Page 134 - Bugle Autumn 2014

With the UPDF in Uganda
Ugandan Army Training & Mentoring
Routinely referred to as a “failed
state”, Somalia has had no functioning government since 1991. Since then it has been locked in an unrelenting civil war, pitting clan militia, criminal warlords, and Islamist militants against each other. Since instability in Somalia spills over into the rest of East Africa, establishing some sort of security is vital for the country and the region. As such, the British Army offers training support to certain African units which form part of AMISOM – the African Union force tasked with providing security for the fledgling Somali government.
The task of securing the area around Mogadishu during 2014 fell to the 27
and 03 Battalion, the Ugandan People’s Defence Force (UPDF). I was lucky enough to be part of an STTT (Short-Term Training Team) deploying to Uganda for two weeks to deliver confirmatory training for the two battalions. Led by 4 YORKS, the team consisted of both Reservist
and Regular personnel with a variety of specialist skills.
Working with the Ugandan troops was a privilege; many were very experienced, having cut their teeth fighting their own counterinsurgency against the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army) for many years.
The junior ranks had an exemplary willingness both to learn from us and to show us their way of doing things. My own personal highlight came during the 24-hour confirmatory
Similarly, being chased down by a Caspar armoured personnel carrier whilst hanging off the side of a Toyota pick-up was a rather novel experience, and one which
exercise which we delivered for the exercising battalions. As a Swahili speaker, I was appointed
hanging off the side of a Toyota pick-up was a rather novel experience
left me unenvious of pickup-borne militia the world over.
As the British
Army withdraws
from operations in Afghanistan and
looks toward Defence Engagement taskings,
OC of the “enemy”
forces; 120 Ugandan
troops dressed as
Islamist militia, and two classic militant Toyota pick-up trucks. Running several simultaneous serials continuously for 24 hours was a great command and control experience, especially given that my entire comms net consisted of two Motorola walkie-talkies. Launching vehicle-borne hit-and-runs, sneaking up to sentry positions under the cover of darkness with a Ugandan “sniper”, staging riots, and delivering platoon attack orders in Swahili all made for a fantastic junior officer experience.
There were also plenty of light-hearted moments, such as seeing one of my assaulting sections forced into headlong retreat by a rudely-awoken Black Mamba.
this was an encouraging experience of a role which may well characterise the operational careers of my generation of soldiers and junior officers.
From an Army Reserves point of view, this experience certainly had a positive impact on my civilian occupation, and vice versa. At the time I was researching my undergraduate dissertation on Al Shabaab; the very same Somali militant group we were helping the Ugandans
to confront. 4 YORKS have very kindly invited me back to train the next Ugandan contingent in August 2014, and I very much look forward to once again working with the UPDF.
Lt R Ahluwalia, OC Durham Platoon
Key postings and promotions
During the past year there have been several notable comings and goings across the company.
PSAO Capt Gary Jones left the Army altogether to pursue a civilian career. We thank him for his contribution and wish him well for the future. His replacement, Capt Jan McNab has, at the time of writing, just taken up her post.
Capt Bob Towers has now joined the Officer’s Mess, having commissioned in March and he remains in post as Mortar Platoon Commander. We have also said farewell to our Doncaster Platoon Commander. 2Lt Richard Wyatt has left the company due to ongoing civilian work commitments. A stalwart at Doncaster for several years, he is a big miss and for the time
being at least his place has been taken by WO2 Carswell. There have been a number of changes to permanent staff.
WO2 Daz Redgwell left in March to take up the appointment of RSM 3 RIFLES. We wish him well in his new appointment and look forward to continuing to work closely with him as part of our pairing with 3 RIFLES. In his place we have welcomed WO2 Si Gash. C/Sjt Kumar Zaman has replaced Sjt Lee Pennington at Doncaster, and Sjt Rob Pursey has now taken up the vacant Mortar PSI role. WO2 Ken McFarlane has returned to the company on promotion to replace WO2 Carswell as CSM,
and Cpl Reggie McKenzie has returned to the Sjt’s Mess on promotion where he will head up the company recruiting team.
132 D COMPANY
THE RIFLES