-online.com/products/HM-Armed-Forces/Royal-Navy/ for details.

Dauntless trio windsurf in the Arctic for injured marines

NOW the amazing thing about this story is that Royal Marines weren’t doing it…

An hour’s windsurfing. 350 miles inside the Arctic Circle. In winter. In temperatures of at best -15°C. In a raging snowstorm.

Three officers from HMS Dauntless – led by the destroyer’s CO Capt Richard Powell – vowed to take to their boards on board the Type 45 when she headed to Norway for cold weather trials and windsurf as far north as possible to help commandos injured in the line of duty.

And when the ship reached a deep water anchorage some 70 miles north of Tromsø, Norway’s most northerly city, that was about as far north as Dauntless would be going (1,350 miles from the North Pole), so time to suit up.

Before departing Portsmouth the windsurfers had discussed the kit they would need with the Royal Marines, Britain’s experts in cold climate warfare; the green berets suggested dry suits, hats and goggles inter alia.

With two safety boats in the water and the ship’s company on the upper deck to offer encouragement, carving messages of support in the snow settling on the ship’s side – ‘Rather you than me’ – the trio (Capt Powell, weapon engineering officer Lt Cdr Matt Stratton and Mid Tom Forster) took to their boards.

After about 15 minutes the windsurfers decided they wanted to swap their kit around…which involved getting wet.

“None of them was quite prepared for just how cold the water was, and after they had climbed back on to their respective boards and tried hauling up the sails, it became fairly evident that the cold was starting to take its effect,” said Dauntless’ marine engineer officer Lt Cdr Peter Lee.

But in true RN spirit, the three remained out on their boards for another 45 minutes before deciding to call it a day and return to Dauntless for warm showers and hot food.

Back aboard the destroyer the windsurfers vowed never to attempt anything quite so daft again.

That said, they are hoping to raise more than £5,000 when all the IOUs come good. The money will go to the C Group, a charity set up in 2008 to help wounded and injured Royal Marines with their recovery and rehabilitation.