The LCpl James McCue Trophy, Airborne Craftsmen put to the test November 2024

Teamwork, ingenuity, and determination were put to the test in a demanding competition between Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) soldiers in the British Army’s global response force.

Colchester-based 16 Air Assault Brigade held a competition for its REME soldiers - who are responsible for maintaining and repairing vehicles and equipment - to celebrate their role and identity and the Corps’ patron saint, St Eligius.

Thursday’s (28 Nov) competition at Merville Barracks saw six teams put through their paces with a two-mile march in full kit carrying a 36lb rucksack, a five-mile stretch on rowing machines, and then a two-mile run back to the start point.

A ‘Scrapheap Challenge’-style test of engineering skills saw soldiers design and construct a catapult from scrap materials, able to be carried or pushed around a 400-metre circuit to then launch a projectile.

8 Field Company (Para) REME were judged the winners and presented with the Lance Corporal James McCue Trophy, named in honour of a REME soldier killed while serving with 16 Air Asslt Bde in Iraq in 2003.

 8 Fd Coy (Para) REME’s Craftsman Ben Webb, a vehicle mechanic, said: “It’s been an enjoyable event and we’re very happy to win and have the bragging rights across the Brigade! It’s been good to get everyone together and build connections with REME soldiers in other units. We work in different units doing the same job to the same end, but now we’re more of a team.”

Brigade Electrical and Mechanical Engineer Major Billy Connolly said the aim of the competition was “to celebrate who we are and what we do as Airborne REME soldiers. This event is about bringing us together to build the team spirit needed to succeed on operations,” he said. “Our job as REME soldiers is to repair damaged and broken equipment and get it back in the fight as quickly as possible, and everyone has shown the technical skills, physical robustness and teamwork needed to achieve that.”

St Eligius is a 7th Century Frankish goldsmith turned priest and courtier, made a saint in recognition of his care for the poor. He is also the patron saint of goldsmiths, metalworkers, coin collectors, veterinarians, and horses and his feast day is celebrated on 1 December.