Page 52 - The Bugle 2018

The Ops Warrant Officer briefs A Company prior to the Locating the Enemy Demo on Ex BUGLE STORM
A section pop smoke before going right flanking into a compound in Bridge Carr village during Ex BUGLE STORM
Riflemen prepare to clear a compound on Ex BUGLE STORM
IT LEFT 3 RIFLES IN NO DOUBT THAT WE WERE IN A STRONG PLACE WHEN IT CAME TO OUR DISMOUNTED INFANTRY SKILLS
Exercise BUGLE STORM
Returning from Summer Leave 2017 the Battalion was well rested and feeling the effects of three weeks out of uniform. What was needed was a few weeks of Section attacks and back-to-basics soldiering. Luckily, after just a week in camp that’s exactly what the Battalion got as they deployed en masse to Norfolk for Exercise BUGLE STORM. The Battalion had originally been due to conduct Exercise WESSEX STORM 17.4 but that had been cancelled leaving a gap in the Battalion programme. The imagi- natively named alternative – BUGLE STORM – had been born and with some of the Army’s resources allocated to WESSEX STORM remaining in place it promised to be an excellent few weeks.
The exercise began with a series of platoon level Battle Exercises. These levered the considerable experience and expertise of the Battalion’s Serjeant Majors to teach and then test the Platoons in a series of different skills including Fighting in Woods and Forests, Operating in Built Up Areas and FOB defence. Each small exercise would begin with a number of lessons and practice periods culminating in a demanding test.
The companies spent this first week based in FOBs on the training area and morale was particu- larly high as a result of an excellent performance by the Battalion’s chefs running small field kitchens in each location. The companies were tested in amongst the other training periods by probing attacks from the live enemy and a civilian population under the leadership of “the Chief”, as CSjt Whyte (CivPop lead) came to be known amongst his band of Edinburgh UOTC civilian role players.
The final phase of the exercise involved several company and battalion level tactical actions. A particularly exciting phase saw companies breaking into compounds and buildings using live explosive mousehole charges with the help of the Assault Pioneer Platoon. This not only added to the realism but also significantly bolstered Bugle / Assault Pioneer Platoon recruiting efforts much to the relief of the Adjutant in advance of the Regimental Council. The companies came together during the last two phases to conduct a daylight attack on Bridge Carr village and then a night time attack on to Eastmere village. Both locations were successfully cleared while protecting CSjt Whyte’s peaceful population. Finally, the battalion defended Eastmere against a resurgent enemy with ENDEX falling immediately after the GOC flew home having dropped in to inspect the defences.
Overall, Exercise BUGLE STORM was a great shake out for the battalion following Summer Leave. It coincided with the launch of the ‘Back to Basics’ campaign across the Army and gave the Battalion the opportunity to experiment with the new Battle- craft syllabus. It left 3 RIFLES in no doubt that we were in a strong place when it came to our dismounted infantry skills and therefore were ready to begin our Mechanised Infantry journey.
Capt Paddy Keating
Adjutant
58 THIRD BATTALION
THE RIFLES