First women commandos to join 60th anniversary parade

The first women commandos of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery will parade with their colleagues on 14 May.

It is the 60th anniversary of the Commando Gunners in 2022 and the regiment is marking the occasion by exercising its Freedom of the City of Plymouth.

Capt Jen Stephenson, the regiment's first commando-trained woman, said it was "such an important event" for both the regiment and the community.

There will be 300 commandos on parade who will be joined by 1,000 veterans.

Capt Stephenson, who earned her green beret after front-line roles were opened to women in 2018, is one of a small group of elite women to have passed the All Arms Commando Course.

The 11-week course, open to members of the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Forces, culminates with the Royal Marines' four commando tests including the 30-mile march across Dartmoor.

The 32-year-old, who is the regiment's adjutant, is one of two commando-trained women serving at the Plymouth-based regiment.