Page 94 - The Bugle 2018

TOP DOG TOOK THE FORM OF A 5-DAY DEFENSIVE EXERCISE
Exercise ‘TOP DOG’
The title of ‘Top Dog’ has been held with high regard since the Competition’s founding several years ago and not least because of the prize of a year free from guard duties! Over the years it has taken on many different forms, all with a method of testing individual Riflemen on their basic skills; navigation, fitness and combat prowess. This year, Top Dog took the form of a 5-day defensive exercise where Riflemen were required to defend a village against an impending attack from an overwhelming force.
Top Dog’s program is always withheld with great secrecy, and this year saw the troops ambushed with a 3-mile individual best effort immediately on arrival. After having been asleep for the past 4 hours, this was a shock to some! The Company ran to the range with ‘the twins’, Rifleman Dix and Tingle far in the lead, to conduct a shooting competition before receiving the message “The enemy’s main body will be arriving in 24 hours!” This was D Company’s signal to begin preparations within the village. Rat runs between buildings, fortified sangar positions, razor wire mazes and early warning systems were all prepared with haste over the next 36 hours.
‘Two-man clearance patrols over set points of interest’ loosely veiled the next assessed challenge. A difficult navigation exercise over areas of arduous terrain which tested the Company’s skill with a map and allowed a few Riflemen to begin to edge forward of the competition. Again, the twins, sure leaders at this stage in the exercise, combined their legs and brains to form a lethal navigation twosome and stole a win with seeming ease. However, tired legs were quickly given their next challenge; a 5-mile best effort at 0500
in horizontal sleet. This certainly separated the men from the boys and compounded the sore feet and tired bodies of the men competing for the title.
As the week progressed, the enemy drew steadily closer and D Company was subjected to probing attacks. These attacks limited the recovery of the Company and created an atmosphere of uncertainty. It became time to begin to prepare for a final stand and rehearsals began in earnest. The main thrust from the enemy arrived during the night. Rehearsals had paid off and each man knew their role and how best to hinder the enemy. The battle through the village was exhaustive and D Company eventually depleted their ammunition against a numerically superior force. However, their orders were simple and the Riflemen of D Company resolutely fixed swords and prepared to retake the village. The sword range was an impressive end to the exercise. The troops gave their all through the lane which included breaching neck deep trenches of water with lungs on fire. One highlight was 2nd Lieutenant Markby’s first experience of a sword range. Straight out of Sandhurst on a Gap Year Commission, 2nd Lieutenant Markby had not had the opportunity to experience the thrills of unending ‘high port low port’, nor the Section Commander’s glee when offering encouragement along the way! Corporal Benton took delight in coining himself ‘the Whisperer’ with Corporal Kennedy favouring his best impersonation of Arthur Shelby.
As the scores racked up, a top 3 began to emerge with a winner comfortably out in front. Rifleman Dix and Hesketh held third and second respectively with Rifleman Tingle of 13 Platoon, a calm shot with a rifle, voted the most selfless by his peers and proven the fittest with his 3 and 5 miler scores, crowned Top Dog 2018. The ‘Dogs Dinner’ the following week allowed his celebration and a well-deserved year free from guard duty. An annual challenge that builds into D Company’s formidable reputation, may Top Dog forever be an opportunity for our Riflemen to prove a little something to themselves. Lieutenant C Needham
Second-in-Command D Company
The ‘Break-in’
100 FIFTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES
The sword battle lane on Exercise TOP DOG
Riflemen providing over- watch for the assault