11 UTC Year 12 headed off to HMS Collingwood for the annual Navy Junior Leaders Field Gun Competition.

What an amazing competition day from start to finish!

VIPS from across the forces and schools arrived and the crews nerves escalated.

A couple of practice sessions soon put these at ease and they were ready for action!

The parade went well with injured crew riding on the box or gun so that they could take part.

Our first heat of the day was hard with the other crews piling on the pressure but they got through it smoothly and unscathed. No penalties meant that our N0.1 Trainer got to march back in with the crew – a great honour in field Gun.

The 2nd heat went really well with the crew giving 110% from start to finish. However we did incur a 3 second penalty for a misfire and dropped shell.

We then had (what felt like) the longest wait to see where we would be competing in the finals or if our competition was over…..

Then the news – we missed the top 4 final by the merest margin but we were in the plate final so whatever happened we were finishing top 8!!!

The tension at the start of the plate final was incredible.

We were facing 2 service crews (serving phase one recruits) and Peterborough UTC.

It was neck and neck all the way to the first firings when UTC WARRIORS seemed to find a whole new gear. They flew through the second half of the course and finished about a third of a track in front of the rest!!! No penalties so UTC WARRIORS had won the Plate Final and finished 5th overall!!

The pride from both the crew, myself and the trainers was overwhelming and indescribable.

So after a week of blood, sweat and tears from all, the crew had gone from 23 individuals who had never seen a Field Gun up close to a team that would do anything to succeed for each other.

What an achievement and well done UTC WARRIORS!!!