Mobile testing centre, Defence Academy Shrivenham, June 2020

Pen and ink and watercolour by George Butler, 2020.

One of ten drawings recording the Army's contribution to the management of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of Operation RESCRIPT, 2020.

The Army set up temporary testing centres across the country as part of the effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19. On this occasion, at the Defence Academy in Shrivenham, 102 Logistic Brigade were testing soldiers who were about to be deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and Kenya. Those figures shown in this picture are all soldiers. However, the service was also available to members of the public who had been referred there for appointments. The test involved swabbing the back of the throat and the inside of the nose. The swabs were sent to Milton Keynes for processing and, within a few days, the results were sent by text message to those who were tested.

As part of the Adaptable Force HQ, 102 Logistic Brigade provides a light, agile force. In war, it is designed to receive both troops and equipment into the theatre of operations and to organise their forward movement to the battle area. The Brigade would also be responsible for the setting up of field hospitals and evacuation of casualties from theatre. This experience was invaluable in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK.