Retired marines, veterans and amputees strike a pose for Go Commando charity calendar

Money raised by the calendar goes towards supporting Royal Marines and their families

Twelve former Royal Marines have struck a pose – some with their kit on, and some stripped to the waist – for a charity calendar that aims to raise money and awareness for former members of the marines and their families.

Go Commando is an independent charity for retired marines. It raises money to fund a variety of projects, from child care support to back to work training, from providing subsidised fitness classes to assistance for bereaved families, with the aim to support former marines and their families as they rehabilitate into civilian life.

Everyone involved in the calendar is a former marine, from the models to the photographer to the designer, and it features retired marines, veterans and amputees.

With the calendar now in its fifth year, photographer Martin Hill told Forces TV he wanted to get across the story of each individual. Most of those featured experienced combat, largely in Afghanistan, he said, adding: “But we had to have a bit of nudity, because that’s what calendars are all about, right?”

Ash Swinard, Mr May, who lost his leg after he stood on a homemade bomb in Afghanistan, is shown with his leg and his prosthetic limb bared.

Tyler Aldiss, Mr February, who served 16 years and who now suffers from PTSD, said: “Without [Go Commando] it can be an extremely worrying place, and lonely place, regardless of how confident you are while you’re still in the forces, and how confident you feel when you come out, it soon drops within a few months.”

The calendar also aims to show the range of career paths Royal Marines take after leaving service, from becoming professional chefs to authors and shop owners.