Page 128 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Ri emen’s Perspective
In the build up to the CT1 validation in Brecon there was a real sense of anticipation. The chance to ‘show off’ the skills you have attained and enhanced from company led training. It was a chance to prove your company’s worth and have bragging rights as the ‘best’ company.
The Section attack lanes were good. Being 3 Section we were the last to go; this gave us time to talk tactics and SOP’s and lose morale by getting wet to the core! We started patrolling and were soon contacted; going through the motions we were able to utilise the speci cs we had learned on more ‘intimate’ company led exercises, rolling through the positions ahead. Once we’d completed the lane we had the opportunity to walk back along the lane in a walk through talk
through manner with the DS, this enabled them to highlight our weaknesses but also our strengths and allow for us to put in motion any pointers and discuss speci c areas, a massively useful alternative to just being told to patrol back to the hard standing. Sunday morning consisted of conducting a platoon attack on the position recce’d the night before. The exercise concluded with some free tness in the form of a rather ‘tasty’ CASEVAC which pushed all to the limit. All in all a very good exercise that incorporated the training we’d build up at company level and allowed for those few weaknesses to be turned into strengths. Rfn Adkin, A Coy
Assault Pioneer Platoon Commander’s
Perspective
6 RIFLES conducted their Validation Weekend the construction of a series of mutually supporting,
THE WEEKEND SERVED AS A THREE-FOLD TRAINING TOOL
between 14 and 16 July 2017 in SENTA, Wales. The weekend sought to bring together ri emen from A, C, D, E and HQ companies from their locations in Exeter, Gloucester, Dorchester, Truro and Shrewsbury and surrounding areas, with the aim of assessing the combined capability of the battalion.
“As the intensity of combat increases, assault pioneers – all trained infantrymen – offer an advantage in the form of additional ghters... but when the engineers are not attached, they give an infantry battalion its own engineering capability.” (Maj Conran & WO2 Healy, Royal Engineers Warfare Wing, 3RSME, in ‘Axe to Grind: Understanding Assault Pioneers’)
Alongside additional manpower support from Exeter University OTC, 6 RIFLES, HQ Coy, Assault Pioneer Platoon acted as COEFOR for the Battal- ion’s companies to train against. This task comprised
re-team strength enemy positions, and utilising defence stores consisting of low (barbed) wire entanglements, razor concertina wire and (dummy) mine elds.
The weekend served as a three-fold training tool. Firstly, both the Rfn and OCdts were trained how to assemble low wire and concertina wire obstacles, making use of the kit and equipment available from the Assault Pioneer stores. Secondly, the weekend provided an excellent opportunity for the platoon – OCdts and Rfn alike – to conduct and build upon their knowledge of Intelligent Preparation of the Battlespace (IPB) by completing a Battle eld Area Evaluation as part of Q1 of the 7Q Combat Estimate. The platoon was encouraged to think from the enemy’s perspective in planning the construction of defences, with the aim of pre-empting likely approach routes, shape the battlespace and channel the attacking forces into killing areas overlooked by mutually supporting positions. Finally, the weekend served as a refresher for the ‘green’ skills expected and required of an infantry platoon.
The end result was a developed “thinking, ghting” platoon which achieved the aim of providing a challenging COEFOR for the other companies in the battalion whilst further building on the growing skillsets of the Assault Pioneers. The Assault Pioneer Platoon now looks forward to attending their Assault Soldier cadre in September, where they will be furthering their knowledge of defensive engineering, as well as completing demolitions, water boatmanship and water supply training.
Special thanks are also given to Exeter University OTC, who con rmed their ability to train effectively alongside Phase 2 trained Reservists, provided vital manpower assistance to the weekend and were quick to grasp the concepts and doctrine presented to them.
2Lt Montané-Willis
Assault Pioneer Platoon getting prepared
126 SIXTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES