More than 200 officer cadets from Yorkshire universities have spent two weeks conducting infantry training alongside Dutch military cadets in the Netherlands, according to the British Army.
Cadets from Yorkshire Officers’ Training Regiment, supported by 40 British Army instructors, joined 130 Dutch cadets from Defensity College for Exercise Fallowlands Resolve. The exercise is held alternately each year in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, and was conducted in mixed British and Dutch platoons, with Dutch instructors delivering training in live firing, urban operations, trench warfare and woodland clearance.
Training included platoon-level assaults on trench networks, casualty extraction drills and room-by-room clearance of a purpose-built urban village, designed to test endurance and decision-making under pressure.
Dutch Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Pieter van der Peet said: “We start with the basics, teaching the students the drills and procedures in a controlled environment before quickly progressing to realistic scenarios. The students are like sponges, incredibly curious, enthusiastic, and keen to learn, which makes training them particularly rewarding.”
Differences extended to the catering, say the Army, as each Dutch ration pack contains around 5,000 calories and includes cinnamon buns, pâté, jam and meals such as rice and chicken.
Lieutenant Colonel Simon Pollitt, Commanding Officer of YOTR, said: “Our mandate is leadership development. University is a unique period in a person’s life, a time when young people are discovering who they want to be. Alongside their studies, we provide an opportunity for them to explore what kind of leader they want to become, challenging themselves, working with others, and developing skills that will benefit them throughout their careers and lives.”
He added: “I am incredibly proud of how the students have come together as a team. The skills, resilience, and leadership qualities we have seen give me great confidence for their future.”
The University Officers’ Training Corps has existed since 1908. Officer cadets require no prior military experience and take on no commitment to an Army career, with around 40% going on to join the armed forces and the remainder returning to civilian life with the leadership skills developed through the organisation.
Defensity College is the Dutch equivalent arrangement, offering students the chance to combine study with part-time roles in the armed forces. The Netherlands is among the United Kingdom’s closest military partners, with the two countries operating the UK/Netherlands Amphibious Force, under which Royal Netherlands Marine Corps units train and deploy alongside the Royal Marines.
