Nicholas plays it cool away from the heat of battle...

ON the slopes: Nicholas in action. Picture: Army Staff Sgt Ian Houlding

FROM Middle East combat to skiing down snow-covered slopes — an Oldham soldier has experienced the extremes of military life.

Kingsman Nicholas Howells (19) has gone from serving in Afghanistan to honing his military skills in the freezing environment of the snow-capped French Alps.

The teenager, who serves with the 1st Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, was one of 300 soldiers to compete in the Army skiing contest Exercise Pipedown, organised by 1 (UK) Armoured Division in the French Alpine town of Les Contamines de Montjoie near Mont Blanc.

The former Blue Coat School student, who moved to Oldham from Cape Town with his parents when he was 12, took part in the Alpine event after learning how to ski with the Army.

Nicholas, who joined the Army in 2008 and served in Afghanistan in 2010, said: “I skied for the first time in Norway last year during an Army training course. The competition has gone really well.

“I love the competitive side to it, the rush that you get.”

Exercise Pipedown is part of the British Army’s programme of winter sports and provides an important opportunity to hone skills.

This year’s event offered Alpine events and Nordic cross country.

Alpine skiing is one of the most popular disciplines for military people, and is widely regarded as one of the most physically demanding sports.

Nicholas, who finished 25th out of 77 said: “This is the best thing I have done in the Army. Exercises like this build your confidence and make you into a better team player. It takes courage — we have worked hard to get here.”

Physical and mental strength is tested to the limit in individual and team events, including a 10km Biathlon sprint, a 4 x 10km relay, slaloms, downhill skiing and a 20km military patrol race, designed to test soldiers in essential military skills.