Archive - Army Reserve

The 26-year-old, of The Wells Academy, St Ann’s, swapped the classroom for the battlefield as part of his training to become a Reserve Soldier in the British Army’s Infantry. After passing fitness and marksmanship tests, completing medical training and undertaking a demanding five-day military exercise in the field, Mr McGarry – better known by his […]

He was one of only four people to be awarded the Kings Volunteer Reserve Medal in His Majesty the King’s Birthday Honours this year. With over 20 years’ service in the Army Reserves, Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col) Charlie Field has had a varied and successful Army career. It has combined short notice deployments on military […]

On mainland Europe, 90,000 troops, 1,100 combat vehicles and 50 ships from all 32 member states demonstrated the alliance’s ability to defend every inch of its territory. While a larger show of force than usual, this was no one-off exercise. Since 2017, the UK has contributed to NATO’s enhanced forward presence in the Baltic States […]

Private (Pte) Damian Carr was part of Great Britain’s triumphant team at last year’s 24-hour World Championships in Taipei, Taiwan. For his part, Pte Carr ran 148 miles within the endurance event’s 24-hour time limit, shy of his personal best of 165 miles in a day. Developing his mental resilience while being paid to keep […]

Lance Corporal (LCpl) Connor Boyes, Sapper (Spr) George Robson, Spr Stuey Williams and Spr Ricky Layer spent 6 months working in the buffer zone between the northern and southern parts of the divided island. The soldiers, of Chilwell-based 350 (The Robin Hood Foresters) Field Squadron, 75 Engineer Regiment, have become part of the British Army’s […]

After touching down on South African soil, the Army Cricket team started their tour in Stellenbosch. Having spent 5 days there, they were able to play against local teams, explore some of the beautiful mountain ranges and visit the vineyards at Franschoek. The team then moved on to Cape Town on the coast to play […]

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 […]