'Do you have any homosexual tendencies?'
'No, love....I mean Staff!'

Rock throwing is strictly prohibited in the Glasshouse.

I served in The Grenadier Guards from the 80s, and Colchester would be no different than when these Guardsman done basic at the depot in Pirbright.

56 days in Colchester .. Got me a promotion three months after.

I remember taking a prisoner down to Collie with a Cpl friend. He took in the paperwork and live persons chit into the back of the guardroom whilst I carried the bags in as the prisoner came in. The guard told me to stand on the Green Spot and double time. I did what he said as he barked orders to which I obeyed. It was only when my mate came back, he told the guard that I was the Escort. When the guard told me to relax,  I felt so relieved. The prisoner watching was gobsmacked until he was told to stand on that green spot. I laugh now, but I was knackered at the time.

When I was in the Officers' Training Corps at uni one of the permanent staff instructors - who, it seemed, had been in Colchester at some point - said the following. "They've realized it doesn't make a lot of sense to take a guy who's a bit of a handful and a bit hard and put him in Colchester, so that six months later he can do 500 push ups and run a marathon in three hours wearing his respirator".

I got 28 days in MCE ( Australian version of this ) for selling my boots in a brothel so I could get a BJ.  Wasnt much fun but all things considered it was a damm fine BJ . Ahh to be young again  :)

"The average perception of Colchester [...] makes him not wish to come here".

Not sure if he's talking about the glasshouse or the actual town itself.  Both of which are equally dire.

It's very interesting to see men and women, Army and RAF, all different regiments and ranks, just formed up together in sections like they're nothing.

I remember watching this when it first came out. I saw one of my recruits was serving time there. And there was I thinking he would be going nowhere.

i did 6 months at MCTC in 1988 ... this video is ott .. granted its harder than battalion but i found it a breath of fresh air .. i became a trustee ( blue tag ) and was allowed out to colchester city center every wenesday ( in no2 dress ) .... sgt major rice was my saviour in there and im so grateful for what he made me !

Paras had a season ticket to this place. Love it. 😆

“Do you have any homosexual tendency? Are you presently suicidal?” 😂 Real smooth 😆

It was fun. Did 6 month stint in 88. Must say it improved my fitness. The bullshit seemed harsh to begin with but def got easier as time passed. Being a 'blue job' I got to learn a lot about army life, different weapon skills that I wouldn't have been normally privy to.

I was in the Green Jackets, they used to send us there for a rest lol

I'm a veteran. did Collie in 98 and again 2007. loved it. Character building. Some of the faces in this documentary were there in 98

CCF Platoons in the US Army, and that's now fallen out of favor. Luckily, I never got hemmed up that badly to need to go to one, but I know people who did. The shirkers and bricks usually went there. Watching their daily PT sessions (usually runs or marches with fully loaded duffle bags) at Fort Campbell is a memory that has still never left me.

Those staff never miss a thing.

Bamber was my platoon commander in Left Flank 1SG, a good man.

I was released just before filming began. A few good lads and lassies here. Ewan Black was my provost sergeant at training depot before joining MCTC. A great guy.