Page 64 - WishStream Year of 2023

Exercise CHURCHILL’S CHALLENGE CC231
A Gaza Company OCdt
The first exercise of CC231’s Senior Term was Ex CHURCHILL’S CHALLENGE and would be our initial foray into the urban operating envi- ronment. Up until this point, our enemy had been concealed in the rural environment, but we would now be entering the built-up area to find and defeat an enemy hidden within a civilian population.
Our pre-deployment training consisted of TEWTs and lessons to familiarise us with this new operat- ing environment. We conducted urban and build- ing clearance lessons with our company staff and Ex Darchelli Guardian introduced us to the con- cepts of operating from a FOB, with Ex Stable Door introducing us to the type of urban operations we might need to plan and honed our combat esti- mate and orders skills. This was all in conjunction with lessons on the theory and doctrine behind FIBUA and important additional principles such as LOAC and ROE, preparing us to engage with Civ- pop and a more dynamic enemy force.
In Week 3 of Senior Term, we deployed to Salisbury Plain and into the Copehill Down Urban Training
Area. As we moved from the assembly area into the town, we were acutely aware of the marked change in threat from previous insertions that we had made into the rural environment. Our early serials involved hasty engagements with enemy positions followed by staff feedback to improve our skills and drills. During this phase, we completed the Urban Confidence Course which was essen- tially an assault course designed to improve our confidence when operating at height and in con- fined spaces. Needless to say, some OCdts very much enjoyed this training, whilst some were glad to be back on the ground as soon as possible.
Once in the FOB, Coy HQ rapidly established a work routine which included the vital Operations/
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