Young recruits take first steps together

THE flags on the parade ground were blowing in the strong winds as young soldiers took to the parade ground to mark a major milestone yesterday.

Junior soldiers from the Army Foundation College, in Harrogate, marked the first important event in their army training by taking part in their first passing-in parade at the college.

Proud family and friends, braved the conditions, to watch the teenagers and proudly capture them marching on their cameras for posterity.

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Over 250 junior soldiers, aged between 16 and 17, marked their first six weeks in the army by marching on to the parade square at Uniacke barracks in Penny Pot Lane.

Lieutenant Colonel Khashi Sharifi, the commanding officer at the college, was the inspecting officer for the Waterloo company parade.

Speaking ahead of the parade he said: “This is the first time that the families will see these young people march on to parade as soldiers.

“They have made a lot of progress in their first six weeks at the college and it will be a proud day not only for the junior soldiers and their parents, but for the college staff.”

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For those family who had come to watch their sons and daughters it was for the first time they had seen their loved ones since they started at the college.

Junior soldiers destined for careers in the Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Logistics Corps and the Infantry were parading yesterday.

The 16-year-olds began a 42-week course featuring military, leadership, educational and vocational training at the college in March. They will then undertake the more specialist second stage of their training elsewhere in the UK before joining their regiments.

After the parade, the junior soldiers left for a week of leave before returning in May to start the next part of their training at the Army Foundation College in Harrogate.

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