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Feature
Deeper
down under
Capt
Ian Toohill heads to the Apple Isle for the largest armoured deployment
Tasmania has ever seen.
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A
column of APCs from 4/19 Prince of Wales Light Horse Regt
makes the journey from Devonport to Buckland Military training
area during Ex Tasman Warrior.
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Photo
by Capt Ian Toohill, 4 Bde
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It is
not often that Tasmania hosts a military exercise with visiting
units from the mainland. So it was quite a spectacle for the locals
when a squadron of APCs and support vehicles docked at Devonport
aboard the Spirit of Tasmania.
Exercise Tasman Warrior was the first time in living memory that
a fully equipped armoured sub-unit had visited Tasmania. After shake
out, the unit travelled as one convoy to 44 Tpt Sqn, Devonport,
in preparation for the run to Buckland Military Training Area where
4/19 Prince of Wales Light Horse Regt – the unit Headquarters is
based at Simpson Barracks in Melbourne – conducted their major exercise
for this year.
The convoy, 23 APCs and 17 B vehicles, moved in packets to Launceston
and spent the next two days travelling to Buckland via two separate
routes.
Reconnaissance was conducted on the routes south and on arrival
the squadron deployed to the field for eight days of manoeuvre,
sector searching, ambushing and patrolling.
The terrain in the Buckland area is dramatically different to that
at Puckapunyal and provided the carrier crews with a real challenge.
Dense scrub, rocky undulating ground and fallen trees provided invaluable
experience in a taxing environment.
As if that wasn’t enough, Tassie turned on a cold snap just for
good measure, with the temperature dropping below freezing at night.
On two occasions the soldiers awoke to snow on the ground and wind-driven
sleet was not uncommon.
The Squadron OC, Major Geoff Pike commented that the long road runs
gave the APC’s a great workout and gave the crews experience they
do not get on the range at Puckapunyal.
The high public visibility of the unit was a real bonus, a media
highlight was provided by a live firepower demonstration as part
of an open day for Tasmanian units and the public.
The day concluded with the spectacle of a target disintegrating
under the withering fire of a full squadron of carrier mounted .50
cal machine guns.
At the end of the two-week exercise the unit returned to Devonport
with the Carriers on Mack trucks from 44 Tpt Sqn, and embarked on
the Spirit of Tasmania for the overnight trip home.
The experience of sea travel was also a new one for many of the
110 troops. The weather in Bass Strait, notorious for frequent gales
and high seas, was kind, making for pleasant crossings.
Ex Tasman Warrior was highly successful in all respects. Apart from
consolidating the competencies required of an armoured reconnaissance
unit, it tested a number of other skill sets, including logistics,
liaison with the civil infrastructure and other supporting units,
repair and recovery aspects and the challenge of working in a very
different environment.
Commander 4 Bde Brig Wayne Dunbar, praised the work done by all
exercise participants during a visit to the Buckland Training Area.
“The benefits of this exercise have been immeasurable,” he said.
“The planning process of the sea and road move into close country
has been exemplary. “The soldiers have experienced real life issues
through the pre-positioning of track, ammunition and several spare
engines. One power pack was replaced overnight.
“The Junior leaders and carrier crews have gained enormously and
throughout the exercise morale has been high.”
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