Page 24 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Final Exercise
It was a sunny Monday morning as SWI 5 (Ri es) Platoon deployed to Warcop for Live Fire Tactical Training (LFTT) and the trainee Ri emen were in a buoyant mood. LFTT is the pinnacle of training, testing all the vital elements of marksmanship and tactical training that the Ri emen have learnt in the proceeding 22 weeks. It was clear that they were ready for the challenge. From the rst exercise to the last, the trainee Ri emen performed. They showed good communication skills, sound tactical awareness and above all, aggression. The Section Attack incorporated the infamous ‘Chocolate Factory’, an unof cial rite of passage for Ri emen passing through Catterick. This tested their appetite for aggression and speed to the limit, ghting uphill through numerous positions. The nal day provided the toughest test; an insertion march followed by a Platoon Attack (run as sequential Section Attacks) through undulating and rocky terrain. The trainee Ri emen were excellent and it was at this point the training staff realised that they were no longer in the company of recruits, but Ri emen. All that was left for them to do was to complete Final Exercise.
With rain yet to fall, SWI 5 Platoon left Warcop on Saturday morning to travel to Otterburn. A second insertion tab in as many days awaited them; they would carry bergens from Coy HQ in to the Platoon harbour, uphill. It was a short, sharp shock for them with many realising FTX would not be easy. Once
WEAPON HANDLING AND SHOOTING IS CLEARLY AN IMPORTANT ASPECT OF INFANTRY TRAINING
the harbour location had been selected, work routine began and continued until last light. It began again in earnest at rst light until a Warning Order (WngO) for an advance to contact was received by Platoon HQ. Focus switched to battle preparation and a model pit was swiftly dug. The enemy were closing in and needed to be stopped. 5 Platoon stepped off with an air of trepidation, the trainee Ri emen unsure of what was to come. A good approach route concealed the Platoon’s advance and some bold movement from the Sections quickly saw the enemy positions cleared. Shortly after the nal position was con rmed clear, the Platoon experienced Indirect Fire (IDF) and suffered casualties. The medical exchange point was 1.4km away and there was no transport available. The Ri emen’s determination and mental resilience was tested as they worked as a team to get the casualties to safety. The medical exchange point was reached and an extraction was arranged on vehicles. 5 Platoon moved back to their harbour and continued preparing the defences in case of compromise.
The next few days saw the Company conduct a number of deliberate operations- a raid on an enemy command post, an ambush on a known supply route and an observation post (OP) rotation to restrict enemy freedom of movement. With the enemy unable to operate conventionally, they adopted irregular tactics. Reports of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) began circulating and it wasn’t long until they began operating in our area of responsibility. A radio message from Company HQ soon followed and the quick reaction force was deployed to an incident involving a potential IED layer. The patrol was met with hostility and aggression as they arrived on the scene of a serious
Recruits learning to handle a dif cult situation
The long way up in Otterburn!
Recruits ghting through the ‘Chocolate Factory’ in Warcop
22 TRAINING
THE RIFLES