Page 40 - Mercian Eagle 2016

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A road move further north to Wedrzyn switched the focus from FIWAF to FIBUA training. The area comprised a large urban training complex with numerous buildings of various heights and layout. It allowed the Platoon to test its ability to transition from the rural to urban environment, adapting
to the necessary change in tactics. In was in this urban training complex that the true inter-operability of the VJTF was confirmed during a Brigade assault on the town. Working alongside the US Marine Corps, and Armies from Canada, Poland, Spain, Turkey, Lithuania and Estonia, the combined assets truly displayed the capability availability when working within the VJTF construct.
The deployment allowed for time to
be enjoyed exploring Polish culture and prominent historical places and monuments, notably Stalag Luft III, the prisoner of war camp notable for its depiction in the film, “The Great Escape,” and various trips to Poznan and Auschwitz.
Ex SPANISH EAGLE – Battlefield Study Spain Maj R J Agnew
In July 16 Officers and Warrant Officers from across the Regiment (inclusive of reservists and FTRS personnel) and 2 MERCIAN Battlegroup deployed to Spain to undertake a battlefield study under the watchful eye of our most knowledgeable guide Maj (Retd) John Cotterill MERCIAN.
The aim of the battlefield study was to ‘use past conflicts as a medium to explore contemporary doctrinal approaches to operations in order to adopt lessons for contemporary and multi-national operations; a key theme faced by the Battalion during the last 12 months, especially operating within the VJTF construct and in preparation for operations in 2017. It was also poignant that the Battalion conducted a Battlefield Study in Spain as for the duration of the VJTF commitment the Battalion came under the command of 7 (ESP) Bde.
Spending 4 days in Spain; 2 days in Madrid followed by 2 days in Badajoz we
focussed on two particular conflicts, the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 and the Peninsula War of 1811-1812. The study
of the civil war was fascinating as it was
a truly international conflict fought along the lines of a political divide; rebellion, the struggle for political change and equality. It attracted thousands of fighters, ideologists and antichrists to name a few, and from many foreign lands to join the cause. Spain at that time was also the testing ground
for the Nazis – who used the conflict to develop technological capability that was subsequently employed during World War II.
Our first days in Spain involved the study of the Spanish Civil War, commencing
with a trip to the Alcazar of Toledo which was the equivalent of RMAS during
the Civil War. Our guide set the scene wonderfully, illustrating the resilience of the Nationalists in defence of the Alcazar but also the tenacity of the Republicans to keep
attacking the besieged Alcazar in what was an example of how brutal and manpower intensive urban operations can be. The second half of the day allowed us the opportunity to conduct a TEWT in Madrid and consider how armour was integrated into the urban environment. Specifically within the complex urban terrain of the University City, which was then a newly
built campus on the very edge of the city where bitter fighting took place between warring factions on different floors of faculty buildings. What was stark and never ceased to amaze was how manpower intensive such operations are regardless of whether one belligerent has greater technical superiority than the other.
The second phase of the study took the group to the small town of Badajoz on the Spanish – Portuguese border and again a TEWT that allowed the group to study the Nationalist assault on the Republican held
The Badajoz Tower from which Lt Macpherson raised his jacket during the battle of 1812
Warrant Officers and Officers of The Mercian Regiment stood beneath tower Lt Macpherson raised his jacket
THE MERCIAN EAGLE