Gloucestershire soldier takes on tail-end of Hurricane Bertha at the start of one of the toughest sailing races in the World.

A Major in the British Army, who is originally from the Gloucestershire village of Dymock, is preparing to take part in one of the toughest off-shore sailing races in the World; The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race.

32-year-old Major Will Naylor is First Mate in the all Army crew of the British Army Offshore Race Team's brand new J111 racing yacht called 'British Soldier'. Her seven man crew include a Reservist and also a soldier - Private Andy Barlow GM (George Medal) - who had his left leg amputated above the knee after he was shot whilst serving in Afghanistan in 2006.
                                                                 
Private Barlow is an experienced sailor, but he is the first injured soldier to take part in the Round Britain and Ireland Race. Despite his injury, Private Barlow has been selected for the crew of 'British Soldier' above many of his able-bodied counterparts.
 
'Sport has always been a huge part of my life and something that’s helped me hugely on my recovery journey. To be on a small race yacht with 7 people for 14 days under immense fatigue and constantly being wet through will be one of my biggest challenge to date.'

Private Barlow's injury will be challenging for the crew of 'British Soldier' and especially for Andy himself, who skis at international level thanks to support from Help for Heroes and the Combined Services Disabled Ski Team.

The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race sets off from Cowes on Sunday 10th August. It is known as The Royal Ocean Racing Club’s (RORC) toughest offshore race of the year, and with the remnants of the powerful Hurricane Bertha bearing-down on the South coast, and expected to whip up the sea with gale-force winds just in time for the start, the initial hours of this year's race will be even more testing for the crews of the 20 yachts from 11 nations who are taking part. 

The motivation for the crew of 'British Soldier' may vary, but their ultimate aim is the same; to race well and to get around the course using the determination and tenacity which they have developed during their careers as soldiers in the British Army.

'I did this race four years ago, and it is the toughest sailing race I have done to date' said First Mate, Major Will Naylor, who works in personnel development at Army Headquarters in Andover and who will celebrate his 33rd birthday in the closing stages of the gruelling race. 'We have a strong team this year and having Andy on board is superb. He is a very tough soldier with a great sense of humour. There is no place to hide on a race boat and Andy is one of the best sailors we have.' 

--- --- --- ---  --- --- 
Notes to Editors:
 
About the Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race:
The Sevenstar Round Britain and Ireland Race will set off in mid-August and is the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s (RORC) toughest offshore race of the year. The race has attracted 20 yachts from 11 nations (China, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, USA, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Oman, Russia, Germany and the UK) so far to participate in the non-stop race.  Known as the ultimate test of endurance, the 1802nm course, starting on Sunday 10th August from Cowes, takes competitors non-stop around the breathtaking coastline of Britain and Ireland, including the most northerly point, the island and lighthouse of Muckle Flugga.
 
Ends

BRITISH ARMY SAILING TEAM_MAJOR WILL NAYLOR_DYMOCK mp3

1 Regiment Army Air Corps formally welcomed to RNAS Yeovilton

Photo credit: Cpl Steve Blake. Crown Copyright. For hi res photos DM @Armymediacommsw

This time last year they were successfully completing their final tour of duty protecting troops on the ground in Afghanistan on a mission called Operation HERRICK 18, but now soldiers from 1 Regiment Army Air Corp (1 Regt AAC) - the first Regular Army unit to be based in Somerset in several years - have been formally welcomed to their new home, Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, during a military ceremony attended by local dignitaries.
 
The event, held on 11 September, marked the completion of a complex year-long move from 1 Regiment’s former base in Gutersloh, Germany where they have been flying Gazelle and Lynx helicopters for more than 20 years.
 
150 soldiers from the unit - mostly engineering and ground support staff - have spent the summer settling into their new homes in Somerset with their families. They join a smaller contingent of HQ staff from the unit who have already been based at RNAS Yeovilton for a year. It was these HQ staff who planned the complex logistical operation to move tens of millions of pounds-worth of kit, personnel, including a fleet of Lynx helicopters, 548 miles from their former base in Germany to their new home.
 
1 Regiment AAC were the first British Army Unit to leave Germany under programme BORONA and are paving the way for other British Army units to follow.
 
‘1 Regiment AAC, over the last twenty years, has been a Germany based Regiment which forged close links with the local community’ said Lieutenant Colonel Paul Tedman, 41, Commanding Officer of 1 Regt AAC, who is returning to the West Country, having been brought up just down the A303 in Devon. ‘It was with mixed emotions that we left Gutersloh, but, the future looks bright. Since we have arrived in beautiful County of Somerset we have met nothing but kindness and enthusiasm – this event typifies that attitude. My soldiers love the area and are enjoying being home.’

Over the next few years the unit will grow to become more than 350 strong. It will carry out a vital job in the future British Army  as part of the Aviation Reconnaissance Force; transitioning from operating the Lynx helicopter to operating the new Wildcat Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter (BRH), a specialist intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
 
It’s a role which will put 1 Regiment AAC on a high-readiness footing, prepared to deploy from Somerset at short notice anywhere around the World in support of British troops and wider defence.    
 
To formally mark this transition to the Wildcat Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter (BRH) and the completion of the Regiment’s move from Germany, a parade and community engagement event was held at RNAS Yeovilton on 11th September.
 
Brigadier Piers Hankinson MBE, Commander of 43 Wessex Brigade, who runs the Army in the South West, hosted the event. Dignitaries present included the Lord Lieutenant of Somerset Lady Elizabeth Gass (the Queen’s representative in the County) and Major General Richard Felton, Commander of the Joint Helicopter Force.
 
 
The occasion provided a mutual opportunity for 1 Regt AAC and the community to get to know each other and also included a sunset flypast by two Wildcat BRH helicopters, plus the unveiling of a bronze Lynx statue - originally commissioned last summer to mark the cessation of British Military Flying operations in Germany after 68 year and displayed on the green in front of the Officer’s Mess at Gutersloh - now taking pride of place outside the Officer’s mess at RNAS Yeovilton.
 
The Wildcat helicopter is an aircraft which will be operated jointly by the British Army and the Royal Navy. Both variants of the high-tech helicopter - which is designed and built in Somerset by Agusta Westland - will be based at RNAS Yeovilton. Army Air Corps and Royal Navy pilots, ground crew and engineers will train together at the Somerset base.  
 
“As Commanding Officer of the Air Station I am delighted to have 1 Regiment Army Air Corps based with us in Yeovilton’ said Commodore Jock Alexander MBE. ‘They are the only regular Army Unit in Somerset and I am confident they will become a beacon of Army excellence in the county.’
 
Between now and 2020, when the unit will be fully operational, 1 Regiment Army Air Corps will convert four squadrons from the Lynx helicopter to the Wildcat Battlefield Reconnaissance Helicopter. The next big milestone for the unit is the arrival of the first Wildcat pilots to RNAS Yeovilton next spring, following the merger of 1 Regiment AAC with Yorkshire-based 9 Regiment AAC.
 
And as the sun went down during the ceremony at RNAS Yeovilton, it heralded a new dawn for Somerset’s newest Regular Army unit; ‘Having been selected to deliver the Wildcat BRH into Army front-line service, we have much to do’ said Lt Col Paul Tedman, Commanding Officer 1 Regiment 1 AAC. ‘But we relish the challenge, and look forward to getting to know Somerset better.’
 
Ends.
 
 
--- --- --- --- --- ---
Notes to Editors:
 
++ 1 Regiment Army Air Corps formed up in Hildesheim, Germany, in January 1983, from three
squadrons that dated back to the Second World War – 651 (Air Observation Post)(AOP)
Squadron (Sqn) Royal Air Force (RAF), 652 (AOP) Sqn RAF and 661 (AOP) Sqn RAF.
These historical AOP RAF squadrons were re-titled 651, 652 and 661 Sqn Air Army Corps
respectively and the Regiment was equipped with Lynx and Gazelle helicopter. During the
time in Gutersloh elements of the Regiment have deployed on operations 17 different times,
the most recent being Op PROTEGO (for the London Olympic Games) and Op HERRICK 18
(Afghanistan).
 
++ 1 Regiment AAC is formally paired with Somerset’s newest Army Reserve unit: 675 (Rifles) Squadron Army Air Corps. The Taunton-based Reservists are currently undergoing intensive training to covert from their former role as infantry soldiers (the unit was originally B Company 6th Battalion The RIFLES) to enable them to successfully support 1 Regt AAC as ground support role crew to the Wildcat BRH.

1 Regt  ACC Regimental Sergeant Major WO1 Jonathan Lean mp3

1 Regt AAC Air Trooper Beth Richards mp3

Blast for the Past - Rare Six Round Ceremonial Gun Salute for Lord Mayor of Plymouth as 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery Commemorates Historical Ties with the City.

Usually reserved for members of The Royal Family and Senior Officers, Plymouth’s only Regular British Army unit - 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery - have bestowed the Honour of a rare Six Round ceremonial Gun Salute known as a “Feu de Joie” upon the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, The Right Worshipful, Councillor Michael Fox.

The firing of the L118 Light Gun from King Charles’ Bastion, overlooking Plymouth Hoe, was part of an important civic ceremony to enable The Lord Mayor to formally inspect the City’s famous fortress and to review its garrison, which has been home to the Armed Forces for more than 300 years, and is one of the oldest military bases still in use today.

It was also an historical commemoration to reaffirm the strong links between the people of Plymouth and the military unit based inside The Royal Citadel’s foreboding granite walls. 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, the current custodians, have been based at the fortress since the late 1950s.

The event began at 1100hrs precisely on Tuesday 30th September with the arrival of The Lord Mayor’s procession at the Main Gate of The Royal Citadel. A sentry on duty challenged the Lord Mayor’s entourage and called out the guard. The Governor of The Royal Citadel - currently the Commanding Officer of 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery, Lieutenant Colonel Jon Cresswell - then approached the Lord Mayoral procession with sword drawn to establish the identity of the party.

The Lord Mayor and his entourage then entered the fortress to be met by the Officer of the Day and the Regimental Quarter Guard, in service dress with swords drawn and bayonets fixed, for the Lord Mayor’s review.

The party will then moved to King Charles’ Bastion where a six round celebratory Gun Salute known as a “Feu de Joie” was fired by the Regimental gun.

NOTE TO DESKS: 
MoD release authorised handout images. 
All images remain Crown Copyright 2014. 
Photo credit to read - Cpl Si Longworth RLC (Phot)

Email: simonlongworth@mediaops.army.mod.uk
richardwatt@mediaops.army.mod.uk
shanewilkinson@mediaops.army.mod.uk


29 Commando Ceremonial Gun Salute_CO 29 Commando Lt Col Jon Cresswell

29 Commando Ceremonial Gun Salute ceremony mp3

Exhausted. Wet though. But loving it. South West Army Reservists prepare to welcome potential new recruits after being put through their paces on one of the toughest military training areas in Britain.

Felt a tad tired after a full-on weekend this Monday, did you? Imagine you were one of the 120 or so Army Reservists from 6th Battalion The Rifles (6 RIFLES), the West Country's Army Reserve Infantry Unit, who were back at work yesterday after a weekend being tested to their physical limit over some of the highest and toughest mountain terrain in Britain whilst on military exercise at Sennybridge Training Area in the Brecon Beacons, the infamous British Army infantry training area.
   
The Reservists - who are forklift instructors, office mangers, security staff and agricultural workers in their day jobs - come from across the South West region and are based at one of the 6 RIFLES sub units at Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Dorchester, Poole and Hereford. They left for Mid Wales right after work on Friday evening. Some took six hours to get there and were up and out on the ground on Saturday morning before dawn with as little as two hour's sleep. 

Exercise Wyvern Raid tested the resilience, fitness, determination, and decision-making of these Reservists from 6 RIFLES, more than any other training exercise in Britain has done so far this year. Dorchester's C Company 6 RIFLES were put to the test as they were in Command during the progressive training exercise and therefore ultimately responsible for ensuring the training mission was a success.

With pressure and fatigue ratcheting up all the time, not to mention the ever-changeable mountain micro climate of the Brecon Beacons - which threw appalling weather into the mix on both Friday and Saturday night - you get the idea of just how hard the exercise was. But it was also exciting, with the reservists from 6 RIFLES operating in dense woodland for the first time in several years; making navigation - especially at night - and mission planning extremely challenging. 

Exercises like Wyvern Raid are designed to retain rifleman in the unit as much as to attract new recruits. As the Army Reserve continues to grow from 19,000 to 30,000 by 2018, 6 RIFLES are actively seeking new potential Riflemen to join and with new incentives now in place (see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-better-deal-for-reservists-and-employers) there has never been a better time to consider a second career as an Army Reservist. 

Over the coming weeks 6 RIFLES is holding a series of open evenings across the South West region - starting tonight (Tuesday 21 October) at Army Reserve Centres in Dorchester, Poole, Plymouth, Gloucester and Truro - to attract new recruits to the unit and wider Army Reserve.
   
Planning for another major 6 RIFLES exercise is already well under way. Next June the Reservists from 6 RIFLES will put what they have learnt on exercise in Sennybridge into practice when they join forces with Gloucestershire's 1st Battalion The Rifles (1 RIFLES), their paired Regular unit, on Salisbury Plain during a highly complex war game involving hundreds of soldiers and some sophisticated military kit and hardware.

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES LIEUTENANT COLONEL TOM HARPER MBE EXETER MP3

Exhausted. Wet though. But loving it. South West Army Reservists prepare to welcome potential new recruits after being put through their paces on one of the toughest military training areas in Britain.

Felt a tad tired after a full-on weekend this Monday, did you? Imagine you were one of the 120 or so Army Reservists from 6th Battalion The Rifles (6 RIFLES), the West Country's Army Reserve Infantry Unit, who were back at work yesterday after a weekend being tested to their physical limit over some of the highest and toughest mountain terrain in Britain whilst on military exercise at Sennybridge Training Area in the Brecon Beacons, the infamous British Army infantry training area.
   
The Reservists - who are forklift instructors, office mangers, security staff and agricultural workers in their day jobs - come from across the South West region and are based at one of the 6 RIFLES sub units at Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Dorchester, Poole and Hereford. They left for Mid Wales right after work on Friday evening. Some took six hours to get there and were up and out on the ground on Saturday morning before dawn with as little as two hour's sleep. 

Exercise Wyvern Raid tested the resilience, fitness, determination, and decision-making of these Reservists from 6 RIFLES, more than any other training exercise in Britain has done so far this year. Dorchester's C Company 6 RIFLES were put to the test as they were in Command during the progressive training exercise and therefore ultimately responsible for ensuring the training mission was a success.

With pressure and fatigue ratcheting up all the time, not to mention the ever-changeable mountain micro climate of the Brecon Beacons - which threw appalling weather into the mix on both Friday and Saturday night - you get the idea of just how hard the exercise was. But it was also exciting, with the reservists from 6 RIFLES operating in dense woodland for the first time in several years; making navigation - especially at night - and mission planning extremely challenging. 

Colour Serjeant Scott Hodgkinson from Stroud in Gloucestershire is one of a growing number of former Regular soldiers who are now joining 6 RIFLES. The 41-year-old was a Regular soldier for almost 22 years and ended his career at 1 RIFLES before joining his local Army Reserve infantry unit, A Company 6 RIFLES in Gloucester, last Spring. 

Now a self-employed forklift truck instructor, he has served his country on 6 operational tours, including two of Afghanistan. His last mission there was in 2011 on Op HERRICK 14 which saw him fight side-by-side with Reservists from 6 RIFLES. He knows just how important a role Regular and ex-Regular soldiers like him are now playing in making the A2020 and FR20 plans work.

Exercises like Wyvern Raid are designed to retain rifleman in the unit as much as to attract new recruits. As the Army Reserve continues to grow from 19,000 to 30,000 by 2018, 6 RIFLES are actively seeking new potential Riflemen to join and with new incentives now in place (see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-better-deal-for-reservists-and-employers) there has never been a better time to consider a second career as an Army Reservist. 

Over the coming weeks 6 RIFLES is holding a series of open evenings across the South West region - starting tonight (Tuesday 21 October) at Army Reserve Centres in Dorchester, Poole, Plymouth, Gloucester and Truro - to attract new recruits to the unit and wider Army Reserve.
   
Planning for another major 6 RIFLES exercise is already well under way. Next June the Reservists from 6 RIFLES will put what they have learnt on exercise in Sennybridge into practice when they join forces with Gloucestershire's 1st Battalion The Rifles (1 RIFLES), their paired Regular unit, on Salisbury Plain during a highly complex war game involving hundreds of soldiers and some sophisticated military kit and hardware.

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES COLOUR SERJEANT SCOTT HODGKINSON STROUD MP3

Exhausted. Wet though. But loving it. South West Army Reservists prepare to welcome potential new recruits after being put through their paces on one of the toughest military training areas in Britain.

Felt a tad tired after a full-on weekend this Monday, did you? Imagine you were one of the 120 or so Army Reservists from 6th Battalion The Rifles (6 RIFLES), the West Country's Army Reserve Infantry Unit, who were back at work yesterday after a weekend being tested to their physical limit over some of the highest and toughest mountain terrain in Britain whilst on military exercise at Sennybridge Training Area in the Brecon Beacons, the infamous British Army infantry training area.
   
The Reservists - who are forklift instructors, office mangers, security staff and agricultural workers in their day jobs - come from across the South West region and are based at one of the 6 RIFLES sub units at Truro, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Dorchester, Poole and Hereford. They left for Mid Wales right after work on Friday evening. Some took six hours to get there and were up and out on the ground on Saturday morning before dawn with as little as two hour's sleep. 

Exercise Wyvern Raid tested the resilience, fitness, determination, and decision-making of these Reservists from 6 RIFLES, more than any other training exercise in Britain has done so far this year. Dorchester's C Company 6 RIFLES were put to the test as they were in Command during the progressive training exercise and therefore ultimately responsible for ensuring the training mission was a success.

With pressure and fatigue ratcheting up all the time, not to mention the ever-changeable mountain micro climate of the Brecon Beacons - which threw appalling weather into the mix on both Friday and Saturday night - you get the idea of just how hard the exercise was. But it was also exciting, with the reservists from 6 RIFLES operating in dense woodland for the first time in several years; making navigation - especially at night - and mission planning extremely challenging. 

Exercises like Wyvern Raid are designed to retain rifleman in the unit as much as to attract new recruits. As the Army Reserve continues to grow from 19,000 to 30,000 by 2018, 6 RIFLES are actively seeking new potential Riflemen to join and with new incentives now in place (see: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-better-deal-for-reservists-and-employers) there has never been a better time to consider a second career as an Army Reservist. 

Over the coming weeks 6 RIFLES is holding a series of open evenings across the South West region - starting tonight (Tuesday 21 October) at Army Reserve Centres in Dorchester, Poole, Plymouth, Gloucester and Truro - to attract new recruits to the unit and wider Army Reserve.
   
Planning for another major 6 RIFLES exercise is already well under way. Next June the Reservists from 6 RIFLES will put what they have learnt on exercise in Sennybridge into practice when they join forces with Gloucestershire's 1st Battalion The Rifles (1 RIFLES), their paired Regular unit, on Salisbury Plain during a highly complex war game involving hundreds of soldiers and some sophisticated military kit and hardware. 

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES CAPTAIN NICK TAYLOR BERE REGIS MP3

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES LANCE CORPORAL ROY ONEIL POOLE MP3

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES LANC CORPORAL JESSICA PIKE BRISTOL MP3

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES WO2 JASON BARTON BRISTOL MP3

6 RIFLES EXERCISE WALES LANCE CORPORAL DANIEL COLEY SHREWSBURY MP3

SALISBURY ARMY RESERVIST ONE OF THE FIRST TO COMPLETE NEW ARMY RESERVE OFFICER COURSE AT ROYAL MILITARY ACADEMY, SANDHURST

A Salisbury Army Reserve Officer Cadet has become one of the first to complete a new eight week reservist commissioning course at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

Second Lieutenant Oliver Plunket, 20 from Salisbury - currently in his second year at university in Exeter - passed out from the pilot course in August.

These officers will be part of a new era for the TA, now known as the Army Reserve, with improved training, benefits and equipment. The pilot course demonstrates the new focus on growing the Army Reserve, enabling personnel such as Oliver to fast-track their officer training, which would usually be spread over the course of a year or more. 

The course enables the students to immerse themselves in the military environment, learning all the basics of military skills and the art of leadership, from weapons handling and drill to command and tactics. 

The core values of the Army are instilled into Reserve Cadets at Sandhurst in the same manner as their Regular counterparts. 

Oliver is currently putting what he has learnt into practice as a member of Exeter University Officer Training Corps and, once he finishes his degree at Exeter University in politics and philosophy, will prepare to attend the full time Sandhurst course for Regular Officers.

END





SECOND LIEUTENANT OLIVER PLUNKET SALISBURY MP3

6 RIFLES WELFARE OFFICER PRESENTED WITH PRESTIGIOUS LOCAL AWARD BY COMMONWEALTH GAMES CHAMPION.
 
Army Reserve soldiers at 6th Battalion The Rifles (6 RIFLES), South West England's Army Reserve Infantry unit, are celebrating after their Welfare Officer, Captain Chris Gillespie QGM*, won the prestigious Express and Echo Pride of Exeter Awards.

The awards, which are sponsored by local newspaper The Exeter Express and Echo, as well as  Exeter City Council and a host of local businesses, are held annually to recognise people who live and work in the City for their selfless commitment to others and for their contribution to the life of the City, the regional Capital of the South West. 

Captain Gillespie and his family joined scores of local dignitaries and other short-listed hopefuls - including Commonwealth Games 10K Champion Jo Pavey, who is from Exeter - at Sandy Park, the home of the Exeter Chiefs Rugby Club  for the gala evening celebration. 

Captain Gillespie won both the Armed Forces Award and also the overall Pride of  Exeter Award for dedicating 35 years of his life to full-time service for his country; 14 years of them on active service. 

As Welfare Officer at 6 RIFLES, Captain Gillespie works tirelessly to look after his colleagues, including injured soldiers and bereaved families, despite having suffered personal loss himself.

He said: “I’m speechless. I’m delighted, it means a huge amount. I’m just so pleased, and so proud.”

Here's how The Express and Echo covered the story:

IT was a special night of celebration for some truly remarkable individuals and organisations, whose sterling work marks them out as true champions of the place where we live and work – Exeter.
The Express & Echo’s Pride of Exeter awards are about recognising the fantastic people that work hard day in and day out, who selflessly contribute to the tremendously diverse range of events, activities and organisations that make a big difference to the city.
We might write about them every week, but as a newspaper that wants to be at the heart of its community, we wanted to do more to acknowledge their bravery, achievements and sense of human spirit.
Guardians of our safety, rights and society who have gone beyond the call of duty were saluted, as well as those next-door neighbours whose gracious and altruistic actions have touched those who share their streets. Community groups whose efforts have added value to the lives of others were honoured alongside the most inspiring teachers, city ambassadors and environmental heroes.
And that’s before you even consider the dozens and dozens who deserve to be part of our Pride of Exeter awards, but didn’t make our final shortlist.
On the night, our winner of winners was also our Armed Forces Award winner Captain Chris Gillespie, who was presented with our final award, the Pride of Exeter.
The welfare officer for 6 Battalion The Rifles has dedicated his life not only to the service of his country, but to helping to look after the welfare of colleagues, including injured soldiers and bereaved families, despite suffering tremendous personal loss himself – the death of his second daughter Chloe.
Thanks must go to everyone who nominated someone.
We owe a great debt to our judges Glynis Atherton of Hospiscare, Sarah Snow of the University of Exeter, Owen Prior of Exeter Family Friendly and city councillor Paul Bull, who along with Echo editor Jon-Paul Hedge gave up their time to carefully sift through all the entries and recognise the winners. It was a very difficult process.
The event would have not been possible without our sponsors, especially our key headline partnership with Exeter City Council.
Each of our category sponsors also gave us the support we needed to make this happen.
For that we are grateful to Exeter College, MBSS, South West Communications, Coastal Recycling, Devon Norse, The Royal British Legion, Nurse Plus, Exeter Family Friendly and The Exeter Dental Centre.

PRIDE OF EXETER CAPT CHRIS GILLESPIE MP3

How long would you and ten of your mates cope, left alone in a forested wilderness in sub-zero temperatures without enough food or shelter to go around? 
You're only hope of getting warm is a pile of soaking moss-covered logs, but you've got no hope of lighting them. You're starving, but what rations you had are already nearly gone and you don't know what plants or berries will poison you and which ones are safe to eat. 
Suddenly, as the sun sets, a biting wind picks up and whips through the trees, turning the steady drizzle which has drenched you all day in to freezing sleet. Finally, just when you thought it couldn't get any worse, you're all engulfed in a full-on blizzard. This isn't fun any more. You're getting really, really cold now, but all you've got to make a shelter is some green string and a knife which isn't quite sharp enough. Where do you even begin?     
This is the challenge faced by ten reserve soldiers from 6th Battalion The Rifles (6 RIFLES) in the wilds of Dartmoor over the the past week, during the unit's first ever survival skills expedition. 
In their day jobs these reservist infantrymen are doctors, lawyers, nursery managers and labourers, many have served in the 450 strong West Country based infantry unit for years and deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan; but none had done anything like this before. 
Now, thanks to their second career in the British Army Reserve, they've learnt skills which they'll never forget and which could save their lives in the future. With more survival expeditions already being planned, next time you could be with them.
Find out more, including how to join 6 RIFLES, by visiting the unit's facebook page: www.facebook.com/6RIFLES

6 RIFLES SURVIVAL TRAINING LANCE CORPORAL CHRISTOPHER TRIGG DORSET mp3

6 RIFLES SURVIVAL TRAINING LANCE CORPORAL ANDREW SPOONER FALMOUTH mp3

6 RIFLES SURVIVAL TRAINING CORPORAL JAMES BLAXTER BRISTOL mp3

The sound of 2170 teenagers from 365 Ten Tors teams setting off on their adventures at 0700 this morning in heavy rain at Okehampton Camp.

The helicopters you can hear are two Sea Kings from 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton. 

The guns are two 105mm Light Guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery. The gun crews 'fast roped' from a sea king helicopter just before the start of the event. This has never happened before.  

At 7:30, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams set off on their adventures.

The Ten Tors Challenge is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today.

The youngsters, aged between 14 and 19, come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. 

As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units will join them in taking part in the annual Army-run challenge, now in its 55th year.

The teenagers face daunting unaided treks of 35, 45 or 55 miles across some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England, relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.
 
It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.
 
They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
 
It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.
 
Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces are on duty at Okehampton Camp.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.
 
 
Safety:

Safety is at the heart of the planning and execution of Ten Tors. It is an event which is planned over many months in advance with key players involved from the start.
 
For the vast majority of the young people taking part in Ten Tors, the event itself is the culmination of months of training designed by Team Managers to not just make sure they are fit enough to walk up to 40 miles in one day across Dartmoor, but crucially, are gelled as a team and good enough at navigating across the wilderness of the open moor.
 
Team Managers are also required to attend an Army briefing which focuses on the harsh extremes of the Dartmoor climate and their responsibility to ensure that their teams have the right equipment to keep them safe, including electronic trackers, which each team carries during their expedition, to enable the Ten Tors multi-agency Ops Room to monitor their progress out on the moor.
 
Further briefings and kit checks are carried out on the day before the start of Ten Tors by military adventurous training experts and members of the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group.
 
Jubilee Challenge:

Immediately after the start of Ten Tors, up to 300 youngsters with special physical or educational needs - many in wheelchairs - will start the Jubilee Challenge, competing routes up to 15 miles. The youngsters can enter either as a team or as individuals, each one accompanied by an Officer Cadet from Exeter University Officer Training Corps.

An emotional awards ceremony for the youngsters who completed the Jubilee Challenge takes part in one of the buildings at Okehampton Camp on Saturday afternoon. 
 
Tri-Service Event

Many members of the Armed Forces who will be on duty during Ten Tors weekend serve in the Army Reserve plus there are members of the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Reserve. The Royal Wessex Yeomanry will be helping youngsters who have to pull out of the event, members of Plymouth-based 165 Port and Maritime Regiment undertake traffic control and the operation of car parks on site and 6 Rifles - the South West’s TA infantry Battalion - mastermind the logistics of the event and make sure it runs smoothly.
 
Many Reservists have been volunteering at Ten Tors for decades and travel from far and wide to ensure they can still take part.
 
As well as ‘boots on the ground’ the Armed Forces also supply a host of support equipment and vehicles to make the event possible. Among them are two Sea King Mk 4 helicopters. After around 20 years' of service to the event, this is the last year that Sea King Helicopters will be seen at Ten Tors as the aircraft is being replaced.
 
These aircraft will be on hand throughout the event, weather permitting, to assist with the movement of equipment and to respond rapidly to any injuries which may occur, making it possible to reach a participant in need no matter where they are on the moor.
 
Dartmoor National Park:
 
One of the most enduring legacies of Ten Tors is a lasting appreciation of the beauty of Dartmoor which is instilled in every young person taking part. For some it may be the first time they have spent any length of time walking in the countryside. For many it is sure to ignite a passion for the outdoors which stays with them forever. But for all it is something they’ll never forget.
 
Team managers are guided to encourage participants to develop respect and appreciation for the landscape, cultural heritage and wildlife of Dartmoor.
 
The Ten Tors organisers work closely with the Dartmoor National Park Authority (DNPA), landowners and commoners to minimise the environmental impact of the event and the associated training, to maximise the local economic benefits of Ten Tors, and to help those taking part to appreciate and understand Dartmoor’s special qualities. 

TEN TORS SAT START MP3

Sun shines on Ten Tors 2015

The sun is shining on more than 2,000 West Country youngsters who are about half way through the Ten Tors Challenge 2015. 

2170 teenagers from 365 Ten Tors teams set off on their adventures from Okehampton Camp in heavy rain at 0700 this morning. Two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery set them on their way, the gun crews having 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start despite the weather.

A short time afterwards, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards.

Here's Brigadier Jez Bennett, Commander of 1 Artillery Brigade and Director of Ten Tors with an udpate. 

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today.

The youngsters taking part are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. 

As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units are joining them in taking part in the annual Army-run challenge, now in its 55th year.

The teenagers are trekking unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England, relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.
 
It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.
 
They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
 
It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.
 
Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces are on duty at Okehampton Camp.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.
 
Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS 2015 SAT BRIGADIER JEZ BENNETT DIRECTOR OF TEN TORS

Sun shines on Ten Tors 2015

The sun is shining on more than 2,000 West Country youngsters who are about half way through the Ten Tors Challenge 2015.

2170 teenagers from 365 Ten Tors teams set off on their adventures from Okehampton Camp in heavy rain at 0700 this morning. Two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery set them on their way, the gun crews having 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start despite the weather.

A short time afterwards, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards.

Here's Major David Landon, the Ops Officer who runs the multi-agency Ten Tors Ops Room at Okehampton Camp which monitors all of those Ten Tors teams whilst they are out on the moor. See below for more information on how this works.

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today.

The youngsters taking part are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units are joining them in taking part in the annual Army-run challenge, now in its 55th year.

The teenagers are trekking unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England, relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces are on duty at Okehampton Camp.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS SAT MAJOR DAVID LANDON OPS ROOM MP3

Sun shines on Ten Tors 2015

The sun is shining on more than 2,000 West Country youngsters who are about half way through the Ten Tors Challenge 2015.

2170 teenagers from 365 Ten Tors teams set off on their adventures from Okehampton Camp in heavy rain at 0700 this morning. Two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery set them on their way, the gun crews having 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start despite the weather.

A short time afterwards, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures across Dartmoor, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards.

Here's Rob Steenson, Head Ranger at Dartmoor National Park, explains why Ten Tors is such a big part of Dartmoor life and why it holds the key to its future. 

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today.

The youngsters taking part are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units are joining them in taking part in the annual Army-run challenge, now in its 55th year.

The teenagers are trekking unaided over 35, 45 or 55 miles of some of the toughest terrain and highest peaks in Southern England, relying on their navigational skills and carrying all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults and they’ll remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces are on duty at Okehampton Camp.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS 2015 SAT ROB STEEENSON HEAD RANGER DARTMOOR NATIONAL PARK MP3

The weather has been kind to Ten Tors 2015 with more participants finishing the arduous challenge this year than in most recent years.

FOR A FULL ROUND UP OF TEN TORS 2015, VISIT @ARMYMEDIACOMMSW AT 1800 THIS EVENING OR FOLLOW @ARMYMEDIACOMMSW

As of 3pm on Sunday 10 May, 96 per cent of the 2170 teenagers who started Ten Tors at 0700 yesterday morning had either successfully completed their 35, 45 or 55 mile unaided treks across the barren and desolate Northern slopes of Dartmoor, or were en roue to the finish line.

Churcher's College Combined Cadet Force 35 mile team were the first back at Okhampton Camp, emerging out of the mist shrouding the tors towering down over the finish line at 0910 this morning after their expedition across one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain.

The last teams are expected back at Okehampton Camp by 1700 this evening.

Their adventures started in heavy rain at Okehampton Camp with two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery being fired at 0700 precisely. For the first time ever, the Commando gun crews 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start despite the weather.

A short time afterwards, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures across Dartmoor, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards.

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today.

The youngsters taking part are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units are joining them in taking part in the annual Army-run challenge, now in its 55th year.

The teenagers who take part in Ten Tors have to rely on their own friend to navigate them safely cross miles of open moorland and carry all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults. They remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces are on duty at Okehampton Camp.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS 2015 FIRST TEAM HOME SUNDAY MP3

The weather has been kind to Ten Tors 2015 with more participants finishing the arduous challenge this year than in most recent years.

FOR A FULL ROUND UP OF TEN TORS 2015, VISIT @ARMYMEDIACOMMSW AT 1800 THIS EVENING OR FOLLOW @ARMYMEDIACOMMSW

As of 3pm on Sunday 10 May, 96 per cent of the 2170 teenagers who started Ten Tors at 0700 yesterday morning had either successfully completed their 35, 45 or 55 mile unaided treks across the barren and desolate Northern slopes of Dartmoor, or were en roue to the finish line.

Churcher's College Combined Cadet Force 35 mile team were the first back at Okhampton Camp, emerging out of the mist shrouding the tors towering down over the finish line at 0910 this morning after their expedition across one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain.

This is them just after the crossed the finish line earlier.

The last teams are expected back at Okehampton Camp by 1700 this evening.

Their adventures started in heavy rain at Okehampton Camp with two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery being fired at 0700 precisely. For the first time ever, the Commando gun crews 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 845 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start despite the weather.

A short time afterwards, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures across Dartmoor, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards.

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain today.

The youngsters taking part are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

As usual, scores of scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units are joining them in taking part in the annual Army-run challenge, now in its 55th year.

The teenagers who take part in Ten Tors have to rely on their own friend to navigate them safely cross miles of open moorland and carry all their food, water, bedding, tents and other essentials as they go.

It is a feat they must complete as a team and without any help from adults. They remain entirely self-sufficient during their arduous expeditions, including camping out overnight on the moor.

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment, as well as determination and bravery during the event itself, is an experience they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces are on duty at Okehampton Camp.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS 2015 CHURCHER'S COLLEGE FIRST TEAM VOX SUNDAY

9 out of 10 complete successful Ten Tors 2015

1966 young people from across the South West of England will be glowing with pride this evening after completing Ten Tors 2015, successfully run for the 55th time by the Army.

Brigadier Jez Bennnett, Commander of 1 Artillery Brigade South West is Director of Ten Tors and in charge of the event. Here he sums up how it has gone.

2190 teenagers started the event at 0700 yesterday morning. By 1700 this evening, 90 per cent of them had successfully completed 35, 45 or 55 exhausting miles across the barren and desolate Northern slopes of Dartmoor, carrying up to 15KG of tents, bedding, food, water, clothing and other equipment as they went. 

They trekked unaided, without the help of any adults, camped overnight on the moor and remained entirely self-sufficient, relying on each other for encouragement; getting through it together, as many of them have trained to do since before Christmas. 

Churcher's College Combined Cadet Force 35 mile team from Hampshire were the first to arrive back at Okhampton Camp, emerging out of the mist shrouding the tors towering down over the finish line at 0910 this morning, after their expedition across one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain.

The adventure started in heavy rain at Okehampton Camp with two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery being fired at 0700 precisely on Saturday morning. For the first time ever, the Commando gun crews 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start, despite the weather.

A short time later, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures across Dartmoor, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards with beaming smiles and to huge cheers.

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge - now in its 55th year -  is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain.

The youngsters who take part every year are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. As usual, scores of Scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units join them.

The teenagers who take part in The Ten Tors Challenge have to rely on their own friends and, above all, teamwork to navigate safely across miles of open moorland.

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the most unforgiving open places in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment is an experience which they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces were on duty at Okehampton Camp this weekend.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS 2015 BRIGADIER JEZ BENNETT ROUND UP SUNDAY MP3

Lieutenant Commander Bob Bond decided he wanted to become a Royal Navy pilot after seeing Sea Kings flying at Ten Tors when he took part in the event as an Air Training Cadet 20 years ago. As Sea Kings fly at Ten Tors for the last time, listen to this audio to hear how this iconic aircraft's involvement with the event changed one Exmouth teenager's life forever.

9 out of 10 complete successful Ten Tors 2015

1966 young people from across the South West of England will be glowing with pride this evening after completing Ten Tors 2015, successfully run for the 55th time by the Army.

2190 teenagers started the event at 0700 yesterday morning. By 1700 this evening, 90 per cent of them had successfully completed 35, 45 or 55 exhausting miles across the barren and desolate Northern slopes of Dartmoor, carrying up to 15KG of tents, bedding, food, water, clothing and other equipment as they went. 

They trekked unaided, without the help of any adults, camped overnight on the moor and remained entirely self-sufficient, relying on each other for encouragement; getting through it together, as many of them have trained to do since before Christmas. 

Churcher's College Combined Cadet Force 35 mile team from Hampshire were the first to arrive back at Okhampton Camp, emerging out of the mist shrouding the tors towering down over the finish line at 0910 this morning, after their expedition across one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain.

The adventure started in heavy rain at Okehampton Camp with two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery being fired at 0700 precisely on Saturday morning. For the first time ever, the Commando gun crews 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start, despite the weather.

Sadly, Ten Tors 2015 was the last time that the iconic Sea King Mk 4 helicopter - known throughout the Royal Navy as the Junglie - will be seen in the skies above Dartmoor during the event. The aircraft is soon being replaced by the Merlin Mk3 helicopter as the new type of aircraft for the Commando Helicopter Force (CHF). 

Sea Kings have been serving at Ten Tors for as long as anyone can remember; back to the 1980's at least. Their role has been to help to transport kit and personnel to the various tors before the event, as well as to provide vital search and rescue (SAR) capabilities for injured teenagers during the event itself. 

Sea King pilots and crews have also used Ten Tors to practice and hone essential low flying, navigation and SAR skills; training which has been put into practice on military operations around the World for decades. 

But for one Royal Navy helicopter pilot on duty flying one of the two Sea King Mk4's at this year's Ten Tors, the aircraft's links to the event were life-changing. 34-year-old Lieutenant Commander Bob Bond took part in Ten Tors as a teenage Air Training Corps cadet from Exmouth in Devon 20 years ago. On his way back to camp from the finish line, Bob walked right past the HLS (Helicopter Landing Site), glanced at a Sea King as it took-off and told himself that one day, he would be a Royal Navy aviator and that he too would pilot a Sea King helicopter. 

After years of dedication and hard work, Bob's dream came true... another legacy of Ten Tors. 

You can hear Bob's story in the interview above, and hear what happened when he was reunited with his former Ten Tors team manager. 



TT 2015 LT COMMANDER BOB BOND SEA KING PILOT SUNDAY MP3

9 out of 10 complete successful Ten Tors 2015

1966 young people from across the South West of England will be glowing with pride this evening after completing Ten Tors 2015, successfully run for the 55th time by the Army.

Torquay Boys' Grammar 45 mile team were one of the first local Devon teams to reach the finish. Hear how they found their epic Ten Tors trek here.

2190 teenagers started the event at 0700 yesterday morning. By 1700 this evening, 90 per cent of them had successfully completed 35, 45 or 55 exhausting miles across the barren and desolate Northern slopes of Dartmoor, carrying up to 15KG of tents, bedding, food, water, clothing and other equipment as they went. 

They trekked unaided, without the help of any adults, camped overnight on the moor and remained entirely self-sufficient, relying on each other for encouragement; getting through it together, as many of them have trained to do since before Christmas. 

Churcher's College Combined Cadet Force 35 mile team from Hampshire were the first to arrive back at Okhampton Camp, emerging out of the mist shrouding the tors towering down over the finish line at 0910 this morning, after their expedition across one of the last remaining wildernesses in Britain.

The adventure started in heavy rain at Okehampton Camp with two 105mm light guns from Plymouth's 29 Commando Regiment Royal Artillery being fired at 0700 precisely on Saturday morning. For the first time ever, the Commando gun crews 'fast roped' from one of two Sea King helicopters from 848 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Yeovilton, before the aircraft carried out a flypast for the hundreds of families and other spectators who had gathered to watch the start, despite the weather.

A short time later, 30 Jubliee Challenge Teams with a range of disabilities set off on their own adventures across Dartmoor, before finishing back at Okehampon Camp from 1100 onwards with beaming smiles and to huge cheers.

Ten Tors:
The Ten Tors Challenge - now in its 55th year -  is one of the biggest outdoors adventure events for young people in Britain.

The youngsters who take part every year are aged between 14 and 19. They come from schools and youth groups from Bristol, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Hampshire and Wiltshire. As usual, scores of Scout groups, sports and ramblers teams and Armed Forces cadet units join them.

The teenagers who take part in The Ten Tors Challenge have to rely on their own friends and, above all, teamwork to navigate safely across miles of open moorland.

They do it for the challenge; to test themselves against one of the most unforgiving open places in Britain. What they get in return for their months of hard training and commitment is an experience which they’ll remember forever and the chance to learn a set of skills and values which will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

It’s a rite of passage which has played a positive and formative role in shaping the lives of more than a quarter of a million people.

Civil Contingency Exercise:
Ten Tors is also one of the biggest multi-agency, tri service civil contingency exercises in Britain. Codenamed EXERCISE ARIES TOR, it is run by HQ 1 Artillery Brigade South West. More than nine hundred military personnel - almost all of them Reservists - from all three branches of the Armed Forces were on duty at Okehampton Camp this weekend.

As a military exercise Ten Tors provides the Armed Forces with an invaluable opportunity to practice life-saving civil contingency responsibilities to enable the military - assisted by the emergency services, including The British Red Cross and the Dartmoor Search and Rescue Group - to be ready to help when they are called upon during a national emergency.

Each team is monitored as they walk across the open moor by the multi-agency Ten Tors ops room via a GPS tracker with not only gives their location, but also enables them to contact the organisers in an emergency.

TEN TORS 2015 TORQUAY BOYS GRAMMAR 45 MILE TEAM SUNDAY MP3

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