Page 47 - Bugle Spring 2025

The Elizabeth Cross medal
Community Engagement
Community Engagement is central to the Army Reserve, and 8
RIFLES is no exception in having deep roots in our local areas.
The last 6 months alone have seen us support over 60 events
across all five of our regimental pillars: Regular, Reserve,
Cadets, Associations and communities.
Whilst difficult to single out any one event, perhaps the
most memorable was the presentation of the Elizabeth Cross
posthumously to the family of Private Michael Harrison of the 3rd
Battalion the Light Infantry who was killed alongside Pte Richard
Turnbull by an IRA ambush in 1977. Michael’s family were hosted
by Y Coy in the Pontefract Army Reserve Centre, and following
the reading of his citation by Lt Col Dowdall, they were presented
with the Elizabeth Cross by His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of West
Yorkshire, Mr Ed Anderson CBE. His family were delighted to receive
the award and overwhelmed when the Minden House Buglers
sounded the Last Post. Y Coy were equally grateful to have been
able to host the event and learn more about Michael from his family.
In August we were asked to help the Durham County Council
move the Durham Light Infantry archives and collection to their
new home in The Story, Durham. The building is a renovation
of Mt Oswald country house and is the perfect place for many
people to be able to see the rich history provided by the archives.
We are looking forward to using the site to host events next year
including a Bugle Breakfast in the Spring.
As always Remembrance Weekend was a busy time for
the battalion. This year our highlights included supporting
Sunderland Associated Football Club and Birmingham City
Football Club’s Remembrance matches; along with the Durham
Cathedral Festival of Remembrance in support of the Army
Benevolent Fund. Over the weekend the battalion was deployed
across the Northeast, Yorkshire and the West Midlands laying
wreaths and paying our respects to our fallen.
Capt Ridley
The Elizabeth Cross is presented
posthumously to Pte Harrison’s family
8 RIFLES
LCpl Wood fires a live javelin missile
SKIRMISH GROUP
The realities of modern conflict have
taught us that anti-armour capabilities
are essential for the survivability of light
infantry, including our reserve forces in
warfighting roles. However, growing and
maintaining such specialist capabilities
organically is a known challenge in the Army
Reserve. As a result, HQ Infantry Reserve
sponsored 8 RIFLES to pilot a solution. This
involved combining our anti-tank and other
specialist weapon trained personnel into
a “Skirmish Group”. This has also become
a vehicle to increase our lethality and plug
in developing capabilities like electronic
warfare and sUAS.
The modus operandi is “recce with teeth”;
conducting traditional reconnaissance tasks
but with the capacity to engage identified
armoured targets with NLAW, Javelin or by
calling for fire. For this concept to succeed
we designed a modular training pathway
Skirmish group must be proficient in all
environments, including the urban
grounded in reconnaissance and anti-tank
battlecraft syllabus training. Earlier in the
year five reservists from Y Company joined
a four-week Javelin missile training course
in Scotland run by 2 RIFLES. Three ranked in
the top five and two were selected to fire live
Javelin and NLAW missiles; a rare opportunity
only afforded to the top students.
By September, Skirmish Group was ready
to be fully tested. This came in the form of Ex
SAVA STAR, a NATO interoperability exercise
in Croatia. Working closely with our Croatian
counterparts, Skirmish Group took on diverse
roles, including traditional reconnaissance
tasks, marking assembly points and providing
fire support to the rifle companies. A
successful debut for Skirmish Group, reaching
interim operating capability at the Subunit
level. The next phase is to take this forward at
Unit level during 19 Lt Bde’s Ex RHINO HEART
in October 2025 and achieve full operating
capability.
Sjt Walcott
RIFLES The Bugle 47