Jan 2017

Vol 28 Issue 10

+
WWW.COMBATANDSURVIVAL.COM

ALLIANCE FRE E
FORCES
EXERCISE COLIBRI
IN SI E
2017 YED
AR
PLANNER
[Worth £9 .95]

Infantry Special
BRITISH Volume 28 Issue 10 £4.25

ARMY
„ 1 MERCIAN - ARMOURED
„ 2 MERCIAN - LIGHT ROLE
„ 1 PWRR - ‘ARMOURED TIGERS’

VEHICLE FOCUS URBAN SURVIVAL KIT & CAMO

SUPACAT LRV 400/600 KIDNAP RISKS ABROAD LEGIÓN ESPAÑOLA
BRITAIN’S LEADING INDEPENDENT MILITARY MAGAZINE
 P24
COMBAT
+SURVIVAL
Vicky Lindsay, Magazine Director

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
Bob Morrison, Editor
Carl Schulze, Senior Correspondent
Gordon Arthur, Far East Correspondent
Jason Polley, Survival Specialist
Mike Gormley, Gear Tester
Robert Shaw, Security Consultant
Ian Young, Scale Models
Neal Molyneaux, Designer

ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
Moira Spencer, Sales Director
Fran Smith, Admin & Accounts Manager

MARKETING DEPARTMENT
Ciaran Jarosz, Head of Marketing
Daryl Crowther, Marketing Manager
PAGE 09: British Forces 1 - URBAN ASSAULT
Published by Hit Media Ltd
Bob Morrison reports from Poland on 2nd Battalion of the
Printed & Distributed by
Mercian Regiment on ANAKONDA 16 Warners Group Publications PLC
The Maltings, West Street, Bourne
PAGE 18: British Forces 2 - COMBINED ARMS PE10 9PH
Bob Morrison reports from Salisbury Plain on 1st Battalion of the
Mercian Regiment in action Subscriptions and Back Issue Orders to:
COMBAT & SURVIVAL Magazine
which is published by:
PAGE 24: British Forces 3 - ARMOURED TIGERS Hit Media Ltd, 1st Floor Turnbridge Mills,
Carl Schulze reports from Germany on 1st Battalion of the Princess Quay Street, Hudderseld, HD1 6QT
of Wales’s Royal Regiment Tel: (01484) 437319
ISSN: 0955-9841
PAGE 30: Kit & Camo - LEGIÓN ESPAÑOLA To Subscribe or order a digital edition
visit www.combatandsurvival.com
Bob Morrison focuses on Spain’s digital camouage pattern worn
by the Spanish Legion Advertising:
moira.spencer@hitmedialtd.com
moira.
moi r spe
ra. pence
n r@h
nc r@hitm
@hitm
@ me
PAGE 34: Marching Ammo - FRENCH
N H RI
NC R
RICR
C
CR Editorial:
E
Edi tor
o ial
a:e editor@combatandsurvival.com
ditor@
dit r@
@co
com
com
Bob Morrison tries out the eld rations issued
sssue
ued
d to
to B
Belgian
eg
elgiian
a ©Copyright
©Copyr
©Co pyrrigh
g th here
ere an
and d abroad of all
troops on Exercise STORM TIDE III material
materi
mat erial
eri held
a is hel
al he
edb by tthe
y th h publishers. No
reproduction
rep
prod
roduct
uct
cttion
on permitted
n is pe
perm
r
rm whatsoever
without
w
with t prio
hou prior
p consent
riorr con en
ons n in writing.
PAGE 38: Airborne Forces - COLIBRI
IBR
BRI
RI IL
IL
Carl Schulze reports from Southern France
ce on
on tthe
he rrecent
ecen
ec
ecen
entt IMPORTANT:
IMPPORT TANT
ANT:: A All iindividual
All indi ndi combat and
multinational invitational exercise personal
p
pe
per sonal
son al survival
surviv
sur vival act activities
acti i involve risk
o injury
of urr to o
injury oneself
on
nese
ese
seelff an and others and great
PAGE 45: Multinational care
car e must
mustu be b ttaken
taken
k c
ke carrying out any
such
suc activities.
h acti
activit
v ies
vit es. E
es. Expert
xperr guidance should
xpe
Command - HQ ARRC be sou
ssought and
ghtt an
a de equipment
quip
qui p checked
Bob Morrison reports from Cornwall on ththe
he NA
NATO
ATO forr reliability
relia
re liabil
bility
ity before
ty be fo any activities
efor
Headquarters on its validation exercise described
descri
des criibed here
here in in are carried out.
The
T publishers
p bli
pu blishe
she
hers rss cannot accept any
PAGE 52: Urban Survival - responsibility
respon
res ponsibsib
ibili
ib t ffor any injury, death,
ilility
ity
KIDNAP RISKS loss
loss oror damage
damama ag which may result.
Jason Polley advises on forward planning,
g,
ARTICLES
A ICL
ART LES AND
A PHOTOGRAPHS
precautions and conduct if kidnapped when
hen
he n will
w l be
wil be welcomed
welc
el and
abroad considered
con
o sid dere
ered d for publication.
Submission
Sub bmisssio
sionn of such shall be
PAGE 58: Vehicle Focus - considered
consid
con siderr d a warranty that
dere
SUPACAT LRV they
t y are
th
the are ooriginal and do not
infringe
inffrin
r ge eoon the copyright of
Bob Morrison brings exclusive images
others.
t erss. Unsuitable
oth Un material can
of the British 4x4 and 6x6 Light only
o y be
onl be returned
re
re if you include
Reconnaissance Vehicle a S.A.E.
S.A.
A E.
E LLoss or damage is not
the
h responsibility
re
respo
espo of COMBAT
PAGE 64: Outdoor Gear - & SURVIVAL.
SURV
U IV IV
TRIED & TESTED
DISCLAIMER:
DISCLA
DIS CLA
C LAAIMEIM
M The publishers
Mike Gormley has come up with some ideas
de
eas
a
[Cover Image : © Bob Morrison]

make
make no no representations,
reep
p
for last minute Christmas presents endorsements,
end
n ors em n guarantees
orrseme
eme
or warranties
war arrran
arrran ti concerning the
ntie
PAGE 70: Footwear - AKU GRIFFON
ON products
pro odu
duc
d ucts and/or
a
an services
Bob Morrison tries the new Patrol and Combat
ombat
mb
m batt advertised
advert
adv erttiise
se
ed w within this magazine.
High Liability boots from the Italian company
pan
any
ny We
We expressly
exp
expres
xpres s disclaim any and
ressly
sl
sly
alll liability
liab
liabi
abi itty relating
b lit r to or arising
from
from the
fro the e sale, manufacture,
PAGE 05: Comms distribution,
dis
d i tri
trr b use or misuse
PAGES 50 & 72: Reviews off such.
s
su
PAGE 68: Security
COMBAT
CO
OMB
MBAT
A & SURVIVAL | 03
 Comms
comms
Images © Bob Morrison unless noted
Troops from 2 MERCIAN wearing
VIRTUS on Ex. ANAKONDA ‘16 in Poland
T
his month we have been
able to bring readers
another action-packed
issue, and hopefully we
should be able to keep up
this high tempo for at least a couple of
months to come as we already have
several more unique features in the can.
Where this issue is different, however,
is that we have been able to focus on
not only two battalions of the same
regiment, 1 MERCIAN and 2 MERCIAN,
assigned to the Reaction Force and the
Adaptable Force respectively, but also
on 1 PWRR which was the British Forces
battalion working up to take over as
a core battlegroup of NATO’s on-call
Very High Readiness Joint Task Force
(Land) for 2017.
The British-led Allied Rapid Reaction
Corps (ARRC) has also been working
up to take command of the NATO
Reaction Force for 2017, and we were
allowed a rare opportunity to visit their
Headquarters deployed in the eld in
Cornwall as it prepared for validation
(which is subsequently achieved).
Covering UK Forces on exercise has
become increasingly difcult over the
last few years, and the ongoing ARMY
2020 restructuring seems to be making
our job harder rather than easier, but
fortunately the ARRC HQ is a NATO
rather than National formation and
their Public Affairs Ofce appears to
still recognise the value of helping,
rather than hindering, interested media.
Incidentally, when covering this exercise
we were one of only three media outlets
to record the Secretary of State for
Defence responding to the question: “Is
NATO’s increased presence in Europe
enough to deter Russian adventurism?”
Our video clip can be viewed on the
CombatandSurvival.com website
Looking back, as this is the last issue
to be published in 2016, one of the
biggest UK Forces stories of the year
has been the introduction of the VIRTUS
load carriage and personal protection
package. First announced in January
2015, with delivery commencing the
following September, VIRTUS was rolled
out during the year to troop formations
on the Contingency/Committed
Year of the three-year Operational
Readiness Mechanism cycle. C&S rst
photographed this new kit being worn
in the eld last April, by the 3 PARA
battlegroup on Ex. GRIFFIN STRIKE
‘16, and both Carl and myself have
subsequently brought readers quite
a few photos of troops wearing it on
exercises. We have not, however, until
now published many photos from the
eld of the kit on its own. The photos on
Page 50 are intended to remedy that
omission. All images are of the VIRTUS
Scalable Tactical Vest and Chassis/
MOLLE Belt components, plus in some
shots the Revision Batlskin COBRA
helmet, set down by soldiers from 2
MERCIAN during a break in training on
Ex. ANAKONDA ‘16 on the Wedrzyn
Training Area in Poland.
In this issue we also have, at time of
writing in late November, what appears
Paras and Gurkhas wearing VIRTUS on
Ex. GRIFFIN STRIKE ‘16 in England
to be a world exclusive on the AKU
GRIFFON combat boots which appear
to have been manufactured to comply
with current UK MoD specications for
what are designated the PATROL and
COMBAT HIGH LIABILITY categories.
As new uniform boot models which can
be bought on the civilian market appear
to be one of the most popular topics we
cover in C&S, to give readers advance
warning we now immediately announce
which boots we are about to review on
the CombatandSurvival.com website,
but we always rst publish the full
article in the print and digital versions of
magazine so that our readership gets to
read it about a month or so before the
masses.
While on the subject of t’internet,
although we can see just how many
‘hits’ one of our pages is getting, the
advertisers who support the magazine
cannot. They can however, and indeed
many do, watch the performance of
our social media sites. One recent C&S
post racked up a 30,000 Facebook
reach in less than 48 hours, with
shedloads of viewers clicking through
to the article. Our advertisers cannot
see this either, but if you take a second
to Like &/or Love facebook.com/
combatandsurvival and Follow twitter.
com/combatsurvival the resultant
stats can help keep our backers happy.
Without advertisers our cover price
would be much higher and we would
not be able to provide our exclusive
content.
Finally, you may have noticed an
increase in the number of pixellated
faces in this magazine. We always do
our best to preserve the anonymity
of both Special Forces and Snipers
and in almost every case we do
not link an individual soldier’s name
with his or her photo; unless they, or
commanders, request it or they are
senior ofcers whose identity is already
well-publicised. More recently, however,
some governments have stipulated
that soldiers deployed on the streets
to try to dissuade terrorist attacks on
the civilian population should have
their anonymity preserved and in such
circumstances C&S is more than happy
to comply as we fully understand the
need for OpSec and PerSec. BM
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 05
 british forces 01

01: A MERCIAN platoon 02: One of the many 03: A selection of blank 04: Loading blank L18A1
01 moves into position - all
in this photo wear VIRTUS
apartment blocks on the
Wedrzyn Training Area
ammunition on the
loadbed of one of the
5.56x45mm blank rounds
into a drill magazine for
Report & Images by load carriage equipment,
Batlskin COBRA helmets
that 2 MERCIAN had to
clear - room by room and
Defender 110 R-WMIK
Land Rovers used by
an SA80A2 assault rie -
note the crimped end of
BOB MORRISON and Sawy eye-pro oor by oor Support Company the cartridges

URBAN Images © Bob Morrison

02

ASSAULT
2 MERCIAN - LIGHT ROLE INFANTRY
03

The Mercian Regiment, which the British Army calls

The Heart of England’s Infantry, was formed in 2007
through the amalgamation of the Cheshire Regiment,
Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment
and the Staordshire Regiment. At this time there
were three Regular battalions, each representing their
antecedent regiment, but in 2014 the 3rd Battalion, 04
The Staords, was merged with the 1st and 2nd.

F
ollowing the multinational
urban assault phase demo
in front of Distinguished
Visitors and Observers
at the Wedrzyn Training
area in Eastern Poland during Exercise
ANAKONDA ‘16, C&S was given the
chance to work with 2 MERCIAN as
they trained for their next task. A major
night assault on another part of the
urban complex, working alongside
Canada’s elite Royal 22nd ‘Van Doos’
Regiment, was being planned and the
British troops made good use of the

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 09

 british forces 01

05
Images © Bob Morrison

07

06
intervening period by running through
drills at platoon and section level inside
the buildings they had captured in
the assault we covered last month;
unfortunately the media pen was at
the opposite end of the village from
the street where the Mercians were
assaulting so we could only watch from
a distance.

As part of the newly recongured

British Army under the ARMY 2020
programme, 2 MERCIAN is part of the
Adaptable Force and operates as a

10 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

“2 MERCIAN IS 08
PART OF THE
ADAPTABLE
FORCE AND
OPERATES AS
A LIGHT ROLE
INFANTRY
BATTALION.”

11

05: This 2 MERCIAN

colour sergeant and
ofcer both wear
VIRTUS Scalable
Tactical Vest with
Chassis / MOLLE Belt and
Batlskin COBRA helmet
06: A seven-man
infantry section
prepares to dash across
a road under cover of
smoke, just visible at
right of frame, to enter
an enemy-held building
07: A colleague from
another section in
the building next door
covers the assault
team with a 5.56mm
12
L110A2 Minimi light
machinegun
08: Standard assault
rie for the Mercian
Regiment is the
SA80A2 seen here with
SpecterOS sight - note
ejected spent cartridge
caught in mid-air
09: The section goes in
through a ground oor
window - third man
covers his colleagues
in case an enemy pops
around the corner
09 10: With the rst section
inside another four-man
re team stacks beside Light Role infantry battalion. collective training, and nally
an entrance to the It is a constituent part of 42 12 months either committed
building covering the
doors and windows Infantry Brigade, one of seven to, or on readiness for,
such brigades which, along contingent tasks.
11: Machinegun teams
with 7.62mm GPMGs with 102 Logistic Brigade,
lay down supporting form 1 [United Kingdom] Under peacetime
re from the ank - the Division. As part of the establishment 2 MERCIAN
standing soldier without
helmet is an umpire Adaptable Force the battalion consists of: the Headquarter
rotates through a 36- Company; three roughly 100-
12: Another re team
covers more doors and month cycle, with personnel strong Rie Companies; and a
windows - note RAMC spending 12 months on Support Company. Operating
10 tactical recognition
ash on right arm and
individual training other in the Light Role the battalion
subdued Red Cross on tasks, 12 months dedicated to currently has only B Vehicles
helmet of medic on the
right COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 11
 british
british fforces
orces 0
011
14
13
for troop transportation,
mostly MAN SV trucks
with Land Rover Defender
Wolf 110 and Wolf 90
vehicles in the medium
and light utility roles, plus
its Support Company has
Defender 110 R-WMIK
Land Rovers for recce
and re support duties.
The accompanying
photographs were
taken both on the
afternoon of the DV
Day demonstration and
the following morning,
before we headed North
to Drawsko Pomorskie
for the next major
ANAKONDA ‘16 demo.
Only blank rounds were
used throughout during
12 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
13: Seen through a
mousehole on the top 15
oor, the rst members
of the assault team have
reached the top of the
stairs - soldier to right is
our visit, though on an umpire
the second morning 14: Room by room a
breaching charges section clears through
the building winkling out
were in use in some of the defenders - another
the buildings; on safety section is simultaneously
grounds, understandably working through the oor
these specic areas were below
put off-limits to us. 15: These soldiers are
covering a skylight to
ensure the section is not
As can be seen from the ambushed from above -
images most, though others were checking that
not all, participants the roof was unoccupied
were equipped with 16: With the top oor
cleared the section makes 16
VIRTUS load carriage
its way down the second
equipment and Batlskin staircase, wary that there
COBRA combat helmets could be a suicidal enemy
plus Revision Sawy waiting to ambush them
eye protection. We 17: The soldiers work in
questioned several mutually supporting pairs
as they clear every room
soldiers and Junior NCOs and obstruction
for their, off-the-record,
comments and were
pleasantly surprised to
17
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 13
british forces 01 “PARTICIPANTS
WERE EQUIPPED
WITH VIRTUS
LOAD CARRIAGE
hear that, after
having worn it
long enough for EQUIPMENT AND
it to have bedded
in, they felt the BATLSKIN COBRA
new equipment COMBAT HELMETS
was pretty much
ideal for their role PLUS REVISION
as light infantry 18: As his
colleagues SAWFLY EYE
specialising in
close combat and
descend
towards ground
PROTECTION.”
urban ghting. level this
soldier watches
For details of 1 their backs
MERCIAN turn to in case they
page 18. have somehow
missed an
enemy hiding
Footnote: upstairs
According to 19: Current
gures recently standard
released by the wheeled
MoD the two transport for
Light Role
Regular battalions Infantry is the
of the Regiment MAN Support
totalled 1,190 paid Vehicle - this
example has an
ranks as of 1st appliqué armour
August 2016, down cab
approximately 100 20: Endex and a
from the same weary section
date in 2015 and leaves the
now cleared
480 down on 2011, building - the
prior to the 3rd MERCIAN Tactical
battalion being Recognition
Flash is a cerise,
merged with 1st buff and Lincoln
and 2nd. green diamond

19

20

18
14 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
 01: A typical Mercian
british vehicles Regiment R-WMIK
on overwatch during
ANAKONDA ‘16
02: R-WMIKs are
crewed by three
soldiers and
patrol in mutually
supporting pairs
03: The vehicles’
machineguns have
been removed to
support troops in
the village
04: Recce Platoon
crossing the
Oder/Odra border
between Germany
and Poland [© Carl
Schulze]

01 RECCE PLATOON
2 MERCIAN - DRAGON COMPANY
I
n the previous article we made 40km inside Poland, crossing a Polish- are R-WMIK (Refurbished - Weapons

Images © Bob Morrison [unless otherwise noted]

brief reference to the R-WMIK
reconnaissance vehicles used
by 2 MERCIAN on Exercise
ANAKONDA ‘16 in Poland. In total
six of these vehicles, belonging to the
Recce Platoon of D ‘Dragon’ Company,
deployed to the Wedrzyn Training Area,
about 125km due East of Berlin and
built ribbon bridge over the River Oder/
Odra border ahead of the rest of the
battalion. With the exception of Carl’s
photo of the platoon crossing the river
on 11th June, the images on this page
were taken in and around the urban
training village at Wedrzyn four days
later. The vehicles used by the platoon
Mount Installation Kit) variants of the
Land Rover Defender 110 HS ‘Wolf’
which were converted by Ricardo
Vehicle Engineering of Shoreham in
2008. For more on the R-WMIK refer to
the February 2015 issue and the second
part of the WMIK WOLF Evolution
trilogy.

02

03

04
16 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
 Report & Images by
BOB MORRISON
british forces 02

COMBINED ARMS
M AN OE U VR E
1 MERCIAN - ARMOURED INFANTRY
Images © Bob Morrison

The Mercian Regiment was formed in 2007 through the

amalgamation of the Cheshire Regiment, Worcestershire and 02
Sherwood Foresters Regiment and the Staordshire Regiment.
Following amalgamation, each of the three Regular battalions
represented their antecedent regiments in that order, but when
in 2014 The Staords merged with their sister battalions lines

T
became blurred for The Heart of England’s Infantry.
oday 1 MERCIAN, formerly and Offensive - during a Combined
1st Battalion The Cheshire Arms Manoeuvre Demonstration on
Regiment, is tasked in the Salisbury Plain using both blank and
Armoured Infantry role. In then live ammunition. The bulk of
October, C&S was given the the images in this article were taken
opportunity to watch the Bulford-based during the initial phase, when the
battalion’s battlegroup conducting a battlegroup was advancing on our
series of actions - Defensive, Enabling camera position to engage enemy

18 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

01 06

01: Now part of the Reaction

Force under the ARMY
2020 restructuring, the 1st
Battalion of The Mercian
Regiment operates in the
Armoured Infantry role
02: One of the ‘Little Green
Men’ anonymous Regulars
who advised and supported
‘Men In Blue’ militia role-
players opposing the 1
MERCIAN battlegroup
03: An OpFor militia T-72
Main Battle Tank moves into
position - one of the ‘Little
Green Men’ advisers can be
seen in the emplacement to
the right
04: The UK Forces advance
commences with Royal
Engineers clearing a lane
through the enemy mineeld
- note TROJAN left of centre
05: With the mineeld 07
successfully breached 1
MERCIAN FV510 Warrior
Infantry Fighting Vehicles
race through the gap heading
for dead ground
06: Out on the ank a troop
of Challenger 2 Main Battle
Tanks with what appears to
be an artillery OPV Warrior
behind lays down supporting
re
07: Overhead Apache
attack helicopters provide
additional eyes in the skies
and engage enemy armour
with Hellre missiles and
CRV7 rockets
08: In addition to Challenger
tanks, Apache helicopters
and ground attack aircraft the
battlegroup can call on Royal
Artillery 105mm and 155mm
gun batteries

03 08

04

armour and emplaced troops using an Armoured Infantry Company, from

05 blank ammunition.
The Mercian Regiment Armoured
Infantry Battlegroup undertaking
the CAMD primarily comprised: an
Armoured Squadron of 18 Challenger 2
Main Battle Tanks, here provided by D
Squadron of the Queen’s Royal Hussars;
B Company 1 MERCIAN, with 14 FV510
Warrior Infantry Fighting Vehicles
apiece, each carrying up to seven
infantry dismounts plus three-man crew;
a Mechanised Infantry Company, from
4th Battalion of The Ries, with 14
MASTIFF Protected Mobility Vehicles,
also carrying up to seven dismounts;

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 19

 09: With the enemy armour
defeated and their infantry
british forces 02 sheltering from the artillery
barrage the 1 MERCIAN
Warriors break out from
09 cover and advance
10: Under cover of smoke and
30mm and 7.62mm direct re
from their Warrior turret the
Mercians debus to assault
the enemy trenches
11: Working in pairs the
armoured infantry leapfrog
forward to capture and
occupy the enemy trenches
in just a few frenetic seconds
of raw aggression
12: Mopping up the last
trenches - on operations
bayonets would be tted to
assault ries but use of blank
ring attachments precluded
this
13: An armoured infantry
section debussing in front
of the podium at Endex - the
Mercian Regiment tactical
ash is clearly visible on the
centre soldier’s arm
14: A supporting Challenger
2 main battle tank passes
behind the 1 MERCIAN Warrior
10 as the section lines up in
front of the Distinguished
Visitors party
15: The barely visible
subdued colours triangular
Tactical Recognition Flash
on the left arm of these
Mercians shows they belong
to 1 Armoured Infantry
Brigade
16: Close-up shot of the
section’s lance corporal -
blank ring attachments
and blank magazines were
removed before presentation
to the DV party

11 12
a Fire Support Company, D Company
1 MERCIAN, with Recce Platoon in
CVR(T), 81mm Mortar Platoon in FV432
Bulldog, and Anti-Tank Platoon with
FGM-148 Javelin anti-armour missile
transported in Warrior; an Artillery
Battery with L131 AS-90 155mm self-
propelled howitzers; an Armoured
Engineer Squadron with TROJAN,
TITAN and TERRIER engineer vehicles;
and Integral Logistics Support assets. As
this brief article primarily concentrates
on 1 MERCIAN we have not focused
on the company from 4 RIFLES who
backed up B Company, but we have
included the Opposing Forces (OpFor).

The OpFor on this exercise was

provided by external contractors who
supplied former military personnel using
Eastern European weapons and tactics,

20 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL


supported by Former Warsaw Pact
armour ranging from armoured cars to
main battle tanks. The OpFor personnel
facing the 1 MERCIAN Battlegroup
consisted of ‘Men-In-Blue’ militia with
AK family personal weapons, supported
by well-trained ‘Little Green Men’. The
14
15 Images © Bob Morrison
13
now quite widely used term Little Green
Men (Malen’kiye Zelenyye Chelovechki),
which was coined during the 2014
annexation of Crimea and subsequent
insurgency into Eastern Ukraine, refers
to masked uniformed men supplied by 16
another government wearing neither
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 21
 british forces 02
Images © Bob Morrison

20
rank nor identifying unit insignia,
who assist and advise irregular
forces and militia during an
insurrection. The use of these
17 role-players and their supporting
armour, plus their different
17: FGM-148 Javelin tactics, is intended to bring added
LFATGWS (Light authenticity to training exercises.
Forces Anti-Tank
Guided Weapon
System) during the The actions covered in these
live-re armoured accompanying photographs show
infantry assault the battlegroup rst conducting
phase - range is
2,500 metres an obstacle crossing operation,
after recce elements including
18: The NLAW (Next-
generation Light ISTAR assets have identied a
Anti-tank Weapon) route through an enemy mineeld
is a disposable which could be exploited using
short range anti-
armour missile integral armoured engineer assets,
which can knock then a breakout force conducting
out a main battle a forward passage of lines (FPOL)
tank out to 600
metres through the bridgehead force
to assault OpFor positions. The
19: Challenger
2 Main Battle initial action mostly took place
Tanks ring on the a little over two kilometres from
move - primary our camera position, roughly 30
armament is the
L30A1120mm ried metres behind the trenches which,
gun and secondary on safety grounds, we were not
is a coaxial 7.62mm allowed to move from during the
L94A1 chain gun
advance. The live-re images at
18 20: Cap badge
of The Mercian
the end of the article were taken
during the Defensive action.
Regiment - a
Mercian Eagle in
silver and gold
metal on Lincoln 19
Green cloth

22 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

british forces 03

1 PWRR VJTF(L) BATTLE GROUP

ARMOURED
TIGERS
Exercise VENERABLE GAUNTLET took place on the Sennelager Training Area in
Germany between 4th and 24th September 2016. The multinational manoeuvres,
which involved troops from 14 nations, saw the validation of the Headquarters of the
NATO Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (Land) for 2017, which will be centred
around that of the Germany-based 20th Armoured Infantry Brigade (The Iron Fist) of
the British Army. This brigade will also provide major elements of the combat forces
for VJTF(L) 17, including an armoured infantry battlegroup centred around the 1st
Battalion The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, nicknamed the ‘Armoured Tigers’.

T
he Very High Readiness
Joint Task Force (Land)
forms the spearhead of
the land forces of the
NATO Response
Force. After being alerted,
the VJTF(L) can deploy
its rst elements within 48
hours to conduct operations
across the full military mission
spectrum, from providing
humanitarian aid after a
24 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
L the VJTF as a key part of the enhanced NATO Response Force
natural disaster to conducting counter
insurgency operations to ghting full
scale conventional wars. It can also
be deployed for deterrence, in order
to prevent the outbreak of
hostilities or for stabilisation
purposes.
Basically the VJTF(L) is a
multinational brigade that can
eld up to ve manoeuvre
battlegroups and numbers
During the 2014 Wales summit NATO leaders agreed to establish
approximately 5,000 troops. These
battlegroups include light infantry,
mechanised infantry and armoured
infantry assets. The armoured infantry
battle group of the British-led VJTF(L)
17 is provided by the 1st Battalion of
the The Princess of Wales’s Royal
Regiment, based at Barker Barracks in
Paderborn, Germany. This formation is
one of two armoured infantry battalions
commanded by 20th Armoured
Infantry Brigade.

01
Report & Images by
CARL SCHULZE
03
THE BATTALION
The Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment
was formed in 1992 through the
amalgamation of The Queen’s Regiment
and The Royal Hampshire Regiment.
Nicknamed the ‘Armoured Tigers’,
01: The VJTF(L) 17
armoured infantry battle
group will be provided
by 1st Battalion The
Princess of Wales’s
Royal Regiment based
in Paderborn one of only
six remaining British
Army armoured infantry
battalions
02: From the undergrowth
of a wood on Sennelager
Training Area a sniper
from the Armoured
Tigers provides cover for
infantrymen that have
just dismounted from
04
their FV510 Warriors
03: The Anti-Tank
Platoon of the Fire
Support Company of 1
PWRR is mounted on
FV510 Warrior AIFVs and
equipped with Javelin
Light Forces Anti-Tank
Guided Weapon systems
04: With top cover
sentries deployed an
FV510 Warrior AIFV of 1
PWRR can be seen here
during an advance to
contact operation carried
out in wooded terrain 05
05: The main weapon
system of the 1 PWRR
is the Warrior AIFV - the
vehicle is armed with
a 30mm L21A1 RARDEN
automatic cannon and
a coaxial 7.62mm L94A1
Chain Gun
06: A section leader
of dismounted troops
exchanges information
on possible enemy
positions with the crew
of a Warrior AIFV - note
his laser simulation
equipment
07: An FV107 Scimitar 06
235 CVR(T) deploys to
a new position during a
reconnaissance mission
- the Recce Platoon of the
Fire Support Company of
02 1 PWRR is equipped with
eight Scimitar 235 CVR(T)
07
Images © Carl Schulze
and is part of the Adaptable Force. The
regiment also includes an Army Reserve
Light Infantry battalion, headquartered
in Canterbury, namely the 3rd Battalion
PWRR.
Under the Army 2020 structure 1
PWRR is one of the only six remaining
Armoured Infantry battalions of
the British Army. It numbers some
730 troops and is structured into a
Headquarters Company, three Armoured
from the Royal Tiger on the Regimental
Colours, the 1st Battalion of The Princess
of Wales’s Royal Regiment is the only
Infantry Companies (A, B and C) and a
Fire Support Company. Among other
assets, the Headquarters Company
one serving in the armoured infantry includes the Main HQ, the Tactical HQ,
role and is part of the Reaction Force. the Regimental Aid Post, the REME Light
The 2nd Battalion, or 2 PWRR, is a Light Aid Detachment and the A1 and A2
Role battalion currently based in Cyprus Echelons as well as the B Echelon.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 25

british forces 03
The Armoured Infantry Companies are
each subdivided into three Armoured
Infantry Platoons equipped with
four FV510 Warrior AIFVs each, the
Company HQ equipped with two
FV511 Warrior Command Vehicles
and the REME Fitter Section. The Fire
Support Company is subdivided into
the Company HQ, the Assault Pioneer
Platoon, the Mortar Platoon equipped
with nine 81mm L16A2 mortars
mounted on FV432 Mk3 Bulldog
mortar carriers, the Sniper Platoon,
the Recce Platoon equipped with eight
FV107 Scimitar 235 CVR(T)s and
the Anti-Tank Platoon equipped with
two FV511 Warrior command vehicles,
nine FV510 Warrior AIFVs and several
26 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
08
09
Javelin Light Forces Anti-Tank Guided
Weapon (LF ATGW) systems, as well as
a Fitter Section.
VJTF(L) BATTLE GROUP
1 PWRR deployed onto Exercise
VENERABLE GAUNTLET (VEGT16)
minus its B Company. In turn, however,
it was assigned C Squadron from The
Queen’s Royal Hussars (The Queen’s
Own and Royal Irish), equipped with
18 Challenger 2 main battle tanks.
Also assigned under command of
the battalion was C Company of the
Estonian Scoutspataljon, equipped
with Sisu XA-188 wheeled armoured
personnel carriers.
11
08: The armament of the
Challenger 2 MBT consists
of a 120mm L30A1 ried tank
gun, a coaxial 7.62mm L94A1
Chain Gun and a 7.62mm
L7A2 GPMG machinegun plus
a 66mm smoke grenade
discharger system.
09: This Panther Command
and Liaison Vehicle
belonging to C Company, 1
PWRR is tted with a Remote
Controlled Weapon Station
on which a 7.62mm L7A2
GPMG is mounted
10: Armed with a Next
Generation Light Anti-Tank
Weapon infantrymen of
1 PWRR engage enemy
light armoured vehicles
after dismounting from a
Warrior AIFV - NLAW has an
operational range of up to
600m
11: After dismounting a
Warrior a 1 PWRR soldier of
engages enemy positions
with his SA80 A2 tted
with the Raytheon ELCAN
SpecterOS 4× Lightweight
Day Sights and Shield Close
Quarter Battlesight atop
12: A Warrior AIFV of 1 PWRR
rushes forward in order
to close in with an enemy
position and deliver its load
of armoured infantrymen
13: The armoured st of
the 1 PWRR VJTF(L) Battle
Group is provided by 18
Challenger 2 main battle
tanks of Sennelager-based
C Squadron of The Queen’s
Royal Hussars (The Queen’s
Own and Royal Irish).
10

During the exercise, close engineer
support for the 1 PWRR VJTF(L) Battle
Group was provided by 35 Engineer
Regiment while indirect re support
was provided by 155mm AS90 self-
propelled howitzers and Guided
Multiple Launch Rocket System
(GMLRS) of 26 Regiment Royal Artillery,
as well as a battery of 105 mm L118
Light Guns of the Spanish Army.
FROM FAMILIARISATION
TO COMBAT OPS
Once all elements of the 1 PWRR
VJTF(L) Battle Group had deployed
to Sennelager Training Area for Ex.
VENERABLE GAUNTLET, the rst week
was spent conducting familiarisation
training. During this the British and
Estonian troops were introduced to
each other’s kit, with the Estonians for
example being briefed on the FV510
Warrior AIFV and the Brits being given
possibility to take a look at the Sisu XA-
188 wheeled armoured personnel carrier.
A certain degree of team spirit was also
established through participation in
combined sports events. This time was
12
13
also spent establishing working lines of
communication, setting up a functional
command structure and aligning
Standing Operational Procedures.
The familiarisation training was followed
by a brigade level Command Post
Exercise (CPX) and a Fire Power
“THE CO-
OPERATION
BETWEEN THE
BRITISH AND
ESTONIAN
TROOPS WAS
GENERALLY
SMOOTH.”
Demonstration in which the 1 PWRR
Images © Carl Schulze
VJTF(L) Battle Group played a major
part. We will look at the battlegroup in
action during this phase of VEGT16 in
the next issue of the magazine.
The last days of the exercise then were
spent by the battlegroup conducting
force-on-force training, with other
elements of the VJTF(L) serving as
enemy forces. As part of this training,
1 PWRR conducted defensive and
offensive combat operations, such
as advancing to contact, attacking
an enemy-held objective, crossing
obstacles and ghting a delaying
battle. Some of the combat training
also saw the battlegroup deploying to
the different training villages on the
Sennelager Training Area, where they
were forced to make use of their skills in
Fighting In Built-Up Areas.
The cooperation between the British
and Estonian troops was generally
smooth. This is no surprise, taking into
account that in the past soldiers of
both nations worked together ghting
the Taliban in the Helmand Province of
Southern Afghanistan.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 27
 Images © Carl Schulze
british forces 03
14: A Challenger 2
MBT of C Squadron,
The Queen’s Royal
Hussars (The Queen’s
Own and Royal Irish)
advances during
force on force
training
15: An Estonian
soldier of the
Scoutspataljon (Eesti
Scouts) provides
cover while his
comrades dismount
form a Sisu XA-188
wheeled armoured
personnel carrier
16: The Estonian
company from the
Scoutspataljon
attached to the 1
PWRR during Exercise
14
VENERABLE GAUNTLET
employed Sisu XA-188
wheeled armoured
personnel carriers

JUST
ANOTHER
HIGHLIGHT
For the soldiers of
1 PWRR, Exercise
VENERABLE
GAUNTLET was just
another highlight in
their Training Year
and the preparation
for their task as
Armoured Infantry
Battle Group of the
VJTF(L) 17, which
they will assume
in early 2017. The
training year started
for them with a large
15
amount of collective
training at platoon
and company
level, including
live re exercises.
Then followed
collective training
at battlegroup level
conducted at the
British Army Training
Unit Sufeld (BATUS)
in Canada, including
all arms battle group
live re battle runs.
On return form
BATUS, VENERABLE
GAUNTLET then
provided the
‘Armoured Tigers’
with an opportunity
to train alongside
their NATO
partners and within
a multinational
environment.
16
28 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
kit + camo

LEGIÓN
ESPAÑOLA
SPAIN’S 09 EJÉRCITO DE
CAMUFLAJE PIXELADO
30 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
 Article & Images by
BOB MORRISON

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 31

kit + camo Images © Bob Morrison

We briey covered Spain’s M09 Ejército De Camuaje

Pixelado, or Army Pixellated Camouage introduced
in 2009, in the May 2016 issue of C&S where we
illustrated how the pattern appeared to be derived
from Crye Precision’s commercial MultiCam but
with dierent colours. Our observations were made
when covering the multinational Exercise TRIDENT
JUNCTURE ‘15 at the CENAD Chinchilla and San
Gregorio training areas.

W
hen in Spain in November
2015 we were unable to
photograph a soldier in the
standard poses, as those we worked
with in Chinchilla were primarily role-
playing as local villagers so not in full
uniform and there was insufcient time
between the end of the dynamic display
at San Gregorio and the departure of
my US Air National Guard C-130 lift from
Zaragoza down to Lisbon. However
while out in Germany in September
2016 to cover Exercise VENERABLE
GAUNTLET, one of the Spanish Legion
(Legión Española) contingent kindly
agreed to pose for us in full kit alongside
his VAMTAC (Vehículo de Alta
Movilidad Táctico) High Mobility Tactical
Vehicle.
With hindsight, and having now
had several opportunities to closely
examine the new US OCP (Operational
Camouage Pattern) based on an earlier
Crye design and sometimes called
Scorpion W2, I reckon that M09 Ejército
De Camuaje Pixelado might actually
be based on the original and discarded
Crye Scorpion pattern offered to the
US Army early in the last decade. Like
the M09 design, the original Scorpion
pattern had none of the twig-like
verticals introduced for the commercial
MultiCam pattern. The M09 camo
colours, however, are much closer to the
mid-80s Boscosos pattern worn by the
Legion.
The Spanish Legion, founded in 1920, is the
backbone of the country’s Rapid Reaction
Force. Although in some ways originally
similar to the French Foreign Legion, in that
it mostly fought overseas, unlike the French
the Spanish recruited few foreigners into
La Legión. Regarded as an elite military
force and a highly disciplined force, the
Spanish Legion both contributes to NATO
peacekeeping and deterrence missions and
provides garrisons for Spain’s North African
exclaves. The Legionnaires pictured here
wear M09 pattern uniform but helmet covers
etc. in Boscosos pattern.

32 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

marching ammo

01
Whenever the C&S team gets the ch chance,
hance we pi
pick
ick
kuup
p a rration
ation 01:: Elite Belgian
0
01 n Commandos
Co
Comm
omm
manndo
on Ex. STORM TIDE III were
dos

pack not previously covered in this long-running occasional issued with combat rations [©
Carl Schulze]
series while we are working with armed forces on exercise or 02: The Ration de Combat
deployment. On Exercise STORM TIDE III in Belgium, Carl was Individuelle Rechauffable
carton is protected by a clear
able to secure us one of the ration packs issued to Belgian plastic outer
Commandos but, rather than being home-produced, as 03: Pack is supplied by ELOCA
anticipated, it turned out to be French. (Etablissements LOgistiques
du Commissariat des Armées)
Paris

W
e rst featured the French
Ration de Combat
Individuelle Rechauffable
(Individual Reheatable
Combat Ration) or RICR in
our January 2009 issue, which was the second
part in this series. The two cartons featured
back then had been picked up during Exercise
NORTHERN LIGHT ’03, when 1ère Compagnie
of the 21éme Regiment d’Infanterie de Marine
(21RIMa) were in Scotland participating in a
multinational amphibious landing and peace-
enforcing exercise and had sat on a props shelf
for over ve years.
34 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
The 2018 expiry date Menu No. 3 RICR pack
featured here, which Carl picked up in June in
Belgium, is externally almost identical to the
French 2004 expiry date Menu No. 7 and Menu
No.11 packs, but it does not have ‘FRENCH
ARMY’ and ‘NATO APPROUVED’ [sic] markings,
and the French language equivalent, on the
longer sides though it does have ‘PRECAUTIONS
BEFORE USE’ instructions printed in both French
and English on one side. On the base of the
carton are address details for ELOCA, the French
MoD organisation responsible for rations, rather
than the 14-Menu list found on the 2004 dated
samples. The top of the current carton is near
04: The two Menu 3 main dish
ring-pull cans are Chicken
Tabbouleh (left) and Lamb Stew
05: Top opened and folded
back to display contents - pack
weight is around 1800g
06: Secondary Menu 3 cans
contain processed cheese
(left) and sardine llets in
olive oil
07: There are eight twin packs
of foil wrapped biscuits - four
sweet and four salted
08: The only menu items in
pouches are chocolate muesli
and curry avoured soup
powder
 “I WAS CONFIDENT THAT THIS RCIR WOULD BE GOOD
Images © Bob Morrison

02 QUALITY AND TASTY AS THE FRENCH PRIDE THEMSELVES

ON THEIR CUISINE. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.”

03

04 06

FRENCH
07

RCIR
08

The Be identical to the earlier featured ones,

C
with contents list in both French and
English, and it has ‘FRENCH ARMY’ an and
‘NO RESALE’ in both languages below
the lists.

The contents of the current Menu No.3

05 are not too different from the packs
we looked at back in 2009, with the
only real changes being that some of
the packaging appears to be more
commercial; use of familiar commercial
brands rather than plain military
packaging is quite commonplace for
most NATO armies these days. As
before, the current RCIR relies heavily
on cans rather than retort pouches or
freeze-dried sachets, and a Reheating
Kit with fold-up cooker, Esbit hexamine
fuel tablets and safety matches is
included.

The two main meal cans in our pack

were NAVARIN D’AGNEAU (Lamb
Casserole) and TABOULE VOLAILLE
(Chicken Tabbouleh) and the other

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 35

marching ammo
09
10
11
12
13
tins contained FILETS DE SARDINES
(Sardine Fillets in Olive Oil) as a starter
plus FROMAGE FONDU (Processed
Cheese) for spreading on biscuits. There
are sixteen biscuits supplied, four pairs
salted and four pairs sweet, just like the
last RCIR we reviewed, but this time
36 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
14
made of similar material, two
Images © Bob Morrison
packs of three hexamine fuel
tablets, a pack of six water
sterilising tablets, a box of
safety matches, a black bin
bag for waste, and the smallest
folding spork I have ever come
across. This last tiny item is
going in my survival tin as one
day I might just need it and it
takes up next to no space. The
15 only other component in this
24 hour ration pack, which tips
rather than being cellophane the scales just under 1.8kg, was
wrapped each pair is foil a pack of tissues.
wrapped and they are packed
in a commercial brand outer There are some military
carton. The two main items in ration packs which I have
pouches, rather than cans, are taste tested with a degree
09: From left - isotonic freeze-dried chocolate muesli of trepidation and one, the
drink powder, brew/ and powdered soup (curry poor condition Angolan pack
accessory pack and
apricot jam sachet avour) which each require which Andy from East-West
hot water to reconstitute. Trading magicked up, which I
10: Contents of brew
pack include hot have reviewed, but declined to
chocolate, 2x coffee, The brew kit, consisting eat. I was condent, however,
2x tea, 2x sugar and of 2x coffee, 2x tea, 1x hot that this RCIR would be good
2x salt & pepper
chocolate and 2x sugar is quality and tasty as the French
11: Plain pack of white shrink-wrapped in plastic pride themselves on their
tissues and boxed
with 2x salt & pepper sachets cuisine. I was not disappointed.
Heating Kit by Esbit
with contents printed also included. There is also The lamb casserole, which I
on front a separate orange energy heated on the eld cooker,
12: Clockwise from drink powder sachet. For was very tasty indeed, but
top left - 2x Energy Bar, snacking, the pack contains the tabbouleh, which is
Chocolate Bar, Fruit
Jelly and Fruit Nougat 2x energy bars, a fruit nougat intended to be eaten cold, was
bar, a jellied fruit bar, and a absolutely superb.
13: Heating Kit - 6x
Fuel Tablets, Cooker, chocolate bar - all commercial
Folding Spoon, Bin brands - plus there is a sachet Footnote: Over the last year
Bag, Handle, Aquatabs of fruit jam for spreading on or so we have had a bit of a
& Matches run on ration articles but the
the biscuits or just sucking for
14: Folder Cooker with an energy boost. bergen is now empty and this
Fuel Tablet, Meal Can series may go dormant again
with folded Handle
and unfolded Spoon The French KIT DE for a few months until we
atop RECHAUFFAGE (Reheating manage to pick up something
15: The Lamb Stew Kit) contained in a white card new.
or Navarin D’ Agneau carton consists of a galvanised
with the tiny spoon pressed metal fold-up eld
and a salt & pepper
sachet cooker, a fold-up can handle
BRITISH ARMY MTP
SPECIAL FORCES
WEBBING

Almost 50% lighter than standard webbing.

Almost 50% smaller than standard webbing (Pack size)
Cost almost 50% less than standard webbing. From only
£94.95
But still has the same robust quality as the standard
webbing.
Made in the UK.
„ This webbing is ultra lightweight and will pack away in
its own stu sack attached to the underside of the belt.
„ The belt is padded for comfort and has a 60 mm quick
release buckle.
„ The yoke has the standard 6 point fasteners and is
laser cut to take extra molle pouches.
„ It is available in 2 sizes
„ Regular to t waist 30” plus, This has 2 utility pouches
and 2 double ammo pouches.
„ Large to t waist 36” plus, This has 3 utility pouches
and 2 double ammo pouches.

www.militarykit.com
 airborne forces
01: 25th September 2016,
08:27. Paratroopers of the 8e
Régiment de Parachutistes
d’Infanterie de Marine are
dropped into Rastibel Drop
Zone of the Camp Caylus
Training Area
02: Dangling under his
Ensemble de Parachutage
du Combattant, a French
paratrooper of the 1er
Règiment de Chasseurs
Parachutists descends to the
Rastibel Drop Zone
03: French paratroopers of the
11e Brigade Parachutiste are
dropped by a C-160 Transall
transport aircraft of the
Armée de l’Air
04: Employing the T-11
Personnel Parachute System,
US paratroopers are dropped
over Rastibel Drop Zone of the
Camp Caylus Training Area.
05: Vehicles were also
parachuted in as part of the
Heavy Drop phase - here
a Véhicule Aéromobile
Logistique Auverland A3F light
truck descends under three
massive cargo parachutes
06: With the Drop Zone
secured supplies and
equipment were parachuted
in, including a complete
Poste Médical 2014 (medical
station)
07: Armed with a MISTRAL
man portable short range
surface to air missile system
soldiers of the 35e Régiment

COLIBRI IL
d’Artillerie Parachutiste
protect the Drop Zone 01

French-led Multinational Exercise

Exercise COLIBRI IL, the sux being 49 in Roman numerals, took place in South-
Western France on the Camp Caylus Training Area between the 16th and 30th
of September 2016. This multinational airborne exercise involved about 1,000
troops from France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States
of America. C&S followed this long-established French invitational exercise in
order to brief readers on its scope.
25TH SEPTEMBER, 2016, 08:27, CAMP CAYLUS TRAINING AREA.

A
t troop dropping speed Shortly before hitting the ground their webbing and then shoulder their
and at a height of 400 the French paratroopers of the 8e rucksacks.
Images © Carl Schulze

metres, or roughly 1,300 Régiment de Parachutistes d’Infanterie

feet, the C-160 Transall
and the CN-235 Casa
transport aircraft pass over the Rastibel
Drop Zone of the Camp Caylus Training
Area to deliver their human cargo.
Just seconds later the sky is lled with
parachutes that quickly descend to the
grassland below.
de Marine (8e RPIMa) release their kit
bags and prepare for the parachute
landing fall. Seconds later they have
safely arrived on the ground. Staying
low they hastily pull their containers
(kit bags) towards them, unpack their
weapons, get rid of the harnesses of
their parachute equipment, put on
Speed is what matters in this part of an
airborne operation, and only minutes
later the rst sections and platoons have
gathered on the South-Western edge of
the Drop Zone. They are now combat
ready to repulse any attack and to
execute their rst combat mission. It is
also here that the para-dropped forces

38 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 Report & Images by
CARL SCHULZE
08:58, JEAN COUSY VILLAGE.
Not half an hour after the paratroopers
of 8e RPIMa have dropped in, the
assault begins on the village. While
soldiers armed with 5.56mm Minimi
light machineguns provide covering re
others break the cover of a tree line and
rush forward to the rst building. They
are greeted by well aimed small arms re
of the ARG ghters. But the momentum
of the attack is too strong and one militia
ghter after the other is neutralised.
Within minutes the rst building is in the
hands of the French paratroopers. With
a foothold gained the paratroopers now
begin to clear one building after another.
11:43, JEAN COUSY VILLAGE.
With the French paratroopers of the
8e RPIMa continuing to ght their way
through the village, in the meantime
the second wave of paratroopers
has been dropped in. They belong
to the 5. Kompanie, Fallschirmjäger
regiment 26. For Exercise COLIBRI IL
this company of Germans is assigned to
8e RPIMa. Like previously their French
comrades, the Germans quickly gather
after touching the ground and now
are ready to join in the attack on Jean
Cousy Village.
Using the French-held building as a
start-line the Germans add an additional
punch to the attack. Soon the streets
of the village echo from the gunre of
7.62mm MG3 machineguns and 5.56mm
G36 assault ries. By now the ARG
ghters have realised that they will not
stand a chance against the massed
French and German paratroopers and
begin a hasty retreat.

02 04
link up with members of Groupement
des Commandos Parachutistes (GCP)
of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste (11
BP) and the Fallschirmspezialzug of
Fallschirmjäger regiment 26.

These French and German pathnders

had jumped in 24 hours earlier,
reconnoitred the drop zone, secured
it and marked it. They had also
gathered up-to-date intelligence on
the Auverganda Resistance Group
(ARG) ghters at the Jean Cousy
Village, some 20 buildings on the
Eastern edge of the Drop Zone. It is the
mission of 8e RPIMa to neutralise these
insurgents after being dropped in, in
order to fully secure the DZ and allow
the deployment of additional waves of 03
paratroopers.

05 06 07

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 39

 airborne forces
08
This airborne assault on Camp Caylus
Training Area and the following attack
on Jean Cousy Village marked the
beginning of the combat phase of
Exercise COLIBRI IL.
FRENCH, GERMAN,
SPANISH, UK & US
TROOPS
The rst exercise of the COLIBRI
series took place in 1962, and since
then these exercises were conducted
in turn in France and Germany; the
one conducted in 2016 being the 49th
of the airborne exercises. Initially a
Franco-German affair, the COLIBRI was
established in order to improve the
Images © Carl Schulze
development of the airborne forces of
the two nations and at the same time
benet their cooperation.
With the end of World War II only 17
years before, these exercises were also
part of a series of condence-building
measures decided by the governments
40 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
of France and Germany to overcome
the status of their two countries as 09
hereditary enemies. Often the COLIBRI
exercises were also used to enter
uncharted political or military waters.
In 1993, for example, COLIBRI XXX was
the rst exercise during which German
forces trained for a non-combatant
evacuation operation. The 2009
exercise, COLIBRI XLII, was the rst of
the series that saw the participation of
the airborne forces of additional nations
to that of France and Germany, in
particular those of Spain and Belgium.
The 2016 edition of the exercise
involved French, German and Spanish
paratroopers and, for the rst time,
airborne forces from Britain and the
USA.
FALLSCHIRMJÄGER
REGIMENT 26
The bulk of the 150-strong German
contingent was formed around the
reinforced 5. Kompanie, Fallschirmjäger
 08: Six 155mm M777 Light
Towed Howitzers from
C Battery, 4th Battalion,
319th Airborne Field
Artillery Regiment of the
US Army provided indirect
re support to the
multinational task force
09: The ghters of the
Auverganda Resistance
Group (ARG) were played
by troops of the 4e
Régiment Ètranger of the
French Foreign Legion
10: A paratrooper of
the 1er Règiment de
11 12
Chasseurs Parachutists
waves a ag on the
edge of the Drop Zone
to mark the rendezvous
point for the troops just
parachuted in
11: High Mobility Engineer
Excavators from A
Company, 54th Brigade
Engineer Battalion lled
in craters on a dirt strip
that would later serve as
a runway for incoming
resupply ights
12: Some 300 US soldiers
took part on Exercise
COLIBRI IL - these
paratroopers belong to
A Company, 54th Brigade
Engineer Battalion.
13: Britain sent a platoon
of Gurkhas from the 2nd
Battalion, The Royal
Gurkha Ries which
serves as air assault
infantry unit with 16 Air
Assault Brigade
14: After parachuting
into Camp Caylus
Training Area a Spanish 13
paratrooper prepares
himself for combat - he is
armed with a 5.56mm H&K
G36E assault rie
15: Spain participated on
Exercise COLIBRI IL with
a 115-strong airborne
infantry company from
the III. Bandera de
Infantería Protegida of
Brigada Paracaidista VI

15
10
26 also took part in the exercise. This
platoon formed a pathnder unit
together with the Groupement des
Commandos Parachutistes (GCP)
elements of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste
(11 BP). The Franco-German pathnder
unit was commanded directly by the HQ
of the 11 BP.

The German Air Force supported

14
regiment 26, which during the exercise
was structured into the company HQ,
three airborne infantry platoons (A,
B and C) and two sniper teams. Two
service dog handler teams, two Joint
Fire Support Teams, two airborne
engineer teams and three medical
teams reinforced the company.
For the duration of the exercise the
company was assigned under the
command of the 8e RPIMa. The
Fallschirmspezialzug (Pathnder
Platoon) of Fallschirmjäger regiment
the exercise with one C-160 Transall
transport aircraft.
III. BANDERA DE INFAN-
TERÍA PROTEGIDA
Spain participated in the exercise with
a 115-strong airborne infantry company
from the III. Bandera de Infantería
Protegida ‘Ortiz de Zárate’ of the
Brigada Paracaidista ‘Almogávares’
VI, based in Murcia. During the exercise
the company fell under command of
the French 1er Règiment de Chasseurs
Parachutists (1 RCP).

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 41

 airborne forces

16 18

GURKHAS 173RD AIRBORNE

Images © Carl Schulze

16: The bulk of Heavy equipment deployed
the 150-strong with the US troops included,
German contingent

BRIGADE
The British contingent participating on that took part on among other assets, six
the exercise consisted of an air-assault Exercise COLIBRI 155mm M777 Light Towed
IL was provided Howitzers and a High
infantry platoon numbering 36 troops. It The US contingent on COLIBRI IL by 5. Kompanie,
was provided by A (Amboor) Company numbered some 300 troops of Fallschirmjäger Mobility Engineer Excavator
of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Gurkha units of the Vicenza-based 173rd regiment 26 (HMEE).
Ries. During the exercise this platoon Airborne Brigade ‘Sky Soldiers’. 17: Following
was assigned to the 3e Compagnie Personnel deployed were the bulk the parachute A C-130H Hercules from the
drops the DZ was 153rd Airlift Wing of the
de Combat of the 1er Règiment de of A Company, 54th Brigade converted into an
Chasseurs Parachutists. We will cover Engineer Battalion and most of aireld and more Wyoming Air National Guard
the Gurkhas in more C Battery, 4th Battalion, 319th personnel and also took part in the exercise.
equipment were TO BE CONTINUED...
depth next month. Airborne Field Artillery Regiment. own in - here
a CN-235 Casa
transport aircraft
has just delivered
French troops
18: Insignia of
the 11e Brigade
Parachutiste - in
September 2016
this French
airborne brigade
hosted Exercise
COLIBRI IL in South-
Western France

17

42 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 01
multinational command

01: A tented HQ
complex comprising
more than 30
structures with
ooring and wiring
was built by the NATO
Support Battalion
inside 16 days [©
NATO: WO2 Daniel
Harmer]
Article & Images by 02: Main Street inside
the fully functional
BOB MORRISON Class 2 area of the
complex - we were

ALLIED RAPID
allowed inside but
on security grounds
had to leave cameras
outside [© NATO: Sgt M
Images © Bob Morrison [unless otherwise noted]

O’Neill]

REACTION CORPS
2017 NATO RESPONSE FORCE HQ
From January 2017 the UK-led multinational Allied Rapid Reaction Corps takes
over from Joint Force Command Brunssum as the Land Forces HQ of the
NATO Response Force. In September and October the ARRC HQ deployed from
its Gloucester base to RAF St. Mawgan in Cornwall, rst on Exercise ARCADE
CHARGER and then on Exercise TRIDENT JUNCTURE ‘16, for certication and
validation prior to assuming its upcoming mission.

F
ollowing the end of
the Cold War and the 02
subsequent disbandment
of the Warsaw Pact in
1991, in mid 1992 [Western]
European Union defence ministers
agreed at a conference, in Petersberg
in the recently reunited Germany, to
deploy their troops and resources
to undertake military tasks of a
“humanitarian, disarming, peacekeeping
and peacemaking nature”. That October,
the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
was founded with a core mission to
redeploy and reinforce within Allied

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 45

multinational command
03

Command Europe and to conduct these

Petersberg Tasks outside of NATO
territory. From its inception the United
Kingdom has led the Headquarters of
the ARRC, which was rst deployed
operationally in Bosnia in 1995 and
subsequently played a major part
in implementing the Dayton Peace
Accords.

Today the ARRC HQ, based at Imjin

Barracks in Gloucester, is a NATO High
Readiness Force (Land) Headquarters
on standby for deployment worldwide
within ve to thirty days. Its deployable
HQ infrastructure and communications
are provided by 1st [UK] Signal
Brigade, which prepares and generates
forces held at high
states of readiness
to support
current and future
operations around
the world. The
major components
of this brigade
are three
Royal Signals 05
04

Images © Bob Morrison [unless otherwise noted]

regiments, Nos. 22, 30 and 299 (Special
Communications), plus the ARRC
Support Battalion which provides “a
bespoke and resilient staff working
environment which can be deployed
anywhere in the world at short
notice”.
06
In September the ARRC HQ was
mobilised on Exercise ARCADE
CHARGER and its Support Battalion
rapidly packed and deployed two
hundred miles South-West, inside just
twelve hours, to create a deployable
Corps-level headquarters and

46 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 09

10
03: The blue ag ying over the
HQ alongside the green ARRC ag
belongs to the high readiness
Gloucester-based 1 [UK] Signals
Brigade [© NATO: Sgt M O’Neill]
04: Perimeter security for the high
readiness and highly sensitive
deployed ARRC Headquarters was
07 provided by armed troops from
The Mercian Regiment [© Bob
Morrison]
05: Lt Gen Tim Radford DSO OBE
- the ARRC Commander since
July 2016 - is seen here talking to
Italian and Estonian Headquarters
personnel [© NATO: unknown]
06: Entrance to the Class 2 area -
before exiting this tent all cameras
and mobile phones had to be
handed in and weapons unloaded
[© NATO: Sgt M O’Neill]
07: The rst ARRC Commander, the accommodation complex for
then Lt Gen Jeremy Mackenzie,
alongside his deputy the Italian it to occupy and work in for
Maj Gen Ficuciello, at the initial FTX this exercise and the follow-
in March 1993 [© Bob Morrison] on TRIDENT JUNCTURE
08 08: In addition to the ARRC HQ validation phase. The UK’s 22
complex at RAF St. Mawgan Signal Regiment, which is
(background) the Support
Battalion also constructed a tasked to deliver Information
tented accommodation village [© Communication Systems to
NATO: unknown] the ARRC HQ at both their
09: Typical scene inside one of permanent base in Gloucester
the headquarters cells - although
the HQ is mostly British over 500 and when deployed on exercises
personnel from 20 other nations or on operations overseas,
are involved [© NATO: Sgt M O’Neill] speedily moved into its new
10: Inside the ARRC Headquarters home.
during its rst eld exercise in
1993 in Germany - note not a single
computer screen to be seen inside The ARRC Support Battalion’s
the basic tent [© Bob Morrison] Transport Troop commander,

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 47

multinational command

11
a lieutenant, who led the build is on 11: German,
the record as saying: “We pack it UK and US
ofcers during a
up, transport it, and we work with wargame session
the engineers and signals, construct as part of the 12
the area then secure and maintain it. Exercise TRIDENT
JUNCTURE 16
We’ve got a lot of experience here. phase of the ARRC
Some of the lads have been doing deployment [©
this for about four years now so they NATO: WO2 Daniel
know, probably better than I do, how Harmer]
the tents go together and how quickly 12: The ARC
Support Battalion
they can go together.” also built and
manned a
When the deployed HQ was fully cookhouse which
prepared three
operational over 500 servicemen and hearty meals
women from the UK and 20 other a day for over
nations tested systems, built teams, 500 exercise
and pushed their decision processes personnel
[© NATO: Sgt M
as a headquarters staff on Ex. O’Neill]
ARCADE CHARGER, before Exercise 13: The UK
TRIDENT JUNCTURE 16 commenced Secretary of State
Images © Bob Morrison [unless otherwise noted]

on 24th October for certication of for Defence, Sir

Michael Fallon
the ARRC as a NATO Land Forces HQ
in preparation for its role as part of the
KCB, arrived at
the ARRC HQ
14
NATO Response Force in 2017. in this Jaguar
Sentinel for
briengs while
That same day C&S was allowed right we were visiting
inside the HQ to observe, though [© Bob Morrison]
on security grounds we were not 14: The SoS was
permitted to photograph inside the given a series of
briengs and a
secure Class 2 area. visit to the ARRC
Combined Joint
13 Operation Centre
for a detailed
overview of the
exercise [©
NATO: WO2 Daniel
Harmer]

48 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

UK Equipment

01

VIRTUS
01: VIRTUS Belt with
yoke, seen from the 04
back, on top of Vest
with Cobra Helmet
to right

IN FOCUS
02: Back of VIRTUS
Vest (right) and
upside down Cobra
Helmet (left) -
daysack is non-issue

LOAD CARRIAGE EQUIPMENT

03: Inside views of
VIRTUS Belt (at top)
with opened Vest
between it and Cobra
Helmet
02 04: Looking down on, 05
from top of frame,
Cobra Helmet, VIRTUS
Vest and VIRTUS Belt
05: VIRTUS Vest
viewed from front -
the vest quick release
mechanism is at top
right
Images © Bob Morrison

03

50 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 Urban Survival

Article & Images by

JASON POLLEY
01
01: It is estimated
We all think other people are kidnapped, snatched globally there
Images © Jason Polley [unless otherwise noted]

whilst abroad, or taken hostage on a foreign ight. are 40,000

kidnappings
Well, those ‘others’ thought the same. Wise-up annually - not
all are rich
to precautions you can take to minimise being businessmen or
taken, whether as a kidnap victim for ransom, or women
02: Fiction
snatched opportunistically by terrorists and perhaps based on fact -
beheaded to promote a cause. Take your personal around £500m
is believed
safety seriously and heighten your awareness of the exchanged in
ransom payments
risks and survival techniques. every year
03: Be aware

KIDNAP
would-be
kidnappers
will watch high
end shops for
potential targets
to snatch or
follow
04: As companies

RISKS
take out K&R
cover kidnappers
know a pay-out
from abducting
an employees is
likely - this is a
training scenario
[© Bob Morrison]

East, Pakistan and many of the former

THE RISKS Soviet Union countries in Eastern

D
o not assume only the
wealthy are the victims
of kidnap. European
students on a shoestring
budget have been
kidnapped in South America in the past.
Their parents were then contacted and
forced to sell their home and car to pay
a ransom before the dazed student was
tossed back. Proving you are a penniless
orphan might simply mean your death,
not release.
Europe.
Snatching Western employees or
tourists is seen as routine and usually
protable. As some international
companies routinely take out kidnap
and ransom (K&R) cover, the
kidnappers know a pay-out from
abducting one of their employees is
likely in many cases.

As kidnap negotiations are often done

secretly and publicity is minimised, it
is hard to get exact gures, but it is
estimated there are around 40,000
kidnappings annually generating
around £500m in ransom payments.
The high risk countries include: Mexico,
Colombia, Venezuela, the North West
African countries, most of the Middle
PLAN AHEAD
Do your homework and see if your
destination is a high kidnap risk
place. Check with the Foreign and
Commonwealth Ofce, but also
consider asking for a professional threat
analysis from one of the companies that 02
can provide K&R cover, such as Hiscox,
AIG or Lloyds. K&R cover will provide plus the services of a negotiator. (It may
the ransom money to a certain level, not be Russell Crowe.)

52 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 03

“AVOID SHOPS AND AREAS

OF THE TOWN WHERE
FOREIGNERS GO, SUCH AS
HIGH END STORES AND THE
EMBASSY DISTRICTS.”
Make sure key friends and family know
04 where you are going and agree codewords
to subtly alert them to the fact you have
been kidnapped and are having to write/
speak under threat.

It may be in your interests to hide your

nationality and use an alternative passport
if at all possible. Using a passport from
a relatively neutral country like Canada
or Ireland may be far better to use in
certain parts of the world than a British or
American passport.

Don’t book into the ve star hotels and/

or travel rst class everywhere. You will
attract unwanted attention. Give your
itinerary to a few trusted friends and family
- not the world and his dog - i.e. remember
some who peruse social media can be
antisocial.

PRECAUTIONS
Vary your routines, change the types of

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 53

 Urban Survival
Images © Jason Polley [unless otherwise noted]

05

KIDNAPRISKS
05: Be aware of any
potential kidnap
hotspots before you
leave the country
you are visiting
06 07 06: Be alert to
kidnap risks and
transport you use, even change your appearance Go grey, do not make eye conduct, and think don’t get into the
and clothes. Blend in and do not wear a ashy yourself invisible. Where possible, hide evidence of rst taxi on offer -
only use registered
watch and very obvious Western clothing and silly any wealth or of being foreign. A Western hostage marked taxis and
sunglasses. has great propaganda value to some groups and not minicabs
will attract the attention and publicity they may be 07: Check if your
Avoid shops and areas of the town where seeking. destination poses
foreigners go, such as high end stores and the high kidnap risk -
this one currently
embassy districts. Would-be kidnappers will be Carry a tiny SOS alarm linked to a GPS device that does not but is
scanning these places for likely targets. enables you to send an alert and then be tracked only 30km from a
by your company or family if you are suddenly country in civil war
[© Bob Morrison]
Let trusted friends know your movements grabbed. See the products offered by trackershop-
so absences and delays can be acted upon uk.com and also thelightbug.com 08: Be suspicious
of vans and people
quickly. Anticipate being kidnapped and have a carriers pulling up
contingency plan in place. beside you with

If using any form of public transport – from planes

CONDUCT ONCE doors open - they
might be preparing
to trains – do not sit in an aisle seat. Although
statistically safer in the event of an accident, it is
KIDNAPPED
The advice from former captives and the experts
to snatch you
09: Visits to your
embassy might be
from these seats that a hijacker or terrorist will pull who negotiate with kidnappers is as follows: noticed by terrorists
a hostage. To show they mean business, you may „ Do all you can to survive - be pro-active in and mark you out as
a potential ransom
be shot or used as a shield or bargaining chip as the looking after yourself physically and mentally; make target
situation develops. Sit by the window if travelling your connement comfortable and stay positive. 10: A very good book
through a high risk country or region. „ Don’t underestimate the efforts being made by by an expert in the
eld
54 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

“DON’T BOOK INTO THE FIVE STAR HOTELS AND/
OR TRAVEL FIRST CLASS EVERYWHERE. YOU WILL
ATTRACT UNWANTED ATTENTION.” 10
people working for you out of sight.
„ Eat and drink what you can - you
need the calories and need to remain
hydrated in order to survive and
perhaps escape.
„ It is in the kidnapper’s interests you
remain alive and well, so don’t be
afraid to ask for medicines.
„ Don’t be rude or aggressive towards
the kidnappers - it could result in an
early death or increase any violence
towards you; be polite, comply with
their requests, and give them no
reason to focus on you.
„ Do not make threats or promises,
accept you are a prisoner and try to
generate empathy; let them see you
as a human being - it might lead to
better treatment.
„ If at all possible, create a routine
and mark time; having any sort of
structure in this situation will help you
mentally.
„ Do not look the terrorist or
kidnapper in the eye, and don’t look
too observant; you expose yourself to
problems if they think you are trying
to remember faces and details.
08
09 FURTHER
READING
If you want to better understand
what being kidnapped is like, in
the hope it may better prepare
you for such a situation, try one
of the following:
„ Kidnapped by Andrew J Clark
- a collection of true accounts
of real kidnappings over the
years including details of the
famous Patty Hearst kidnapping
and that of John Paul Getty in
1973.
„ The Sky is Always There by
Camilla Carr and Jon James -
the story of their kidnapping
whilst working in Chechnya
during the late 1990s.
„ A Long Walk Home by Judith
Tebbutt - about surviving after
being kidnapped by Somali
pirates in 2011
„ The Hostage Rescue Manual
by Leroy Thompson - excellent
guide by an expert in the eld.
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 55
belt tools

ARMEX
MULTI-
TOOL
Endorsed
by Bare Tye
are gunmetal and the locking blades are
bright steel; the blade lock is a pivoting
metal plate at the end of the opposite
side of the handle from the blades.
As for the blades, these are: clipped
It is not often that a totally new brand of belt tool appears spearpoint knife; medium Phillips
on the scene, so when last month we spotted the ARMEX screwdriver; small at screwdriver;
saw blade; double-sided le with large
advertisement for their new Multi-Tool, endorsed by at screwdriver end; awl; medium
survivalist ‘Bare Tye’, we were intrigued. Not only did this at screwdriver; and combination
multi-tool look to have most of the blades necessary, can & bottle opener. Some blades
but its advertised Typical Retail Price placed it midway have alternative uses giving added
between the low budget and high end belt tool models functionality.
most readers should be familiar with.

B
udget-priced belt tools,
of the type found in most
street markets and many
discount stores around the
country, not to mention on
sale from time to time as a ‘special offer’
in lling stations, do have their uses - or
should that be use, as often they are
range tools from the brand leaders will
certainly pay dividends in the long run,
and indeed my own treasured SUPER
TOOL will be 20 years old next August,
but there are occasions when carrying a
less expensive alternative makes sense;
especially if there is the possibility of
losing it when adventuring or soldiering.
In the comparison photograph the
folded Bare Tye Multi-Tool sits
between my SOG PowerLock, left, and
Leatherman SUPER TOOL. The new
kid on the block is slightly shorter than
either of the others, so blade length is a
little shorter too, and it is slightly thicker
than both. Weight is around 295g
compared to 265g for the PowerLok
Images © Bob Morrison

robust enough for a single task only -
in your car toolbox or at the bottom
of your bergen/rucksack. However, if
you are going to carry a multi-purpose
tool like this on your belt for repeat
use over time you need to shell out a
little bit more of your hard-earned beer
(or possibly fruit smoothie) tokens.
Investing in one of the top-of-the-
At around half the price of some of the
bigger name multi-tools, the ARMEX
Bare Tye is a good value alternative
with eight blades stowed in the skeletal
handles of its spring-loaded, near snipe-
nosed pliers. The handles are described
by the distributor as being Matt Bronze,
the plier jaws with wire-cutter blades
and 250g for the SUPERTOOL. A black
fabric pouch with belt loop on the back
and velcro-type fastener is included and
there are lanyard eyes at the base of the
handles to stop it walking off.
Many survival and military kit retail
outlets around the UK are now stocking
this new ARMEX belt tool.

56 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

vehicle focus

01

SUPACAT LRV 400/600

LIGHT RECONNAISSANCE VEHICLE
On 24th September we broke the news on the combatandsurvival.com website
that Supacat, the Devon-based military vehicle designers and manufacturers
who produced the British Army’s JACKAL and COYOTE eet, had sprung a surprise
at the 2016 DVD expo at Millbrook Proving Ground by displaying their 6x6 Light
Reconnaissance Vehicle (LRV 600) prototype. Based on the 4x4 LRV 400 Mk.2, the
LRV 600 uses the company’s EXTENDA principle to add an easily removable third
axle and loadbed module to increase cargo payload capabilities.

A
number of Special Forces
formations around the
world already use the
EXTENDA variant of
Supacat’s HMT 400, on
which JACKAL is based, and indeed
less than three weeks before DVD ‘16 it
was announced that the New Zealand
Ministry of Defence had awarded a
contract to the company to deliver
a quantity of the Special Operations
Vehicle – Mobility Heavy (SOV-MH)
variant for the New Zealand Defence
Forces. The HMT 400/600 family,
although transportable inside CH-47
Chinook helicopters and similar, is
actually quite a large and expensive
four- to six-man vehicle, so the
manufacturer is looking to to use the
LRV 400/600 family to plug the gap
in the SF/SpecOps market for smaller
and less costly three-man vehicles left
following the end of production of the
Land Rover Defender.
The rst evolution of the Supacat LRV
made its début at the DSEi 2013 military
expo, held in London’s Docklands. Very
much a concept demonstrator, this
slab-sided three-man light vehicle had
a space frame chassis with engine and
driveline components taken from Land
Rover’s Discovery range. Physically and
dimensionally it appeared quite similar
to the Defender 110 R-WMIK variant
and was clearly intended to undertake
the same type of duties.
Roll forward two years to DSEi 2015,
and the prototype LRV 400 Mk.1
had been superseded by the much
more rened Mk.2 model, which also
incorporated some proven elements of
its older HMT/JACKAL sibling’s proven
layout. This demonstrator looked much

58 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

Article & Images by Images © Bob
BOB MORRISON Morrison [unless
otherwise noted]

04

01: LRV 400 gently

tackling NATO IMMLC
obstacles intended for
much larger vehicles
02: Supacat HMT 400
JACKAL - LRV 400 sibling
is smaller and much
less costly
03: The LRV 400 Mk.1
prototype unveiled at
the DSEi 2013 expo 05
04: First sight of the LRV
400 Mk.2 prototype at
the DSEi 2015 expo
05: The mature Mk.2
demonstrator at
Eurosatory 2016 - spot
the differences [© Carl
Schulze]
06: The Mk.2
photographed six
weeks after Eurosatory
- demountable winch is
not tted
07: The running board
has now been removed
and a foothold has been
let into the bodywork 06

02 07

03

less Heath Robinson that the Mk.1
and we spotted a number of different
overseas visitors wearing Special Forces
and Special Operations uniforms looking
over it in detail - and that was just a
static variant. Over the course of the
next few months the LRV 400 Mk.2
was tweaked slightly and put through
numerous battleeld day test cycles to
test its reliability.
For the next nine months we pestered
Supacat, now the cornerstone of the SC
Group, to be allowed to photograph the
Mk.2 off-road, but its trials and private
military demo calendar was so full that
the opportunity did not present itself.
Then, in June, while I was covering
the second week of ANAKONDA
‘16 in Poland, the now matured Mk.2
was presented to the international
defence community at the Eurosatory
expo in Paris. Unfortunately, I had a
prior appointment with 1 MERCIAN
at Wedrzyn, but Carl broke away
from the exercise for a few days and
photographed the vehicle on the
company display stand.
On its return to Devon, Supacat gave
C&S an exclusive opportunity to

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 59

vehicle focus

“HIGH SPEED THROUGH HARSH

ENVIRONMENTS IS THE LRV‘S STRENGTH...”

Images © Bob Morrison [unless otherwise noted]

09

photograph the LRV 400 Mk.2 out on

the company’s secret test track location
in another county in the Westcountry.
To see how it performed on-road
and on a disused aireld taxiway, I
followed it closely in my own vehicle
and monitored speeds using GPS. Test
driver Nigel, who has probably taught
more military drivers how to handle
JACKAL and COYOTE than I’ve had 10
hot pies, threw the LRV around the
tarmac like that go-kart Lewis Hamilton acceleration is incredible and its top speed it takes an expert to handle the
used to drive, and I found it incredibly speed on a runway has exceeded beast properly.
difcult to keep up. As the power train 125mph, though the production version
is taken from a Land Rover Discovery for Spec Ops users will be limited to According to the company, Supacat are
but the LRV body is much lighter, its 100mph (160 km/hr) as above this able to offer the LRV 400 vehicle as a

60 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 11

08: Travelling
at high speed
on a at stretch
of the company
test track with
suspension
lowered
09: For these walk-
around photos
the adjustable
suspension is in
the mid position
10: Spare wheel
carrier has been
hinged back to
give rear gunner
speedy access or
egress
11: The vehicle
has automatic
transmission
and all controls
are deliberately
simplied 12
12: Rear loadbed
of the LRV 400 -
fold-down third
seat if for top
gunner when not
on station
13: Under the
bonnet the V6
diesel engine has
been tweaked and
militarised for
SF use

13
08
fully integrated military variant including
the entire spectrum of Integrated
Logistic Support services. They claim
“high speed through harsh environments
is the LRV‘s strength, offering the user
an ideal lightweight rapid intervention
vehicle for Special Forces, Border Patrol,
Reconnaissance or Strike Forces”.
Additionally, they say that “the proven,
rugged reliability of the Discovery base
platform combined with Supacat’s
defence specic enhancements
provides superb levels of performance,
supportability and safety”.

With a combat weight of 4,200kg,

including an impressive payload of
1,700kg, and a dimensional envelope
of just 4.65m long x 1.6m wide x 1.7m
high, the 4x4 vehicle’s size and weight
enables effective air portability, including
tactical CH-47 Chinook internal loading.
Approach and departure angles are 40°,
ramp-over angle is in excess of 150°, and
unprepared fording depth is 750mm.
One tiny detail which Supacat omit
to mention in their publicity material
is that the LRV has adjustable height
suspension which can be lowered for
high speed road travel, and to ensure
increased headroom for helicopter
loading, or raised to provide additional
off-road clearance.
The standard engine is a 3.0 litre V6
diesel producing 256hp and 600Nm of
torque, but any diesel or petrol engine
used in the Land Rover Discovery can
be specied. The 8-speed automatic
transmission is also taken from the
Discovery, both high and low range
gearing is standard, the vehicle is
permanent four wheel drive with a
centre differential lock, and both front
and rear air-locking differentials can
be tted as an option. Other options

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 61

 vehicle focus

14
include: Remote Weapons Station, in
Images © Bob Morrison [unless otherwise noted]

place of the standard ring mount for

machinegun or automatic grenade
launcher; secondary weapon mounts;
twin four-barrel smoke grenade
launchers, front and rear; Hutchinson
bead-lock run ats; demountable
self-recovery winch; infrared lighting;
appliqué ballistic armour and ballistic
crew seats; on-board boiling vessel,
for hot drinks and heating rations;
pinnacle compass; canvas roof and side
screens; forward and rear facing infrared
cameras; 12/24 Volt electrics; and a
detachable polycarbonate windscreen.

The LRV 600 version has a bolt-on

rear body extension and powered
third axle to provide increase payload.
Intended primarily for extended range 15
patrols, or to act in the mothership role
for a group of LRV patrol vehicles, it
can easily be converted back to 4x4
14: The new LRV 600
demonstrator made 16
conguration with standard REME Light an unannounced
Aid Detachment tools. appearance at DVD 2016
15: At the end of the rst
day Supacat allowed us
to take the LRV 600 off
the stand for photos
16: 23-LRV400
Third axle and rear
body section are
demountable - cage
is lower for helicopter
loading

17 17: LRV 600 rear loadbed

- note second spare
wheel for this Long
62 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL Range patrol variant
 comfort & Survival

OUTDOOR GEAR BY MIKE GORMLEY

C&S SEASONAL HEADS-UP

Images © Mike Gormley unless noted

A
s you will most likely be reading this just before Christmas I thought it may be handy if I did things a bit differently
to my normal reviews. Over the next few months I will cover these items again in more detail, when I have had a
chance to use them for real and for longer, but for now it may be good to have a few ideas of items that will be
useful around this time of year to perhaps drop into that conversation of: “What do you want for Christmas?” or,
looking the other way, as something you may like to give.

COLEMAN TORCHES
Coleman Divide + 250 Flash Light:
Impressive little torch this. Just a
less than 6 AA batteries. It has
as
very similar features to the 250,
50, KEELA
handful in size, it puts out 250 lumens
at the press of the button at the back
but the on/off button is on
the side, at the front, so very NEPTUNE
end. Powered by 2 AA batteries, it has
two power settings and, interestingly,
a battery disconnect. This prevents
convenient for the thumb. Also
with two power settings.
so
JACKET
T
This is a good
accidental switching on in your Coleman CXS+ Head Torch: and very versatile
a
bergen and is said to prevent battery This is an LED head torch with th eece which is both
degradation for when in storage over a very different look, but it waterproof and
w
long periods. works and works very well. Up windproof. It is cosy
w
to 250 Lumens it has variable e with a full zip-up
w
Coleman Divide + 700 Flash Light: The white and red light. It defaultss neck and roll-away
n
very much bigger, much more powerful to red which is handy. All detachable hood.
d
brother to the 250, the 700 lumen, is these Coleman lights have the he
a powerful hand torch powered by no battery lock out feature.

64 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 KEELA SF
JACKET
Now this is one to
interest many C&S
readers and that’s
for sure. A really
full-on MultiCam
jacket from Keela
which uses their
Dual Protection
System to keep the
water outside (it
works!) and has a
host of features. I
will get this one out
on Dartmoor for a
real go and let you
know how I get on
in a future issue.

KLEAN KANTEEN - PRINCETON TEC -

INSULATED GROWLER REMIX HEAD TORCH
DRINK FLASK
As drinks containers go this is a bit
The Remix has both white and red LEDs
with variable power up to 150 Lumens.
Runs on 3 x AAA batteries. Light, simple
different in that you can put carbonated and effective.
or pressurised drinks in. So, if you fancy
taking a beer out (other carbonated
drinks are available... apparently),
keeping it chill and carbonated, where it
is not practical to carry glass bottles or
cans, this is for you. It has the perhaps
time-honoured over-centre type, Swing
Lok pressure cap, but can, of course, be
used equally well for normal drinks. It
takes close on a litre and is made from
easy clean stainless steel.

BUCK KNIFE - VERTEX

An ultralight folding knife, this is one of many in the Buck range and is aimed at the
weight conscious minimalist. It has a 3” serrated blade, can be used single-handed
and comes in a variety of colours.

COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 65

comfort & Survival

Images © Mike Gormley unless noted

TEX:ENERGY INFINITE
ORBIT CHARGER
Power. We all need it in many ways
these days, wherever we end up.
Tex:Energy have developed a very neat
hand cranked generator which will re-
power the likes of phones, GPS, tablets,
lights and so on.

The real benet of this device is that

you do not need wind or sun light,
just a bit of time and small amount
of manpower, or womanpower. With
a little planning you can generate
power while you wait for your brew or,

LEATHERMAN SIGNAL
As you probably know, these days
Leatherman have a very extensive
range of multi-tools to suit every need.
The Signal is clearly aimed at the
outdoorsman.
The pliers have replaceable heavy duty
wire cutters and in the handles there are
a tin opener, dual screwdriver, awl and
removable sharpener plus a removable
and really quite effective whistle and
combined ferro rod striker. When closed
you have a part serrated blade and a
saw blade in respective handles.
SNUGPAK ACCESSORIES
Snugpak are well known in our circles
for their extensive range of cosy gear
and sleeping bags, but are less known
for their range of essential travel
accessories. It is safe to say that very
few days go by when I don’t make use
of at least one of this range of very
handy items.
The image shows a Snugpak Subdivide
Holdall and travel accessories that
accompanied us recently on a trip to
Thailand. More on this range in months
to come, or check out snugpak.com.
perhaps, when you are at rest and your
hands are not busy doing other things.
This device, so I am told, is gaining
signicant interest in Third World
countries and for disaster areas as well.
(I have one of these in my Prepper Kit
and it gets my vote, Ed.)
Tex:Energy is ‘powered’ by an ex-
Royal Marine, so there is a very sound
base of understanding and in the eld
experience behind the products. In the
photo it is being used to recharge a
head torch.

At one end there is a hammer head, and

bottle opener/carabiner clip which also
includes two hex spanners. This end
of the tool locks closed by means of a
small, but effective clip. There is a belt
clip and it all comes in a belt pouch.

As ever with Leatherman you get a

whole load of functionality in a small and
very usable package MORAKNIV GARBERG
PRODUCT
Buck Knife
UK CONTACT
Whitby and Co
TELEPHONE
01539 721 032
WEB
whitbyandco.co.uk
MULTIMOUNT
This is a Swedish-made knife and has
Coleman Coleman 01275 845 024 coleman.eu/uk
a versatile, 3.2mm thick, stainless steel
Keela Keela 01592 777 000 keela.co.uk
single blade with a ground spine for
Klean Kanteen Whitby and Co 01539 721 032 whitbyandco.co.uk
use with a re-starter. It looks and feels
Leatherman Whitby and Co 01539 721 032 whitbyandco.co.uk
robust, with a plastic handle which
Morakniv Morakniv +46 250 595 000 morakniv.se
the tang protrudes through to make
Princeton Tec Whitby and Co 01539 721 032 whitbyandco.co.uk
a hammer. The sheath has a MOLLE/
Snugpak Snugpak 01535 654479 snugpak.com
PALS-compatible Multimount fastener
Tex:Energy Tex Energy Ltd 07860 653 570 texenergy.co.uk
on the rear face.

66 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL

 SUBSCRIBE & SURVIVE!
FREE SURVIVAL KIT
with every 12 Month Subscription
rip
ption courtesy
of militarykit.com worth £16.50!
16..50!
CLAIM YOUR FREE KIT NOW,
W,
INCLUDING:
Reective Survival Blanket
Magnesium, int and steel restarter
tarrter
SOS Compass
Water Resistant Survival Case
with Signalling Mirror

For many more great products,

visit militarykit.com

PLUS
Save 10% off cover price
Free delivery to your door**

Sub Rates: 12 Issues

UK: £43.35
Europe (Airmail): £54.95
Worldwide (Airmail): £59.95
To receive your free Survival Kit, just add the
ffollowing
ll i for
f postage
t and
d packaging:
k i
UK - Free of charge
Europe - £8.10 Worldwide - £8.60

THREE EASY WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE...

 order online at
www.combatandsurvival.com 
COMBAT & SURVIVAL - LOW PRICE SUBSCRIPTION OFFER (1 YEAR ONLY + FREE GIFT)
by phone
01484 437319 order by post
fill out and return the coupon

† YES! Please start my low-price subscription to Combat & Survival for 12 issues and send Forname: .....................................................................................................

me my free Survival Kit gift starting my subscription from issue:______________________ Surname: .....................................................................................................

Cheque/PO or credit card payment - 1 year (12 issues). Address: ......................................................................................................

† UK £43.35 † Europe (Air) £54.95 † World (Air) £59.95 ....................................................................................................................
Please include P&P † UK - FOC † Europe - £8.10 † Worldwide - £8.60
................................................................. Postcode: .................................
† I enclose a cheque/PO made payable to Hit Media Ltd
Or please charge my: † Visa † Mastercard
Tel: ..............................................................................................................

Email: ..........................................................................................................
Credit Card number: _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ / _ _ _ _

Expiry Date: _ _ / _ _ Card Security Code: _ _ _ Issue No: _ _

Please indicate if you do not wish to receive special offers from
companies other than Hit Media Ltd or if you are under 18 years of †
age. All gifts subject to availability. We reserve the right to substitute a
Signed: ___________________________________________ Date:_____________________ gift of a similar value. Please allow 28 days for delivery

Return your completed subscription to: Hit Media Ltd, 1st Floor Turnbridge Mills, Quay Street, Huddersfield, HD1 6QT
ALL PAYMENTS IN £ STERLING ONLY, THIS OFFER SUPERCEDES ALL PREVIOUS OFFERS. T&CS APPLY.
 security industry
TRUMP ELECTION
& N AT O S O L I D A R I T Y
THE RUSSIAN DIMENSION
S
o, Donald Trump is to be
the new President of the
United States of America
and its Commander in
Chief. Whereas, Europe
and NATO are increasingly nervous of
Russia and its threat to Eastern Europe
and the West, Donald wants to increase
cooperation with them. Is this a wise
move?
Since Donald Trump has been elected,
President Putin has hailed a new
relationship with the US based on
“equality, mutual respect and non
interference in each other’s internal
affairs”. During the election campaign
Trump did hint that he might recognise
Russia’s annexation of Crimea, which
might prevent war with NATO in the
short term, but might embolden Russia
to then take back the Baltic States by
force.
The Russians certainly seem to be
preparing for war with the West. They
have recently run large-scale civil
defence exercises (40 million Russians
participated), rebuilt Cold War public
bomb shelters, elded a new nuclear
missile, the RS28 Sarmat, and deployed
330,000 troops to the border with the
Baltic States. Yet Donald Trump has
suggested that he might not provide
military assistance to Latvia, Estonia
and Lithuania (they are all part of
NATO and therefore if one of them is
attacked then it’s considered an attack
on all NATO) if Russia invaded them.
Trump has stated that US support to
NATO would be based on whether
countries requiring assistance had
fullled their nancial obligation to
spend at least 2% of GDP on defence
and, at the moment, that is actually only
Image © Bob Morrison: Military Scene
5 out of 28 countries (which includes
the US, UK and Estonia). NATO may
well be a left-over organisation from
the Cold War, but it does allow a
collective strength and deterrent where
that would not necessarily exist for the
component countries on their own;
“RUSSIA AND THE WEST CERTAINLY
DO NEED GREATER COOPERATION,
ESPECIALLY ON THE GLOBAL TERRORIST
THREAT AND THE TERRORIST CAMPAIGN
TO OVERTHROW THE SYRIAN
GOVERNMENT”
68 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
especially when faced with a larger,
aggressive force such as Russia, that
sees itself as the dominant country in
Europe and wishes to resist US political
and military dominance.
The situation is not helped by the
EU, which is using Brexit to create a
common defence force. Jean-Claude
Juncker, who is President of the
European Commission, has said US
disengagement from Europe means
the EU must create its own security
and defence structures. The fact that it
might seem Europe is turning its back
on US military support will not endear it
to the US, who can clearly see that any
EU Army would not be able to defend
itself against Russia anyway, and
that any earmarked EU force would
compete for national resources that
would be better allocated to NATO,
especially since most countries
are not spending the full 2%
anyway.
It would be
easy to say
that Russia
wouldn’t risk war
(especially with the
potential for escalation
to the use of nuclear
weapons) but, as we
have seen throughout history,
countries will invade others if they
think their opponents are weak, will
not act decisively and that they will
get away with it. What might also
lead Russia to think they will get
away with taking the Ukraine and
the Baltic States by force is the fact
that Mr Trump is fond of Mr Putin.
Of course given Russia’s use of
cyber and inuence operations
alongside the arming of minority
populations and use of
Special Forces, Russia will
have already broken
the security
and integrity
of a target
country whilst
not being seen to have acted overtly
to a level which would trigger the
collective NATO defence.
NATO has recently announced plans
to rotate forces through Poland and
the Baltic States as a deterrent, but
it isn’t a sizeable force in comparison
(the UK commitment is 800 troops)
to the Russian Forces on the other
side of the border and it has problems
with interoperability (the Italians
and the French do not speak English
to a sufcient level to be able to
communicate effectively in combat).
The Baltic States are also thinly
populated, have no natural defences
and NATO forces would not necessarily
have air superiority when it would be
operating at the end of an extended
supply line whilst the Russian forces
supporting infrastructure would be
closer. If Russia managed to implement
an effective air defence bubble over the
Baltic States, then any NATO ground
forces would be very vulnerable, even if
man-for-man and tank-for-tank NATO
has technical superiority and is better
trained.
Russia and the West
certainly do need
greater cooperation,
especially on the global
terrorist threat and the
terrorist campaign to
overthrow the Syrian
government, but since
Russia already sees
NATO as politically
weak since it
invaded Ukraine
and Georgia
and nothing was
done by the West
this could be the
wrong time for mixed
diplomatic efforts and messages.
Maybe it’s about time all NATO
members started paying their full
nancial commitment.
By Robert Shaw
ROBERT SHAW of
LONGBOW SOLUTIONS
is a former British Army
ATO and IEDD/WIS
Operator who is now a
security and intelligence
trainer and consultant.

USS INDIANAPOLIS:
MEN OF COURAGE
A GRIPPING WORLD WAR 2 SURVIVAL STORY
On 19th July 1945 the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis
(CA-35) raced unescorted across the Pacic from
Pearl Harbor to Tinian on a secret mission to deliver
Uranium 235 and parts for the atomic bomb.
History: The ship successfully com-
pleted her mission on 26th July, under
Captain Charles B. McVay III, and was
ordered to proceed to the Philippines,
again without a destroyer escort despite
having no means of detecting sub-
marines. Just after midnight on 30th
July she was attacked by a Japanese
submarine and fatally struck by two of
its torpedoes. The cruiser sunk in under
a quarter of an hour, taking around
300 of her roughly 1200 complement
with her and, although SOS messages
were sent (though it would be many
years before it was revealed these had
been received), no rescue effort was
initially commenced. Purely by chance,
an aircraft on routine patrol spotted the
survivors late on the morning of 2nd
August and triggered a rescue. Only 317
of the 880 who abandoned ship were to
survive, as sharks, dehydration, hypo-
thermia and drowning all took their toll.
Movie: Nicholas Cage, as Capt. McVay,
Tom Sizemore and Thomas Jane are
film review
the stars of this
two hour+ movie,
[plus a half hour
‘making of’ extra
feature], along with
the WWII battle-
ship USS Alabama,
the submarine USS
Drum and a PBY
Catalina ying boat
plus a frighteningly
real robotic swimming shark. For au-
thenticity, the water scenes were shot in
the Gulf of Mexico, rather than in a tank,
with the majority of internal scenes shot
on/in the warship and submarine.
Directed by Mario Van Peebles, USS
Indianapolis - Men Of Courage will be
available for digital download from 19th
December and goes on sale on DVD
and Blu-ray from 9th January. I popped
my check disc into the drive late on the
evening it arrived to make sure it would
play okay only to be so gripped that
I not only watched it right to the end,
but also watched the ‘making of’ extra.
As Hollywood war movies go, other
than a small amount of slightly ropey
Stills © USS Indianapolis Production Inc.
CGI for a kamikaze attack scene, this
one is reasonably accurate and very
watchable. Recommended.
BM
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 69
footwear

BOOTS PATROL & COMBAT HIGH LIABILITY

This month we are
covering two pairs of
boots, not one, though
both are very similar in
design. Manufactured by
Italian bootmakers AKU,
whose PILGRIM model we
covered in the October
issue, these are black
leather pre-production

A
mid-length Gore-Tex boot,
samples which fall into its designation is ML GTX
what UK MoD would PATROL BOOT, the all-
designate the Boots leather model is said by
Patrol and Boots Combat the makers to be intended
High Liability categories. primarily for use in barracks and for a
The former has all- range of tasks from ofce to vehicle park
leather uppers and the to training to range work, plus its mid-
leg length of around 8 inches (200mm)
latter has a combination means it is also suitable for driving
of leather and textile military vehicles. The leather and textile
uppers with a protective version, designated ML GTX COMBAT,
deep rubber rand above is of identical length but AKU state this
the sole. boot to be intended for use in a range of
high intensity combat tasks in a variety
of terrains including eld, track, road,
rubble and rock, when carrying loads up
to 45kg, and it is claimed to be suitable
for walking, running, kneeling, driving
vehicles and lightweight patrolling.
With the exception of the collar and
tongue area materials and the rubber
rand, construction of both GRIFFON boot
models is near identical. The leather used
is waterproof and highly breathable and
the new generation Gore-Tex Extended
Comfort breathable membrane laminate,
which doubles as a soft but durable lining,
ensures cool dry feet in the warm and
warm dry feet in the cold. Both boots
also have an abrasion, POL, heat and slip

70 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL


resistant DAVOS Ranger rubber outsole
bonded to a lightweight and stable
EVA midsole which absorbs shock
and cushions the foot when tabbing or
yomping.
Images © Bob Morrison
extend to about 7” (175mm) to keep out
water and dust. Both ankles are padded
AKU CLAIM THAT THE GRIFFON CAN BE WORN STRAIGHT OUT OF
THE BOX AND NO BREAKING-IN IS REQUIRED. I TOOK THEM AT THEIR
behind the scalloped leather uppers to
WORD AND WAS PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND THAT BOTH BOOT
provide knock protection. We expect
MODELS WERE INDEED COMFORTABLE FROM DAY ONE. I LIKE THEM.
both models may soon appear in MoD
Brown.

BY BOB MORRISON
Aesthetically, in my opinion, the
GRIFFON design probably comes
closest to the Alt-Berg Defender as the
lower uppers construction uses a single
piece of leather which is joined only at
the rear, under the Achilles stiffener,
which means there are no joins to cause
pressure or rubbing points on the sides
of the middle foot. There are minor
differences in the lower lacing system,
with the PATROL having four leather
lace tunnels each side whereas the
COMBAT has a D-ring plus three metal
tunnels, but both boots have pressed
metal lace locks at the mid position and
three metal tunnels each side above this.

Turning now to the differences in the

collar and tongue areas, the PATROL
construction is soft leather whereas
the COMBAT is nylon mesh and both
areas of both boot models are foam
cushioned. On each model the tongue
llet, and Gore-Tex membrane behind,
COMBAT & SURVIVAL | 71
book reviews
AFGHANISTAN
Britain’s War In Helmand
By David Reynolds
ISBN : 978-0-9557813-3-9
T T
here are already
plenty of books
around on Britain’s
involvement in
Helmand Province, and no
doubt over the years there
will be a shedload more
published, but I suspect this
one will be unique. Written
by a former Reservist Para
ofcer, who joined the Armed
Forces as a Royal Marine
and subsequently served in
ve different Operational
Theatres under green and
maroon berets before
being appointed as Task
Force Spokesman during
the inaugural Operation
HERRICK deployment
in 2006 then returning
in uniform to Southern
Afghanistan in 2008 to run
the UK Forces information
campaign, it is a heavily
illustrated 180-page historical
account covering almost
every facet of the war.
Broken down into an intro
and ten chronological
chapters, followed by a listing
of all participating units by
deployment and a four-page
Roll Of Honour covering Op
HERRICK from 2002 until
2015, this book is both a
valuable reference source
and a keepsake for both
those who served and their
families. Deliberately sized
at A4, the same dimensions
72 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL
“THIS
ILLUSTRATED
CHRONOLOGY IS
SO GOOD THAT
NO LESS THAN
GENERAL SIR
NICK CARTER,
CURRENT CHIEF
OF THE GENERAL
STAFF, HAS
PENNED ITS
FOREWORD.”
as this magazine, to allow
maximum impact for the
photographs, which are a
combination of the work
of both military and civilian
photographers who covered
UK forces in the war zone,
this is a labour of love which
probably only a former
soldier who actually tasted
the dust of Afghanistan’s
plains could have compiled.
Indeed this illustrated
chronology is so good that
no less than General Sir Nick
Carter, current Chief of the
General Staff, has penned its
foreword.
Although this superb book
from DRA Publishing is
available through all good
bookshops by quoting author
and ISBN, at a cover price of
£25, readers of this magazine
can purchase a copy direct
from the publishers at the
discounted price of £20
(including UK and BFPO
P&P). Either email ofce@
dramedia.co.uk or call 01752
403333 during UK ofce
hours to arrange, telling them
C&S sent you. In addition to
being a former Commando
and Para, the author and
publisher is a regular reader
of this magazine. Finally, a
percentage of sales has been
promised to a number of
genuine service charities.
THE SAS
1983-2014
By Leigh Neville
ISBN : 978-1-4728-1403-6
he rst of two
Osprey Publishing
titles covered this
month, No.211 in their
long-running Osprey Elite
series, this is almost certainly
the one most likely to appeal
to more readers of this
magazine. At 64 pages thick,
plus card covers, this medium
format reference source
follows standard format and
is well illustrated with both
contemporary images and
colour plates by artist Peter
Dennis.
SAS (and Tier 2 SFSG)
spotters will no doubt
have seen many of the
photographs compiled here,
essentially covering the
Regiment from just after
The Falklands Campaign to
around the time of UK Forces
withdrawal from Helmand
Province, but quite a few are
new; I especially liked the
rare Supacat HMT ‘Menacity’
and Bushmaster photos.
Accuracy, on a topic which
UK MoD refuses to pass
comment, seems to be pretty
high though I did spot a
couple of perpetuated myths
in there. Widely available, the
UK cover price is £11.99
FRENCH
FOREIGN
LEGION
1831-71
By Martin Windrow
ISBN : 978-1-4728-1770-9
T
he Legion is another
‘hardy annual’ topic
for many book
publishers which
seems to interest a signicant
proportion of C&S readers.
This title, No. 509 in the
Osprey Men At Arms series,
which has been running
for an incredible 45 years,
covers the rst four decades
of France’s specialist force
raised strictly for services
abroad.
At 48 pages thick plus
covers, this one follows the
standard series format with
a mix of contemporary pen
& ink illustrations and rare
early photos in addition to
colour plates from the artist
Sam Embleton. As this
mid-19th Century topic is
outside my area of specialist
interest I cannot comment
Images © respective publishers
on accuracy or content, safe
to say that as author Martin
Windrow has been penning
books and articles on this
subject for about 40 years I
have little doubt that it is well
researched. UK cover price
for this slimmer Osprey title
is £10.99
next issue Feb '17
Issue
On Sale
12th Jan

COMBAT
+SURVIVAL
coming
up in c&s
N
ext month: Carl Schulze
continues his two-part
overview of COLIBRI
IL in Southern France
and also, in a separate
feature, focuses on the part that
2nd Battalion of the Royal Gurkha
Ries played on this multinational
exercise; Bob Morrison reports both
from Drawsko Pomorskie on the
Polish-led multinational 1st Armoured
Brigade Battle Group conducting a
live-re exercise during ANAKONDA
‘16 and from Copehill Down, where
nine Police Support Units drawn from
across Southwest England joined
Fire and Ambulance personnel to
deal with serious urban disorder on
Exercise CONQUER; and Gordon
Arthur reports from ‘down under’ on
Adelaide-based 7th Battalion of Royal
Australian Regiment.

Plus: Product Reviews,

Rations, Kit & Camo etc.
Contents may change subject to operational developments!

Image © Carl Schulze

74 | COMBAT & SURVIVAL