The Royal Gibraltar Regiment has concluded its annual firing camp, Ex Jebel Tarik, in the UK and is now returning to Gibraltar after a successful and productive training exercise.
The Ministry of Defence say that the Regiment’s participation in Ex Jebel Tarik reaffirms its commitment to readiness, preparedness, and excellence in defence.
From February 27 to March 28, the Royal Gibraltar Regiment engaged in intensive training, marksmanship drills, tactical exercises, and team-building activities as part of Ex Jebel Tarik.
The firing camp provided an invaluable opportunity for the Regiment’s personnel to enhance their skills, assess their capabilities, and strengthen camaraderie within the unit.
Commanding Officer of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Matt Moore, expressed his pride in the performance and dedication of all personnel during Ex Jebel Tarik. He commended the Regiment for its professionalism, discipline, and commitment to achieving operational readiness and excellence.
You can read more on this here.
Reading the headline you’d think they crossed the water to Morocco, when actually they flew to exotic Hythe and Lydd ranges as was reported in feb
“”The Royal Gibraltar Regiment is gearing up for its annual training exercise, Jebel Tarik, to be held on the ranges of Hythe and Lydd in Folkstone, United Kingdom.””
I wonder if they tabbed back from the ranges up Hospital Hill?
Anybody any idea of the regiments numbers and capabilities?
Off my head, an
HQ Coy, ( including Thomson Battery with Light Gun )
B and G Companies, ( B is reservist )
I Force Support Company, ( Snipers, GPMG )
Band of RGR.
Might have changed.
I also recall they’re linked to the RAR.
Thank you!
Army website gives some basic info.
Unit active since 1939 but has antecedents – switched from artillery to light role infantry in 1991. Location is Devil’s Tower Camp, Gib. Nickname – The Barbarians.
Current deployment (out of date?) showing as: ‘Bahrain: Supporting the Royal Navy’s presence in the Middle East’.
Past deployments: Partnering Moroccan Armed Forces, Preparing Gambian UN Forces
Under ‘Skills’: ‘The Barbarians have a pedigree of working in partnership with other nations forces. At home we provide the UK with a Forward Mounting base in the Mediterranean:
Security of Gibraltar
Dismounted Close-Combat
Mentoring and Training
Peace Support Operations
Force Protection
Band and Corps of Drums
Linguists
Wiki: “Strength: Total of 400+ reported as of 2019; 235 reported as of 2023, thus understrength.”
Component elements of the regiment (which comprises one battalion) consisted of:
HQ Company (Thomson’s Battery, Regular) – made up currently of the Artillery Troop (L118 105mm light guns), Motor Transport Platoon, Signals Wing, Catering Platoon and Clothing Stores.
G Company (Regular) – comprises three regular rifle platoons.
I Company (Regular) – a regular rifle company, but also holds the regiment’s specialists when fully manned. These are:
2 × recce sections,
5 × sniper pairs,
2 × machine gun sections,
2 × assault pioneer/soldier sections,
2 × high-assurance search teams,
2 × low-risk search teams,
The regiment’s explosive ordnance disposal teams (EOD)
B Company (Reserves) consists of three rifle platoons. It also provides two sharpshooter pairs, two machine gun sections and one low-risk search team.”
Thanks…I would think that their primary purpose is defence of Gibraltar (potentially v much needed) but I suppose I was wondering if things went really t@#ts up, would much support they could give in a hostile war zone?
I did read years ago there were suggestions that they could take on a greater role beyond defence of the rock, like providing a platoon/sections to other deployments.
They have deployed to Afghan etc but as Individuals. Unlike other OT units they’re also aligned to the British Army’s infantry divisions (aligned to Queens Div) so their NCO’s have spots in Brecon etc. Functionally it is a normal British Infantry Battalion, just with a few quirks (it has light guns instead of mortars, a reservist coy and for some reason it’s specialists are in a rifle coy instead of their own one).
They definitely should play a bigger role in defence.
They also have a relatively bad reputation in the Infantry, in part because they rarely leave Gibraltar for anything other than promotion courses.
Thanks Dern. Queens Division thus the RAR link I’d read of.
Any idea of number? I assume smaller than a usual LI Bn.
They seem to be an underutilized asset that should play a greater role.
I don’t think they’re much smaller than a LI Btn, it’s still 3 Rifle Coys, a HQ and a Support element.
In which case, they defo need to be used more.
Yes, and unlike the Bermuda Regiment they’re actually part of the British Army.
Side note, I just noticed that Lancs, Scots, and Rifles all claim “Ranger” as one of their roles on the Infantry website. Like: guys, it’s a different capbadge from you, get over yourselves.
I looked at that last night after you mentioned.
Yes, they seem to see it as a role like AI,LMI,LI than the Regiment it has become. Assume resentment that they all lost Bns when Rangers formed.
That, can’t let it go, and I think it’s a recruitment ploy. Clicking through they don’t outright state it, but they do imply that you have to join their battalions to be a Ranger (even implying you can join straight off civie street).
Both of which are untrue.
Yup!