An insider account of life with the Corps widely considered to consist of the best trained and most effective troops in the world. Nigel Foster, a former Young Officer spoke to the Marines themselves. He tells of life in the Royal Marines from the point of view of a young officer and a recruit, following them through training, their first posting to a fighting company and then to their specialist qualification. He aims to reveal what life in the Royal Marines is really like; from mounting guard at Buckingham Palace to living for weeks on end at -40 degrees Fahrenheit; from mounting anti-smuggling patrols in Hong Kong to patrolling in Northern Ireland. He considers such questions as what type of person becomes a Royal Marine commando and what qualities the Royal Marines are looking for, as well as discussing Prince Edward's decision to join and ultimately reject the Marines.