By Pte Simone Heyer
EXERCISE Croix Du Sud, a joint exercise between the French, New Zealand, Australian and Tongan Defence Forces gave each country the chance to train with more than just military tactics.

An important part of the refugee handling and national evacuation scenario saw an Australian team up with two French soldiers as part of a United Nations role-playing exercise.

XO Admin Coy 6RAR Capt Michael Chapman acted as Wolfgang Roti, a UN operator.

“My role was as a non-French speaking UN person to enhance exercise animation,” he said.

“I made reports to the French forces about the refugee situations and they were challenged to operate with an English speaker.”

The information Capt Chapman imparted on the French forces was vital to the exercise’s scenario, therefore it was important allowances were made to have Capt Chapman completely understood.

He said that his non-French speaking role came quite naturally to him as his language skills were limited.

The rest of the UN team comprised two French soldiers, Lt Olivier Janville and Sgt Charly Frasse Perange. Both these men are on rotation in Noumea from French units.

Their role, similar to Capt Chapman’s, saw them delivering reports to the English forces in French, a task made easier because of the linguists deployed with the Australians.

Capt Chapman said the group kicked off with making reports that refugees were flooding toward the AO’s town.

“By going to the lowest level, we tested the chain-of-command’s communication.”

“A day later a refugee camp was set up and we were able to deliver refugees to the area. Today, they were safely evacuated.”

Aside from the good-guy UN routine, the three role-players had the opportunity to cause trouble for the New Zealanders – all observed by a Puma full of media.

The scenario saw the three and a female French soldier drive through a New Zealand vehicle check-point with a weapon.

The New Zealanders were tested on how they handled the situation, observing actions on finding weapons and searching women.

Out of role, Lt Janville and Sgt Frasse Perange both speak English, which made for lively conversations with Capt Chapman about the two countries’ culture and military life.

Ex Croix Du Sud statistics

Location: Koumac, northern New Caledonia
Players: French Navy, Air Force and Army, New Zealand Navy and Army, Tongan Army, Australian Navy, Army and Air Force.
Eight companies of soldiers
5116 one-day ration packs
5000 1.5 litre bottles of water daily
17,112 1.5 litre bottles of water for the exercise
45 vehicles
Two fuel pods
3.5 cubic metres of fuel used

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