In 'It Had to Be Tough', his history-cum-memoir of UK Commando training during the second world war, veteran James Dunning vividly describes new volunteers arrival at their Scottish Highlands boot camp. 'No matter what the weather, rain or shine, as the new arrivals tumbled out of the train, in marching order and carrying their rifles and kitbags, the orders ran out like a burst of machine-gun fire: 'Kit bags on the truck and get fell in on the road.' No 'cushy' ride in trucks for the 7 miles to Achnacarry, their training was to start right there and then.' Eighty years later, the arrival of the first batch of Highland Survival Adventure customers at the same station, Spean Bridge, was a more leisurely affair. [Article may require subscription. -RS]

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