Page 10 - Bugle Spring 2024

1 RIFLES
EX PYLA BUGLE
Maintaining readiness is a constant focus of the Regional Standby Battalion (RSB), with an emphasis on LFTT and ‘green’ skills forming the subject of emphasis for Unit deployability. Ex PYLA BUGLE was very on message in this regard, a 3-week long Battalion range package taking all the manoeuvre Companies from TLFTT, through the full LFTT progression, up to Company Attack by night.
The TLFTT phase saw all the Companies in the first week filter through multiple shoots including the closing while firing, the pivot and shoot, limit of night visibility, and the HMNVS and LA shoots. This taking place at Dhekelia Ranges, only a stone’s throw away from Alexander Barracks. Easing the Companies into the steady pattern of day and evening shoots.
The LFFT commenced on the second week with individual up to fireteam shoots taking place on the IBSR range at
Pyla ranges, on the Pyla peninsula to the West of Ayia Napa. Concurrently, the Dhekelia ranges continued to run hot, putting A and S Company through TLFTT.
The G4 team under CSjt Pidgeon, Sjt Kenny and Sjt Wood worked fantastically, supporting at points three ranges, with sentry positions and a feeding and transport plan that made the Italian Job look like a doddle, and the Riflemen none-the- wiser to the behind-the-scenes behemoth effort. The early progression ran very smoothly with Coys achieving section by night, demonstrating a surprisingly good standard of fire and manoeuvre considering the number of new Riflemen in the Rifle Coys.
Platoon and Company attacks were slightly spiced up with the addition of an OHF gun, having best effect at night and adding a layer of realism the army of fig 11’s falls short of. C
Coy gave a textbook demonstration of best practice in use of a bounding gunline to fire in Pls, finishing in record time and with highly polished attacks onto the positions.
Aim achieved. The Battalion fully reset and qualified up until the end of the RSB period and poised to respond to all developments occurring in the Middle East.
Capt James Prince, OC Anti-Tank Pl
10 RIFLES The Bugle
Over head fire adding to the realism
EX
TEMPEST
BUGLE
B Coy’s Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation
In November, B Company took over as the Lead Company Group; ready to deploy
on operations as the Regional Standby Battalion. To start this period they were
put through their paces conducting a Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation (NEO) on a week’s exercise in Akrotiri Cyprus. The
A NEO aims to extract entitled personnel from a warzone or unsafe place. Instead of the kinetic environment of offensive and defensive actions, a NEO offers a different set of challenges to a Rifleman. The Riflemen had to be empathetic and understanding to those seeking refuge, calm those who were
exercise mirrored crisis plans for potential operations in the Middle East which were at the forefront of our minds as the Gaza crisis was playing out while we were deployed.
distressed and aggressive, and remain aware of the potential for more kinetic threats.
After deploying to the area and establishing security, the command team quickly went to
Aid being provided to displaced civilians