Page 48 - Example Journals

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The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
C Company Scots Guards clearing enemy from the town of Kirikay
progressive live- re training, and nally a fortnight of Tactical Effects Simulation exercises (TESEX) against a real enemy (the Scots Guards Battlegroup).
After two weeks of vehicle and battle preparation in Camp Crowfoot, the enormous KRH Battlegroup rolled out onto the prairie to start the exercise. For the rst week, the various subu- nits conducted their own training. For most, it was an opportu- nity to conduct low-pressure activity to refresh their tactics and techniques prior to the start of live ring. But for some, such as the ISTAR Gp, it was the rst time they were able to exer- cise as a formed body, and this week was a valuable opportunity to take full advantage of training time without being assessed by anyone. Whilst hundreds of armoured vehicles charged around the vast landscape honing their skills, dozens of command vehi- cles and the 100 men and women which made up Battlegroup Headquarters (BGHQ) re ned their procedures for controlling the huge Battlegroup and planning missions. During the nal day of the rst week, the Battlegroup came together to practice regrouping: this is a procedure where subunits are split down and tasked to work with each other in order to form highly versatile ghting units. Given the sheer size of the KRH Battlegroup, this
Tanks from A Sqn KRH and Warriors from the Royal Welsh conduct a live re attack
procedure was rehearsed many times with as many different com- binations of groupings as possible. Although somewhat repeti- tive, it highlighted many valuable lessons and frictions which would have to be overcome before TESEX began.
After a quick maintenance day, the Battlegroup split up into its subunits, and scattered across the prairie to load ammunition onto their vehicles and into magazines, and begin live ring. The two weeks of live re were progressive, starting with individual vehi- cles or infantry sections of four men, working up through troop and platoon level ring to company or squadron live re attacks.
After independent ring had been mastered, the infantry and tanks started to work together, conducting live re combined arms attacks, eventually supported by engineers, artillery or elements of the ISTAR Gp. The nal few days of the live- ring phase, known as Exercise PRAIRIE LIGHTENING, saw the whole KRH Battlegroup come together to conduct live re manoeu- vres. This was an extremely demanding phase, forcing BGHQ to react to unexpected circumstances and rapidly formulate a plan of action, which the subunits would then execute. Following a superb live- re phase, the setup of which was praised by all exer- cising troops who took part, the KRH Battlegroup unloaded their weapons, began servicing their vehicles and tted TES equip- ment onto their vehicles to prepare for the nal two weeks.
The ultimate aim of PRAIRIE STORM 2, to be ready to be the UK’s LABG, hit home when it was announced halfway through the live- re phase that the KRH Battlegroup would deploy in October 2014 to Poland, to take part in Exercise BLACK EAGLE. The deployment would be a bilateral training exer- cise with the Polish Army, and was designed to reassure NATO’s Eastern European allies who were becoming increasingly nervous about the con ict in Eastern Ukraine. Although it was not to be a combat deployment, it was very clear to all those in the KRH Battlegroup that they would have to train hard in order to be ready for anything that the uncertain future was already throw- ing at them. And so at the end of the live- re phase, the troops replaced their live ammunition for blank rounds, and prepared to take on the Scots Guards during the TES phase.
The nal fortnight was conducted within the realms of a ctional scenario, in which an aggressive nation has invaded the sovereign