Page 21 - Bugle Issue 19 Spring 2022

3 RIFLES
UK / Croatian Company Group
Recovering after the final attack
Ex SABRE JUNCTION
the AT-4, netting 5 tank kills over the course of the exercise. Unfortunately, after dealing with the sentries it became clear we had been given some poor intelligence and there were far more enemy than previously anticipated. Despite our best efforts, and with a British Section being the only friendly forces to make it into the town, the troop were beaten. Defeat was a sobering but invaluable experience that we rarely get from our own training back in the UK. The Platoon learnt some key lessons and picked themselves back up.
We then moved into planning for the final attack of the exercise, a Brigade effort featuring multiple Squadron objectives and an attack that took a full 24 hours to see through. The enemy effectively employed shoot and scoot tactics with armour and
strafing runs from their attack helicopters to slow our route-in considerably. The decision was
eventually made to dismount and do the attack on foot,
ultimately proving successful. The exercise culminated with a
BBQ with some of our American counterparts, whom we
cannot thank enough for the experience and their
support.
Lt J Serdet
4Pl, B Coy have recently returned from
a month-long exercise in Hohenfels
Training Area, operating alongside the 2nd (US) Cavalry Regiment to enhance our interoperability and develop the Battalion’s mechanised mindset. During the deployment they were attached to the Iron Troop, an American Stryker Company. The Stryker is an armoured vehicle, similar in capability to the British Army’s future Boxer program. It was an excellent opportunity to try out some American equipment and test the Platoon against a live and free-thinking enemy.
The deployment started with a three-day battle prep period, which gave us time to embed into Iron Troop and meet our American counterparts. At this point we met our attached signaller, Specialist Walter, and our driver Sgt Miyazato, who both quickly became an integral part of the Platoon and formed firm friendships with the Riflemen. The first phase of the exercise was a defensive battle, centred around Hill 616. Highly elevated and covered in a thick woodblock, it overlooked
a killing area containing a main infiltration route for the enemy. Our troop commander decided to set his Stryker Platoons up on the hill, making best use of their 30mm cannons, and use our dismounted Riflemen to set up Anti-Tank ambushes on the rat-runs through the woodblocks to prevent the enemy
flanking us. The battle was successful, with enemy armour taking multiple casualties and our own losses being minimal.
The Americans run their training establishments with a Battalion of enemy who are stationed there permanently for
two years. These troops develop an intimate knowledge of the ground and how we were likely to operate. During the second phase of the exercise they were given free rein to act as they pleased. Having a truly free-thinking enemy was a new, challenging and incredibly rewarding experience for the Platoon.
Our first challenge was to take the town of Schwend, an important piece of key terrain for the Squadron Commander’s
plan, which was to dismount the
troop and attack the objective in light role order to maximise surprise. 4 Platoon were chosen to lead in the attack, bumping into some armoured sentries on the outside of the town which we destroyed
with the AT weapon systems the Americans had loaned us. Rfn Dover was particularly effective with
Defeat was a sobering but invaluable experience that we rarely
US / UK Partnerships
get from our own training
RIFLES The Bugle 21
Riflemen trialling US Anti-Armour Weapons