Page 50 - The Bugle 2018

Commanding Officer’s Introduction
The 3rd Battalion has once again proven to be trusted, ready and engaged across a broad range of diverse and interesting tasks at home and abroad. From battling the snow in support of NHS Scotland, to mastering our new Mastiff vehicles, to conquering Pen Y Fan during a Brecon summer the year has had all the variety, challenge and occasional surprises that Army life can bring.
The last year for 3 RIFLES has been focused on conversion to Mechanised Infantry and devel- opment of the Strike concept. Since joining 1 Armoured Infantry Brigade in the middle of 2017 we have worked hard to develop our skills with the Mastiff and embrace our new role. The Strike ethos – focused on innovation, independence of thought and rapid manoeuvre – is one which chimes with our own ethos as Riflemen and we have grasped the opportunity to drive that mentality both on and off the battlefield.
while B Company ran a particularly arduous JNCO Cadre in Otterburn training area.
2018 brought no let up as the Battalion continued to work hard at mastering the Mastiff and devel- oping the tactics required to fight and win as a Mechanised Battlegroup. Exercise SOUTHERN SKIRMISH saw the Battalion deploy in Mastiff to conduct a successful battle camp in Brecon, including an experimental tactical march, and an inter-Section competition around Pen Y Fan. This was followed by Exercise NORTHERN SKIRMISH in Galloway Forest which gave the Companies another opportunity to hone their skills. Amongst all this activity the Battalion was also called on to support NHS Scotland when Edinburgh was particularly hard hit by the so-called “Beast from the East”. As part of Op BOOMSTER, teams of 3 RIFLES drivers picked up stranded healthcare workers across the city and took them into work so that hospitals could remain open. The profes- sionalism of the Riflemen during this important task was second to none and further strengthened our reputation amongst the local population in Edinburgh.
Sporting prowess and personal endeavour continues across the spectrum of sports and adventure training. The Battalion football team had another successful season, reaching the semi-final of the Army Cup and the final of the Army Champion’s League. The Nordic Skiing team, building on a strong showing last year, were Infantry Champions, came 8th in the Army and 10th in the Inter-Services Competition. Hot on their heels the Alpine Skiing team were 4th in the Infantry. The Boxing Team reached the finals of the Army Inter-Unit Boxing Competition where they were narrowly beaten by a much more experi- enced team from 2 PARA. Many members of the
Our training progression has been facilitated
through a number of large Battalion run exercises
in preparation for our assessment as a Mechanised
Battlegroup on Exercise WESSEX STORM 18/4
in August 2019. Immediately following Summer
leave in 2017, the Battalion deployed to Thetford
for three weeks on Ex BUGLE STORM which
focused on getting back-to-basics and devel-
oping our low-level soldiering ability. Returning to
Edinburgh the Battalion began a long programme
of Mastiff Driver and Commander courses which
has continued throughout the year. Simultane-
ously, we sent a team to Canada to work with
our brothers in arms in Princess Patricia’s Light
Infantry, the football team deployed to Malta,
and a number of Riflemen followed in Rommel’s
footsteps in the Low Countries on Ex PANZER
BUGLE. Towards the end of the year, C Company
spent six weeks battling the SCOTS GUARDS
across Salisbury Plain on Ex LIGHTNING ACE Battalion have represented the Infantry, Army
THIRDBATTALION