An Cosantóir September 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie
16 |
REPORT AND PHOTOS BY CQMS
MICHAEL BARRETT AR, 7 INF BN
An Cosantóir September 2019 www.dfmagazine.ie
16 |
S
hock troops is a loose translation of the German word
Stoßtrupp – roughly meaning: to carry the attack
forward, to penetrate the enemy lines. The concept
of using shock troops is not a new one, history describes
how the Vikings (798–1066 AD) used berserkers as shock
troops in organised warfare; European armies used shock
troops right up through the medieval period. In the 18th
century Western European armies called them the forlorn
hope - A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combat-
ants chosen to take the leading part in a military operation,
such as an assault on a defended position, where the risk
of casualties is high. Now we look at this type of force in a
modern-day army.
Infantry troops are the primary combat arm of any army,
including the Defence Forces. They are the grunts, the foot-
sloggers, the ones who most often will engage the enemy
more than other troops. Well trained infantry personnel are
versatile, and with proper preparation and training can con-
duct operations over almost all types of terrain, be it urban,
forests, jungle, and arctic conditions.
Apart from what we would term regular infantry there
exists specialised infantry employed by many armed forces
