News
December 18th 2018
Year in Review: Warriors Craft
The Reserves who took part in the exercise
In the summer reservists from the Mercian Regiment’s, Nottinghamshire based, C Company joined with regulars to provide a platoon to join the Royal Tank Regiment’s Battle Group for Exercise Warriors Craft in Canada.
The exercise aimed to introduce the reservists to fighting with armoured vehicles. They took part in vehicle maintenance, patrols and attacks. The exercise culminated in a final attack where the reservists undertook a light infantry role in order to support the armoured attack on an urban area.
Lance Corporal James Noble, who is currently a student, said: “The first thing that strikes you, is the sheer size of an Armoured Battle Group and the fact that this is all swallowed comfortably by the vastness of the Canadian wilderness.”
A view of the Canadian wilderness from a tank
Mercian reservists were quickly put through their paces and went from working individually to functioning as a platoon and then a company in just a couple of days.
James added: “This was a rapid and almost vertical learning curve for us. The progression of training capitalized on the adaptability of the integrated Reservists, who were able to enhance operations from section level and onto other command appointments.
“It was a great experience of building the knowledge of operating in the offensive armoured battle and operating in built-up areas with armoured support.”
This shows the kind of training and experiences members of the Army reserve develop whilst on international deployments.
“The first thing that strikes you, is the sheer size of an Armoured Battle Group and the fact that this is all swallowed comfortably by the vastness of the Canadian wilderness.”
