UK and US Special Forces veterans take on gruelling desert camel trek for charity
Following in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, five former Special Forces soldiers are riding camels across 700 miles of Saudi Arabian and Jordanian desert in 25 days.
The team is on a mission to raise funds for the Special Forces Club Benevolent Fund, first launched at the end of the Second World War to help Special Forces veterans.
"The fund has continued to support individuals from the Special Forces community who are either ageing, infirm, going through a bad time in their life, ill health, PTSD and so on," says Howard Leedham, chairman of the fund and trek leader, who hopes the ride will raise more awareness of the charity's work.
Originally from Hampshire, but now based in Dubai, Mr Leedham is an experienced camel rider.
The rest of the group of eager volunteers, four British and one American ex-Special Forces soldiers, are novices and had to learn the ropes in 10 days of intensive training.
But given their background, Mr Leedham is confident the team is up to the challenge.
"It's about endurance, tenacity and getting the job done and being able to rely on the man on your left and the man on the right to do the right thing when you need him to," he says.
The riders are starting out from Al Wajh, Saudi Arabia, before climbing the Hejaz Mountains, crossing the Nefud Desert, heading towards Wadi Rum in Jordan and ending their epic journey at Jordan's Aqaba Fort.
They are replicating the journey taken by British Army officer Lawrence of Arabia in 1917, even using the same watering holes for the camels.
"It will be similar because we are trying to keep to the same route as much as we can.
"Obviously where there's borders and things now we can't.
"We've got modern means of navigation whereas he didn't but when you're crossing these areas, they're the easiest routes."
A dedicated support team will be bringing up the rear, with a medic, cook, vet and spare camels in tow.
"We have five riders, but we have 10 camels because, obviously, we want to make sure the camels are all OK and preserve their stamina and energy," Mr Leedham said.
"So, each camel will only get ridden for 25km a day each, which is well within their capability."
Kitted out in traditional Saudi clothing, with cycle shorts and jodhpurs underneath for comfort, the team is expecting to encounter tough terrain with extremes of climate, ranging from the heat of the day in the desert to sub-zero temperatures at higher altitudes.
Surprisingly, the biggest concern is the possibility of heavy rain.
"When there are rainstorms, the desert just turns into gullies of water and if that happened, then we wouldn't be able to make progress through the desert because the camels wouldn’t be able to get grip," says Mr Leedham.
The team hopes their trusty camels won't get the hump on the long ride, with saddle sores and other injuries potential stumbling blocks to reaching the finish line.
"I've been spat at, dribbled on, bitten on, kicked and thrown off," he added. "But they're a fabulous animal when you get to know them, and they get to know you.
"There's a real bond between man and animal. They're the only animal on earth that can do this."
In honour of the inspiration for the journey, the intrepid team plan to bring back a sample of desert sand to scatter at the Dorset grave of Thomas Lawrence – Lawrence of Arabia.
Their adventures can be followed here.
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