Page 48 - Light Dragoons 2023 CREST

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
reached our destination for the training exercise in Bimovo Piskie Training Area. Here we linked up with the 12Bde Mech Inf Battalion we were to work under. Again we arrived to pre-set up tents, although his time erected by SSgt Cheshire and his team.
The training exercise was a 5 day affair with C Sqn as the recce force in front of a Mech Inf Bn as OPFOR against a com- bined Polish and French Bde. 2 primary missions followed, the first of which saw us in Observation Posts observing 300 Polish paratroopers land in and around a drop zone, who then attempted to infiltrate our screen and secure key features for the follow on forces. The second saw this fol- low on force look to penetrate our mounted and mobile screen and force the Opfor back through aggressive offensive action. This did not happen straight away, however. Spurred on at the prospect of some force- on-force action with our friendly rivals (and NATO allies!) the French, the troops had prepared the ground well, and were
able to cause heavy casualties by attacking the linear routes, or by dismounted recce patrols and stay behind OPs, specifically on enemy HQ and logistical locations.
In the thick coniferous woodblocks, the Jackal’s speed and manoeuvrability came to the fore, and our eagerness to dismount and use our anti-tank capabilities meant we were having perhaps too much effect on the training serials.....so much so that following the exercise, in discussion with the French troops, they stated that they thought they were fighting against UK Special Forces.
Of course communication was an issue. During the planning phases we sur- mounted this through longer back briefs, albeit the shared tactical understanding was reassuring. Our lack of signals equip- ment to allow us to seamlessly speak to one another was only mitigated by send- ing Lt Digby as the LO to sit in the Bn Commander’s APC with a Bowman radio,
and to relay messages to the averagely English speaking commander. It worked, just, although I would have preferred a tad more rehearsals of the control measures for a Sub Unit relief in place before we did it for real!
At endex, the focus rapidly switched fire to getting all our kit back on the boat in Gdansk. A quick turn around, and some epic spanner turning by Tiffy, Sgt Fairs and their team and we were off to load the vehicles, leaving the Log rear party to pack up the tents. An even more rapid turn around saw the vehicles stripped of kit, which was exchanged for black grips full of pre-packed civvie kit for the next phase – AT and some cultural exploration...
In order to make this final phase work, the Regiment’s two busiest troop leaders (self-professed), Lts Riall and Doggart, had organised a brilliant trip to the Tatra Mountains in Southern Poland. Whilst only 2 days of AT, taking in hill walk-
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