Captain Andrew Clarke of Kingsbury 'elated' after jungle marathon for Help for Heroes (From Harrow Times)

Captain Andrew Clarke of Kingsbury 'elated' after jungle marathon for Help for Heroes

9:00am Sunday 30th January 2011 in News By David Hardiman

A TERRITORIAL Army officer from Kingsbury has fought his way through Brazil's jungle in a marathon to raise money for wounded soldiers.

Captain Andrew Clarke, who usually works in Algeria for BP, raised £7,500 for the Help for Heroes charity by taking part in the gruelling 222km Jungle Marathon in the Amazon.

The soldier, who is Second in Command of 131 Independent Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (Volunteers), had to battle against extreme heat and humidity in the six-stage race, which is billed as one of the toughest 'ultra-marathons' in the world.

He said: “It was an amazing experience and not bad for my first ultra. There were lots of like-minded people doing it so it was brilliant. Afterwards I was a mix of tired and elated.

“But when I'd had a decent meal and a few beers I felt knackered. Huge thanks goes to those who have supported and sponsored me.

“It was great to raise money for Help for Heroes, who are close to my heart after being with the TA – they're doing great work and they do it on a shoestring budget.

“I am thrilled to have raised such a substantial amount for such a worthwhile cause and I’d also like to thank my employer, BP, for their significant contribution.”

Parts of the Amazon jungle are home to a large population of snakes and jaguars, and can only be navigated during daylight. Wasps, ticks and leeches were also keen to hinder Capt Clarke's progress.

Having completed the six-day trek, carrying 15kg of weight while wading through creeks and swamps, he came 13th out of 82 participants and was delighted by his performance.

He added: “It was all the more poignant as two days after returning from the race, I received the sad news about my former colleague Sergeant Craig Gadd, who lost his leg to an improvised explosive device whilst serving in Afghanistan. I wish Craig a speedy rehabilitation.”

After training for the trek in the desert conditions of the Sahara Desert, Capt Clarke will continue to train in a range of testing environments with his unit, who are based in Honeypot Lane and are the biggest commando unit in the Territorial Army.

But the soldier's trekking won't stop there – Capt Clarke plans to complete the Mont Blanc marathon next year where he will have to battle freezing temperatures and increasing altitude.