CORPORAL Colin Thompson got an insight of conditions on the front line when he had to fix an Army vehicle, which had been ‘struck’ by a roadside bomb.

In a special training workshop, Colin, 54, from Newton-le-Willows tackled various challenging problems designed to test the soldier’s skills at keeping the British Army’s vehicles and equipment on the move while in an operational environment, such as Afghanistan.

Along with 200 Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers attending the course in Cumbria, Colin also got hands-on experience of the latest equipment he could be expected to repair and maintain while on the front line.

Colin, who is a Territorial Army Armourer with 103 Regiment Royal Artillery, based in Jubilee Barracks, Prescot Road, said: “The tasks in the workshop are very realistic. We have had a vehicle, which has supposedly been struck by a roadside bomb and needs a series of repairs doing on it, which we have to try to get done in a short period of time.”

One of the workshop organisers, Artificer Sergeant Major Jamie Mulraney, said: “We have asked our soldiers on operations exactly what skills they need to do their job effectively in the difficult conditions they face and then taken that information and designed this workshop to encompass it.

“This year, the workshop has become focused on operational needs as this is the military’s priority. We have introduced stands where the soldiers have to deal with light tanks and large 105 mm guns – both of which are being used in Afghanistan.

“Although it is a teaching and learning workshop, there is also recognition of good practices and skills with the award of various prizes for certain achievements. We challenge our soldiers yearly and they do a lot of training to keep up with the advance in technology by constantly updating their skills.”

If you want to know more about the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, log on to .army.mod.uk/reme.