THE devastating effects of the quakes that shook the New Zealand city of Christchurch earlier this year are still evident as people attempt to rebuild their homes, but a West Devon woman deployed to help restore normality in the city says the frequent aftershocks are causing residents' patience to wear thin.

Lance Corporal Sammy Farish, a former Tavistock College student, joined the Army in 2005 shortly after finishing her GCSE's. She went on to become a vehicle mechanic in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and was deployed to New Zealand the following year on Exercise Long Look — an exchange programme between the British Army, Australian Army and the New Zealand Defence Force, established to help with interoperability between the three forces.

Sammy said: 'The idea is to carry out your normal trade in a different environment — learning new skills and gaining experiences from our foreign forces. Little did I know when I deployed how much I would be involved with the consequences of the Canterbury earthquakes.'

Sammy was posted to Three Workshop Company, based in Burnham Military Camp just outside Christchurch. Her main job is to run a section of mechanics in a Quick Repair Bay — when any faults are found on a vehicle, the section will diagnose and repair it as quickly and effectively as possible.

'We also keep the maintenance of the vehicles up to date and we are constantly prioritising vehicles that are being used with the recovery of the city. I am working with a really good bunch of people and I am slowly getting used to answering to 'Bro' every time one of the lads wants to speak to me!

'Although this all sounds very normal, we are dealing with a lot more issues as aftershocks continue to rattle Christchurch. I'd like to say I'm getting used to them but I would be lying.'

Sammy said her first experience of a proper earthquake was getting woken up by a magnitude 5.3 quake one morning. She had felt small shudders prior to this but there was worse to come.

'On June 13 we had a magnitude 6.3 which caused massive damage to the city again. This was the same size as the February 22 earthquake that claimed a lot of lives. Everyday there are more aftershocks, some we notice, some we don't. The worst earthquakes are at night when everything is silent. You can hear the ground rumbling and brace yourself for what might happen next. It's hard to explain what it feels like and you never quite know how long it will last for.'

A few days after the June 13 shock, Sammy was deployed into the eastern suburbs of the city with a number of other soldiers from the camp. They visited some of the worst hit locations to help remove the silt from resident's properties, caused by liquefaction.

'I have never seen anything like it and you cannot begin to understand what these people have been through. Some had decided not to bother cleaning up for a third time.

'One resident had a sign outside their house thanking everyone for their help and support, but stating they did not wish to shift 150 tonnes of silt from their back yards yet again. It also said that if we really wanted to help, we could leave a bottle of liquor and an umbrella instead!

'I helped one couple dig a trench in the silt down the side of their house to prevent it from flooding. They told me how liquefaction had come through the floor of the house within minutes. They also went outside to find the front of their car in a sinkhole that had just appeared from nowhere during the quake. Nevertheless, their spirits were high and they assured me nothing would make them leave their home.

Sammy said she has high respect for the residents: 'People like this are an inspiration. They have been through so much and they are still willing to keep fighting through the unsure times ahead.

'Working in this situation has really opened my eyes to how much these people have put up with since September last year. My sympathy and thoughts will continue on with the Christchurch residents as they face even tougher times ahead.

'Although I have enjoyed my time here, I am looking forward to coming home and spending some time on solid ground.'