Page 22 - The Wish Stream Year of 2021 (Crest)

Exercise MARTELLO
SHARPSHOOTER
Pounded by rain on the East coast of Eng- land in Kent, three companies of OCdts spent a week improving their marksman-
ship and trying to keep both themselves and their rifles dry.
The week started with the ACMT, a test of the basic marksmanship principles, and after a day of musical Gore-Tex, the OCdts piled back onto the coaches, content that they had passed to the required standard.
Over the next few days, the shoots became more complex, and each asked
more of the OCdts. Day Two was the busiest in Borneo Company, shooting on the Individual Battle Skill Range, the Automatic Range, as a section in defence, and to fin- ish with the night shoot. The IBSR was many people’s favourite, incorporating situational aware- ness with the marksmanship skills. It involved moving along the point and across several dif- ferent pieces of cover, including a fire trench which proved an extra challenge for those shorter than
The night shoot held an element
of excitement as everyone stood with cyalumes stuck to the back of their helmets, squinting at the horizon trying to see the black targets ahead
5”4 as climbing out quickly while keeping the rifle pointing down the range was a feat of its own. Once this had been done, the OCdts then moved forwards towards the targets in pairs and on contact conducted pairs fire manoeuvre until ‘over- whelmed’ by the enemy at which point they retreated backwards.
The night shoot held an element of excitement as everyone stood with cyalumes stuck to the back of their helmets, squinting at the horizon try-
20 SANDHURST