First battle camp for Army's next-gen soldiers

The latest batch of junior soldiers training at Army Foundation College Harrogate have been taking part in their first battle camp.

The five-day exercise in Otterburn is an opportunity to sharpen the field skills they will need for their future career in the Army.

It is the first prolonged period in the field for the soldiers and their biggest challenge so far. 

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Learning the fundamentals of Army life, which will become second nature later on, is a steep learning curve. 

Junior soldier Corey Roughley told Forces News about the initial shock: "Going into this exercise, I got off the coach and thought to myself 'bloody hell, what have I got myself into'.

"But you get here, you get stuck in, you're with all your mates, your mates are picking you up. It's great, you love it."

This training focuses on fieldcraft and arms skills like battle lanes, section attacks and recces.

These are lessons they will carry with them says Bombardier Natalia Hudson-Carrier, Section Commander, 3 Royal Horse Artillery "This will stick with you throughout your full Army career.

"Even when you're a sergeant major, you still need to know your stand-to drills, all of your contact left and rights. You  need to know it forever."

Once the training is complete, the junior soldiers will be at the required level ready to join their regiment.