Archive - Army Reserve

VIPs rubbed shoulders with Soldiers, their families and employers as they toured Kingsway Army Reserve Centre’s new workshop, state-of-the-art gymnasium and training area. His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Mrs Elizabeth Fothergill CBE, formally opened the new building during a plaque-unveiling ceremony, days after the workshop was recognised with a commendation award in Derby Civic Society’s […]

Lance Corporal Jodie Culley is coming to the end of training before setting off in April for the six-month deployment on the divided island. Jodie serves as a vehicle mechanic with 103 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (103 Bn REME), based at the Kingsway Army Reserve Centre in Derby. Rather than going to Cyprus in […]

Lance Corporal Frances Reed is an Army Reservist with 350 (The Robin Hood Foresters) Field Squadron, Royal Engineers, based in Nottingham. In September 2023, the 33-year-old volunteered to be deployed on Op Tosca – a six-month peacekeeping mission – which is her first mobilisation since joining the Reserves a decade earlier. LCpl Reed, who is […]

For Second Lieutenant (2Lt) Christian Saunders that punishing scenario was his reality as a cohort from East Midlands University Officer Training Corps (EMUOTC) tackled Exercise Cambrian Patrol, the ultimate challenge in navigation, fieldcraft, tactics and soldiering. “It was the best and worst three days of my life,” said the 20-year-old, describing the exercise in October […]

Reservists serve in their spare time and play a critical role in national defence and security, from countering threats, peacekeeping, and humanitarian efforts abroad, to supporting communities and national resilience at home. Reservists within 203 (Loughborough) Transport Squadron are taught to drive a wide range of vehicles, such as 15-tonne trucks and enhanced palletized loading […]

A Nottinghamshire Soldier has spoken of an emotional exchange he shared with a Ukrainian Soldier after helping him to defend his homeland from Russian aggression during Operation Interflex. Corporal James Noble said he has never heard higher praise than the words spoken by a trainee on completion of his training on UK soil. The Infantry […]

Week one on Exercise Halberd Rise was focussed on transport operations as Soldiers drove 15-tonne support vehicles between Monchengladbach and the Goldrund training area. With a realistic enemy force, they practiced HGV road moves; vehicle camouflage and concealment; vehicle anti-ambush manoeuvres; chemical, biological, and radiological drills; and operating rough terrain forklift vehicles in a tactical […]

“How would you like to deploy to Belize for 8 months?” asked the Adjutant of 2 Company, Royal Anglian Regiment – Lt Blackman’s British Army Reserve unit in Leicester. The 24-year-old student took minutes to decide and weeks later in September 2022, he was on a plane to Central America. Now, with his boots back […]

Exercise participants made their way to the accommodation in Capel Curig, followed by a meeting discussing ability, qualifications, aims, challenges/constraints and what climbing experience participants had. They also ensured all harnesses, helmets and shoes fitted correctly and refreshed everyone’s memory on both taking in and letting out of rope through a belay game. Finally, they […]

Exercise Dolomite Eagle consisted of trekking, navigation and summiting the spectacular and imposing pale rock peaks of the Venetian Alps. The group were based in the very centre of the prestigious Ladin-speaking Dolomite Superski region, which is halfway between the fashionable, well-heeled resorts of Arabba and Corvara (approximately 180 kilometres north of Venice). To begin […]