Page 89 - The Bugle 2018

Cambrian Patrol
Exercise Cambrian Patrol 2017 saw 5 RIFLES send one team and achieve Silver after a difficult 48-hour patrol in challenging conditions. Given that at the time the Battalion was still deployed in Estonia on Operation CABRIT 1 this was rightly recognised as a significant achievement.
The team was given a three week build up to prepare for the patrol before the competition in October. With Serjeant Hardy and Lieutenant Kemp helping to prepare lessons and resources we spent two weeks in Bulford going through Armoured Fighting Vehicle recognition, Battlefield Casualty Drills (BCD), Improvised Explosive Device (IED) clearance drills and navigation, as well as anything else we thought would likely be tested on this patrol. The team focused their physical training on tabbing (endurance march carrying weight), knowing that the physical challenge that the patrol posed would be a deciding factor in how well we would do in the competition.
After this initial period the team moved to Chepstow, where we could conduct some serious training in the Brecon Beacons. For some of our team this was their first exposure to the harsh realities of the Welsh countryside as we had a wide range of experience within the team and it was certainly a wake-up call for some.
Exercise CAMBRIAN PATROL began early on a Wednesday morning with a drop off in a wood where we went straight into a kit check followed by receipt and delivery of orders. Here we saw the scale of the competition as the wood was full of other teams going through the same routine in preparation for the patrol. Though we had prepared ourselves for the terrain, the weight we were expected to carry still surprised us as we picked up our bergans and set off.
The first day saw us move through several rendezvous and come under attack from a drone carrying an unidentified chemical substance whilst on our way to conduct a recce on a potential enemy location. As we neared the reconnais- sance location the weather closed in and made navigation infinitely more difficult, relying solely now on pacing and bearings especially during the night. This was certainly the most demanding period of the patrol, with the cold, harsh condi- tions and slower progress challenging our morale. We decided to lay up briefly after the reconnais- sance patrol to rest the team, write the patrol report and hopefully allow the weather to clear a little before setting off again.
The next task we came across was the river crossing, conducted first thing in the morning and the coldest moment of the patrol. We then moved onto the familiar ground of Sennybridge
Training Area where we went through a series of
THE WEATHER CLOSED IN AND MADE NAVIGATION INFINITELY MORE DIFFICULT
scenarios; captured personnel, counter IED, and BCDs to name but a few, culminating in a hasty section attack conducted at night. From there we tabbed through dawn to finish at a farm, the UN base in the exercise scenario, where we received a full patrol debrief in which we were required to remember minute details of the last 48 hours.
The patrol earns its reputation as a test of infantry skills and individual grit. The team’s work in the three weeks leading up to the patrol and during the two days of the event itself, resulting in a well-deserved Silver medal.
Lieutenant A Andreoli 3 Platoon Commander
The Countess of Wessex Cup 2017
5 RIFLES had the opportunity once again to compete in the Countess of Wessex Cup, this year hosted by QARANC, at Gaza Barracks in Catterick. The Cup is presented to the winners of the competition, participated in by all units of which she is patron (HMS Daring, 5 RIFLES, RAF Wittering, CAMUS, QARANC and, for the first time this year, the Lincoln and Welland Regiment from Canada). Each year, a different unit hosts the cup, and it is left to their discretion what the competition entails.
After a long drive from Bulford, and a restless night, we were up early to receive a brief from the exercise controller. The 5 RIFLES team were to kick off with the command task – a gentle enough start which had us raising a flag in a chemical agent contaminated compound using a system of ropes and poles. Having navigated this, we moved swiftly on to the observation stand. Lying in wait outside camp, we watched and noted the actions of two suspicious vehicles and individuals, working through A-H and SCRIM (recognition features) on both. Corporal Carpenter has an eye for detail, and thanks to his input this was our highest scoring stand. Following this, we went through a marksmanship shoot on an electronic range (simple enough for a Rifleman!), and a general knowledge quiz. The team was probably more comfortable in the former, rather than the latter, but with some solid geographical knowledge and sporting input from the team second-in- command, Serjeant Wiredu, we could leave with a decent score.
The penultimate challenge was an extended casualty (and stretcher) carry, which involved collecting various items scattered around the camp and loading them into an ambulance. This was the most physically demanding stand, but probably the most enjoyable. Our final test was an unorthodox assault course. Using only a whistle and mess tin to communicate, the team captain (off to a flank) had to navigate the now blindfolded team through an IED infested strip of land to the safety of a patrol base. With that done, we prepared for the decider – a lengthy assault course with Her Royal Highness observing. We were in our element and, overtaking and lapping two teams, we finished a very close 3rd overall, losing out to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment – the well deserving winners.
After a quick picture with the Royal Colonel, we were off back down to Ward Barracks, satisfied with our efforts and planning our moves for next year to regain the cup. A challenging day, but filled with imaginative and exciting stands which added a great spirit of competition. Getting to meet our affiliated units is an opportunity that rarely comes about, and events like this should be encouraged and maintained to ensure that we continue to work cohesively as a special group within the army, headed by HRH the Countess of Wessex.
Lieutenant D Smith
5 Platoon Commander
THE RIFLES
FIFTH BATTALION 95