New recruits train at Fareham naval base for first time since WW2

  • Watch the full report by ITV Meridian's Richard Jones

New recruits are being trained by the Navy at a base at Fareham in Hampshire, for the first time since WW2.

The courses at HMS Collingwood are designed to turn civilians into sailors and are being held because of a dramatic increase in people signing up to join the fleet.

Recruits normally go to HMS Raleigh in Devon for initial training. However, other centres are helping out because there's been a rapid increase in the number of people wanting to join the navy due to coronavirus.

The courses are being held at HMS Collingwood in Fareham Credit: ITV Meridian

The new recruits will have 10 weeks of training, where they will be transformed from civilians into sailors.

Most of them won't have ever marched before, or ironed to military standards.

Lt Gavin Tarbard, Training Officer says the process is a "a really fantastic orientation into life in the military".

Not all of the new recruits will make it.

Those that do, will go onto more specialist training, before finally joining ships at sea all over the world.

What do the new recruits think so far?

  • Scott Collins, Recruit

  • Megan Lydamore, Recruit