Army Recruits Celebrate Faith Through Baptism
• Fourteen Army recruits baptised at Army Training Regiment Winchester
• Growing faith among young military personnel
• The Army recognises the importance of religion and belief amongst those who serve
Fourteen Army recruits took the significant step of baptism during their phase one training at the Light Division Chapel, Winchester, on Sunday 19 October 2025. The ceremony follows seven additional baptisms that took place on 12 October, demonstrating a notable trend of faith commitment among young people entering military service.
Choosing to be baptised alongside their fellow trainees, the recruits made this step to offer a public declaration of their faith. This decision reflects the supportive environment at the Army Training Regiment Winchester, where over 100 recruits regularly attend optional Sunday morning services.
For many of the baptised recruits, this represents their first experience of regular church attendance and being part of a faith community. To prepare the recruits Padre Gary Watt one of the Army chaplains at the Army Training Regiment Winchester and the Scripture Reader for ATR Winchester provided basic Christian faith teaching and encouraged them to attend mid-week Bible study sessions for deeper spiritual engagement.
“We are blessed that every week 70 - 120 recruits attend optional worship and genuinely want to engage in worship and the Christian faith. They really enjoy coming together as a community, singing hymns and learning more about God. Many of them come from non-Christian backgrounds but have started a journey towards faith before phase one or through our weekly services and Bible study where they have expressed a desire to explore faith and decide to become part of the Christian church and faith. The hunger for reading the Bible, praying and asking deep spiritual questions is quite amazing and we can only give God the glory for the work he is doing in the lives of these young people,” said Revd Gary Watt.
The baptisms included personnel from across different cap badges, including the Royal Artillery, Royal Logistic Corps, Royal Signals, and Royal Army Medical Service. Two recruits also celebrated confirmation of their existing faith during the service.
The trend reflects broader evidence of growing religious interest among 17 - 26-year-olds, particularly in environments where young people feel welcomed and supported in their faith exploration. The optional nature of attendance at Sunday morning services ensures recruits can freely explore and practice their faith without pressure, whilst fostering a sense of community and shared values.
Recruit Jessica Diggle said about her baptism: “Today I am taking a step of faith, trusting in God with my whole life. I am grateful for God’s love, guidance, and the people God has placed in my life.”
Recruit Rueben Bains said: “I am very happy to be making this act of devoting my life to Jesus and to be a born-again Christian. Whilst being at ATR Winchester and having our Sunday church services, we all love going to church and coming together as a big group and community and listing to what the Padre has to say to us to give us that boost for the week ahead.”
The Army recognises the importance of religion and belief amongst those who serve. The Royal Army Chaplains’ Department is an increasingly diverse and multi-cultural organisation which recruits both religious and non-religious personnel to care for the Army’s people by providing pastoral care, spiritual support and moral guidance to the whole force and their families irrespective of faith, world philosophy or status.
Find out more about religion and belief in the Army here: https://jobs.army.mod.uk/regular-army/inclusion-values/religion/
This article is republished from the Royal Army Chaplains’ Department Media Release with their consent.
ROYAL ARMY CHAPLAINS’ DEPARTMENT MEDIA RELEASE
Zena Byrne - Communications Officer, MOD Chaplains (Army)
zena.byrne851@mod.gov.uk Work mobile: 07773 177515
Thursday 30th October 2025
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