HALF-way up an imposing, boulder-strewn hill steeped in naval history, 20 sailors reel in the South African heat.

Having arrived in Ladysmith primed for the gruelling Swartkop Challenge, the men from HMS Collingwood hauled their field gun to the top of the treacherous incline, writes Patrick Mostyn of Portsmouth Grammar School.

The men from the Fareham establishment were placed third out of five teams dragging guns up the hill near Ladysmith as British sailors had first done more than a century ago.

Ladysmith was besieged by the Boers for 118 days until reinforcements arrived.

Among attempts to break the ring of encirclement, 14 guns were hauled to the top of Swartkop during the Battle of Vaalkranz, a feat which has gone down in RN history.

More than a century on, it is sport not war which brings sailors to Ladysmith, dragging those same guns up that same hill for the present-day challenge.

In repeating the feats of those sailors in October 1899, the teams of 20 had to haul a 1,250 kg gun up a 120-metre course on a 1:1 gradient – 45˚.

Pitted against the team from Collingwood in the ascent of Wagon Hill were the Royal Highland Fusiliers, who went on to win, the South African Police from Ladysmith, the Natal Carbineers and the Natal Field Artillery.

The involvement of the Fareham team is a first for the establishment, home of warfare training in the Senior Service, and comes in the year of the centenary of the Royal Navy Field Gun.

The first competitive display of the field gun run, which became a mainstay of the Royal Tournament, was held in 1907 to commemorate the achievement  of 250 sailors from HMS Powerful eight years earlier.

The Collingwood team was headed by Lt Charlie Deal and geared up for the South African challenge with intense training which included practice runs with a 12-pdr gun at Queen Elizabeth Country Park near Petersfield.

That training seemed to have a very positive affect as the team broke the existing Navy record completing the course in 25m and 55s – about two minutes behind the winners.

Lt Deal congratulated her team: “The guys we took over were awesome, they really rose to the occasion.

“It was seriously hard work, with rocks and boulders all over it, and at that angle it’s difficult to walk up and down, let alone run.” 

Despite the traditional rivalry  between the RN and Army, the challenge provoked a certain level of camaraderie; the Collingwood team supported the Fusiliers in their assault of the course.

The result was what was described by Lt Deal as “a good UK effort” from the British forces as a whole.

Among those watching the challenge was former matelot Peter Brown, now chairman of Simon Town’s HMS Ganges Association, who was mightily impressed by the Collingwood team’s spirit.

“Although the Royal Navy men didn’t do as well as they had hoped, the mutual, enthusiastic vocal support between them and the Royal Highland Fusiliers was something never to be forgotten,” he added.

“The people at home can be very proud of the sheer guts and spirit shown by both the British teams as they hauled that gun up the 45-degree, boulder-strewn hill in scorching heat.”

The Collingwood team’s third place secured prize money of 3,000 Rand (£200) which was presented to the South African Children’s Trust, a charity with whom the sailors had worked earlier in their visit.

Celebrations of the Royal Navy Field Gun centenary continue on May 4 with a junior competition between younger members of the three Armed Forces, the Prince’s Trust and Network Rail.

Only one week will be allowed for training for the time trial.

The event, to be held in the shadow of HMS Victory, will be the biggest event in the run-up to the actual celebrations in June and will be open to the public to watch.