Over 100 members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) have recently completed a five week Live Firing and Dry Training exercise in the United Kingdom.

The first two weeks of Exercise Jebel Tarik 17 saw I Company complete a testing 14-day live firing package at Lydd and Hythe ranges in Kent. Apart from the annual mandatory tests on their rifles and pistols, soldiers in the Company progressed through a series of ever more challenging Close Quarter Battle (CQB) marksmanship ranges,that culminated in live compound clearance serials.     Soldiers also executed a number of force-on-force serials in a couple of complex urban environments. Once honed, a reconditioned coastal fort became the centre of all the action with soldiers being tested in confined smoke filled environment spaces. Advanced Marker Rounds, (ammunition that is tipped with a paint round) allowed all participating troops to achieve as realistic a force on force training as possible during this phase.  Reservists from B Coy joined their Regular counterparts in Kent for a separate live firing package which lasted a week.  

Additionally, 20 members of the Moroccan Armed Forces conducted a two-week training package concurrently to the RG elements, which saw all soldiers progress in battlefield and live firing disciplines up to section level. Commandant La 2^eme Brigade d’Infanterie Parachutiste, Colonel Major Azeddine Badr, had the opportunity to observe his soldiers during a visit he made with Lt Col Ivor Lopez, Commanding Officer RG.

 Training then moved to Longmoor for the next phase of the deployment. This area provided a rural and urban environment for the Company to engage in a testing two week dry training phase. The first week saw each Platoon from I Company complete some build-up training. Here they focused on rural and urban patrolling, High Risk Search and Detention Operations, Public Order and other stability operation based activities. With the contemporary operating environment as their setting, I Company culminated their tactical training with a week-long test exercise which saw all elements locate themselves in a purpose built operating base. This was set in a transitory zone between the urban and rural parts of the training area which provided an ideal setting to progressively test and assess the exercising troops in a complex stability operation-based scenario. Highlights of the exercise were definitely the escalation to two Company level public order events which subsequently triggered detention operations against opposing forces at the latter stages of the exercise.

2Lt Matt Lewis, 1 Platoon Commander said: “The exercise was a good way to test individuals, how they worked within the sections and how these worked together as a whole platoon. There was a lot of work to draw the newer members away from their conventional mind-frame, and to show them how complex modern operations can be.”

The fifth and final week of the deployment saw I Company conduct some well deserved adventurous training and challenging pursuit activities. Whilst 1 Platoon journeyed down to Newquay to complete 4 days of intensive surf lessons and coaching, 2 Platoon travelled to Castlemartin in Wales. Here a five-day 'multi-activity week' was completed, involving mountain biking, hill walking, climbing and canoeing. Lt Thomas Brunt RM, 2 Platoon Commander said: “Castlemartin was an enjoyable package. It allowed some new experiences to many in the platoon and improved platoon cohesion. Although the weather was typically Welsh, morale was high as usual. All in all, it was a good package.” All in all, an extremely successful collective training exercise which now sees all those involved looking forward to the next set of deployments in the coming year.