Page 57 - The Light Dragoon 2024

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
‘End Ex’ for 1st Troop, A Sqn ‘The Empire’
On the 28th October to the 18th November 2023 A Squadron, 1st Troop deployed on Ex HARAKA STORM
to provide Brigade level reconnaissance for 4th Brigade and the Grenadier Guards Battlegroup. The exercise allowed the troop to operate in an environment which was both physically and mentally challenging. Such an opportunity was met with great enthusiasm from the first day till the last, leaving the Troop excited to return in February 2024 with A Squadron complete.
The exercise began with four days of Troop training out on Lolldaiga training area. We focussed on troop Standard Operating Procedures. From navigation to patrolling and onto troop hides, obser- vation posts, close target reconnaissance, route reconnaissance and contact drills; both mounted and dismounted. The Troop benefited from training by the BATUK staff and the civilian helicopter service, in Heli-CASEVAC during the day and night- time hours. This gave the soldiers confi- dence operating in this new terrain.
And what incredible terrain it was. Where else will you share a training area with elephants, giraffes, lions, baboons, and buffalo. We fortunately attracted extraordi- narily little interest from the wildlife, other than some local hyenas who came looking for a sample of the latest rations.
On the 4th November 2023 the exercise commenced. Our first task was to move through the Grenadier Guards Battlegroup and reconnoitre the route ahead of their advance. Setting up observation posts on ridgelines looking down into the enemy
Ex Haraka Storm
Panoramic View from our Troop hide during Mission 0
occupied valley were regular taskings at this stage, providing a live feed to the battlegroup headquarters.
Moving into Mission Zero we regularly moved on foot, establishing observation posts at spot hights of up to 2000m. We found ourselves amongst deep vegetation, large rocky outcrops and in caves to gain the best vantage points, whilst staying concealed. Once in position, we would often lie and wait for anywhere between 12-36 hours, before handing over our observation posts to the Battlegroup Recce Platoon and moved onto our next target.
We rolled across the Lolldaiga plains, moving dismounted up and over the mountains, all in search of the enemy. Finally, we interdicted an enemy scout Land Rover moving into their main defensive position. We moved quickly, detaining the driver and commander and took them 4km North of their position. After a detailed search we discovered maps, two fill guns and the identities of who we had captured. It was the enemy Company Commander.
From close encounters with enemy recce patrols, communication problems between valleys and aggressive terrain to navigate, the Troop found itself moving into our two final actions of the exercise. A close target reconnaissance and a subsequent raid onto an enemy observation post.
We conducted the recce during the early hours of the morning, to maximise our advantage and avoid thermal signature on the high feature of ‘Black Rock’, one
of the highest points on the training area. All troops showed resilience and a high a standard of fitness throughout, with few remarks on how much flatter Salisbury Plain would have been instead of the mountains of Lolldaiga. The importance of physical endeavour and prowess within such environments was clear, proving how physically demanding our job role is, and why we as a unit are more than capable of such demands.
The final action met all timings and was executed to a high standard. All enemy on the observation point were destroyed, and the position exploited all within ten minutes of contact being initiated. We used a combination of mounted and dismounted manoeuvre, to ensure a timely extraction from the position. It was commented after- wards that the enemy were unable to use their fire missions in time due to our speed and efficiency. All this enabled the battle- group to achieve their final advance onto the enemy’s main defensive positions.
As the exercise ended, and our time in Kenya was over for the time-being, the troop had gained all that it had set out to achieve from Ex HARAKA STORM. A Squadron, 1st Troop was able to contribute to mission success for the wider battle- group by allowing our troops to be forward thinking and to deliberately contribute to mission planning and execution. All in true Light Dragoons fashion. I look forwards to reporting as successfully on our upcoming Squadron level exercise, Ex HARAKA SPEAR.
F Lennon
‘Black Rock’- 1st Troop on the route out to their FUP for the final RAID action
Rest and admin being conducted before the start of Mission 0
55