Trainee submariners from HM Naval Base Clyde have won the inter services Junior Leaders Field Gun competition at the first time of asking.

Twenty sailors from the base's submarine Basic Qualification Course became the first submarine team to enter the competition and the first ever Royal Navy team to win the inter services event.

The competition which takes place annually at HMS Collingwood in Hampshire, aims to promote the key military values amongst its team members of courage, commitment, discipline, integrity and loyalty.

It is open to teams of Phase II trainees from across the Royal Navy, Army and RAF and universities and colleges. Therefore, those taking part have completed their initial military training and are now getting ready for their specialist roles in their chosen service.

Warrant Officer 1 Coxswain Tony Care, the submarine flotilla's Executive Warrant Officer said: “The team’s success was not only down to their hard work and commitment, but by their preparation and guidance provided by Flag Officer Sea Training and HMS Neptune colleagues based here in Scotland.

“Our team had an amazing week, and I am very proud of the positive comments and observations made an=bout the attitude of our men and women by my fellow participating Warrant Officers from the Army and RAF.”

The winning team members are currently working towards qualifying as Vanguard Class submariners. Once complete they will serve at sea before undertaking a rigorous examination board designed to test their knowledge of all the vital systems on the submarine.

To qualify as a submariner, sailors demonstrate an intimate and instinctive knowledge of more than 30 complex engineering systems, which operate their nuclear submarine and keep its crew safe.

The physically demanding Field Gun Competition is a tradition which has its roots in 1899 and the second Boer War.