Dean Alexander Williams grew up surrounded by the Royal Marines.

The 23-year-old lives in Bow, a small village 20 minutes away from the UK's only training centre for the Royal Marines, outside Exeter, Devon. 

Joining the forces came natural for him after spending his childhood hanging out with his step-dad and his Marine friends. His biological father was also an ex Marine, but was killed by a drunk driver when Dean was 2 years old.

Williams got accepted in 2008 after completing one of the most challenging training regimes a 16-year old teenager can volunteer for. 

Close to sharing his father's faith, Williams was involved in a car accident in 2010. His cousin, whom the doctors later proved was drunk when picking up Williams to go home for the weekend, crashed the car into a tree.

Escaping with their lives, Williams continued his contract in thinking he 'only' suffered a fractured back but as the back got worse as he continued the heavy training he had no choice but to pack his bags.

He left the same year with a broken back, 2,5 years into his 4 years long contract. 

The Accident

Married to a Marine

Growing up in Exeter

In Hindsight

A Boy's Dream

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Courtesy of the Royal Marines

The footage on the home page is from a documentary published the Royal Marines, filming Williams and his squad on training.

Click here to watch the documentary.

The Dreams of a Marine