Page 15 - Bugle Spring 2024

2 RIFLES
Transitioning from Rural to Urban
Arriving at battalion amid Op INTERFLEX as a junior officer has been both a rewarding and humbling experience. In my role as
a Training Team Commander, I have been directly responsible for overseeing the training of a platoon of circa 60 Ukrainian recruits over the course of five weeks. I’ve had to simultaneously ensure training objectives are met whilst lessons are taught in an effective and enthusiastic manner, something which the Riflemen have never failed to do.
Undoubtedly, towards the end of this tasking, the Company faced operational fatigue after having been based away from their families and friends for six months.
This was also off the back of a deployment
to Estonia and Finland, quickly followed by
a last-minute tasking for Ex Wessex Storm. The professionalism of the Riflemen has been unquestionable and is something I have been humbled by as a junior platoon commander. Overall, I am incredibly grateful for the support of my Riflemen, especially that of my corporals and lance corporals, who have taken the brunt of instructing throughout.
The training and development of Ukrainian recruits has been rewarding. Beginning each rotation in the rural environment, before then training them to operate in the defensive and urban, finally culminating in a four-day live fire package. Overall, each phase has been similarly in line with what I was taught at the Infantry Battle School. To be able to impart my own knowledge from Phase 2, while
also leaning on the experience of Section Commanders and SNCOs has been extremely
Cut the cake!
Custom built trenches proving invaluable to training
beneficial to my own development as a new Platoon Commander. The Ukrainian troops have also warmed to the tactical diversity we have been able to teach them throughout the course.
During my first two rotations, we were
the first UK troops to have the privilege
of instructing Ukrainian officer cadets, a surreal experience for myself having only
just commissioned. On our final rotation,
we resumed training of regular Ukrainian infantry units – a good note to finish on. A course where the average age has been
36, it’s come with some rich characters. A fantastic sense of humour appears to be a keystone for Ukrainians. Speaking to those within C Company, Op INTERFLEX appears to have been an eye-opening experience for the
A course where the average age has been 36, it’s come with
some rich characters
Riflemen. LCpl Hamson said that Op INTERFLEX has “made him aware of a massively bigger picture, these guys are going home straight back into the fight, ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, it’s surreal”.
Reflecting on the past few months, I feel humbled to have directly contributed to the war efforts of our Ukrainian allies. My Training Team alone, over the course of the past four months, has trained over 180 Ukrainians, while as a Company we have trained over 1,100 in six months. I feel incredibly lucky and grateful and being able to contribute to the main effort of UK defence at such an early stage in my career. I could not imagine a more worthwhile tasking to have been a part of straight out of Sandhurst.
2Lt Harry Lin, OC 9Pl, C Coy
Covering every potential firing point
Ukranian recruits tackle urban training
RIFLES The Bugle 15