Page 9 - 1RHA 2023

1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
B Battery
Lt Charles O’Bryan
It brings me great pleasure to be able to update the 1RHA com- munity on what B Battery have been up to over the past twelve months. The Battery entered autumn of 2022 with the focus
very much moving towards preparing for Operation CABRIT 13 starting in September 2023. During this time a lot has been achieved, with a number of unexpected taskings also requiring our attention, most notably of course the Granting In Kind (GIK) of the Battery’s, and indeed Regiment’s, AS90s to Ukraine. B Bat- tery has also utilised a number of exercises in the build-up train- ing to our deployment, culminating in Exercise CABRIT TEM- PEST in Sennelager, Germany, with the 1RRF Battle Group this summer. During this time many of those within the Battery have also been able to engage in extracurricular activities such as hill walking, skiing and golf despite our busyness. We bid farewell to a number of people including our BC, Major Coffey, and welcome in Major Partridge for the coming years.
The approach of the end of the year as always brought with it a host of celebrations, events and festivities. Bdr (now Sgt) McLoughlin led on the organisation of the B Battery Christmas dinner, where a number of goodbyes and welcomes were also shared. Simultaneously many of the Battery had the opportu- nity to go alpine skiing in the French Alps for several weeks, a great chance to be away from the fast pace of regimental life and stretch themselves in a different way whilst making the most of what the area has to offer.
At the end of February, the FSTs and a Command Post travelled with the 1RRF Battle Group for the Combined Staff and Tacti- cal Training Exercise (CSTTX) in Sennelager, Germany for two weeks. This consisted of a series of scenarios for which the full estimate was conducted, followed by the execution in simulators by detachments, with the CP providing simulated fire missions and situational awareness. This was a valuable chance for the FSTs to practice their skills and experience the way the Fusiliers worked. It was also the first chance for the Battery to meet many of the personalities that would make up the command structure for the duration of Op CABRIT 13 from other units, and as such every effort was made to use the surrounding time to build these relationships. The group was also able to travel to Essen where Western Europe’s largest indoor ski slope is located. Since entry included an open buffet of bratwurst and bar, whilst
a reasonable amount of skiing was done in the morning it reduced in quality as the day wore on. The end of this exercise was also a time to say some farewells, as it marked the final one with B Battery for the BC, Major Coffey and FST Commanders Captain Haycocks and Captain Vincent.
Gunner Aspinwall bursts into the building on Exercise DRAGON PATROL, Salisbury Plain
The opportunity to train with other units and expand knowledge in other areas is always keenly taken up by those in the Bat- tery. As such Sgt Taylor, who recently returned from two years as an instructor at the Infantry Battle School, Brecon, was asked to teach on a 104 RA urban tactics exercise at Copehill Down. He was keen to take a number of people from the Battery and Regiment with him to gain experience in urban ops. Exercise
DRAGON PATROL subsequently took place over a week- end, with a dozen volunteers being taught a range of skills and having briefs by external instructors including from UKSF. On the Sunday they then played enemy for an assault on the village, a bit of fun but also a chance to
observe from the other side.
The Guns move out for an early morning fire mission at Sennelager, Germany
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