Page 27 - MERCIAN Eagle 2011

Exercise ASKARI THUNDER Lieutenant Paul Marriot, OC 2 Platoon
The deployment to Kenya on Exercise ASKARI THUNDER was the culmination of the period of Hybrid Foundation Training and would pose the first large scale and long term challenge to many within A (Grenadier) Company since their return from Op HERRICK 10. I believe it is fair to say that the Company group had acquitted itself well on Operation Panchai Palang and 2 Platoon had performed equally admirably with their posting to FOB KEENAN. However many of the senior figures within the Company had changed since that time, and the idea that you were ‘only as good
as your last game’ was tangible within a Company group which was determined to maintain its high standards.
The initial period of the deployment was a reconnaissance phase to plan the coming training and begin the handover of kit and equipment with a very tired looking 2 Rifles Battlegroup who had come to the end of their time on exercise. Dits were spun and stories exchanged, normally regarding the arduousness of the two day CALFEX or the sheer destructive heat of the sun on the African plains.
A (Grenadier) Coy push through Obj SILVER into depth positions.
However before long
the remainder of the
Company group had
arrived in country and
the training began in
earnest. A (Grenadier)
Company were based out of Mpala Farm and quickly the platoons began to get acquainted with all the country had to offer. And what it had to offer was wildlife and heat on a scale that few of us had ever come across before. There were ambushes that had lions in the killing area, patrols which were ‘bumped’ by elephant herds and even one direct strike on Pte Alexis by a lone male water buffalo. Everything was OK though as the water buffalo was found to have made a full recovery afterwards. Our attached Kenyan platoon made light work of the conditions of course, and it was a rare joy that no matter how tired you were you could rely on the morale lifting sight
of Lt Tom Herron acting as the LO to the
position anywhere in the world, the CALFEX was the only phase that anyone was talking about. It was the CALFEX with its promises of 35 degree
heat, live mortar support and enormous Russian trench systems to cap it all off that dominated the thoughts of many. In fairness to BATUK, it lived up to all the expectations.
The first day consisted of a full company level clearance of a valley, complete with minefields, multiple enemy positions and the clearance of a partial trench and bunker system at the end. The second day was even better, with a perfect elevated position for the FSG to provide their fire support and an enormous trench system complete with a fully worked up sunken compound in the middle. After the end of two hard days of live firing the Company was on a high.
The overall exercise then began to
There were ambushes that had lions in the killing area
Kenyan platoon being dragged around the area at an incredibly fast pace, which they found so easy and we found so difficult.
Following straight on from the live firing and company level training came 6 days on a rotation of CLP, CALFEX and FOB defence, all organised by BATUK. Whilst the CLP was enjoyable and the FOB was a testament to how quickly Hesco bastion can produce a fully functioning defensive
focus more on the Battlegroup and less
on the sub-units, but even throughout the final phase there were still some fantastic experiences. The enemy tactics seemed to rely almost entirely on holding the highest, and most difficult to reach bits of ground, resulting in a number of exhausting but exhilarating attacks up almost vertical features. Also the fact that accurate use
of joint fires was only rewarded by DS reinstating those enemies killed by our OS led to some less than impressed faces, but some fantastic attacks.
Before we knew it the final insertion tab and attack was over. There would be no more indestructible enemy with a limitless supply of ammunition because endex had been called and the 6 week exercise in Kenya seemed to have flown by. The period of R&R was short but welcome, and included a variety of activities such as mountain biking, safari, canyoning and drinking soft drinks from local glass bottles which few
of us realised had been recycled by simply washing them out and refilling them. Even fewer of us appreciated the monstrous stomach bug that then went around.
An 11 hour RAF delay later (a personal best of mine but one I am sure they
will seek to better in the future), and A (Grenadier) Company was back from
the oppressive heat of Africa to the now welcome drizzle of Northern Ireland.
A (Grenadier) Coy Break into Obj SILVER in ARCHERS POST Kenya. The CSMs Party can be seen taking cover
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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