Dumfries teenage twins are preparing for a life on the high seas together – Scottish Daily Record

Dumfries twins Ellen and Lauren Lind have always been joined at the hip.

So it was no surprise when the teenagers joined the Royal Navy at the same time.

And now theyve completed their basic training just one week apart and are preparing for a life together on the high seas.

Ellen was the first to arrive at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall in March with Lauren arriving a week later to join a separate class.

After a 10-week course, a passing-out-parade takes place and Lauren was given special permission to attend her sisters parade after completing her final exercise.

Ellen said: It made it better that Lauren was there. It would have been kind of weird if she wasnt.

The twins parents, John and Margaret, then spent the week in Cornwall to attend Laurens parade, by which time Ellen had already transferred to HMS Collingwood to begin her specialist training to qualify as a communication and information systems specialist.

The 18-year-olds are former Dumfries High pupils and it was Ellen, the younger twin, who first made the decision to join the Royal Navy.

She said: Id been thinking about it for a while and finally decided to join up and Lauren came to the careers office with me. I signed up and at the interview the careers advisor asked if there were any questions and Lauren asked if she could sign up too.

While undergoing the transformation from civilians into sailors, the girls also had to learn how to be individuals.

Lauren said: You wouldnt actually think it would be weird to feel like an individual but as a twin it is.

Some twins are separate from day one but were not. Were joined at the hip so its been really strange, but its brought out new sides to me and my personality.

Now Lauren is ready to join her sister at HMS Collingwood, where she will undergo training to qualify as a warfare specialist.

Lauren added: Itll be nice to be with Ellen again but we both know we will need to go our separate ways eventually.

Our brother Daniel, 21, is in the RAF so were a military family and our parents are very proud.

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Dumfries teenage twins are preparing for a life on the high seas together - Scottish Daily Record