Page 14 - Bugle Autumn 2024

2 RIFLES
BRUNEI JUNIOR LEADERSHIP CADRE
Honing the complex art of jungle warfare
Presented with the opportunity to be in the first cohort of Riflemen to attend an external Junior Leadership Cadre in Brunei with the Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR), I embraced the adventure with enthusiasm! My time spent with the RGR was a professional milestone and a humbling experience. Arriving in Brunei, the heat and humidity caught me by surprise and was a totally new environment. The acclimatisation phase quickly taught me the importance of properly hydrating and knowing your limits.
A well deserved dip after weeks in the jungle!
The 2 RIFLES lads were distributed across the 1 RGR sections, fully mixed in with the Gurkhas. It was fascinating learning about their culture, and before long there was a genuine feeling of brotherhood between us and our friends from across The Light Division.
The urban phase allowed us to share with 1RGR many of our skills, but the transition
to primary jungle was a big step outside of our comfort zone – the mosquitoes were relentless. However, the training conducted, and knowledge gained made it all worthwhile.
the heat & humidity caught me by surprise
Some highlights included learning how to teach lessons (which I’m putting into practice back at battalion), administrating a section in the harsh jungle environment, and conducting jungle-specific tactical actions like camp attacks and meeting engagements.
I feel extremely fortunate to have had
the opportunity to test myself and complete possibly the hardest training the Army has to offer. I would recommend it to any Rifleman up for the challenge.
Rfn Rouse, 11 Platoon, C Company
Brothers across the Light Division
INTER-COMPANY BOXING 2024 – MY BOXING JOURNEY
My initial experience of novice boxing was in 2023, when I represented B Company in the annual Battalion inter-company boxing gala. The initial training, learning new skills on the pads, bags and sparring in the gym fed my experience and drove me to fully commit to the sport. I lost my first competitive bout, however, as the saying goes ‘you don’t
lose in amateur boxing, you just learn.’ The experience made me want to train harder and compete again. Even with a loss on my card I displayed boxing potential and was selected for the Battalion boxing team.
This year I again competed in the Battalion Inter-Company Boxing, more prepared, experienced, and committed than the year before. It was a demanding camp, putting our bodies through a long 6-weeks of graft! The
14 RIFLES The Bugle
team transitioned to an “intense” phase after the first few weeks, which involved cardio, strength and conditioning, sparring, and tactical team objectives covering potential opponent’s boxing styles and how to navigate them. I won my prelim fight and then progressed to the finals, where I won again and achieved the Gala best boxer award.
I hope I can go on to compete in many more competitions, representing the RIFLES in the Infantry Box Cup, 4 Brigade Gala and most importantly representing 2 RIFLES in
the Army Championships season 2024 -25.
LCpl Michael Harris,
7 Platoon, B Company
Skill and determination in the Cruiserweight final
LCpl Harris collects his winners plate