Catherine, Princess of Wales made her first visit to the 1st Battalion Irish Guards on Wednesday, 8 March, since being named their Colonel and joined the soldiers in an exercise, in which they simulated a situation where they came under fire during a foot patrol.
The exercise involved one member of the regiment having to be evacuated from the scene after suffering a gunshot wound to his lower left leg, and Catherine then assisted Lance Corporal Jodie Newell by administering first aid and applying a tourniquet to the injured limb, before he was moved onto a stretcher and assessed for torso injuries.
As she applied the tourniquet – which is used to stop bleeding – the princess apologised and said: “It’s the first time I’ve done this”.
Jodie, 25, admitted it was amazing to have Catherine visit and said: “I was so nervous – I’m teaching the Princess of Wales med – it was an honour. We were just showing her what we medics do in the Army – she was actually really good, really eager to take part. She took it all in her stride, like she has done it before.”
She added: “It’s so nice to have a woman as our Colonel.”
Catherine’s visit to Irish Guards at the Salisbury Plain, Training Area in Wiltshire was particularly fitting on International Women’s Day that a few of their female soldiers met such an inspiring female role model, said Lieutenant Colonel Aldridge and added: “It is a real honour for all the guardsmen to meet their Royal Colonel in the field here on Salisbury Plain and demonstrate a few of our basic operational skills.”
During her visit, the princess – who wore green combat uniform showing her rank of colonel – was taken on a tour of the training area by Major General Christopher Ghika, commander of the Army in London and the Household Division, and Lieutenant Colonel James Aldridge, commander of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards.
Catherine also met guardsmen who had been deployed in Africa, where they carried out security duties and trained park rangers on counter-poaching operations.
She asked whether much of the training was around “education and building better relationships in their communities,” and was told their focus was to help the locals “take ownership of their training”.
The royal also received a briefing on counter-explosive ordnance, the de-mining training the Ukrainian armed forces have been receiving from the Irish Guards, as well as viewing various types of weapons used by the regiment.
Catherine later admitted she had had a “fantastic” day.
(Source: The Telegraph)
