More than 140 troops from the Royal Bermuda Regiment deployed to the UK for a two-week training exercise designed to sharpen skills, build resilience and strengthen ties with British Army units, the British Army stated.
Exercise Active Shield 26 took place across two locations, beginning with public order training at Lydd Camp in Kent, followed by a second phase at Catterick focused on weapons ranges, adventure training and defence engagement with the Royal Lancers. According to the British Army, the exercise offered an opportunity to develop operational capability and demonstrate the UK’s commitment to supporting its overseas territory forces.
Captain Sam Kingsleyfried, a Royal Lancers troop leader, was quoted describing the task: “The task for the Lancers was to support The Royal Bermuda Regiment’s oversees phase one and two training in Lydd and Catterick. We took them through public order training, live firing and urban training.”
The deployment began with soldiers travelling from Bermuda to the UK. At Lydd Camp, troops focused on public order training to deal with crowds and civil disorder, a phase that also included drills, formations and confirmatory exercises. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Gloucester and His Excellency the Governor of Bermuda visited the troops at Lydd for the first part of the training. The exercise followed King Charles III’s official visit to Bermuda, which the Army cites as a demonstration of the relationship between the UK and the island.
The second phase saw the regiment move north to Catterick, where soldiers trained alongside the Royal Lancers and took part in live firing, urban operations and equipment training, gaining access to capabilities not available in Bermuda. The programme also included adventure training such as climbing and hill walking, intended to develop leadership and resilience.
Private Stevontae Somersall-Ahknaton, of the Royal Bermuda Regiment, was quoted reflecting on the experience: “The physical exercise we’ve completed whilst in the UK has been a tough experience for us all, it’s definitely built our endurance levels and that’s something I would like to continue working on back in Bermuda.” He added that the training received from the Royal Lancers had been “a great learning experience.”
Captain Kingsleyfried was quoted on the wider value of the exchange: “Training has gone very well for the Bermudans; we have enjoyed spending time with them and teaching them different tactics and training that they don’t have in Bermuda. They are a reserve regiment, so each person has a different story and a different background. It’s been a great personal and professional exchange.”
The Royal Bermuda Regiment is a reserve infantry unit based in the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, formed through the amalgamation of earlier island units and tasked with roles ranging from internal security to disaster relief, the latter a recurring requirement given the territory’s exposure to Atlantic hurricanes. Regular training alongside British Army units forms part of the regiment’s links to the wider British military structure.
Excellent. We need plenty of this type of thing.