Page 159 - RSDG Year of 2023

a sneak peek at the inner workings of the “Blue Red Blue Mafia”. This period culminated in a three-week company led exercise in, of course, Brecon. Deploying for the first time as a Platoon Commander, Lt Hallatt surprisingly found himself on familiar ground. The structure of an SFA Company, three teams of twelve and a HQ element, is close to that of a Lt Cavalry Squadron. As such, the exercise looked very similar to a dismounted Lt Cavalry exercise, with a focus on small team recce actions and culminating in a Company raid. Though being run by the infantry they couldn’t resist throwing in a few more 2 and 3 milers than may otherwise be expected. This compatibility presented the opportunity for an exchange of ideas and TTPs beneficial to both parties and it was interesting to see how different capbadges approach the same problem set.
Still riding high after the relatively arduous exercise, Lt Hallatt rather foolishly volunteered to head the 1IG Cambrian Patrol Team. This proved a slightly larger challenge than originally envisaged as, unknown to him at the time, 1IG had planned to deliver the competition’s first ever dual nationality joint team, with the Battalion’s partnered French Foreign Legion Regiment providing four of the eight strong patrol. So begun a month of frantic cross channel communication and planning before the French element arrived at New Mons Barracks for a two-week joint training period, hampered only slightly by
the lack of language skills on the IG side and all but one of the French team. Communication issues aside, with both regimental and national pride on the line the whole team threw themselves at the training and by D-1 they were ready and raring to go. Throughout the following 48hrs the team faced 70+km, complex tactical stands, and the worst the Welsh weather could through at them. Emerging from the other side, the team found themselves one of only 9 of the original 18 teams in their phase to have finished, and in receipt of a relatively respectable bronze medal. Despite the challenges, the first ever joint Cambrian Patrol Team had been a success.
Back at New Mons, the Fighting Company are busy preparing for a period of collective training in the new year. This will see them deploy of survival training and an urban exercise as well as a short PDT period, before once again moving to Operate, delivering Short Term Training Team Missions across East Africa.
It has been a busy year on attachment to the Irish Guards, promising to be busier still in 2024. However, the opportunity to learn from and share knowledge with other parts of the army, to the benefit of both regiments, has been second to none.
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