The Duchess of Edinburgh Competition has taken place on the Sandhurst Estate in Surrey, hosted by the Royal Army Medical Service (RAMS) and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh emerges from a tent after observing a simulated drone strike scenario, one of the tasks in the day’s competition.
Multi-role Medical Regiment soldiers confer over the medical instructions they had just been given following a simulated drone strike.
(Left-Right) Personnel from 3 Medical Regiment, Second Lieutenant Carter, Staff Sergeant Wells, Private Scott, Private Hipkins, Private Watton, Private Buckley, Private Cairns and Private Burns, completing the first test of the day, traversing a pool in full kit before performing CPR on the far side in front of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh.
The annual tournament, formerly The Countess of Wessex Cup, tests teams over five scored events, which this year included swimming and lifesaving challenges, completing an arduous obstacle course, taking part in a medical triage and treat task followed by a 400-metre stretcher race.
Today has given us the opportunity to come together, to compete and to make friends with the other Corps and services that the Duchess is affiliated with.
The competition also featured a command task, putting team members' critical thinking to the test.
Breezy, autumnal weather greeted Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, who spent the day watching the 10 teams compete.
All elements were designed to prove physical, cognitive and teamwork abilities.
And to end the day all teams were up against the clock for the final event. The task, to build a 12X10 tent, dismantle it, pack it up and race to the finish line.
Building friendship and unity across services
Helen Winder, Corps Colonel, Royal Army Medical Service, said:
“Today has given us the opportunity to come together, to compete and to make friends with the other Corps and services that the Duchess is affiliated with.
"Equally, they've come from all around the country, indeed all around the world. And so, an opportunity to come together, to work together and to bond is incredibly important.”
The Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force were all represented. as were the Canadian Army who entered two teams.
The occasion also provided Her Royal Highness with an opportunity to chat with officers and soldiers from the Units, all of which she has an association with.
This has been fantastic. There’s a great spirit of camaraderie, some great competition, and our people and their skills are being stretched too. This isn't an individual competition; the whole team has to start and finish together. it is challenging, it is stressful.”
As well as being Colonel-in-Chief to the Royal Corps of Army Music, 1 Royal Irish and The Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, The Duchess of Edinburgh is Deputy Colonel-in-Chief to RAMS, Royal Colonel of 5th Battalion The Rifles, and Lady Sponsor of HMS Daring. She also has the honorary title of Air Commodore, Royal Air Force, Wittering.
Her Royal Highness is also Colonel-in-Chief to two Canadian regiments – the South Alberta Light Horse and the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
International teams demonstrate months of preparation
Lieutenant Colonel Phil Dyson, Commanding Officer of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, from Ontario, Canada said:
“This has been fantastic. There’s a great spirit of camaraderie, some great competition, and our people and their skills are being stretched too. This isn't an individual competition; the whole team has to start and finish together, it is challenging, it is stressful.
“The team has been training all summer long for this. I’m proud of them all, they've performed very well under pressure.”
Testing medical skills under pressure
One of the most testing aspects of the day for personnel was the medical challenge where, in total darkness, Units had to triage and treat casualties and then simulate a stretcher evacuation over distance.
Captain Lizzie Willis. 144 Parachute Medical Squadron,16 Medical Regiment explains:
“We got a group of six casualties, who were to be cared for by the different groups as they came into the tent.
“We wanted to make this as realistic as possible, so we got some actors who played double amputees and people with chest or head injuries.
“Teams go in, treat the casualties, rank them in the order of priority, and then evacuate them. There's a lot of adrenaline going on in there. It's dark, there's a lot of noise, and it’s all very disorientating. It’s a really good experience to get non medics into this environment and let them experience what we do.”
At the end of the competition, just three points separated the top three teams.
Final results:
1st 1 Multi-Role Medical Regiment
2nd RAF Wittering
3rd 1 Royal Irish
4th Royal Corps of Army Music
5th 3 Medical Regiment
6th 8 Training Battalion REME
7th South Alberta Light Horse. Alberta, Canada.
8th 5th Battalion The Rifles
9th HMS Daring
10th Lincoln and Welland Regiment. Ontario. Canada
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