Arctic is snow problem for Sheffield Marine
Royal Marine Tom Hudson, from Sheffield, took part in an exercise in the frozen Arctic
FREEZING conditions have given a Sheffield Royal Marine a tough test.
Tom Hudson, aged 20, a former pupil of City School, Richmond, is set to return to the UK at the end of the month after being deployed to the Arctic Circle for the first time for extreme winter training.
Marine Hudson has been in Norway for the past three months as part of an annual cold weather exercise.
The training at Asegarden, Norway, helps Marines learn how to move, survive and fight in the harsh winter environment to test men and equipment to maximum capacity.
Tom said: “The time I have spent in Norway is different from anywhere else I have trained. The weather and environment is the most challenging I have encountered.”
The exercise involved living in conditions where temperatures decrease to -30C while trying to sleep in a brushwood shelter and hunting for game.
As well as just surviving, the Royal Marines had to march for miles on snowshoes while carrying up to 30kg of kit, climb out of rapidly freezing waters safely and then still be alert enough to fight.
The trip – called Exercise Cetus 13 – involved 135 Royal Marines, Dutch and Norwegian troops.
The exercise culminated in a battle against Norwegian counterparts at a formidable relic of the Third Reich.
Batterie Theo – today known as Trondesnes Fort – was part of the Atlantic Wall, the chain of defences built by the Germans from Biscay to the North Cape to defend occupied Norway.
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Weather for Sheffield
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 3 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 4 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: North east
