A Territorial Army (TA) sergeant from Ewell has received an award for his work with the 135 Independent Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers.

Sergeant Jerome Batterbee, a 43-year-old IT manager who has been a member of the Territorial Army for 24 years, received the annual Squadron Endeavour Award last week in recognition of his outstanding and loyal support to the squadron throughout the year.

The squadron provides geographic support to the military such as surveying, terrain analysis, the production of maps and geographic products and their distribution.

Mr Batterbee’s award came as the Government announced proposals to cut 19,000 regular soldiers and double the size of the TA from 14,000 to 30,000 by 2020, trained more readily for front line service.

As a trained member of the TA, members can be called upon to serve on the front line under the Reserve Forces Act 1996.

Sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Surveyors for the past 30 years, the award was presented by the company’s master, Mr Robert Bould FRICS.

Mr Bould said: "It is my pleasure to award this year’s Endeavour Award to Sergeant Jerome Batterbee.

"He exemplifies all that is good about a reservist and with his devotion and diligence continues the long tradition of excellence that we have come to expect from 135".

Sergeant Batterbee said: "I joined the TA when I was 19 years old and so the TA has been a big part of my adult life.

"I'm very honoured and humbled to receive this award which is real recognition from my peers and superiors of the contribution that I make to the squadron".

Over the course of his TA career, Sergeant Batterbee was deployed to Iraq in 2003 as well as a spending two years at a recruit training centre.

The 135 Independent Geographic Squadron Royal Engineers are based in Welbeck Close, Ewell.

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