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| Pte
Graham Clarke, A Coy 6RAR with French snipers at an Open Day
in Kone, on the central coast of New Caledonia as part of
Ex Cruix Du Sud. Photo by Pte Simone Heyer, 1JPAU(P) |
Entree
to New Caledonia
By
Pte Simone Heyer
HAVING more than 100 soldiers in cams descending from a Qantas 767
could be a daunting sight – if they weren’t toting duty-free
shopping bags.
A Coy
6RAR, set out en masse from Enoggera on November 8, for New Caledonia
as part of Exercise Croix Du Sud, a combined joint exercise with
French Armed Force New Caledonia (FANC), the New Zealand and Tongan
Defence forces.
Touching
down in New Caledonia (NC) on dusk, A Coy laboured through baggage
retrieval then onto buses for the move to Plume.
This
small province is home to part of the French Army’s New Caledonian
contingent.
Representatives
from the French Army’s 1 Coy, 3rd Regiment Parachute Infantry
Marines met the company group and escorted the soldiers back to
Plume.
The
first day in-country gave the troops a chance to become familiar
with the area, the climate and the local way of life.
Home
for the next two weeks would be a tent city, flanked by platoons
of the Regiment Infantry Marine and Parachute – NC.
The
regiment opened its mess and recreational places and the company
opened its boozer.
The
visit to New Caledonia for the combined exercise was based on providing
humanitarian assistance and evacuation operations in a non-permissive
environment.
It
would enhance tactical level interoperability with FANC for evacuation
and humanitarian operations.
OC A Coy, 6RAR, Maj Gavin Gray, said the exercise was an important
opportunity to train with Australia’s neighbours.
“Exercise
Croix Du Sud is a chance for the ADF to display its commitment to
its neighbours and the region,” he said.
The
A Coy 6RAR group comprised HQ A Coy and JOST, 15 staff from HQAST,
DJFHQ, 7 Bde, 7CSSB, and ADFWC.
Elements
from the other Australian services included two LCHs – HMAS
Wewak and Betano and three Caribou with crews and support elements.
After
four days in Plume, the company began movements to Poum, about five
hours drive north of Noumea.
3 Pl
was deployed on HMNZS Canterbury, for a 24-hour trip north.
The
remainder of the company was deployed by Caribou, Casa and Puma,
with the support of the RAAF and French Air Force.
Maj
Gray said these movements provided the ADF an invaluable opportunity
to practise its evacuation planning in conjunction with its neighbours
in the region.
The
AO was about 30sq km from Koumac to Malibou, giving forces the benefit
of different terrains as well as hundreds of kilometres of beach
on which to unload the landing crafts.
While
not much action was seen on the ground at the troop level, at strategic
level, the pace was at an optimum.
Commandant
of the French Forces in New Caledonia General Pierre de Saqui de
Sannes said that he was aware of the thoughts of the soldiers.
“Sometimes
it seemed the game was too slow for them but for us as HQ, it wasn’t,”
he said.
“Every
time we work together, we learn.
“While
we’re all committed to the ROE, each nation has different legalities.
It was important for us to see what we all do.”
Gen
Sannes said he hoped the French could do a similar exercise in Australia
in the future.
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