Page 16 - Mind, Body and Spirit Online Edition

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and in others, very rewarding. The biggest challenge for me is to
understand the Territorial Army (now called the Army Reserve). As
a Corps, we are having more interaction than we have had in the
past and understanding the complexity of the Reserve Force is

sometimes dificult. As we open another door to this new chapter
of the Armed Forces, it will take time to develop and indeed
challenges will arise however, I have no doubt that we will become
stronger and better trained than we have in the past.

In February this year, some members of the brigade went on a
battleield tour to Ypres, Belgium. Every evening a service takes
place at 2000 hrs to remember the fallen. If you have never been

to Ypres, I would highly recommend this, as there is a wealth of
history and it is an overwhelming and humbling experience.
Headquarter 2 (SE) Brigade visit to Ypres standing beside the Menin Gate
At present there are twenty two RAPTCIs within the Brigade AO.

I have been really pleased to see that they do the utmost for their dedication and commitment means that 2 Brigade’s units are
units. As I have your attention, I would like to commend them all well served by the Corps and my job is that little bit easier. Now,
for their outstanding work and all round contribution. Their help,
where’s my ticket? I’ve got a PDI to carry out in the Far East!

2ND AND 3RD BATTALION THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT BOXING TEAMS

Sgt (SI) J Stapleton and Sgt (SI) J McLellan RAPTC

T
here has always been a proud
and strong boxing history within
the Parachute Battalions with

considerable investment in their boxing
teams and boxing within the wider
Air Assault Brigade. The ethos of the
Regiment is epitomized within the sport of

boxing and the teams that represent the
Battalions.

The Teams of 2nd and 3rd Battalions Come out ighting
2 PARA v 2 RIFLES
The Parachute Regiment are currently

reaching the climax of what has been
an outstanding season for both teams.
The past six months has seen the sister
Battalions come together and co-operate

to form a ‘PARAS Elite’ Team which has
competed at a number of high proile
charity events. Having worked and trained
closely together, the teams then divided to

contest the Army Team Championships.
2 PARA v 2 RIFLES
Off to a good start – Featherweight KO
On 18 September the Parachute
Regiment boxed the Royal Marines in

a charity match; while it was all in aid
of a good cause the competition was
iercely built up and contested as the
two Cap Badges fought for their honour
and credibility. The proile and scale of

the event was huge, it took place at The
Brewery in Chiswell Street, London and
attracted a crowd of extremely passionate
and vocal supporters making for an

incredible atmosphere.

In an extremely hard and close fought
contest, the tensions continued to rise as
PARAS v RM
the competition was tied at the halfway
stage; after the interval the PARAS were
victorious in the last three bouts winning The PARAS Elite Team then went on to gyms and training regimes in preparation
the competition by ive bouts to three. In contest another charity event, this time to face each other in the Army Team

total, more than £40,000 was raised by against the MET Police in London which Championships. After a couple of late
the event which was split between the they won convincingly ive bouts to one.
withdrawals from the competition, there
Parachute Regiment’s Afghanistan Trust were six teams contesting the Army
and the Royal Marines Charitable Trust The Battalion’s Teams then parted Championships of which half were from
Fund.
company and returned to their respective
16 Air Assault Brigade.