Emily Lewis (Talbot 2005 – 2009)

Old Ellesmerian Emily Lewis graduated from the Army Foundation College in Harrogate having successfully completed fifty weeks of Military Training coupled with Vocational Education and Leadership and Initiative Training. Having achieved the rank of Junior Lance Corporal, Emily was one of six hundred and eighty Junior Soldiers who graduated at a Passing Out Parade on 12 August 2010 who will now make the transition to their respective Regiments and Phase Two Training. Her experiences in the Army Section of the CCF at Ellesmere College were influential in Emily making the Army her chosen career.

Princess Anne, Colonel in Chief of The Royal Signals was the reviewing officer for the parade and made presentations to prize winning Junior Soldiers. Emily was awarded the AGC Trophy, an award made to the best Adjutant’s General Corps Junior Soldier, a soldier who has “demonstrated leadership and command, contributed fully to their section and platoon and judged as being the best overall example of a junior soldier of that cap badge.”

Always willing to take part and try her best, Emily found the qualities gained from Ellesmere invaluable and applied equal enthusiasm to Army life. During her year at the Army College, Emily participated in Skiing in Italy, immersed herself in a Water Polo and Swimming Tour to Malta, gained her hockey colours and Captained a Hockey Tour to the Blackpool Easter Hockey Festival, improved her horse riding and horse management skills, won her first ‘Try a Triathlon,’ met the challenges of Battle Camp, tactical training exercises, early morning runs and tabs, completed chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear training along with rifle range exercises and military drill, and learnt to iron and bull shoes…! One of the highlights for Emily was an endurance competition in her final weeks at the college where platoon teams swam two hundred widths of the swimming pool, leopard crawled, ran log runs, equipment carries and fireman carries, and pulled a coach across the parade square.

Emily and fellow Junior Soldiers have not avoided thinking about the seriousness of becoming adult soldiers and during a visit to the war graves of Northern France were able to pay their respects and develop an understanding of the realities of war. Charities supporting soldiers and their families in times of current conflict have benefited from the college’s fund raising efforts and while preparing for their responsibilities as they enter a career in the British Army, Emily joined her platoon in a sponsored parachute jump raising over £5,000 for The Army Benevolent Fund.

5th October 2012  Back to Where are they now?