Major army operation and a school reunion

Captain James Shaw, 26, from Leeds, Second Lieutenant Mike Saunders, 26, and Lieutenant Christopher Lee, 29, both from Doncaster, all attended the same school. After leaving Queen Elizabeth Grammar in Wakefield, they went their separate ways only to find themselves reunited at officer training at Sandhurst last year. Now part of the 1 Yorks, they are currently taking part in the army’s biggest training exercise of the year. The British armed forces are being put through their paces as they train for a new generation of conflict as the war in Afghanistan draws to a close.

The former Queen Elizabeth Grammar School pupils are taking part in a mock battlefield in Canada alongside almost 1,000 other soldiers Lt Lee, a medic, said: “Our school doesn’t really have a military background so I wasn’t expecting to see anyone I knew when I began at Sandhurst - to meet two old school mates was a real surprise.

“It’s definitely nice to have a friendly face and it has helped us all settle in.” Capt Shaw and 2nd Lt Saunders were in the same class for two years and became close friends.

Second Lt Saunders, a platoon commander, said: “This exercise is my first taste of military life outside officer training and having these two to chat to has helped.