An Cosantóir

R | 23 DF forming a baseline of fire, withdraw- ing tactically from contact, the importance of siting an FSG correctly, how to read terrain in order to gain maximum tactical advantage over the enemy, cover and concealment, and the need to keep up the tempo during an attack in order to gain and retain the initiative. Command appoint- ments were regularly rotated to give students a chance to experience the various levels of command within a platoon, with the students not in com- mand appointments adopting the role of riflemen as needed. Of course, as with all RDF career courses, our training during the two weeks fulltime training was building up towards a tactical exercise to be held during the last few days of the course. This year's exercise was to cover defensive warfare (while next year will cover offensive warfare), and so we prepared to construct trenches for a 72 hour dig in on nearby Sema- phore Hill. Along with lectures on the subject, we were shown a trench, previously dug by the cadets, and then informed that we would have to dig twenty-two such trenches (enough for two platoons) within a twelve hour period once we deployed. Given how well-constructed the cadets' trench was, the mission timeframe really started to worry a few of us! However, we had help. On Tues 19 July, we received forty exercise troops drawn from the Eastern Brigade RDF. Their job would be to act as private soldiers within the two platoons for the 72 hour exercise, in order to free us students up to inhabit command appointments only, and thereby have a proper experience of command. And so, two platoon commanders and two platoon sergeants were ap- pointed, along with six section com- manders, six section 2 I/Cs, and finally two CQMS and two Coy Sgts (these positions were again rotated during the exercise). We left the Curragh Camp at 0400 on 20 July and commenced digging in on Semaphore Hill by 0600. We had to be dug in by 1800, and so the day was one of hard work, frantic picking and shovelling, and short breaks for meals. But by 1800 we had deployed our defensive stores – barbed wires spools, razor wire coils, and anti-tank mines had been set up beyond our lines – and we were all below ground in our proudly dug trenches, students and exercise troops both tired after a long day. The day that followed was one of defensive routine - attending to personal admin and hygiene, im- proving the cover on and around our trenches, and adding to or repairing our defences as needed. However, throughout the day both platoons were attacked by enemy forces that were probing our lines for weak- nesses, while the Sergeant Major periodically shouted 'Incoming! Take Cover!' to test our reactions to enemy fire. Everyone would just drop what they were doing and sprint as fast as their legs would carry them back to their trenches, with a few enthusias- tic soldiers literally diving head first into cover! At 0300 the next morning - 22 July - the mission required us to tactically withdraw from our defensive posi- tion on Semaphore Hill back to the Curragh Camp. When we returned to the Curragh, it was end ex and job well done, before we had to return to Semaphore Hill to fill in the trenches, in order to make the ground safe to train on again. Once this was done, the students thanked the exercise troops for their assistance, effort and hard work over the previous 72 hours, before they all set off to return to their units. Soon enough, it was time for us students to finish up too, and we all headed for home feeling a mixture of great personal achieve- ment and a tinge of sadness at hav- ing to leave the Military College and the Cadet School which had been so welcoming, supportive and encour- aging during our stay. To be honest, a lot of us are already looking for- ward to coming back next year. THE DEFENCE FORCES MAGAZINE The twenty students who completed year one of the 2011/2012 RDF Poten- tial Officer Course were drawn from all three brigades, with the infantry, artillery, cavalry, transport, medical, and MP corps being represented. Civil- ian professions include IT professional, management, sales, barrister, teacher, aircraft mechanic, safety officer, post- man, filmmaker, and writer.

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