Page 127 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

TRAINING AND EXERCISES
Ex CELTIC BUGLE
After a review of training involving Battalion feed the exercise design for the Battalion’s Annual
and Company HQs it was decided to give the Companies the rst half of 2017 to focus on CT1 level skills. Other training activity was minimised during this time and a number of planned Battal- ion-level training weekends cancelled in order to free up that vital ‘white space’. Clear direction was given as to what standards were to be achieved in which activities. This direction was tailored by role to meet the different requirements of the Companies and specialist Platoons with the emphasis on ‘doing the basics brilliantly’.
At the end of the period a validation weekend (not a test exercise!) would be held where all would be expected to meet some basic, well-publicised criteria. This weekend was designed to allow all parts of the Battalion to be tested in a limited amount of space and time whilst ensuring that participants were suf ciently stretched. Crucially the amount of exercise ‘enabling’ was minimised in order to allow the supporting parts of the Battalion to concentrate on their own specialisms (for instance echelon hide drills – an often overlooked skill!). The results of this weekend would in turn
Deployment Exercise in the spring.
The whole process has been an undoubted
success. It has empowered the Companies and Platoons whilst allowing Battalion HQ to have con dence that the Unit has achieved several clear and measurable standards. Although it predated Commander Field Army’s recent direction, it was of course also good to see that our thinking is in line with those at the top of the tree!
Maj C D’Apice, Training Major
IT HAS EMPOWERED THE COMPANIES AND PLATOONS WHILST ALLOWING BATTALION HQ TO HAVE CONFIDENCE THAT THE UNIT HAS ACHIEVED SEVERAL CLEAR AND MEASURABLE STANDARDS
Coy Commander’s Perspective
E Company deployed to SPTA in support of the Commanding Of cer’s CT 1 validation exercise late Friday 14 July 17, all in good spirits. Subjected to the traditional Sennybridge weather greeting, Platoon Commander Charlie Bofffey-Ralings got to grips with his rst command and the challenges of forming an unfamiliar platoon in near total darkness supported by acting Platoon Sjt, Cpl Will Meadows. Concurrently other elements of the Battalion including Assault Pioneers, Medics and Chefs were also validated.
Following a brief night within a hasty woodblock harbour Saturday morning commenced with PSI CSjt Smith putting the sections through their paces during a gruelling section attack circuit. Hard but basic lessons were revisited and skills developed among the smoke and confusion. A period of battle preparation followed, including recce patrols building to a dawn attack on a well defended set of enemy positions. Assault pioneers from the Battalion were tasked as enemy forces to build up defences using low wire entanglement and trip ares joined by Of cer Cadets from Exeter
“NO MATTER HOW BAD THE WEATHER GETS, HOW COLD IT IS OR HOW LITTLE SLEEP YOU GET. IT’S THE BLOKES THAT MAKE IT!”
UOTC. 2Lt Fred Montagne-Wills acted as enemy Platoon Commander. Strong command coupled with bold junior leadership ensured the objectives were secured quickly and the mission achieved, absolute testament to the calibre and core exi- bility of our Ri emen.
Ri eman Phillips summed up the weekend succinctly ‘just goes to show no matter how bad the weather gets, how cold it is or how little sleep you get. It’s the blokes that make it!’ Perhaps capturing the spirit of why we do what we do, after we return home, wash and square our kit then prepare to return to our civilian employment with so much satisfaction? An excellent weekend training with more quality training ahead in
the form of the Annual Deployment Exercise in September.
Maj T
Freeman,
OC E Coy
THE RIFLES
Sjt Luscombe brie ng his medics