Soldiers from The 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, known as The Vikings, have returned to their core infantry role with a demanding live fire training exercise in Otterburn Training Area, Northumberland, ahead of a major deployment to Kenya next month.
According to a British Army news update, the battalion recently concluded two years providing Security Force Assistance (SFA) under 11 Brigade, during which it worked with allied forces abroad to deliver training and tactical advice. That experience, officers say, has strengthened the unit’s own combat readiness.
“Through the training we delivered, we were able to build strength and team cohesion with our allies and partners while improving our own warfighting capabilities,” said Major Paul Machnicki, Officer Commanding B (Suffolk) Company. “These valuable skills have been brought forward as we return to our core infantry role.”
The Otterburn training involved the Annual Combat Marksman Test and live fire exercises ranging from small team tactics to full platoon attacks, all using live ammunition in varied and often adverse conditions, including snow and sub-zero temperatures.
“Live fire tactical training involves moving and firing as you would do with a real enemy, using real rounds, real movements and real command and control,” said Major Jet Ryan, Officer Commanding A (Norfolk) Company. “It’s the best training the soldiers will experience.”
Major Machnicki, who helped plan the training package, added: “The core role of our soldiers is to close with and defeat the enemy through close combat. Soldiering is hard, and we need robust, resilient infantry soldiers to do the job. Working in an environment like Otterburn is perfect for honing their skills.”
The training prepares The Vikings for Exercise Bull Storm in Kenya, a brigade-level deployment that will contribute to 11 Brigade’s transition back to a frontline fighting formation.
The 1st Battalion, based in Woolwich, includes five companies with diverse roles. While A Company is the primary rifle element, B Company provides anti-tank and assault pioneer capabilities. C Company handles reconnaissance and sniper operations, D Company focuses on support weapons including mortars and machine guns, and HQ Company manages command, intelligence, and logistics.
This is a line that has been used a few times and it really annoys me;
The SpecInf/SFA role did not mean that you didn’t do infantry skills (yes I’m lumping them together because although the SFA’s did things a bit differently from the SpecInf battalions the role was basically the same). Everyone still had to be a good and competent Infantry Soldier, and exercises where regularly held up to company level (although yes a SpecInf Coy was smaller than a normal infantry Coy). The implication here is that 1 Anglians didn’t practice LFTT’s which of course is rubbish.
Also the final paragraph, to anyone who knows a bit about the Infantry is a dead give away that 11 Brigade is not returning to traditional Infantry work.
For reference, a normal Infantry Battalion will work like so:
HQ Company that supplies Logistics, Med and Command and Control.
A Company – A rifle company of 3 platoons
B Company – A rifle company of 3 platoons
C Company – A rifle company of 3 platoons
Support Coy – A company consisting of an AT Platoon, a Recce and Sniper Platoon, a Pioneer Platoon, a Mortar Platoon, and Machine Gun Platoon.
So if 1 RA now has a single Rifle Company and 3 Support Platoons, what does that tell you about their Concept of Operations? Simple, their core function is something other than closing with and killing the enemy.
Should have read single Rifle Company and 3 Support Companies obviously.
Will be very interesting to see more details regards 11 Brigade.
Excellent Dern, I was puzzling over that odd company ORBAT. Unless a couple of these fire support companies are going to revert to being rifle companies, your conclusion has to be right.
I hadn’t heard anything about 11 Bde transitioning to a Bde Grp force. I wonder where the armour, gunners, sappers and the rest would come from to form a brigade group? Also wonder if this means an end to the SFA role. SDSR could be interesting.