Page 39 - The Wish Stream Year of 2020 Crest

provide some resistance! The plan was kept simple to allow decentralised command at the platoon level. A 1 up 2 back approach was taken and although the company was slow to start, momentum was quickly gained to ensure that the objective was clear with 45 minutes to spare.
The company headed back to Oakwood FOB to have our After-Action Review (AAR). This was incredibly informative and provided all sorts of information, from GPS locations to shooting sta- tistics. However, the best statistic was the poor OCdt who had dozed off to find themselves all alone whilst the rest of the company was 400m further in the Forming Up Point (FUP)! A mad dash forwards ensued, which had the company roaring with laughter. A good end to the inter- face phase leading into the final attack in 2 days’ time.
Battlegroup Attack – OCdt Heywood
Unlike the other phases on Ex DYNAMIC VIC- TORY, the Battlegroup attack was preceded by a full day of battle preparation involving full plan- ning cycles for both the combat estimate and delivery of orders for those in Company and Pla- toon level appointments. A long and complex set of orders delivered well by OCdts
fire (IDF), under OCdt Cullum, 3 Section charged through the woodblock to reach Objective Uns- worth. Stacking up on the front door they broke into the objective and cleared the building, sav- ing two civilians whilst simultaneously capturing one enemy. OCdt Heywood then released OCdt Carroll’s 2 Section to clear the upper floor and OCdt Atkinson’s 1 Section to clear Objective Wicks. The rehearsals practiced in the harbour area were displayed in fine form as 5 Platoon methodically carried out room clearances whilst 6 Platoon simultaneously slaughtered their own fire support.
The break in by 5 Platoon took less than half an hour and allowed the platoon to provide effec- tive fire support to not only 4 Platoon but also C Company. Unfortunately, due to the nature of urban operations, 5 Platoon took mass casualties which seriously reduced the combat effective- ness of the platoon. This gave the Platoon Com- mander a lot to think about but thankfully the sur- vivors of the platoon rallied round and continued to the job they were told to do. This meant that the objectives taken by 5 Platoon were then held, which allowed the company to have a successful break in and set the BG up for success. Having
Heywood and Montagu set the
platoon up for success, who were
excited to not only be the break
in Platoon for the assault on East-
mere Village but the Battlegroups
main effort, a title which was no
doubt deserved. Following good
Rehearsal of Concept (ROC) drills
and Platoon level rehearsals of
FIBUA operations, the Platoon
entered their final admin period consisting of eating and sleeping in the harbour area eagerly anticipating a 2359 Reveille and step off time of 0100hrs. Despite a no play casualty, 5 Platoon stepped off as the lead platoon navigating the company cross country to the Troop Carrying Vehicle (TCV) drop.
Subsequently good navigation and fantastic decision-making by point man OCdt Warren delivered the company tactically to the Battle Group (BG) FUP very wet and ahead of the other Companies. With H Hr approaching, BG recce led the company to their FUP south of the village. Although the company FUP sited by BG recce was in a different location than anticipated, cool heads of those in appointment adapted the plan on the ground. At 0645hrs after sizeable Indirect
said this, thanks to urgent triaging and casualty evacuations, by mem- bers of the platoon to the RAP, the injured personnel were stitched up and able to continue with the battle.
After successfully breaking into the objective 5, Platoon became both the company and BG reserve, pro- viding rear protection for the A and C Company as they cleared their
objectives. Proceeding the clearing of Objec- tives Hades and Poseidon, Inkerman Company had the honour of sweeping through the village in order to clear the final objective, Objective Zeus. Unfortunately, 5 Platoon stayed in com- pany reserve and were not needed to clear the remaining buildings on the objective. Clearing objective Zeus concluded the BG attack and Ex DYNAMIC VICTORY, spirits were in the sky as CC201 tucked into their much-deserved cham- pagne breakfast and donned, for the first time, their regimental headdress.
5 Platoon took mass casualties which seriously reduced the combat effectiveness of the platoon
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