At the end of October 5 Riflemen were among 18 volunteers who attempted to climb Mount Kilimanjaro the highest free standing mountain in the world.  The group were raising money for Help For Heroes and included Bryan Parry and Emma Parry the founders of Help for Heroes.  Bryn who served in the Royal Green Jackets was persuaded to take part in the challenge by 3 members of the 4th Bn The RIFLES, "When we set up Help for Heroes we knew we would face mental challenges we had no idea we would face physical challenges as well."

 

The challengers took 7 days to get to the summit, standing at 5895m it is 700m higher than Everest's Base Camp.  Once the group went above 3500m individuals started to experience the effects of altitude, with head aches, loss of appetite and vomiting.  The challengers took 7 days to get to the summit to give themselves the maximum amount of time to acclimatise to the altitude before the assault on the summit.  During the ascent the mountain throw just above everything it could at the challengers, from snow and sleet to torrential rain and flash floods.

 

Among the Riflemen were, LCpl Jonathon Le Galloudec, 4 RIFLES, who was shot in the spine in Basra in 2007, he was told he would never walk again, "I wanted to challenge myself, to prove that I could do it."  He was accompanied by Cpl Tony Burbidge, 4 RIFLES, who is currently posted to ATR Winchester, Cpl Burbidge was also shot in Iraq in 2007, in the arm.  "I knew how much it meant to Jon to get to the top. That was all the motivation I needed."

 

Accompanying his parents was Lt Tom Parry, 2 RILFES, who had literally just returned from Op HERRICK 11, he had been allow to take part in the challenge by his Commanding Officer before returning to the Battalion for its medal's parade.  CSjt Stewart 'Frenchie' Le Couilliard, 4 RIFLES, was on the challenge to assist John Sandford-Hart a lower leg amputee, unfortunately CSjt Le Couilliard suffered from severe D and V the day before the assault on the summit and had to remain in the camp, the medical staff were amazed at how far he made in the condition he was in.

 

Capt Matt Helsby, 3 RIFLES, was also on the challenge, working as part of the Army News Team, sending back footage to the UK media, to keep them up to date with the challenge as it happened.  "I don't think any of us really give the mountain enough respect before hand, I'll never underestimate a hill again."

 

The challengers made their final assault on the summit leaving their camp at 0001 hrs, the climbed for five and a half hours before reaching the edge of the crater at Stella Point, during this ascent 2 of the volunteers had to turn back due to the effects of altitude.  Once at the crater rim there was still and hours walk to get to the summit at Uhuru 5895m.Cpl Burbidge said, "it was emotional, very emotional, I didn't think it was going to be that difficult".  The conditions were freezing with temperatures around -17 degrees, with the summit covered in an icy mist. LCpl Le Galloudec said "I thought learning to walk again was hard, but this was something else."

The members of the challenge hope to have raised over £100,000 for Help For Heroes, for all of them, especially those who had been injured they fulfilled a personal challenge.  What the Riflemen and the other disabled members of the challenge also did was show to others who have been injured in the line of duty that life doesn't end with a disability and there are still challenges to take on.