TWO teenage Huddersfield soldiers have been outstanding during their training.

Seventeen-year-old sappers Allen Maguire (pictured) and James Gibson both gained distinctions for aspects of their training and received engraved pewter tankards at their passing-out parade. Both serve with the Corps Of Royal Engineers, joined the army in July and have just completed their basic training at the Army Training Regiment at Bassingbourn in Hertfordshire.

During the 20-week course they did physical training, first aid, survival techniques and marksmanship. They spent two weeks adventure training in Crowborough, Kent, where they learned to rock climb, abseil, canoe and navigate using a map and compass. They also spent two days on a battlefield tour to France where they explored the Somme battlefields.

Allen and James are now continuing their training at the Royal School of Military Engineering near Camberley in Surrey. Allen, a former pupil of King James's School in Almondbury, won his tankard for best endeavour in his platoon training. James, a former pupil of Royds Hall High School, Paddock, won his tankard for best shot in his training platoon.