Bermuda Regiment recruits were blessed with "liquid-sunshine", kindly prayed for by Captain Marc Telemaque, Officer Commanding Training Company, as they began the first day of boot camp, yesterday morning.

Over 100 recruits soldiered through the wind and the chill to Warwick Camp while well-wishers and spectators braved the cold to line up on South Shore Road.

The first day of training camp is a highly-attended spectator event and the rain and wind didn't deter people from lining up to watch the theatrics.

Asked if he was attending to see off a son, one man said: " I just came up to have a laugh."

Others on hand were more serious, as girlfriends wiped tears from their eyes and other's received their last smooch from boyfriends who will be in training for two weeks.

One woman said she was seeing her grandson off and added: "It's better than going to war."

A lighthearted Rebecca Robinson came to send off her boyfriend, with a camera slung over her shoulder.

"I was told to bring my camera just in case something funny happens," she said.

Recruits will be put the military basics of marching, drill and shooting over the next two weeks. Regimental Police's (RP) Sergeant Major Arnold Allan said he knows the recruits are nervous.

"I remember this day 23 years ago. I was bull-headed and ready to take over."

Once the gates opened the RPs began to yell "get there, get there", as recruits scrambled to a spot before they were sectioned off into platoons.

The most anticipated event of the morning occurs when late recruits show up at the gates after the appointed time of 8 a.m., and the RPs are eagerly waiting to grab them.

Yesterday, four or five men, some dressed in their camouflage gear and others in their jeans, showed up late and were escorted by running RPs to their positions.

One recruit showed up close to a half an hour late wearing jeans and carrying his kit; he was hustled up to the Regimental prison for showing up so late.

Lt. Wayne Caines, Second-in-Command of Training Company, said no-shows will not get off the hook easily.

"RPs will be out for the next week to bring in anyone who decided not to show up today."

Nelson Bascome, III, who appeared before the Regiment's Exemptions Tribunal after being drafted by the Regiment, was unsuccessful in avoiding the call and told he had to serve.

Yesterday, he refused to comply with orders, including showing up wearing issued gear, and was subsequently taken to the lock up.

Bascome refused to say 'sir' when spoken to, or observe any of the Regiment officer's requests when asked as he waited to be sectioned into his platoon.

Lt. Caines said: "I can confirm that he (Bascome) refused to comply with the Sergeant Major and was marched to the guard room. He will meet with the Company Commander in due course and at present he is being held at the Regimental prison."

Other recruits were defiant by not cutting their hair to the Regiment's required length.

Jah-rom Showers was easy to pick out at the beginning of the morning as he sported an Afro; a few quicks flicks of the Regiment barber's hand however, and Private Showers left the barber's chair complaining that his head was chilly.

The recruits, whose military enlistment lasts for three years and two months, began training yesterday with weapons handling lessons.

The two-week camp will also consist of team building exercises, physical training and field craft exercise.

And another year of "transforming young men into disciplined and well-trained members of our community" began.