BRITAIN’S army global response force has travelled by road, rail, sea and air to a major multinational exercise to practise offensive and defensive operations.
About 220 vehicles started from Merville Barracks in Colchester for the 2,000km drive to North Macedonia for training on how they can respond to international crises with other countries.
It took six days for the troops to arrive, stopping at five overnight camps set up in different countries on the way.
Corporal Scott Pullen, of 4 Regiment Army Air Corps, was at the wheel of an SV lorry carrying defensive stores such as barbed wire.
Mr Pullen said: “It was a long and tiring drive, but it has to be done to get the stores and equipment that our Apaches need to fly to the right place.
“I was in the cab with a mate, so there was a lot of chat and banter to pass the time, and we had an evening in Lyon and Milan on the way so got to do some sightseeing.”
Overall, about 2,000 troops and more than 500 vehicles have travelled across Europe to take part in Exercise Swift Response in North Macedonia.
More than 3,000 soldiers from eight NATO countries will take part in the training under the command of 16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, the British Army’s global response force who are specially trained to deploy by parachute, helicopter and airlanding.
Troops getting involved in the training include those from the US, Greek, Italian, French, Albanian and Montenegrin.
Lieutenant Colonel Jack Crossley, commanding officer of 23 Parachute Engineer Regiment said: “It’s a military cliche that ‘amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics’ and this has been a real test of our expeditionary logistics.
“Planning how to move the force and sustain it along the way, and then executing that efficiently, is vital so that troops, vehicles and equipment arrive on time, ready and rested for the main event.
“Using different methods of transport has given us experience and knowledge of all the available options if we have to deploy into Europe in support of our allies.”
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