Ex ALTMARK

Scribe: – LCpl Lock IC – SSgt Campbell

In Summer 2022, The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (1FUS) LAD conducted an interoperability exercise with German forces. X Fitter Section led by SSgt Campbell arrived and explored the delights of Paderborn before activating equipment from Land Training Fleet Sennelager (LTFS) including fourteen Warriors (WR). Due to the excellent equipment standards at LTFS, little

Boxer IFV and Warrior AFV

LCpl Lock sharing his knowledge on WW2

preparatory work was required to enable the deployment; allowing them some time to relax following handover and stables parades. Departing Sennelager, they drove four hours to Truppenübungsplatz Altmark; representing the typical doctrinal distance between A1 and A2 echelons. Upon arriving, the repair and recovery variants of the WR (512 & 513) were unloaded, enabling them to support the Company before they moved to the Altmark training area near Born. The dry, sandy conditions enhanced the likelihood vehicles would throw a track, which was mitigated by advising individuals to use neutral turns and how to approach steep inclines. Working alongside 3 (ACS) Bn REME, they used the SVR to assist in replacing a WR 513 torsion bar and numerous other faults to other vehicles such as coolant issues. Cfn Rai and LCpl Lock also overcame numerous small arms faults on the L129 Sharpshooters and the new SA80A3 rifles. Class 3-2 training was also delivered to our junior tradespeople such as Cfn Hughes from 3 (ACS) Bn REME including repair tasks on Land Rover and the WR. X Coy were incorporated into the Jagerbatallion 91 Battalion who operate the Boxer AFV as the German’s lead defensive force. This allowed the LAD to see the vehicle in action before the British Army take receipt of it in the future. The Jagerbatallion were a light-medium Battlegroup (BG) facing another German BG of Leopard 2A5s, Marder IFVs and Wiesel tankettes and they possess significant offensive capabilities which required novel tactics to succeed. Unusually, some of our tradespeople were employed experimentally. A Vehicle Mechanic, LCpl Ankers, provided intimate SSgt Campbell, Cpl Parton and Cpl Wyatt preferred transport around Belgium support to WR dropping their

Fitter Sect visit to Bastogne. WW2 recovery in the background

dismounts in a tree line and was tasked with confirming if REME battlefield study to Bastogne in Belgium where the Battle of the WR variants need to be brought forward in case of any Bulge occurred. The Fitter Section learnt how a small number of breakdowns; safeguarding our assets from unnecessary American forces withstood a mighty German offensive and drew exposure. parallels in the success of the German tactics during Ex ALTMARK;

Later, the Jagerbatallion 91 fought a delay action while the such as the effectiveness of the Germans hiding in smaller Fitter Section conducted Equipment Casualty Evacuation of armoured vehicles, firing on more heavily-equipped armour then vehicle casualties to a safer location. During this phase, the withdrawing. tradesmen had to work quickly with the enemy advancing, recovering a stranded WR whose rear idle wheel had completely broken off; requiring them to break the track and remove the idler. The German CSS Battalion were far more accustomed to backloading equipment because they don’t have any repair capabilities in their F Echelon, backloading all equipment casualties.

On reflection, effective planning, and a common understanding of processes by everyone enabled mission Warrior 510 loaded onto a German Faun HET command, allowing the Fitter Section to operate effectively despite working under a German command structure with intermittent direction and communications.

Following the exercise phase, while waiting for the equipment transporters, a consolidated fault-finding session allowed the Fitter Section to prepare spares and prioritise tasks; enabling them to repair the equipment without delay.

All this hard work provided the time for Cpl Cock RLC to organise a Leopard and Marder on the move