kicked off a prestigious training trip with British troops in Kenya.

The men -- a private and a lance corporal -- were among 12 soldiers seconded to the six-week exercise with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Anglian Regiment.

All the volunteers were drug-tested before being sent on the trip this week.

And Regiment chiefs have said the two soldiers who showed traces of marijuana are now being put through counselling and rehabilitation courses.

Regimental Adjutant Captain Edward Lamb confirmed the soldiers had produced positive tests and were taken off the exercise.

He told The Royal Gazette last night: "We conducted a drug test before they went and the majority tested negative.

"Those who failed were taken off the Kenya trip and they will now be interviewed by me and the Regimental Sergeant Major.

"We will talk about rehabilitation and a plan to get them off drugs.

"And we will refer them to addiction services and provide them with counselling, positive role models and non-drug environments in Warwick Camp.

"Their progress will be followed very closely but the individuals concerned are very remorseful and acknowledged that they made poor choices.'' Capt. Lamb added that the incident sent "a very clear message'' to the rest of the troops about standards of discipline.

"If it's illegal, it will not be tolerated and they know that,'' he said.

"These soldiers showed a lot of contrition and they were not defiant.

"They fully understand the procedure and were very well aware of our policy of zero tolerance. Every single soldier on the trip was tested, from the most senior, a Sergeant Major, down to the most junior, a private cadet.

"This sends a very strong message to everyone else on the trip and in the Regiment about the standards of discipline we expect and will tolerate.'' The remaining soldiers on the Kenya trip will be given extensive live-firing and jungle training with the full-time British soldiers.

Soldiers test positive Sergeant Major Sherwin Richardson is supervising the Bermuda Regiment soldiers, including two officer candidates and two cadets. They flew into RAF Oakington, near The Royal Anglians' base in Colchester, England, earlier this week to prepare for the flight to Kenya. Around 750 professional soldiers from the Royal Anglians are on the exercise, based around 100 miles from Nairobi in south-east Kenya.

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