Page 46 - Mercian Eagle 2014

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EX URBAN RAM – Lt William Webber
It has been directed that all Infantry units must conduct 25% of their training in the urban environment, so in March of 2014 B Coy left gloomy Belfast and headed for the equally dreary garrison town of Catterick, North Yorkshire and in particular the outstanding Whinney Hill FIBUA training complex.
After the standard monotonous ferry trip from Belfast to some bleak place on the west coast of Scotland the Company Subalterns squared away the new CSMs administration and B Coy were on the way to Catterick.
The exercise was the 3rd iteration in
Maj Kelly’s RAM series of brilliant Coy exercises and was aptly named EX URBAN RAM. The Coy was lucky enough to have extra attachments in the form of some
of the experienced members of D Coy’s Reconnaissance Platoon.
The first three days were dedicated to the platoons working on their own SOPs
in the urban environment. All 3 platoons were given a specific area which they could work in and Platoon Commander ‘playtime’ commenced. All the platoons conducted high quality training and started from the absolute basics, building from
fire team attacks to section attacks and finally a Platoon Attack watched by the eagle-eyed, Combat Hunter that is Major Tom Kelly. All the Platoons had focused on building clearance drills and the approach to the building; however all the platoons were reminded by the CSM, that they should not lose sight of the more traditional section attack and this was brought to light during a series of attacks through rubble and debris. These attacks allowed all section commanders to hone their tactical knowledge of fighting in an environment
that may have been heavily shelled before moving into a building.
Training didn’t stop in the evening with troops being exercised at night as well to practice what they had
learnt during the day.
The Final Day was spent on platoon attacks with the Platoon Commanders being able to bring together all of the Section Commanders hard work to execute
The troops would build
up from using white
light to ultimately going
through the drills in
black light. Not only did
this test their skills and
drills but also gave them
time to get familiar with
the new Future Infantry
Soldier Technology
(FIST) kit. It was quickly shown that we can get the initiative over the enemy if we use the darkness to our advantage; therefore it is vital that every soldier understands the capabilities of this fantastic equipment and can use it.
Capt Fitzpatrick, Coy 2IC, had done a sterling job of organising four helicopter insertions, in between spinning us his jumped up war dits about his time in the “UGV” (that’s the Upper Gareshk Valley to us mere mortals) and practicing his best pout for getting the girls. This however proved, later in the year, to be a waste of time as the ladies actually preferred the leering stares and suggestive hand rubbing of Lt Sharland. However I digress. These helicopter lifts were put to great use by landing troops straight into an assault, testing all the skills they had learnt so
far. This added a realistic dynamic to the exercise allowing troops who had never been in a helicopter before to experience a short flight followed by getting into what we do best, closing with and killing the Queen’s enemies.
some top quality Platoon attacks. The final evening had a surprise in store. OC
B Coy delivered a set
of orders to his Platoon Commanders for an assault onto the high rise block of flats in the centre on Whinney Hill. This was the culmination of a great weeks training
with the Coy smashing through a tower block and clearing it of a an enemy intent on not giving up and fighting to the death, however the Company showed off its Urban warfare prowess and beat the enemy into submission, in the process waking up the majority of the garrison town at 0430Hrs
as a plethora of LMGs were on full song, suppressing the threat.
This exercise gave some valuable learning at all levels. Section commanders adapted the basic drills in the Pamphlets to come
up with some of their own great skills and subsequently disseminating these to the other Section Commanders in the Coy. Whilst the chain of command learnt about how important it is to spend time on the basics making sure these are of a high standard before moving on; these basics make the more complex situations fit into place a lot easier. As a Company we spent a lot of time putting the art of soldier first Combat Hunter into place. It can be safely said that B Company are now a force to be feared in the Urban environment.
B Coy on the Urban Assault Course/ Whinney Hill, Catterick/April 2014
This added a realistic dynamic to the exercise allowing troops who had never been in a helicopter before...
B Coy/Assaulting Village in Whinney Hill/April 2014
LCpl Atree/Ex Urban RAM, Whinney Hill/April 2014
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