Bdr Craig Peet, 108 Fd Bty, directs a gun tractor towards his 105mm Howitzer. 108 Fd Regt Gnrs Andrew Pelly and Brendan Lewis take up fire positions to protect their gun tractor during a short halt. Photos by Pte John Wellfare, Army newspaper

4 Fd Regt in the field
Battery charger

By Pte John Wellfare
PROVIDING indirect fire-support to the highly-deployable light-infantry units of 3 Bde is no easy task for 4 Fd Regt, which often has to keep track of small groups of soldiers spread across a large battle-front.

Maintaining three gun batteries, 4 Fd Regt relies - much like the units it supports - on concealment and mobility to maintain its effectiveness on the battlefield.

4 Fd Regt CP signaller, LBdr Mark Taylor, said the unit comprised three gun batteries, two of which were deployed on Croc 03.

"4 Fd Regt comprises 108 Fd Bty and A Fd Bty, which are both deployed on the exercise, as well as 107 Fd Bty, which isn't actually deployed," he said.

"A Fd Bty is situated in Sydney with 3RAR [as an element of the Parachute Battalion Group], but they are actually part of 4 Fd Regt.

"There's also CSS battery, which is the admin, echelon and q-store, we also have Op Support Battery, which is mainly comprised of signallers and locaters."

Leading 108 Fd Bty, Battery Captain Capt Daniel Robinson, said the battery's deployment on Croc 03 was predominantly in support of 3RAR, the major light-infantry component of the exercise.

"We were air-moved from the Kanimbula by Blackhawks and Chinooks into a gun position just in from the coast," he said.

"Basically, we set up there, established our perimeter and once we'd done that and gone firm on the ground, we just went on with any fire missions that were sent down to us.

"We have done some fire missions in support of the A Fd Bty FOs who were supporting 3RAR."

After the securing of Williamson Airfield, 108 Fd Bty provided fire support for both 3RAR's defensive position and 1 Bde's push south to destroy enemy positions.

The battery also took part in the live-fire exercise that concluded Croc 03.

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