Capt Ian Toohill reports on the success of 4 Bde’s training in rear security and urban operations.
The walls of the abandoned hospital at Greenvale in Victoria reverberated with the sound of automatic gunfire recently as soldiers of 8/7 and 5/6RVR pressed home a two-company attack against enemy holed up in the derelict building.
The two full companies from 4 Bde were completing the final phase of Exercise Hamel, a significant component of which involved Rear Security
Operations training.
The lead-up phase to this activity was conducted at Longlea Training area, near Bendigo over the previous two weeks.
Before the attack, supporting elements from the unit recon platoons evaluated the enemy situation and provided guides for the assault.
Moving through the building in a clearing operation, the attacking troops used all the skills , they had been honing at Longlea.
In good time they secured the area with a degree of professionalism which impressed both Comd 4 Bde Brig Peter Alkemade and CA Lt-Gen Peter Cosgrove.
The enemy fought tenaciously and all participants proved the effectiveness of the lead-up training.
Lt-Gen Cosgrove then addressed the somewhat tired troops and after a short debrief, talked about the future role of the Reserve as an integral part of the ADF.
This final activity added to the overall success of Exercise Hamel which was designed to evaluate core skills within 4 Bde.
The exercise was part of the first phase of the Reserve capability trials being conducted to evaluate the viability of providing higher readiness elements from each of the reserve brigades within 2 Div.
Rear Security will remain a key focus for 5/6 and 8/7RVR during 2002.
A recon scout checks for the enemy before a clearing operation begins.
Photo essay by Sgt. Troy Rodgers
Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/267107138/29914761
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