Roosendaal, Rucphen, Sprundel

Are you cut from the right cloth? This is what the Korps Commandotroepen (KCT) is all about. The origins of this special unit of the Royal Army can be traced directly back to World War II. On 22 March 1942, the oldest Command unit was established under the name No. 2 (Dutch) Troop, as part of the British No.10 (Inter-Allied) Command. To this day, the task of this unit is to carry out special operations deemed too complex and dangerous for regular troops.

Naturally, only the very best can be part of this elite group. This is why the training of the Commandos is both mentally and physically the toughest and most feared training within the Dutch armed forces. Of the candidates who start with the Elementary Command Training (ECO), about 20 per cent reach the finish line. Regularly, none of the trainees reach the finish line.

For decades, part of the ECO has taken place from a tented camp in the woods of Rucphen. A piece of this 1,200-hectare nature reserve belongs to the Ministry of Defence, which uses the area as a military training ground. Besides the tent camp, the site also houses the Arnhem obstacle course.

During an eight-week training course, aspiring commandos are trained to operate under the harshest conditions. The trainees never know what missions will follow and how long the leaden tasks will last.

The finish line or finish of the ECO is at the Engelbrecht van Nassau Barracks in Roosendaal, where the corps has been based since 1949. This is where the commanders' march ends, a long walk with weighted packs. Those who enter through the so-called tear gate may receive the green command beret.

This green beret allows participation in the Continuing Command Training. This allows candidates to specialise as, for example, sniper, demolition specialist, liaison specialist or medical officer.

If this phase is also successfully completed, the Commando is assigned to a squad. Many exercises and squad specialisations follow, such as parachuting or operating in wetlands or mountainous areas.

Some missions where the KCT has been deployed in recent decades: Dutch East Indies, Market Garden, the flood disaster, New Guinea, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

This cycle route will take you past a number of places that play an important role for the Dutch Commando. And who knows, you might even come across a Commando somewhere in the woods. Do you dare?


This premium route was compiled by our editor: Elwin