Apr 04 – Royal Gibraltar Regiment Successfully Completes Operational Training
Exercise Jebel Tarik provides the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) with the opportunity to complete an annual weapons assessment that enables them to continue to provide an armed guarding capability.
Live Firing Marksmanship Training (LFMT) provides essential operational training and ensures that all soldiers understand common firing principles, are proficient marksmen and are confident in applying their firing skills in combat. The Exercise also provides Transition to Live Firing Tactical Training (TLFTT), which is as close to combat as any soldier will get in a training environment, providing the environment to use tactics with live ammunition.
The exercise was conducted in the Sennybridge training area, South Wales, and was a month long deployment for the troops. The Reserve element of the Regiment, B Company, also deployed to Sennybridge for the last two weeks of the exercise.
The challenging terrain at the training area allows sub-unit and unit manoeuvres that cannot be replicated in Gibraltar. This year, the soldiers also experienced freezing temperatures, sometimes as low as minus ten, strong winds and intense rain.
Major Timothy Cumming, Officer Commanding I Company (I COY), said:
“The training conducted on this exercise is designed to be testing and is an ideal opportunity for my men to work in a challenging environment where they can hone their combat skills and be pushed to their limits. Apart from completing mandated training requirements, it gives me an opportunity to identify upcoming commanders and confirm that my soldiers are current and competent in their infantry Tactics Techniques and Procedures. It also gives me the opportunity to test my Company in what we call Land Tactical Actions, which is basically manoeuvring and fighting in various offensive and defensive ways.”
As part of a wider MOD Defence Engagement initiative, the RG has a long-standing and close relationship with the Moroccan Armed Forces and once again invited members of the Forces Armées Royale (FAR) to take part in Exercise Jebel Tarik. Twenty FAR personnel arrived in Gibraltar a week before the deployment to the UK and undertook pre-deployment training delivered by a small training team from I COY. The Chief Instructor, Sgt Joshua Whitaker, said:
“It is good to work with foreign troops, particularly the Moroccans, given the fact we have been working with them for over 15 years now. These opportunities allow us to share ideas on best practices and enable the RG to continue developing its special relationship that has been in place for such a long time. The FAR troops were highly motivated and competent soldiers that engaged with us instantly and became fully integrated with the company from the outset.”
After completing all the initial live and dry training requirements, the FAR troops formed part of I COY during a final training scenario that is designed to test all participants in a conventional war-fighting scenario that includes a demanding urban operations phase.
His Excellency the Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Lieutenant General Edward Davis CB CBE, took time off his busy schedule to visit the troops on exercise. His Excellency was accompanied by Commander British Forces, Commodore Ian McGhie MA RN, when he visited one of the live firing attacks. The Regiment also hosted Colonel Major Azzendine Badr, Commandant 2 BIP and Lt Col Moad Raoundi from the FAR, who visited the exercise and had the opportunity to speak to their soldiers. The Unit’s link to the FAR has definitely strengthened and demonstrates the Regiment’s commitment to wider MoD initiatives to support Defence Engagement in the region. All in all, this was an extremely challenging exercise that saw RG soldiers work exceptionally hard in all aspects of the deployment.
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