Army

It's off the tools and into the field as REME troops hone their soldiering skills

Watch: REME junior NCOs head to the field to solidify their promotions

Troops looking to seal their promotion within the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers are having their command skills judged far closer to the enemy.

REME corporals, whose usual job is to fix a vehicle or mend a faulty weapon system, have been out in the field on a leadership development course in Bordon.

The aim was to develop their skills and demonstrate their current level of experience by testing them on a fieldcraft exercise.

So it was a case of "off the tools and onto the training area" as they looked to show they can head up a section in what was described as "classic soldiering" conditions.

REME soldier Cameron Gladwell was one of those being examined in his role as a corporal, guiding his small team through the woods with orders to find and engage enemy targets.

Corporal Cameron Gladwell's usual role is a small arms armourer, so it had been a long time since he and his cohort had done any "classic soldiering"

But there was a shock to the system when his section instead encountered unarmed enemies in civilian dress.

This meant Cpl Gladwell was now required to change his orders to meet the rules of engagement and instead capture the individuals.

Watching close by was one of the Directing Staff, Sergeant Michael Kemp of the REME Arms School.

Assaults went ahead as planned elsewhere, and this two-week course upskills individuals in how to discipline, order and, most importantly, keep personnel safe – no matter what lies around the corner.