The Friends of the Green Howards, - The 1st Battalion in Afghanistan

The Friends
of the
Green Howards

The Green Howards in Belize

Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment (19th Foot) The North York Militia, The North York Local Militia & North York Rifle Volunteers

Between February and April 2005 the 1st Battalion Green Howards was in Belize. The aim of the exercise was to practise the 1 GH Battlegroup operational deployment procedures, conduct offensive operations and associated transitional phases by day and night, in arduous conditions. This exercise was designed to prepare the Bn to assume the Spearhead Land Element commitment later in the year.

EXERCISE TROPICAL STORM IN BELIZE

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Pte Harrison and LCpl Tunmore of the Battalion Sniper Platoon	Lt Col Jim Willis the Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion The Green Howards	Lt Henry Bowden with two of his soldiers Ptes Wood and White	Crossing the river the only way how in Belize

The 1st Battalion (Bn) recently completed Ex TROPICAL STORM 1/05 in Belize (28 Feb � 10 Apr 05). The aim of the exercise was to practise the 1 GH Battlegroup operational deployment procedures, conduct offensive operations and associated transitional phases by day and night, in arduous conditions. This exercise was designed to prepare the Bn to assume the Spearhead Land Element commitment later in the year. The Exercise was designed to ensure that all members of the Battlegroup had the opportunity to spend up to 7 days in the jungle in camps specially designed to teach all the skills required to live and survive in this most inhospitable environment. Several Scorpion stings and Snake bites later the Battalion moved up to an area called Mountain Pine Ridge which looked something like the land time forgot. The ground was extremely steep and heavily vegetated including the ubiquitous dead pine trees that were destroyed in 1997 by a plague of pine beetles.

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Cpl Leckenby doing the daily ritual of burning the ablutions	Cpl Cartwright live firing over the burnt out grounds of the Baldy Beacon ranges	Helicopter operations formed the principle method of insertion and extraction for patrols and operations	LCpl Peterson and Geraghty members of the Reconnaisance Platoon seeking out the enemy

It was here in the most rugged of terrain that the soldiers of the Bn spent the next 24 days living in the field without any of the comforts of home often in searing temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius, eating nothing but ration packs and drinking upwards of 10 � 15 litres of water a day. The companies rotated through a series of operations allowing them to practice drills both in a live firing environment and also during blank firing exercises, the culmination of the exercise was a full Battlegroup dawn attack, 450 bearded, dirty soldiers who hadn't showered for 28 days swooping down on the enemy (supplied by the local Belize Defence Force).

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Sgt Kenyon delivering orders for an ambush in the shade of some trees	Cooling down Belize Style. Cpl Johnston after a long day in the sun	River crossing in Belize	LCpl Johnston of the Mortar Platoon adjust fire in support of an attack

After a successful final attack and the handing in of stores and equipment back in camp, the soldiers of the Bn went on a much needed Rest and Recuperation package in the holiday resort of Cancun in Mexico and an adventurous training package involving everything from snorkelling off the coast of Belize, to cave tubing back up in the very mountains that we had just fought over. Arriving back after nearly 7 weeks in the hot and humid climate of central America to the freezing wet British landscape was probably the biggest shock to the soldiers for some time. The end of a thoroughly demanding, arduous but enjoyable exercise that pushed many well outside their comfort zone was heralded by a belated Easter leave of 2 weeks. Exercise TROPICAL STORM is an experience that all will remember for a long time.