ARMY GIRLS ON BBC ALBA
Caileagan an Airm on BBC ALBA, 4th January at 9.40pm
Take four girls, give them automatic weapons, high explosives, combat training – and the challenge of making the grade as TA soldiers. Can they do it?
Four women endure a gruelling seven weeks of Army training in Caileagan an Airm (Army Girls), a new five-part series on BBC ALBA.
Maggie, Kirsteen, Heather, and Trudy signed up for the Territorial Army’s (TA) Summer Challenge. This is an action-packed training scheme that can take civilians to the same level of fitness and training as Regular Army soldiers. It qualifies TA soldiers to be mobilised for specialised training – training that could have them fighting in Afghanistan within weeks.
(left to right) Trudy McIver, Kirsteen Martin, Maggie Willoughby and Heather Forbes
Our Army Girls are:
Maggie Willoughby, from Staffin on Skye. At 43, Maggie is the oldest of the volunteers. She’s married with three sons Ruaraidh, Andrew and Iain.
Heather Forbes, from Farr, near Inverness. Heather is 27 and is a student at Sabhal Mor Ostaig.
Kirsteen Martin, from Glasgow, but with strong Skye connections. Kirsteen celebrated her 20th birthday during training and is a Physiology student at Glasgow University.
Trudy McIver, from Carloway on Lewis. Trudy is 20 and recently graduated with a degree in Community Education from Dundee University.
The four girls took on the Army’s Summer Challenge as recruits to the 71 Engineer Regiment, a TA unit based in Leuchars. Women are not permitted to join infantry regiments, but as Combat Engineers women can now serve on the frontline in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The girls endured basic and combat training at Cameron Barracks in Inverness, adventure training in the Cairngorm Mountains, and live firing and bayonet instruction at Fort George. They then faced specialised combat engineer instruction at Ripon, in Yorkshire, and demolitions training (with high explosives) at the Army firing ranges at Otterburn.
Brigadier David Allfrey, Commander of 51 Scottish Brigade said: "We are delighted to have BBC ALBA complete Caileagan an Airm on 2009's Summer Challenge and, in particular, the girls taking up the challenge of joining the Territorial Army. Summer Challenge provides a wonderful opportunity to put them through their basic training as TA recruits in a team.
“The whole course is underpinned by the Army's values and standards and very closely replicates the basic training undergone by Regular Army Recruits. The programme provides a real insight into how four very different women coped with the challenges of military training and we are delighted that the programme portrays this."
The Territorial Army is the British Army’s crucial reserve. Nearly one in ten of UK forces in Afghanistan is a reservist – trained to exactly the same levels as regulars. So did they make the grade or was it one summer challenge too far?
Caileagan an Airm has been produced by Caledonia TV and will be broadcast on BBC ALBA each Monday for five consecutive weeks starting Monday 4th January 2010 at 9.40pm.