A CHEPSTOW-based soldier will be part of a team attempting to be the first all-female group to cross the Antarctic.

Major Natalie Taylor is a Regimental Medical Officer at 1st Battalion The Rifles, currently based at Beachley Barracks near Chepstow. She will be one of six soldiers taking part in the British Army expedition Ice Maiden which will set off in November crossing Antarctica via the South Pole.

Following commissioning from Sandhurst Major Taylor has served in Germany, Afghanistan and the UK. She is a general practitioner working with 1RIFLES, and is also a Battlefield Advanced Life Support Instructor.

Natalie trained to become a cross-country ski instructor while studying medicine and has captained the Army Medical Services Ladies biathlon and Nordic ski team.

Outside of work Natalie competes at the Adventure Racing World Championships with her team, Endurancelife and recently won the 6633 ultra-marathon in 2015. In her other role as vice president of Girlguiding Breconshire, she works to encourage young women to exceed their potential.

The expedition was launched last Friday (15th September) by HRH The Countess of Wessex.

Along with the five other members of the all-female British Army Ice Maiden team, Major Taylor will cover 1,700km using muscle-power alone, battling temperatures of -40°C and wind speeds of 60mph during the three-month journey.

Ice Maiden is expected to take between 75 and 90 days, and there will be just two resupplies (one every 600km) where the team will collect food and drop off refuse. They will carry enough food for 30 days at a time.

The expedition aims to inspire women of all ages and abilities to get active and get outdoors. The expedition leaders, Major Nats Taylor and Major Nics Wetherill, both Army doctors, wanted as many women as possible to get involved.

Major Taylor said: “It is a total honour to be leading such an exceptional group of women for the Ice Maiden challenge. Having trained as a cross-country ski instructor while studying medicine I have always been a fan of the outdoors, and have always dreamed of taking on this incredible challenge. I hope that the expedition will show women that their dreams can become a reality. As a doctor, I also hope that this expedition will have an important impact on medical research, demonstrating how extreme environments can affect women undergoing endurance.”

The only conditions for applicants were that they were serving in the Army, Regular or Reserve, and female.

250 applicants were tested to the limit both in the UK and in freezing conditions in Norway and 10 women were then selected for further training, with six making it through to final selection to take part in the biggest adventure of their lives.

In order to prepare themselves for this gruelling challenge, team members have over the last few months spent countless hours dragging tyres in order to simulate the 80kg pulks (sledges) they’ll take with them across the ice.

Major Wetherill said: “We wanted to inspire the female expeditionary spirit. Each training exercise provided a unique opportunity for the women involved to gain new skills and be inspired to organise their own expeditions. Although only six have been selected to go to Antarctica, we know that many more will have benefitted from the skills they have learned during the selection process.”  

To find out more about the expedition visit www.exicemaiden.com