Page 6 - 1RHA 2023

1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
A Battery
(The Chestnut Troop) Lt George Weil RHA
Abusy and exciting 230th year for the Chestnut Troop has seen soldiers from the Battery engaged in a wide range of activities ranging from AT expeditions to Germany to over- seas exercises in Japan, Finland, and Kenya to preparing AS90s to be gifted to the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) and helping deliver the training package to ensure they are used effectively.
In October the Battery had its first opportunity to deploy onto exercise and live fire in more than a year when it deployed on Ex CYPHER DAGGER. The exercise saw the Battery deploy four guns, 3 FSTs, and a JFC. The first week saw the Battery conduct valuable dry BCS training (a useful refresher), followed by a week of live firing. Everyone worked hard to maximise the training value of the exercise, overcoming some significant equipment and communications challenges along the way. Ultimately the Tac Group regained their TQCC and the Gun Group gained valuable experience on the guns.
Hot off the heels of Ex CYPHER DAGGER, around 50 of the Bat- tery deployed to Japan on Ex VIGILANT ISLES in November. We incorporated teams from B Bty, L Bty and specialist teams from 148 Bty, 4/73 Bty and 7 Para RHA to ensure we had the best SQEP for the task. While this created a logistical nightmare for our G4 team, it absolutely paid dividends on the exercise, and it was great to work with so many other units. Alongside the Japa- nese Ground Self Defence Force, the teams conducted an avia- tion insertion, followed by dismounted patrols to identify enemy positions. They then used Joint Fires to degrade the targets in advance of the Brigade main body arriving. On incredibly chal- lenging and unfamiliar terrain, the teams were pushed well out- side their comfort zone, but performed exceptionally well. It was an amazing and rare opportunity for the Battery to experience a different country and military. Highlights from the deployment included: the chance to deploy out of Chinook helicopters, a four-day visit to Tokyo and the incredible hospitality of the Japa- nese Ground Self Defence Force. Over the same period as Ex VIGILANT ISLES, members of the Battery deployed out to Skei- kampen in Norway on Ex NORDIC GUNNER 22 as part of the Regiment’s Nordic Ski team.
Members of Chestnut Troop on patrol in Kenya
On return from Japan the Battery had a few short weeks in camp before going on well-earned Christmas leave. During this time however, several members of the Battery were required to step up and support the emergency services as ambulance drivers on Op RESCRIPT. Those involved readily sacrificed their Christmas leave to work tirelessly in order to deliver an essential public ser- vice. Their efforts once again demonstrated the value and com- mitment of the Armed Forces to society.
Returning from Christmas leave, we were straight back into things. The Battery was getting ready to deploy to Germany on Ex ALLIED SPIRIT, a multinational artillery exercise where we would be a fire unit within a US Artillery Battalion, helping to validate a Lithuanian HQ. As events transpired Ex ALLIED SPIRIT was not to be, as the Battery’s Gun Group answered the call to support the UK’s ongoing military aid program for the AFU. The next few months saw the Gun Group working round the clock to prepare 32 AS90s for granting in kind. The initial focus was delivering 4 fully fit guns to 14 Regt RA to support the training of AFU person- nel; we had 4 people from the Battery supporting this training.
GC13 and GD13 at the firing point
Chestnut Troop deployed to Japan on Ex VIGILANT ISLES
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