Bob
26th April 2005, 00:15
Lance Corporals Julie Jones and Stephanie McGinn, 26 have joined the Royal Signals White Helmets display team - the first ever lower-ranking female soldiers to wear the headgear.
In order to join the elite team and perform on their 30 Triumph Tiger 750cc machines, Jones and McGinn had to complete a three-month training course.
Lance Corporal McGinn’s acceptance into the team is made all the more remarkable when you consider she had never ridden a motorcycle before taking training! said "I had never ridden a motorcycle before entering the team so it was quite a challenge."
The 30 riders of the display team are all Royal Signals soldiers, who provide communication systems for Army operations.
Only two other female officers have worn the traditional headgear since the White Helmets were founded in 1921; Captain Kyra McAnulty, who left the team in 2002, and Captain Lisa Giles, who left in 1998.
In order to join the elite team and perform on their 30 Triumph Tiger 750cc machines, Jones and McGinn had to complete a three-month training course.
Lance Corporal McGinn’s acceptance into the team is made all the more remarkable when you consider she had never ridden a motorcycle before taking training! said "I had never ridden a motorcycle before entering the team so it was quite a challenge."
The 30 riders of the display team are all Royal Signals soldiers, who provide communication systems for Army operations.
Only two other female officers have worn the traditional headgear since the White Helmets were founded in 1921; Captain Kyra McAnulty, who left the team in 2002, and Captain Lisa Giles, who left in 1998.