Page 21 - Bugle Spring 2024

3 RIFLES
OP CABRIT
CLOSEDOWN (TAKE 2)
On the Sword Lane
In September A Coy and its attachments waved goodbye to Tapa Camp, Estonia, and flew home after six months deployed on Op CABRIT 12.
The first stage of the tour had been used to train with the Hussars as a battlegroup and convince our Estonian hosts that we were up to the task of fighting alongside them in the defence of their country. Once the excitement of SPRING STORM was past, the Estonians were content to leave their British guests to their own devices, confident they would hold onto their edge through the remaining months.
Mastiffs lined up at Tapa Camp
All of a sudden, we found ourselves with a fully trained company and a whole Estonian summer to do with as we pleased. The ‘good ideas club’ sprang into action. Off its own back, A Company ran an urban exercise supported by A-10 Warthogs, a battlefield study to learn about the Narva Campaign in the 1940s, Salamanca Day festivities, several excursions around Estonia’s towns, and participated in
local sports events. We even fired a few Javelins.
Most memorable perhaps was our Chosen Man
competition, won by Rfn Bentley of 2 Platoon.
Planning and resources were lavished on this
week-long contest, which culminated in the Sjt
Major’s remarkably long and damp sword lane.
The sad loss of Rfn Delanimati shook the battlegroup in June, but we pulled together marvellously to honour his memory, especially the deployed Fijian community. Having kept its place in NATO’s battle line since March, the QRH battlegroup was finally relieved in place by the First Fusiliers battlegroup. The Company, now among the most operationally experienced in the Field Army, returned to Dreghorn Barracks as a close-knit and smoothly functioning team. We had showed ourselves off to the Estonian people, acquitted ourselves well against Danes, Estonians, and Italians on exercise, and best of all: the Russians never came. You’re welcome. Lt Henry Waterson, 2 Platoon Commander
All of a sudden, we found ourselves with a fully trained Company and a whole Estonian summer to do with as we pleased
RIFLES The Bugle 21