Page 103 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

UK Standby Battalion
Once BATUS and the ‘unit move’ were completed, the Battalion switched immediately to an opera- tional focus, speci cally UK Operations for the rst time since 1999. The Battalion was on a reduced notice to move in support of the National Counter Terrorism Policing Operation TEMPERER, and homeland resilience tasks. This was an opportunity to reset the Battalion’s readiness approach and be prepared to protect, secure and guard in support of Counter Terrorism Police. Training included basic military skills of marksmanship and rst aid, as well as understanding the legal framework for UK opera- tions, focusing on the use of force and citizen’s arrest. It required rehearsals for call-outs and liaison with police forces, as well as communications and logistic planning to enable us to back ll and augment the police.
A concerted effort to ensure that the Battalion was ready for this task took place between September and October. This included engagement with the Standing Joint Command Headquarters, local police forces and the Environment Agency. The Battalion were the rst to test the new ood barrier protection systems that were designed to prevent a repeat of the winter 2015/16 oods. Many Ri emen were held at readiness during Christmas, once again demonstrating sel ess commitment and an opera- tional mentality in equal measure. The pace of life maintained since BATUS continued on through Op TEMPERER and into preparations for Op CABRIT. WO2 Bielby, Training WO
EX CAMBRIAN PATROL
5 RIFLES sent two teams to the Cambrian Patrol competition in 2016, nishing with a commendable Silver and Gold. Lt Bishop and Capt McColl captained the teams with Sjt Walker facilitating the pre-training and administration. For an Armoured Infantry Battalion, at such a busy time, this was an enormous achievement, and one rightly recognised across the Battalion. As LCpl Regan writes, it wasn’t at all easy:
The Cambrian Patrol was something I never envisioned doing in my Army career. In fact, it was something I actively avoided doing. Only the best of the Battalion, or the unluckiest, get selected for the competition.
Our three weeks of pre-training was very busy. Two weeks in camp sorting out our infantry ‘skill fade’ before we moved to Brecon for a one-week intro- duction to Pen-y-fan. Never have I seen hills like it. And we were going over it with kit weighing 40-45kg. Spine snapping is the phrase I would use to describe that week!
Most people say weekends go too quickly, but the weekend of the compe- tition did not go quickly enough. After being dropped off in a woodblock on a dark, rainy, Saturday morning, we moved to a close target recce stand through swamps, and dense woodblocks. One wrong step could see you submerged up to the waist in stinking swamp water. By Saturday afternoon, we were stumbling about like zombies. At midnight we reached the river crossing. We went across wearing nothing but waterproofs, to keep our kit dry. Lying in the prone on the far bank, waiting for the rest of the team...I’ve never body-popped so hard in my life! On stopping to rest, we were soaked by the rain. The rain didn’t stop till the afternoon, when spirits did start to lift as we knew we were nearing the end. After moving to a few dodgy grids, which we thought were part of the plan... we got to our nal stand and had to ght a section attack with simunition, in masks which steamed up as soon as we put them on.
Finally, we tabbed to a farm, where we were thoroughly interrogated about the entire patrol – details like ‘what was the name of the DS running the river crossing?’ Everyone in our team contributed, which tipped the odds in our favour. After the interrogation, we were told to prepare for another patrol - a test we had been warned about. We played the game, until we were led nally into the minibuses to get driven back to camp for a hot shower, and a lot of gonk time.
Throughout the entire patrol, no one thought we were going to win gold. It was just one foot in front of the other. Cambrian patrol lives up to its reputation, but it’s achievable with the right attitude. It’s something you do only once, hopefully. Then let someone else have the pleasure.
LCpl Regan, Recce Platoon
EX VENERABLE GAUNTLET
EX VENERABLE GAUNTLET saw a seven-man observer mentor team from 5 RIFLES deploy to Sennelager to assess the capability of the NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, or VJTF. A four-day exercise encompassing Battlegroup manoeuvre, obstacle crossing, deliberate attack and advance-to-contact serials was headed up by 1PWRR BG, teamed up with an Estonian Mechanised company. A Polish armoured infantry company provided the OPFOR.
The aim was to assess the effectiveness of inter- operability as a NATO TF against a peer enemy, and observing allowed us to see the best ways to achieve integration and multinational cooperation. There appeared little dif culty in communicating, owing largely to the Estonians’ uency in English! Our team also worked closely with the Estonian observers and this allowed us to really get to understand the Scouts Battalion, a Mechanized Infantry unit with which we would serve in Estonia. Their crews used the exercise to ensure their SISU vehicle was compatible with British assets, such as bridges, pipe fascines, and recovery tools.
The team were surprised by the similarities in Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTPs)
between UK forces and the Estonians, and impressed with the professionalism of the Scouts. The Estonian Coy jumped at the chance to spend time in the urban training area in Germany, not having anything similar at home, and they took the lead in clearing ‘Tin City’ against a determined and free-thinking Polish enemy.
Overall it was clear that
the VJTF was effective
and robust, but more
importantly that the Scouts Battalion would be an excellent addition to any multinational force as a stealthy and slick out t with a wealth of Experience. This was important for us, as 5 RIFLES, as our likely mission for 2017 was just becoming clear.
Capt Guy Hewetson,
A Coy and Sjt Ciar Crow, Recce Pl
Live Cam - a hidden SISU on Venerable Gauntlet
THE RIFLES FIFTH BATTALION 101