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Training Support


The permanent training team provided from 3 MERCIAN for the visit consisted of 1 x Capt, 1 x Trg WO (WO2 Thomson), 1 x CSgt (CSgt Midwinter - plus a G4 party of 3 soldiers), 6 x Cpls (all SAA trained), 1 x Sigs Det (Cpl, Pte x 2), 1 x Medic and 7 x TCV drivers. Temporarily attached for the exercise periods were a Maj and 3 x Capts to act as mentors to the Company Officers. Other Battalion departments naturally lent their support in preparation for, and throughout, the training and exercise period. Vital to this was the G4 preparation that went on before the Company actually arrived. Coupled with summer leave and a delayed confirmatory recce to India to tie up the final details, prior planning was vital if the visit was to be successful. This essentially included a Company’s worth of G4 activity and equipment being moved to WDC and all placed under the watchful eye of CSgt Midwinter. The G4 party was accommodated within WDC for the complete duration and provided a permanent link with the Company whilst providing for all G4 needs throughout.


Training Execution


The training period lasted for 12 days. The initial two days focused on G4 – arrival and kit issue – and “Train the Trainer” (T3) weapons instruction. Then the Company moved to CDV to be instructed on FIBUA operations to Platoon level. Finally, training on Salisbury Plain ensured that the Company was able to operate safely with Warrior and understand (and be part of) the tactics used in a Company/Squadron Armoured group. For the SAA T3 training, the Indian Officers acting as interpreters were vital for translating English into Hindi to allow the instruction to take place. The Company was trained on the A2, LSW, LMG, NLAW along with pyrotechnics for the forthcoming exercises. The WHTs were taken by British instructors and, whilst there were some difficulties at stages, the weapon training was completed on time to allow blank firing to take place at CDV.


Whilst the main focus for the training team in CDV was the FIBUA training for the Company, in the background was the preparation for the visit of the Chief of the Indian Army Staff, Gen Deepak Kapoor. Under 3 MERCIAN FIBUA instructors, the Company was put through house clearance instruction and BEs, along with the molotov cocktail range and the confidence course. Background lessons continued throughout, including medical, signals, TES and further weapon training. Whilst the visit used up a certain amount of training time, we managed to allot undisturbed quality training periods to specific urban operations. FIBUA instruction was new to the Company and the learning curve was steep but successful.


The final period of the training on SPTA The Mercian Eagle


was probably the most valuable and pulled together all of the training the team had provided. It included AFV Safety and dismounting drills along with Warrior Pl Attack BEs, FIWAF BEs and TES Tank stalk BEs. The imagination shown by the training team in providing realistic and challenging BEs was commented upon by the Indian OC who was impressed at the level of training provided. The training provided ground familiarisation for the exercises, use of the TES equipment and co-operation with the British-commanded AFVs. This was a very successful period and the training value at all levels was high.


Exercises


For the first exercise, Lions Strike, the Company was attached to existing 3 MERCIAN BG Companies. Here the mixed British/Indian Companies were commanded by newly qualified British Company Commanders overseen by 3 MERCIAN mentors (3 x Capt). Although the Indian low level tactics were slightly different to British tactics, the effects were largely similar and the Bravo Company soldiers certainly seemed to enjoy “killing” the enemy. Whilst the Bravo Company soldiers participated in their celebratory war jigs, the Bravo Company HQ acted as observers for the exercise and were able to see various parts of the BG planning process and the execution phases. The remainder of the Indian Company were attached to an AI Company and this was very much within their comfort zone as mechanised infantry.


The second exercise, Wessex Warrior, consisted of the Company deploying independently in the light rôle. At 137 strong, the Company had no shortage of man power and a very strong Company reserve. The first phase was the defence of CDV, an area the Company was already very familiar with, followed by a split Company defence of two farms, Beeches Barn and Baden Down Farm on SPTA. Both defence phases were a success and, for the first time, the Company used defence stores in an urban area. Coupled with their newly-trained urban assaulting drills, the Company was a potent force to be reckoned with and scored a number of successes.


Cultural Visits


The visit of the Chief of the Indian Army Staff and the intense training programme meant that the Company’s cultural activities were condensed into a concentrated shot of British culture. The Indian Officers and SNCOs were hosted in the traditional manner with visits to the respective Messes and nights out. Between the two exercises, visits to Portsmouth (HMS Victory and the Historic Dockyard), London (Imperial War Museum and several landmarks) and Oxford provided many unique memories for the whole Company to take back to India. The


highlight was possibly the Indian Company forced march through London, visiting all the important landmarks in a Company snake. Crucially, everyone arrived at the pick-up point sober and nearly on time, a feat I doubt a British Company in a large city could have managed.


Conclusion


The visit was a great success. The training provided by the team was new and challenging and developed the Company in ways they had not experienced before. The use of CDV FIBUA complex and the FIWAF exercises on SPTA was completely new to the Company and they again greatly enjoyed the new challenges it presented. Similarly, the exposure to the planning and tempo of two major BG exercises challenged the Company throughout, from the initial warning order right through to the execution. On a level of military co-operation and understanding, long-term links have now been forged between the 16th Bn Mechanised Infantry and 3 MERCIAN. 3 MERCIAN officers are already offering themselves for visits and the 3 MERCIAN Rifle Company Commanders are now just waiting (along with the fishes) for the call when they can send themselves to India for the reciprocal visit.


FIBUA Training. FIBUA is not taught specifically in the Indian army so the experience of exercising and fighting in CDV was of great value to the Company


October 2009 77


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