Page 21 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021 (Crest)

Having addressed some forgotten skills, we soon headed on Ex ALLENBY’S ADVANCE. In classic Brecon style, we disembarked the buses in the rain, bombing up mags and preparing for a heavy TAB to woodblock 33. Losing a few in the company on the way, we promptly froze on exposure to the whipping wind funnelled up the valleys. The colour sergeants kindly reminded us of the best piece of warm kit – a shovel, and we got to work digging our company harbour. The famous sideways rain appeared in spades. As the Commanding Officer would say, this was one for the ‘box of contingencies’. The miser- able weather did provide great training value as it taught the OCdts the importance of good field admin, something the sunny delights of previous exercises had not tested thoroughly.
Once returned from Wales, the Inters had more of a spring in their step when marching around camp. The week after the successful comple- tion of ALLENBY’S marks the halfway point in the Commissioning Course, a milestone not to be sniffed at. However, the OCdts had one more field exercise to complete to round off the ‘hate- ful eight’.
Defensive operations have a reputation of sleep deprivation and backbreaking digging. Ex SLIM’S STAND did not disappoint on this front. Day and night spent digging trenches which col- lapsed every few hours was a mental challenge which the Inters endured and overcame. The lack of sleep did, however, cause some unusual behaviour. The most memorable of which was when one OCdt believed that their collapsed trench had one of his fellow platoon-mates
trapped at the bottom. When he started clawing away dirt with his hands, he was asked what he was doing. He looked up to explain, and saw the OCdt he believed to be buried stood over him. This exercise also challenged the OCdts to practise their CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radi- ological and Nuclear) training. Fighting off enemy forces wearing their chemical protection suits allowed the OCdts to appreciate the difficulties of operating in such hazardous environments.
Much of the rest of the term passed in a blur, with the famous log race and drill competition fiercely contested in the bid to become sover- eign’s platoon. The elephant in the room, how- ever, was the ever-looming regimental selection boards.
RSB week was a tense time for the OCdts with interviews popping up left, right and cen- tre. News good and bad dripped back into the lines and nerves ran high for others still await- ing the result of their interviews. The majority were accepted by their regiment of choice, but for a few, clearing was a second chance to find home post RMAS. Whilst the rest of the Acad- emy practised for the Sovereign’s Parade, these brave few battled on through round after round of interviews until they found their place.
With the knowledge of their future homes after completion of the course, the Intermediate Term could enjoy their time over Christmas. They now had time to reflect on all they had learnt throughout the term, recharging in preparation for seniors.
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