Telling the Tale of the TDS, BATUK

Telling the Tale of the TDS

The view out over the fleet with Fleet Mt Kenya in the background

Scribe: Lt Coleing (5 FS Bn REME)

Nestled in the foothills of Africa’s second tallest mountain, British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) enjoys breath taking views as its diverse workforce prepares to set a standard of excellence in light role training. With the largest B fleet in the Army and a multitude of exercises to deliver, the men and woman of the workshop are rarely short of opportunities to practice their trades on a wide range of platforms from pistols to plant and Oshkosh. Working collaboratively with Locally Employed Civilians (LECs) to develop engineering skills and provide Equipment Support, tradesmen and women from all over the Corps work against the clock to ensure the British Army remains ready to operate anywhere on the globe.

Petting, Cfn Ward stroking an appreciative cheetah

It is said that balance is the key to happiness and a deployment to BATUK is certainly not all about work! The camp itself has undergone extensive improvements over the last few years and now boasts excellent accommodation, messes, gym facilities, a bar and a cinema to enjoy during evenings and downtime, but the really exceptional prospects lay on the other side of the gates. Nanyuki, BATUK’s hometown, is a bustling and friendly city full of restaurants, shops, traders and bars sited on the equator and surrounded by national parks and conservancies bursting with wildlife. With such awesome geographical features so close to camp, regular Adventurous Training packages are regularly organised for permanent and Temporary Duty Staff (TDS) that see service persons partake in an array of activities from canyoneering (cliff jumping into fast moving rivers), climbing Mt Kenya and mountain bike safaris. Another hugely rewarding and varied opportunity available to all BATUK personnel is the chance to work with the Community Engagement team to improve the lived experience of Kenyan locals and British service persons alike whilst enhancing the relationship with our host nation. With so much to do, the overriding consensus from those who grasp opportunities, is that time really does fly in Kenya!

When considering where I wanted to deploy for my EMELt detachment, the wide range of equipment, geographical location, mixed workforce (LEC and Military), multi capbadge environment and insight to Collective Training Group (CTG) offered by BATUK secured it as the top spot on my wish list. Amidst a Covid environment, where travelling seemed a distance memory, I was ecstatic to learn that I had secured an eight-week detachment to Kenya. Once I’d arrived and completed the FHPM quarantine period, I

The ancient tortoise

Cpl Morris feeding an endangered Bongo

set about capitalising on the multitude of learning opportunities presented by the Wksp as they prepared the massive fleet for the upcoming exercises. The unique training and support environment in BATUK enabled me to witness aspects of first, second and third line support as well as many personnel management challenges not present in the UK. Outside of work, I ensured that I made full use of my time in Kenya by indulging in a lodge visit, community engagement project, visits to local businesses and many wildlife spotting excursions on the area. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with BATUK, learned loads and would encourage anyone to seize the chance to deploy to this awesome place!

Adventurous Training

by LCpl Needham (2 CS Bn REME)

Since arriving in Kenya, many of the workshop have got away on Adventurous Training by speaking to local companies like Rift Valley Adventures and Savage Wilderness who cater to BATUK. Cpl Leyland, Cfn Ward and I took advantage of this opportunity to enjoy a twoday package at Rift Valley. During the Package we had the opportunity to push our limits and enjoy new sports such as, Archery, Mountain Biking, Abseiling, Rock Climbing and Canyoneering. The Canyoneering is a new sport for most soldiers who go on the AT course and it certainly was for us. The day started with a hike through the beautiful Ndare Forest down to a valley, where we spent the day doing high free fall jumps into the Canyon pools. To round it all off, we finished with an 85 foot abseil down a waterfall. It was awesome! During our time at Rift Valley, we also had a tribal introduction with a member of the Masai Tribe. Where we learnt some history of the tribe and got to practice survival and hunting skills by taking part in spear throwing, traditional archery and fire starting from elephant manure. The two-day course was an outstanding experience and I would recommend it to any soldiers during their time at BATUK. It was a great chance to get out into the local area and try new experiences you wouldn’t get to do back in the UK.

Leopard lazing in a tree

Culture, by Cpl Morris (3 Med Regt LAD)

Just a few weeks after arriving in BATUK, we organised a Cultural visit to the local Mount Kenya Wildlife Centre which is a short drive from Nyati Bks. Not only was it an opportunity to get out of work for the afternoon, but also a chance for the TDS and Permanent staff to bond before a busy exercise period begins. When we arrived, we were split down, and each group had our own personal guide who told us all about the animals we were seeing (and feeding). There were so many different animals, but a few stand out points would be a giant roaming Warthog, a 100-year-old Tortoise, monkeys that would sit on your shoulder for bananas and an ostrich that followed us around. After the sanctuary we managed to have a nice sit down meal and then sampled the local nightlife which included some terrible renditions on a Karaoke machine.

Maasai Hippo The playground that the Workshop are in the process of building for a local orphanage

Maasai Elephants

Community Engagement, by Sgt Watson (2 CS Bn REME)

While being posted to BATUK, there are lots of opportunities to be involved in community engagement. This ranges from going to a local orphanage, engaging a local team at sport or visiting one of many animal sanctuaries. Sadly, Covid has complicated many of these activities of late but there are still many opportunities to help out. Many of the government run orphanages in the local area struggle financially and BATUK personnel have helped out in a variety of different ways in the past. Everything from helping serve food, painting walls, donating sports equipment and installing permanent structures for their play area. The REME Workshop is currently working on a Jungle Gym for one of the orphanages. So far, the metalsmith has finished putting together the superstructure which consists of a rectangular tower with some benches underneath, two swings, monkey bars, a ladder and a fireman’s pole. We are also engaging with local shops to acquire the resources to finish off the project. Once we have the rest of the materials, the rest of the Workshop with help in fitting the wooden panels, attaching the swings and painting the finished product. Finally, once the Jungle Gym is completed, we will deliver it to the orphanage as a team and secure it safely on their grounds.

Advanced Driving, by Sgt Watson

Whilst at BATUK, there is an advance driving course all serving personnel as well as family members living out in Kenya can enrol in. Currently it’s run by a local company in Nairobi, Glen Edmunds Advanced Driving. This is a great opportunity to further your knowledge in driving and how to properly control a vehicle at different speeds and on difficult terrain. They start off with basic things like forward and rear slaloming through cones so you can get a feel of your vehicle. Eventually you’ll be driving at high speeds and having to deal with obstacles such as a child in the road or the vehicle in front of you slamming on their brakes. This is all done on both concrete roads and dirt tracks helping you understand how your surrounding will affect the vehicle. There is a basic off-roading section that will help you understand your vehicles limits and strengths and hopefully help you on Kenya’s many dirt tracks. Another part of the course teaches you the proper mindset to develop threat recognition and gain skills on how to successfully identify, avoid and or counter a potential threat. This relates specifically to carjacking and other potential attacks while mobile in Kenya. Once you’ve learned these new skills, you’ll have to navigate their course while safely trying to escape and evade the hazards along the way. Overall, it’s a great course with skills you will use long after you leave Kenya.

Maasai Mara by Cpl ‘DAF’ Leyland (6 Regt RLC LAD)

In mid-August we set off early from Nairobi on a long drive out to the Maasai Mara. Upon arrival at the reserve we, and many other vehicles, queued to get access while women from the Maasai tribe offered to sell us trinkets and the warriors looked on holding their spears and wearing their traditional attire. A short drive later, we reached our lodge and had time to settle into our cabins taking a quick dip in the pool before setting off on our first safari drive. A few minutes in, we were greeted by grazing zebra and just around the next bend we caught a glimpse of the great migration. Thousands of wildebeest dotted across the landscape and herding across the road in front of us. Across the two days, we also saw cheetahs hunting, hyenas feeding, giraffes, lion cubs, a leopard lazing in a tree and lions fornicating. We headed down to the river and although we unfortunately didn’t see any wildebeest crossing, we managed to see lots of hippos and crocs before heading back on our return journey.

Maasai Lion

Production by SSgt Lobley (5 FS Bn REME)

BATUK has an aging and well used vehicle fleet consisting of approximately 900 platforms. The green aspect ranges from your standard Land Rover TUM FFR and Pinzgauers to the many variations of the SV fleet while the white fleet consisting of Land Rover Defenders, Toyota Prados, Landcruisers and Hiluxs. With a Military workforce of 22, consisting of 8 x Permanent Staff and 14 x TDS, managing 42 x Kenyan Support Staff (KSS) over 3 production lines, an inspections cell and HQ element, working in BATUK has been an experience unlike anywhere else I have worked in my career so far. With plenty of production to be done, a workforce unlike any other and opportunities around every corner all set in a breath-taking environment, a 6-month TDS appointment to BATUK is an awesome opportunity for all.

Maasai Zebras