Page 27 - The Bugle Autumn 2016 Issue 12

is going to be horrendous”. But, the gods were on our side and miraculously the sun shone, putting the Sun Protection Factor on the cam cream to the test!
Day one began with the Ri emen throwing their rst ever live grenades, and as the safety brief was given it was dif cult to say who looked more nervous, the Ri emen or the safety staff. However, after the excellent training received by the Ri emen there were no problems, and the Ri emen were all keen to throw their next grenade the following day.
As the week progressed the Ri emen’s low-level skills, communication and marksmanship see a vast improvement. Messages were being passed, swords were being xed more aggressively, and the rates of re were keeping the g. 11 target heads down.
Orders given, battle prep and patrol in completed, nal brief completed and h-hour set, the platoon were off on the nal element of LFTT, their Platoon attack. It was a series of six enemy positions, all with live grenades over a distance of 1.5km. Over the hour it took to complete the advance to contact, they destroyed enemy positions with aggression and gusto. They re-bombed magazines frantically to enable their fellow Ri emen to get back into the re ght, and showed a real willingness to close with and defeat the enemy in close combat.
It is has been remarkable to see the development of the Ri emen’s live ring skills from week 1 to week 23. They have learned three new weapon systems during their time at ITC and successfully taken them down a live range delivering an impressive effect. They have taken the marksmanship principles from the static ranges and can apply them on live tactical ranges.
These Ri emen couldn’t tell you the characteristic of any weapon system 23 weeks ago, but are now entirely comfortable running around with live rounds ying over their heads and grenades going off in front of them. A fantastic week and an excellent way to (almost) nish the course.
Captain Andrew Jenkinson, Ri es 5 Platoon Commander
Kings Division Platoon, Ri es 3, Training with The Ri es on the Final Exercise
Ri es 3 are a Kings cap badge training team with a mixture of recruits, with the majority from The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment and The Yorkshire Regiment. Working with The Ri es Company for the past six months has been a pleasure after the training team got over the whole ‘sword’ issue. The Ri es Company has shown that, though incredibly proud of their Regiment, they are impartial and treat every cap badge under their command with the same level of relaxed professionalism.
The culmination of the Combat Infantryman’s Course is the nal exercise, held in Otterburn Training Area. For the recruits especially this is a demanding six day exercise that cements the basic military skills they have learnt over the past six months. The exercise was planned and controlled by the Ri es Company 2IC. It was then in turn supported by the very capable CQMS team from the Ri es Company led by CSjt Bannon. The exercise went incredibly well, and it showed the recruits what physical and mental barriers they could go through. As a ‘Red Coat’ *sighs* I was not overly familiar before coming to the ITC with The Ri es and their modus operandi,
but apart from a severe aversion to wearing belts and a real hatred for irons we are not very different, especially in terms of how we operate in the eld.
The nal exercise consisted of the recruit’s rst real Bergen move over the Otterburn terrain, followed by ambushes, advances to contact, delib- erate attacks and defensive ops. The conditions were at times harsh, but the resilience the recruits of all cap badges showed was encouraging. Our sister Platoon who has completed the course alongside us is almost 100% Ri es cap badge, and their training team is made up from NCO’s and of cers from throughout the ve battalions. What was very evident however,was that there is less of a battalion ethos in the Ri es and much more of a Regimental one, supported by the multitude of red, green and black mugs, stationary, socks, and hats etc. The exercise was conducted to the highest standard by both training teams, but it was the profession- alism of The Ri es Company and realistic nature of the training that led to the exercise being such a success and a great nal chapter for the recruits before they become trained soldiers.
Working with The Ri es has come with a few nuances, and the professionalism and attitude has been spot on. Our training team is now looking forward to the next course under the Ri es Company. Captain Lewis Farrell-Southin, Lancs, Ri es 3 Platoon Commander
THE RIFLES
TRAINING 25
IT WAS THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE RIFLES COMPANY AND REALISTIC NATURE OF THE TRAINING THAT LED TO THE EXERCISE BEING SUCH A SUCCESS
Following a tough two weeks in Warcop and Otterburn, the lads have some well earned rest on the journey back to ITC
Otterburn can be pretty unforgiving in winter. Here Ri es recruits construct a defensive position, digging hard to keep warm!