Mauchline MP Alan Brown recently brushed up on his survival skills by taking part in military exercise training at a base in Norway.
As part of the Armed Forces Personnel Scheme, Mr Brown, along with other cross-party MPs, visited a new base for more than 500 personnel of the Royal Marine Commandos.
The representative for Kilmarnock and Loudoun was taught survival skills by the Marines in Arctic conditions.
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Some of these included making fire from scratch, gutting and cooking fish and sleeping in a snow hole.
Speaking about his visit and training, Mr Brown said: “We visited the new base for some of the regiments and squadrons of three Commando Brigade Royal Marines.
“It was fascinating seeing the way they operate and the harsh conditions they are training to survive in.
“They are training to operate as guerilla warriors in the case of say, Russia, invading Norway - or elsewhere.
“They are based within the Arctic Circle, and I even had the ‘pleasure’ of sleeping in a snow hole for a night which was an experience".
He continued: “We were shown survival skills and it is incredible the stamina these guys have and that they train to live in the Arctic conditions for weeks.
“We can only hope that they are not required to be deployed properly.
“The guerilla tactics they are experts in are what many of the Ukrainians will be undertaking right now.
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