THE Commander of 12 Mechanised Brigade Brigadier David Cullen led a party of seven soldiers taking part in an Open Canoeing Foundation course on the Kananaskis and Kootenay Rivers in the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia.

They were taught all the required skills, including capsizing, rescue drills and defensive swimming, to negotiate the fast-moving water. Once the training was complete, it was then on to the Kootenay River expedition, the route was 42km long with a mixture of grades 2 and 3 rapids.

With stunning scenery and bald eagles and the occasional golden eagle hovering overhead it was a memorable trip in their “bear proof” tents and peaceful evenings spent fishing and enjoying the fantastic night sky. The exercise ended with a day’s horse riding. Brigadier Cullen is soon to be posted to the MoD, where he will be responsible for a study into the Army’s future structure.