The British Army is in a period of transition and the importance of reserve troops has never been greater. Lizzie Anderson discovers how part-time soldiers in the North-East are rising to the challenge

IT is a cold, windy morning and rain beats down relentlessly in the bleak yet beautiful environs of Otterburn Camp, in Northumberland. A two-week Army training exercise is drawing to a close and a mortar line has been set up for soldiers to demonstrate their skills with the artillery weapon.

At the front, officers use a computer to calculate the distance of the target, taking into account the effect of the wind and rain, to produce an exact co-ordinate. This information is then passed onto one of three groups of soldiers, who huddle around the mortars, awaiting the call to fire. Of the three mortars, two are manned by regular troops from a mortar platoon; the third by reservists. Yet, watching the men expertly load and fire the weapon, it is impossible to tell which one is which.

The set up encapsulates the Government’s vision of the future British Army as a fully integrated force of regulars and highly trained reservists. The Armed Forces have not escaped austerity cuts and – in response to a £38 billion overspend by the Ministry of Defence - plans have been drawn up to restructure the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force.

The Northern Echo:
ON DUTY: Rifleman Liam Hart, 24, left, from D Rifles Company, in Bishop Auckland, and rifleman Liam Palmer, from the company's Durham platoon, train to fire mortars

By 2018, the army will comprise 82,000 regulars and 30,000 highly trained reservists, who will be used routinely rather than just in emergencies. The process of bringing about these changes is called Army 2020 and the intense training of reserve troops in camps such as Otterburn is just one of the ways this challenge is being met.

Rifleman Liam Hart, 24, from D Rifles Company based, in Bishop Auckland, splits his time between a career in recruitment and his Army responsibilities.

“I have spent fortnight on mortar drills, which is a new experience for me,” he says. “The course appealed to me as I have seen the mortars from a distance but never close up. It has given me the opportunity to see exactly what they do and learn the skills for myself.

“You have to stay alert and be ready to act when you get the call. Communication is important as everyone has a job to do.”

The D Rifles Company is a light infantry reservist company, with platoons in Durham, Bishop Auckland and Doncaster, South Yorkshire. It is part of the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, which, in turn, is part of the 51st Infantry Brigade.

Around 40 per cent of its reservists have served in Afghanistan and all attend weekly training sessions, as well as an annual two-week training camp.

Rifleman Philip Ingamells, 20, from Doncaster, and Rifleman Joseph Wills, 20, from Durham, have spent the fortnight on reconnaissance patrol, one of the toughest jobs in the Army. It requires troops to walk for miles at night before gathering information at a location for hours and then walking back again. Freezing temperatures, harsh weather, heavy packs and the need to remain alert at all times make the task all the greater.

The Northern Echo:
ON PATROL: Rifleman Philip Ingamells, left, 20, from Doncaster, and rifleman Joseph Wills, 20, from Durham, of D Rifles Company, at the end of a two-week training exercise in Otterburn Camp

Rifleman Wills said: “I joined the reserves because I want to join the regular army. I thought it would be good experience and I was right. It has given me so many opportunities and I have made some great friends.

“The recce training has been tough but I have enjoyed it. I like to work as part of a small team.”

At the other side of camp, other reservists are perfecting assault pioneering skills, including building bridges, conducting explosions and mastering a range of power tools, including a submersible pump to extract water.

This particular skill proved essential when Army reserves helped with flood relief work in Somerset in February.

Brigadier Paul Harkness, the man in charge of the entire 51st Brigade, is visiting the troops on the final day of the exercise.

“I have been very impressed with what I have seen here,” he says.

“There is integration between regulars and reservists to an extent we haven’t seen before. I think over the last 13 years, with our involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan, there has been a growing realisation that reservists are extremely capable.

“I personally have the greatest admiration for them. They hold down regular jobs and give up their free time to serve their country.”

For more information about the Army reserves visit army.mod.uk/reserve