PARATROOPERS have been testing themselves on rough terrain in preparation for the possibility of fighting insurgents.

Some 120 soldiers from A Company, 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment trained on the granite peaks around the Col de Vergio on the French island of Corsica.

In its role as the British Army’s airborne rapid reaction force, the regiments must be able to operate in any environment.

Lieutenant James Robson, 24, said: “As a high readiness force it’s important that we can operate in any environment that we may be sent to.

“Mountains are popular area for insurgents to base themselves in because it’s inhospitable terrain that’s easy to defend and regular forces may be reluctant to pursue them into. This training is giving us the skills to find the enemy and defeat them.

“The key to operating in the mountains is having confidence, to trust the equipment and that everyone is working together for each other’s safety.” 

During the two-week exercise, which runs until Sunday, paratroopers will test and adapt their navigation, field craft and navigation skills.

Lance Corporal Lewis Alexander, 23 from Harrogate, added: “Corsica is a tough environment with steep mountains and hard ground underfoot, and its hot during the day and cold at night.

"Coming here on exercise has been a really good challenge and experience, because it’s all very different.

“I’ve climbed on an indoor wall before, but it’s something else to come out into the mountains and climb using military equipment.

"We’ve gone through the basic skills needed to climb safely, and then put that into practice in the mountains.

"We’ve climbed cliffs, putting gear into cracks to fix ropes for safety, and then finished with a 70m abseil.”

The exercise is using training areas belonging to 2 PARA’s French partner 2e Regiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2e REP).

The British and French soldiers joined together for 2e REP’s celebration of St Michael’s Day, the patron saint of paratroopers.

As the Airborne Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (ACJEF), 16 Air Assault Brigade and 11e Brigade Parachutiste maintain an operational partnership which stands at high readiness to deploy on contingency operations ranging from war fighting to disaster relief.