An Cosantóir

www.military.ie THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE | 23 L ocated in the Wicklow Mountains, Kilbride Military Camp, well known to many members of the Defence Forces, of- fers a wide range of training options with its varied terrain of forest, marshy bog, and hills, and, of course, the firing ranges. It was here that the latest group of 7 Inf Bn RDF recruits under- took the tactical phase of their recruit training course, spending six days in the camp in early August on full-time training (FTT). The course comprised of 18 recruits, who had begun their FTT in Cathal Brugha Bks the previous week, where they spent four days preparing for, and passing, other elements of their training syllabus, including the all-important foot and arms drill tests. These ten days of FTT were conducted under the auspices of C Coy (AR), 7 Inf Bn, one of the few RDF units conducting recruit training. The training in Kilbride commenced with a 24 hour exercise that began with a 5km route march in full battle order. With the sun shining the scenery was fantastic, but unfortunately the recruits had neither the time nor the chance to notice, as a route march in full kit and carrying a weapon leaves little time for any admiration of your surroundings. At the end of the march the course moved into a forested area to establish a platoon harbour area and begin their routine. This was the first time the recruits were to experience the delicacies of the Defence Forces 24-hour ration pack, and the use of hexamine, or 'hexi', cookers. The warm weather necessitated the frequent resupply of water by the support staff, as the recruits began on-site field craft les- sons with their platoon NCOs. After 24 hours 'Endex' was declared and the recruits returned their weapons and other ordnance to stores before resting off and cleaning their kit. For the remainder of the week the course was introduced to, and practiced, section attack tactics. They were assisted in this by some of C Coy's two-star soldiers, who provided GPMG teams and an enemy party. Being Kilbride, the training terrain was a combination of broken ground, some with long, hard grass. The recent spell of long hot weather had dried out much of the soil, making it collapsible un- derfoot and sometimes difficult to move over, and this was where each recruit's level of fitness began to make itself evident. The role of the Infantry Corps, the Defence Forces' prime com- bat arm, is to 'destroy the enemy and to hold ground by day or night on any terrain.' Small, section-level, infantry drills, even in peacetime training, are physically demanding and exhaustive, and infantry soldiers, by the very nature of their assigned combat role, must be physi- cally fit, fit enough to get the job done, again and again. They must be able to move over all types of terrain, carrying their personal weapons, ammunition and water, helmets and body armour, and items of personal kit. As the training days passed large amounts of blank 5.56mm and 7.62mm ammunition was expended by the platoon, and tactical skills were gradually honed and refined as the recruits changed section appointments for each section attack. At the end of this tactical phase, the platoon returned to Cathal Brugha Bks. Several more months of training lie ahead of the course be- fore they can pass out as two-star privates and finally become qualified members of 7 Inf Bn, enabling them to assist their PDF comrades as required.

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