1122 – ‘Bavaria Ascent’ – Bavaria

103 Battalion Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers (REME) is a Territorial Army unit which aims to provide support to all current operations by providing fully trained soldiers with a technically skilled ability ranging from vehicle mechanics to electronics technicians to work in high threat, arduous conditions.

On the 09 July 11, 30 members of the Battalion boarded the minibuses for what would prove to be a very successful week of challenging yet enjoyable adventurous activities at the REME Adventurous Training Centre (ATC) in Bavaria, South Germany. The first hurdle was the 14 hour drive to get there but upon arrival everyone was struck by the fantastic scenery. The centre is based in a classic Bavarian village surrounded by imposing peaks and slopes beautifully covered in trees which at times were obscured by clouds.

Trekking was arguably the most physically demanding activity of the week and it was amusing to see the look of surprise on the soldier’s faces as they were shown the route they would be travelling and the three peaks they would be attempting to conquer. The route, which followed the ridge line directly in front of the lodge, is not considered suitable for novices and whilst the trek began with a relaxing walk through some wooded paths, it soon escalated into an extreme climb to reach the first peak. At this point it became very clear to the team this was not going to be a walk in the park but the fantastic view upon reaching the first peak was a suitable reward. The second peak proved to be a far greater challenge but with everyone suffering from fatigue and burning legs it was conquered. Unfortunately the weather started to close in, which can happen within minutes, so a rapid descent off the mountain was necessary; the third peak would have to wait for the next day.

Inland water kayaking to the initiated is quite tame but for those that have never been upside down in a kayak it is to say the least unnerving. Once you get over the initial shock and are able to extract yourself from the kayak, the fear of drowning does subside, although for some not by much. After learning the basics it also became very apparent that the art of moving in a straight line was not as easy as it sounded and most spent some time spinning in circles with a look of frustration on their faces. However with some determination everyone was able to at least semi-master straight line paddling and it was time to move location from the lake to the river. This added a whole new dimension to the challenge although the extremely cold mountain water awaiting you if you capsized provided a suitable incentive to remain upright.

Most people are not scared of heights, or so they believe, but if you put them at the top of a rock face with only their feet, fingers and a fragile looking rope preventing their fall, they may change their mind. The facilities within a short drive from the ATC are some of the best in the world and can challenge both novice and expert to their limit. In preparation for the challenge the teams had a morning on the indoor climbing wall. After a couple of hours of low level climbing it was time to move to the cliff faces. Many were nervous of the challenge ahead as they looked skywards but their mental strength came to the fore and the climbing begun. The sense of achievement that was felt upon reaching the top was incredible and only the descent awaited them which for some was worse than the climb.

Mountain biking in the Bavarian countryside sounds quite relaxing and easy but reality is far from this. When you add in horrendously steep climbs and descents, incredibly heavy rain, strong winds and an instructor that just does not give up, the challenge to survive the day soon becomes apparent. Fortunately only one of the teams experienced the negative side of Bavarian weather and everyone else was treated to sunshine. All four teams thoroughly enjoyed the biking but all agreed that they would not miss the saddle sores.

By the end of the week an incredible amount of training had been accomplished including white water rafting and for some Klettersteig and mountain biking at a more intense level of difficulty. Everyone had been intensely challenged; some very close to their physical ability limit but all had immensely enjoyed the experience. All of the soldiers have positively developed over the course of the week and no one can be in any doubt that when some of them deploy to overseas locations, this training will have contributed to the valued input they put into the missions and tasks that they face.

Thank you from 103 Battalion REME (V) for the very generous grant from the Ulysses Trust without which this challenging expedition would not have been possible. It has enabled us to help prepare these men and women for the future challenges they will meet on operations by improving their individual and team skills as well as their physical and mental stamina.

Staff Sergeant GA Howard