Adjt 8/12 Mdm Regt, Capt Paul Crijns, listens intently as CP staff deal with a constant flow of radio traffic. Photo by Pte John Wellfare, Army newspaper

Providing fire power to 1 Bde

By Pte John Wellfare
ARMOURED units require artillery that's both heavy enough to have an impact on the mechanised battlefield they face, and mobile enough to keep up with the fast pace of vehicle-mounted combat.

The task of providing indirect fire support to 1 Bde's armoured and mechanised units falls to 8/12 Mdm Regt, which deployed with 1 Bde on Croc 03.

Coordinating 8/12 Mdm Regt's operations from an isolated CP, Adjt Capt Paul Crijns said the unit consisted of two batteries containing six guns each and offered 1 Bde a formidable fire support asset.

"My role is to maintain a tactical picture of what's going on, keep my higher headquarters informed, monitor all of the targets that we would engage on a regimental basis, on the battlefield, making sure they are safe and can be engaged without friendly casualties," he said.

"I can provide authorisation for a person to fire [both batteries] and primarily deal with issues of logistics and trouble shooting at all levels and assist where required.

"Croc 03 highlighted the artillery capabilities of a potential adversary and the need to be aware and plan for the effects of enemy counter-battery fire. Croc 03 also re-inforced the effectiveness of current doctrine as well as highlighting its application to the modern battlefield."

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