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By Danielle Ash It is 5:30am, and my peaceful sleep is punctuated by Rusty’s tuneful rendition of ‘Morning Has Broken’ and a collective squeaking of beds. By the time 7 rolls around we are fed, watered, armed, and ready for what the day might bring, or so we think! Our platoons move out as one, some still hobbling from the CFT (combat fitness test), and we make our way to our designated stand of the day.
One platoon heads for the REME stand, to recover and perhaps also roll Bedfords and Landrovers, negotiate some wobbly barrels, and deliver ammo and water to a harbour area through hostile territory.
Another platoon takes to the ranges for some target practice and a timed march and shoot, while we head out for the Artillery day. A hard morning of a 3 mile run carrying tyres and barrels awaits us before scaling an assault course of cargo nets, rope swings and plank walking.
Tomorrow the day takes us to the Signals stand to learn a bit about survival, to kill a live chicken and gut a trout for a BBQ dinner, and then to sleep out under the stars.
Last but not least we have the Royal Engineers day run by Q Teesdale, where we did not spend the day doing lunges as you might have expected! Not only did we use metal detectors on our way through a minefield, only to discover that the mines were actually surprisingly full cans of John Smiths, but we also rescued our beloved JUO Sally from a minefield, with only a few casualties/deaths along the way. This was followed by, (surprise surprise) more running! Only this time with a stretcher carrying a 17 stone Squirrell!
By the end of the week we’re all looking forward to our company day off at Alton Towers, and the adventure training due for the coming week. White water rafting, mountain biking, hill walking, climbing and caving, and with a slightly more relaxed attitude to the two can rule in the evenings, we were not disappointed. It was an awesome week especially once we had the chance to get dolled up for the regimental dinner, and take the mickey out of the officers on the skits night.
Overall camp was an experience and a half, we expected and it was delivered.
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