The British Army’s 2nd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment’s B Company has successfully taken part in Exercise Highrise Poacher conducted in Killingbeck district, West Yorkshire.
Ripon-based 21 Engineer Regiment and 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment supported the infantry in the simulated assault at an abandoned block of flats.
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While the 21 Engineer Regiment made provisions for improvised entry through doors and walls, the Parachute Regiment personnel acted as the opposition.
As part of the exercise, as many as 100 soldiers were engaged in fighting an enemy in a ten-storey building.
Apart from the building, the soldiers also used a highway structure and a car park for the exercise.
B Company officer commanding major Cox said: “We’ve been deployed up here from Cottesmore on this exercise.
“This is a really good urban environment, these are real flats with real doors and windows, narrow stairways, as well as obstacles that could get in our way.”
“It’s a tricky environment. Sometimes our training takes place in quite sterile places, but this block of flats is real life,” Cox added.
West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service provided ladders for effective execution of Exercise Highrise Poacher.
The training programme was planned and delivered by 8 Engineer Brigade. Following the exercise, the Brigade will study the identified lessons.
Lance corporal Greenshields said: “Many of our soldiers are really junior, they certainly won’t have done anything like this before. To go through this and learn new things is a really good benefit.”
Last week, the British Army conducted Exercise Hypogeal Bear in West Yorkshire. Over 20 soldiers from the 21 Engineer Regiment of the Royal Engineers showcased their skills in a 2km set of tunnels.
The troops moved through an underground route to shift equipment for a mock aid post.
Earlier this month, future British Army pilots began training on the new Apache AH-64E helicopters.
