Page 22 - Bugle Spring 2023

3 RIFLES
Cambrian Patrol – Going for Gold!
Exercise CAMBRIAN PATROL is based across The Black Mountain and Sennybridge Training Area in Wales. It tests a variety of military skills over an arduous 60km route during which the teams are exposed to mission scenarios testing them in a variety of essential Infantry skills including Navigation, Obstacle Crossings, CBRN, Battlefield Casualty Drills and Counter-Explosive Ordinance. For their efforts teams are awarded either a Certificate, Bronze, Silver, or Gold Medal with only 5% of teams achieving a Gold Medal.
3 RIFLES had a strong performance
and set a high bar in the 2021 competition and so entered two teams in 2022, led by Capt Russon and Lt Coombs with Sjt Hayes acting as Patrol Manager for both teams.
Cambrian Patrol is a multinational exercise with British teams being assigned to an international patrols team in the weeks leading up to the event. The 3 RIFLES teams hosted the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) and trained together, mutually learning with the US Army team. The Patrols trained on all of the aspects that would be tested as well as conducting extensive night training to ensure they were as efficient at night as they were in the day.
The Cambrian Patrol teams seized the opportunity of the lodge based in Ambleside to test members of the patrol’s fitness and
navigation over the undulating terrain provided by the Lake District.
The teams were feeling confident, last minute kit checks were made and finally deployed to Wales to start the competition.
On arrival patrol commanders were issued their orders and the teams were given an hour to create a model pit and write orders. Once orders had been delivered the teams set off along the 60km route where they came across a variety
of scenarios. The highlights included conducting a recce patrol during which teams were probed by clearance patrols accompanied with search dogs looking to uncover the patrols whilst in OP’s, as well as coming across a crashed helicopter with a number of casualties from Amputees in Action adding a level of realism and testing
Gold medal - B Company team, led by Lt Coombs
the Riflemen’s BCD skills in an extremely realistic environment.
48 hours later the sleep deprived, and physically exhausted teams patrolled into the debrief area to write patrol reports prior to conducting the extensive debrief on the scenario and intelligence they had gained throughout the patrol.
The teams then attended the Cambrian Patrol awards ceremony. After a painstaking wait the B Company team was awarded a Gold Medal (1 of 8 teams awarded a Gold Medal in Cambrian Patrol 22) and the Battalion team awarded a Silver Medal. These results saw 3 RIFLES as the most successful Battalion in the British Army in Cambrian Patrol 22.
Lt Coombs, Platoon Commander
B Company
Silver medal – HQ Company team, led by Capt Russon
Training in Ambleside with US partners 2CR
together, mutually learning with the US Army team
3 RIFLES teams hosted the 2nd Cavalry Regiment (2CR) and trained
22 RIFLES The Bugle