Mountain high for Army medics

WE did it . . . Rob Mercer (second from the right) and colleagues at the summit of Mount Toubkal Picture: John Hewitt

AN OLDHAM Army medic scaled new heights to prove his fitness by conquering North Africa’s highest mountain.

Rob Mercer (45) was one of a dozen Territorial Army medics to undertake a gruelling 62-mile trek in the High Atlas Mountains of Morocco.

Rob, a combat medical technician with Manchester’s 207 Field Hospital, climbed in blistering heat, before reaching the summit of Mount Toubkal — a dizzying 13,671ft high.

The trek, a tough training expedition designed to improve their skills as soldiers, took place over nine days and visited some of the most remote Moroccan Berber villages, some without electricity.

The team showed nerves of steel to navigate swollen rivers and washed-away paths. Rob, who has been in the TA for 10 years, said: “I joined the trek to improve my navigational and leadership skills.

“It was strange seeing mud houses with electricity and satellite dishes, Morocco is developing very quickly. The locals have been really friendly and it has been great being able to talk to them through our local guide.”

Rob, who works as a driver and installer for a vending machine company, is married to Susan and has two daughters, Sarah (19) and Lucy (16).

Adventure training expeditions are a key component of the British Army training regime as they test soldiers’ abilities to adapt, lead and work as a team in unfamiliar environments — and are tremendous experiences.

The soldiers completed a year of training climbs in the UK in preparation and arrived in Marrakech to temperatures of 107F and lightning storms, torrential rain and hail.

The 207 (Manchester) Field Hospital (Volunteers) is one of 11 Territorial Army field hospitals whose role is to provide medical support to UK Forces on operations overseas.
It ran the British Military Hospital in Iraq for part of 2004 and have also provided manpower to the British Military Hospital in Afghanistan since the start of UK operations there.

Based in Stretford, it is run by staff from local NHS and private hospitals who want an extra challenge in their life.

They use their clinical skills to save the lives of injured British soldiers while enhancing their leadership skills and personal fitness.

Anyone interested in joining up should contact 0161-232 4985 or e-mail tamedical@btconnect.com.