The Assault Pioneers of 3RAR crash through the surf at Port Stephens during a three-week training exercise. Photo by Bill Cunneen

Wet boots for paratroops

By Pte John Wellfare
ASSAULT Pioneers from 3RAR crashed through the surf at Port Stephens recently to train new members and rehash old members in essential boating and watermanship skills.

For three weeks the Pioneers of the airborne battalion took to the water, conducting beach landings, harbour patrols, insertions, extractions and other key elements of their role within the unit.

OC Pioneer Platoon Lt Daniel Harrison, said the conditions at Port Stevens were ideal for giving soldiers much-needed experience in boating and watermanship.

“We can conduct training in a safe location close to the shore inside the bay, or we can tackle more rugged waters outside the bay,” he said.

“The majority of the soldiers are fairly fresh to the platoon and have only just finished their basic assault pioneer course but the NCOs have done a fair bit of this before and we use their expertise to teach the new guys.”

Lt Harrison said the 3RAR pioneers could be expected to perform a number of services in the water.

“The platoon could be expected to conduct harbour patrols, riverine patrols resupply, positioning of caches and insertion of a recon patrol or other elements for a rifle company, or even recovery of a particular element of the battalion from a parachute drop.”

Assault Pioneers take to the water in Zodiac Land Raider boats powered by a 40hp Johnson motor.

The boats are manned by two crewmen and can take up to eight passengers with their equipment.

They can be inserted by air and travel from 20-27km on a full tank depending on conditions.

“The platoon has a very broad spectrum of capabilities.

“The guys’ training doesn’t prepare them for everything that they’re expected to do – it gives them the basics and they have to rely on their own initiative to get the job done.”

Lt Harrison and Pte Duncan Farrelly, a new member of pioneer platoon, learnt just how powerful and unpredictable the sea can be when they were both thrown into the surf during a beach landing in rough conditions in the last days of training at Port Stephens.

“We told the guys in the boat to keep going and we started to swim towards the beach.

“It only looked to be about 50 or 60 metres to shore, but 50 or 60 metres in the surf can seem like 400 metres when you actually try swimming it.

“We both got separated, we were stuck in a rip and as I tried to make my way out I saw Pte Farrelly with his life jacket popped and his hand in the air.

“By that stage I’d made it to the side of the rip and had just put my feet on the ground.”

Lt Harrison swam out to assist Pte Farrelly, but was pelted by several very large waves.

By the time they reached each other both officer and soldier were completely exhausted, but managed to swim towards the beach and attract the attention of other platoon members.

“I think I’d bitten off more than I could chew and I ended up having to pop my life vest as well.

“The pair of us made it into the beach together and we were assisted by a number of soldiers on the shore.

“By that stage I could barely stand up and Pte Farrelly was the same so it was an experience and a lesson learnt as to just how powerful the surf can be.

“The lessons learnt and the skills attained throughout the three-week-exercise were invaluable for both the new and more experienced assault pioneers.”

The battalion’s pioneer platoon also perform a number of duties out of the water, including mine clearance and mine warfare, construction and demolitions as well as the assembly of defences and obstacles in the field.

3RAR Pioneers will be putting all their skills into practice during Ex Arnhem, the Parachute Company Group test in May.

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