Yesterday was a bad day for a young man who was, literally, one of the latest recruits to the Bermuda Regiment.

The rookie soldier turned up at Warwick Camp in a taxi at 8.30 a.m. - half an hour late for the opening morning of recruit training - and was clearly worried about what would happen next.

With Regiment Police (RP) officers yelling in his face in the time-honoured fashion reserved for slipshod squaddies who can't make time, he sprinted into camp so quickly he left $30 change in the taxi. Luckily, the honest cab driver arranged for it to be returned.

Although this soldier did eventually make it to training, one in five - 27 out of 127 - didn't bother to show yesterday, and could face fines or an extended stay at Warwick Camp when the two week full-time training programme ends.

Last night officers were calling round the no-show soldiers and were preparing to visit homes to drag in the absentees.

Capt. David Curley, the officer in charge of training, said yesterday: “We're going to be calling them and sending out personnel to possibly retrieve them. I first of all have to find out why they didn't show up.

“I am not going to punish a young man until I've found out why. I have to determine whether it's because he couldn't care less or whether he was ill or had a family crisis or whatever. The punishment can range from a fine to staying extra days in camp.”

Yesterday's bleary-eyed recruits traipsed in shortly before 8 a.m. to be split up into platoons and begin the initial square-bashing that is their introduction to army life.

Some were not wearing combat gear because they misunderstood the instructions or it had not been issued. Those who did not have the regulation haircut were frog-marched off to get their heads shaved - and were charged for the service.

As usual, a large crowd had gathered at the camp gates to witness the ear-bashing and shoving doled out to those young soldiers who wander in after the 8 a.m. start time. All the stragglers earned time locked up in the guardhouse before being sent to join their new platoons.

The first wandered in at 8.25 a.m. after being dropped off by his father and was clearly in no mood for army life.

As RP's bawled in his face “Move it, move it, move it,” he refused to run and had to be shoved into a trot by a couple of officers. “You better change your attitude,” screamed an RP.

The last straggler ambled in at 8.37 a.m. with no uniform and had to be run up the hill by two MP's who grabbed his collar.

The Regiment has cut back on the physical man-handling and cursing at recruits, much to the disappointment of some of the crowd who turn up for the annual spectacle.

One old lady said: “When does the action start? I brought a friend from the US over for this.” An RP joked: “The crowd are asking for their money back!”

The young men will spend the next two weeks training full-time after getting a tour of Warwick Camp. They will learn basic drill, how to clean a rifle, and sentry duties. Later this week they will be allowed to fire live ammunition on Warwick Long Bay.

The recruits, who are selected in a lottery system, will serve part-time for three years and two months, although a review of the Regiment has recommended this be cut to two years and two months.

It will include 40 to 60 drills, around 40 nights at camp, and between four and six weekend stints of duty.

Before they could begin their training, they were given a harsh taste of discipline army-style as they were separated into platoons.

At the parade ground, Sergeant Major Leonard Grant, in his best ‘you ‘orrible little man' style, barked at one unsuspecting private: “Don't smile at me! Take that gum out of your mouth! He's got something in his mouth and it better be his tongue.”

Soldiers who forget the golden rule of shouting “Sir” every time their name is called, were sent back into the group to try once again.

And he warned them: “If you choose to poison your weak little bodies with drugs, do it out of here. Any and all paraphernalia I will treat as drugs.”

Any trappings of civilian life such as cell phones, jewellery and badges are banned and would be instantly confiscated.

At the end of the first day. Capt. Curley pronounced himself happy with the progress his rookies have made.

“It's been good, the jitters have been worked out. They got a rifle lesson as well as drill and they are beginning to grow together as a unit,” he said.

“These are guys who have come off the streets and don't know one another, but we started to see a little bit of cohesion this morning. It's looking good.”