3 SCOTS Compete In Maxwell Shield Prize

Soldiers from 3 Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, have been competing against each other in the annual Maxwell Shield event.

Five companies, from 3 SCOTS also known as 'The Black Watch', have been competing in a variety of sports and competitions to claim this year’s prize.

The event was introduced almost a century ago when physical competition was seen as an ideal way of maintaining fitness.

The tradition has lived on - touch rugby, basketball and croquet all feature in the yearly contest.

Captain Dan McLeod, from C Company 3 SCOTS, said sport still plays a "massive part" in keeping soldiers sharp.

"It's good fitness... it's also a lot of team-building, leadership, working together," he said.

"It's a really good opportunity to do something different but also to develop skills that are useful for the rest of our job."

Alongside the sporting events, there was also a technological addition to the itinerary.

Soldiers were tasked with flying the Black Hornet micro-drone around a newly-introduced obstacle course.

Members of the battalion have been improving their navigation skills with the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), having used it for intelligence gathering on Exercise Wessex Storm. 

The Maxwell Shield was first introduced in 1921 by General Sir John Maxwell to test the athleticism of his soldiers.

This year's competition was not only about earning bragging rights but also testing the troops' readiness for modern warfare.

It comes as the soldiers prepare to enter a period of high-intensity training ahead of a NATO deployment later this year.