Page 39 - Bugle Issue 18 Auntumn 2021

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6 RIFLES
The Desert Rat Debate Competition
When someone mentions the words ‘debating competi- tion’ most would laugh at the notion, or others would think it was a classic case of the chain of command ‘good ideas club!’ You would be forgiven if you believed the latter...
6 RIFLES has recently won the 7X Defence Debate Competition and it wasn’t just a collection of boring old gentlemen thrashing an issue out over tea and biscuits but rather a more brutal battle of wit, quick thinking and a little luck - although not too much!
A winning team was quickly assembled with me selected as the overall debating savant and team captain. Capt Braycotton and 2Lt Brudenell were joined by LCpl Ladd and LCpl Hurford, who is a silent assassin in the background with a savage reputation for remembering anything to do with facts, figures or statistics. In the reserve lay LCpl Fry and Capt Saunders, ready to support the team if anyone was to become a casualty from the fierce fighting that lay ahead. We began the long-drawn out slog of training to become the finest debaters that Defence has ever seen. Long days in the classroom followed by team gym sessions led to creation of a team ready to compete.
Feeling prepared and rehearsed the team faced it first opponents 1 ROYAL ANGLIAN, proposing the topic “This house believes that NATO is unable to escalate with Russia in Eastern Europe”. From the moment the debate started 6 RIFLES realised they had the upper hand and decided to strike swiftly and boldly. It was over as quickly as it began with the Vikings admitting defeat.
Round two almost recorded the demise of the team, having prepared for one debating topic, we were startled
to find that it was changed last minute. Not dissuaded, we launched into action. Hours of gym sessions, coffee breaks and the memorisation of ‘Sun Tzu, The Art of War’ allowed our team to adapt to unfolding fiasco and before we knew it, we were face-to-face with fellow Chosen Men - 1 RIFLES. After only one hour of debating it was obvious that 6 RIFLES were the winners.
The team did not sit on its laurels and immediately began preparing for its final battle against The Royal Yeomanry. Debating “This house believes that UK security
is best served by non-military means”, the creation that unfolded was a work of art and a beautiful blend of facts, statistics and long words we didn’t really know the meaning of. A war of wits and cunning on the digital battlefield
that is ‘Zoom’ followed. Breakfast was a lukewarm coffee followed by a monologue speech by Capt Braycotton. He mentioned famous battles and gave a cheesy quote from ‘Lone Survivor’ about always ‘staying in the fight.’ It created the desired effect and we felt energised. The battle was merciless, LCpl Ladd’s acid tongue was put to the test, 2Lt Brudenell’s shear over-use of his intellect almost resulted
in him having to lie in a darkened room and LCpl Hurford’s unlimited memory bank of data and facts actually began to show its limits.
With the competition won the team did not celebrate. They did not toast a drink or hold a party. They did not cheer or throw their weapons to the air. Instead they simply looked at each other dead in the eye and gave a polite nod for they now knew they were ‘gentlemen of the highest esteem.’ WO2 Ferguson
RIFLES The Bugle 39