Soldiers compete at global precision drill contest

Soldiers from around the world travelled to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to compete in a marching contest.

The All-Arms International Pace Sticking Competition is said to be the ultimate test of uniformity, dress and movement and saw teams from Berkshire pit their skills against teams from as far afield as Pakistan, Oman, Bahrain and, for the first time, Iraq.

Held in pouring rain on Thursday, soldiers had to stick to a pace of 30in (75cm), the length of the standard international marching pace.

Pakistan's team won the international trophy, while a team from the Grenadier Guards took the home trophy.

The competition involved teams of four, with one leading as a driver, executing precision drill in as perfect synchronisation as possible.

L/Cpl Sam Showell, from Sandhurst, said: "When we've been practising, the Omani team and the Pakistan team have come up, helped us coach.

"We've shared a few coaching points with each other, things to look out for, and even got to a point where they asked us to walk alongside them and critique their drill, and they did exactly the same with us."

Maj Haider Gulzar, of the Pakistan Military Academy, said: "For many, they might see pace sticking as a display of ceremonial and drill excellence.

"But soldiers who can think as one, soldiers who can move as one and act as one, they're bound to deliver well in every military endeavour they are going to encounter."