The Gukhas Sharpen Up

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Damp,misty and boggy.

The first requirement was a training area with terrain as close as possible to that of the Falklands. The army has a training area in the Brecon Beacons in Wales, and this provided a good foretaste of the boggy moorland of the Falklands. The Brecon beacons are also notorious for their damp,misty climate, which is very similar to that of the Falklands. Dartmoor was also considered ,but very rigorous restrictions are applied there governing the use of live ammunition, a limitation which does not apply to the same extent in the Breacon Beacons. Sennybridge ,part of the School pf Infantry ,is situated in the Breacon Beacons, and this provided an ideal administrative base. The area was studied on the ground to enable the planning of realistic exercises. At the same time, the units  within the Brigade prepared for the exercise, which meant everything from obtaining maps of the area,organizing rations and ammunition to recalling men on leave. it was hectic time for everyone.

Exercise Welsh Falcon.

On 21 April the units moved to the Breacon Beacons by road. During the next seven days of the aptly named Exercise Welsh Falcon the battalions carried out their own training.There was a minimum of super by Brigade headquarters,which was in the process of shaking itself out ,practising procedures,testing communications, and training up the additional staff who had been hurriedly called in to help. The gunners of the 4 Field Regiment Royal Artillery fired their 105mm light guns and practised gun deployment drills, including lifting them by helicopters. The sappers of the 9 Parachute Squadron Royal engineers brushed up their skills ,especially mine clearance. The Infantry battalions concentrated on three priorities. The first of these was physical fitness,not only because of the difficult terrain in the Falklands but also because being physically fit is essential to being an efficient and effective combat soldier. The remaining priorities were weapon handling which has taken up much training time while the troops were still in barracks, and  marksmanship. Every man had the opportunity to fire his weapon, whether it was sub machine gun or 81 mm mortar. Finally ,battle drills and tactics were practised. Starting at section level and working up through platoon and company, this gave commanders at all levels valuable training. It must be stressed ,however, that the troops were tackling nothing new but ,as with any skills, practice makes perfect. Understandably ,the Gurkha’s were at higher pitch of training at the outset since this was their normal role, but it was impressive how quickly the Guards ,many of whom only a few days before had been mounting guard in bearskins and red tunics in London, adapted to the unexpected situation in which they found themselves. Preparing for the worst . The second week of the exercise saw the Brigade in its new form,operating as a single unit for the first time.The scenario emphasized the worst Case situation, with 5 Bde actively involved in the recapture of the Falklands. Tactics given particular attention included the advance to contact ,the deliberate attack at battalion and brigade level, the quick attack at company level, patrolling ,and defence to cope with possible counter-attacks. The climax came with a heliborne assault involving most of the 24 available Pumas troop carrying helicopters. In addition to RAF Pumas, Army Air corps Scout and Gazelle helicopters were much in evidence in both attack and reconnaissance roles. Harriers from RAF Wittering and Jaguars from Coltishall mounted no less than 90 sorties a day,repenting both friendly and enemy air support. The media, which were starved of news on the progress of the Task Force ,were invited to attend a firepower demonstration which received wide coverage. An impressive barrage was put up by 105mm light guns and 81mm mortars while overhead fighters strafed target hulks with SNEB rockets. In reply to reporters questions the General Officer Commanding South-Est District, General Richard Trants,5Bde’s overall commander in peacetime, refused to drawn on whether or not the Brigade was to be sent to the South Atlantic . In fact no final decision had been reached. Nevertheless, it is clear that one aim of this publicity exercise was to help demonstrate to the Argentines that the British Lion still had some teeth and was prepared to use them.