Page 29 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Guns Pl on watch in Celini Village
February 2014 saw C Coy deploy to New York State to conduct an exercise with the US 10th Mountain Div. Under the terms
of the agreement, 1 RIFLES were to hold a reciprocal exercise in the UK later in the year. The Battalion was due to conduct a CT2 level exercise in the summer and this became the UK leg of Ex COMMANDO RATTLESNAKE.
Capt Jo Murray with the US 10th Mountain Division 4-31 IN BN Bravo Coy
The integration of the US troops into British companies was an outstanding success. The US company arrived a week before the exercise in
order to complete an
RSOI package, run
by C Coy. There were
obvious differences in
the way both armies
conducted business
but there were also
many similarities. A
common language and a decade of shared experiences on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan has given us much common ground.
The concept of the exercise was a three way rotation between rural offensive, urban offensive and urban defensive. The rural offensive was the most physically demanding phase, and began with a deliberate Coy attack onto Farm 11 after a period of recce. Intelligence gained from this initial position enabled a subsequent
operation some kilometres to the north to defeat an enemy logistics node.
Companies then harboured for the night before conducting
exacerbated by the hot weather and long distances involved. The Riflemen and their US colleagues acquitted themselves exceptionally in the uncharacteristic Sennybridge heat.
The Urban offensive and defensive phases of the exercise saw 2 companies pitted against each other. TES equipment greatly enhanced this phase of the exercise with the observer controllers enthusiastically helping with control. The RCMO was so quick to reward bad drills with a simulated TES death that he had to have a time out while he conducted the over heating drill
on his god gun! The force on force concept
added realism to the exercise and allowed company commanders to conduct a thorough IPB. With an added element of competition each Company recced
and probed the defences of the other. With the odds (deliberately) stacked against
them due to a lack of manpower the defending company always had to withdraw eventually, but never without displaying a tenacious defence.
The US Coy were treated to a walk
over Pen Y Fan as their final activity. The uncharacteristic sunny weather held and the combined 1 RIFLES and 10th Mountain Div force conducted a parade on the summit in order to promote two American soldiers. This was not before Lt Dishman had accidentally led everyone up the wrong mountain!
The exercise was a resounding success. It was the culmination of several months training and an opportunity for the companies to put their training to the test. For many key appointments this was their first major exercise in role. Much was learnt across the battalion and it will provide us with an invaluable platform from which to launch our CT3 preparation.
Capt Peter Egan
Regimental Signals Officer
The integration of the US troops into British companies was an outstanding success
a route clearance along the north of the Sennybridge training area. As a light infantry battalion 1 RIFLES must be capable of conducting operations in complex terrain that
would be inaccessible to heavier forces. The route clearance operation was designed deliberately to test the companies’ ability
to operate effectively
in such challenging
circumstances. The
route was flanked
on either side by
exceptionally steep
and wooded ground
and at times the route became indistinct. The arduous nature of the training was
The exercise was a resounding success
Members of C Company giving orders for an Urban Assault
THE RIFLES
FIRST BATTALION 27