British Army reservists storm Gosport naval fort before tucking into a Christmas feast

DOZENS of soldiers stormed an historic naval fort during an explosion coastal training exercise before tucking into a spot of Christmas lunch.
4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment gathered for a group photo after completing their final training exercise of 2019. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment gathered for a group photo after completing their final training exercise of 2019. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown
4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment gathered for a group photo after completing their final training exercise of 2019. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown

Some 110 army reservists from 4th Battalion, The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, took part in the weekend war game, including many of those based at C Company, in Cosham.

The drill was the last of the year for the battalion and involved troops assaulting and securing buildings, culminating in a dawn raid on Gosport’s Browndown training area.

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Armed with blank-firing weapons, reservists blasted their way into the former naval gun battery, working through a series of compounds and climbing over walls to charge into buildings and rid them of enemies hidden within.

Lance Corporal Lance Corporal James Toogood of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, enjoys a fun filled  Christmas lunch in the field, on Browndown Training area, in Gosport. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD CrownLance Corporal Lance Corporal James Toogood of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, enjoys a fun filled  Christmas lunch in the field, on Browndown Training area, in Gosport. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown
Lance Corporal Lance Corporal James Toogood of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment, enjoys a fun filled Christmas lunch in the field, on Browndown Training area, in Gosport. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown

Lieutenant Colonel Ben Baker, the battalion’s commanding officer, said the weekend-long training drill had been ‘fantastic’.

Commenting on how the unit has grown since it was established in September 2017, he added: ‘Two years ago we were focused on individual and training in pairs, and today we’ve seen a full-scale infantry company attack involving 100 soldiers which gives the army a genuine capability; to come so far in such a short space of time is really satisfying.’

After wrapping up the training exercise, the soldiers traded their body armour and protective helmets for baubles and Santa hats to begin battle with their traditional Christmas lunch – tomato soup, roast turkey with all the trimmings and chocolate muffins in chocolate sauce.

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Among those tucking into the festive feast was Lance Corporal James Toogood, of Waterlooville.

Soldiers of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment cover their arcs while assaulting the fort on Browndown Training area today (08/12/19) as part of their final training package of 2019. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD CrownSoldiers of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment cover their arcs while assaulting the fort on Browndown Training area today (08/12/19) as part of their final training package of 2019. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown
Soldiers of 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment cover their arcs while assaulting the fort on Browndown Training area today (08/12/19) as part of their final training package of 2019. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown

James, who is an adventurous training instructor in his civilian career, said: ‘I’ve been really looking forward to this weekend for a while now. It’s great to be able to put into practice all that you’ve learnt throughout the year.’

Lance Corporal Daniel Wimberley, of Fratton, works for a civil engineering company and has enjoyed his time with the battalion since transferring from the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in 2017.

The 29-year-old added: ‘In those two years I have become a qualified physical training instructor, been promoted to Lance Corporal and last year I went to Denmark.’

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Lt Col Baker said the training event was his last with the battalion, having helped to set up the unit in 2017. He is now moving on to his next posting.

Lance Corporal Daniel Wimberley, 29, of Fratton enjoying a fun filled 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Christmas lunch in the field, on Browndown Training area, in Gosport. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD CrownLance Corporal Daniel Wimberley, 29, of Fratton enjoying a fun filled 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Christmas lunch in the field, on Browndown Training area, in Gosport. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown
Lance Corporal Daniel Wimberley, 29, of Fratton enjoying a fun filled 4th Battalion Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment Christmas lunch in the field, on Browndown Training area, in Gosport. Photo: Corporal Rob Kane / MoD Crown

He added: ‘It’s been both rewarding and interesting to grow the battalion from nothing to what we’ve seen this weekend.

‘We will have five soldiers deploying to Afghanistan and others to operations in Africa; in fact, we’ve had our troops in 15 countries from Finland to Kenya in that short time frame.’

C Company is based at the Army Reserve Centre in Tudor Crescent.

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