Page 40 - The Wish Stream Year of 2022 CREST

Exercise SLIM’S STAND
OCdt McCaughey
The final exercise for the Intermediate Term saw the intake deploy to Thetford Training Area for Ex SLIM’S STAND. The exercise is designed to test OCdts on the application of defence. It is a relatively arduous exercise spread over five days, with each Company establishing their Main Defensive Areas, against an increasing enemy threat. The transition would then come, moving from living and fighting in our trenches before the final phase of the exercise and offen- sive operations.
The Somme Company went into the exercise with high spirits, having had success on ear- lier exercises in the term and having won the Inter-Company Sports Competition on the day of deployment, and for the second consecutive term in a row. The Company felt well prepared and set for the challenge to come. Bringing for- ward our lessons learnt from our previous expe- riences would undoubtedly be crucial for our success.
as standing patrols aimed to find the enemy as they moved in our areas.
On day four, most of us were tested to the limit; operating under some serious sleep deprivation and with the weather threating to worsen, the enemy resorted to a chemical attack. Shortly
after first light (and during morning routine) the attack came. Quickly reacting to the situation and cutting breakfast short, we were forced into our respirators. Repelling the enemy advances, we defended our posi- tions for a gruelling few hours. Even- tually, after a spirited counterattack from 15 Platoon, the enemy advance was defeated. Thankfully, as the
weather cleared, so did the threat – removing our CBRN kit, we returned to a semblance of normality.
Having held off the enemy advances, the Somme switched to the offensive for the last day. A coor- dinated company attack finished off the exer- cise well, testing our ability to switch focus back to offensive operations as well as thinking and operating in some testing conditions.
A milestone was completed in the course; we finished the exercise phase of the term in good fashion. Learning a lot about ourselves and each other, it was an excellent way to show how much we had learnt and round off a particularly tough phase of the course.
The exercise itself was marked
with both extreme highs and
lows. For many, if not all, it was
their first experience of digging
consistently for 48hrs. A chance
to do some serious soul search-
ing and test one’s mental resil-
ience to the extreme. Despite this,
The Somme Company managed to dig down in good time. With the majority of the Company dig- ging down, the Platoons were rotated through a series of offensive and enabling operations, con- ducting raids on enemy centred locations as well
A chance to do some serious soul searching and test one’s mental resilience to the extreme.
38 SANDHURST