Page 25 - Bugle Spring 2025

Ranger Advanced Urban Combat Course with partners
TRAINING CYCLE
OVERVIEW
R Coy began a demanding but rewarding
training cycle to prepare for deployments
across the Middle East. It started with
individuals on the EAGLE series, where we
sharpen specialised skill-sets that make the
Ranger team, including med, intelligence,
targeting and foreign weapons training.
Following this, we jumped into collective
training to validate the Company at warfighting
as sensors and effectors beyond the front
line. In Ex APOLLO FORGE, we ran a simulated
company Joint Operations Centre, developing
targets using drone feeds and human
intelligence. The assets and SMEs available to
us were astounding and greatly increased our
understanding of Joint capabilities.
After this, Ex APOLLO STORM - 12 days in
Kielder Forest and Otterburn. Company HQ
directed the actions, with Teams operating
at reach. The complexity of fighting a peer
plus enemy with air supremacy and layered
air assets (including drones) cannot be
overestimated. However, the will to win and
a readiness to evolve with the scenario won
the day.
The final phase of the cycle was mission
specific training. We conducted six weeks
of ranges, which included urban warfare,
being the first to use a state-of-the-art facility
with moveable walls and reactive targets. It
culminated in realistic scenarios testing ‘the
worst day’, firing weapons in close quarters. In
the margins, we studied language/culture and
presented the company’s operational analysis
to the Brigade Commander.
Scanning the route for the MRZR
with the L403s 10x magnification
SOTU10 pausing for a photo in the desert
4 RANGER
Dashain & Tihar festivals
Dashain and Tihar are two of the most significant Nepali festivals,
each holding deep cultural and religious meaning. Dashain
marks the victory of good over evil, commemorating the goddess
Durga’s triumph over demon Mahishasura. It is a 15-day festival
focused on family reunions, worship, and blessings. On the 10th
day families gather to receive Tika (a mixture of yogurt, rice, and
vermillion) and jamara (barley grass) from elders, symbolising
protection, strength, and prosperity.
Tihar, also known as the Festival of Lights, spans five days and
honours animals and deities. The first few days celebrate crows,
dogs, and oxen, while the third day is dedicated to the goddess
Laxmi, with homes lit up by oil lamps and candles. The final day,
Bhai Tika, celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters.
Throughout Tihar families and friends come together and gamble,
playing cards, dice or Tripasa.
Both Dashain and Tihar highlight the values of family, gratitude,
and the victory of light over darkness, bringing joy and unity.
Dashain and Tihar achieve a sense of unity and prosperity, bringing
people together in celebration and reflection. Both festivities within
the Ranger context provide an excellent opportunity for soldiers
from diverse cultural backgrounds to come together and be part of
our rich heritage.
4 RANGER Dashain Party
RIFLES The Bugle 25