Bugle Summer 2026 - Flipbook - Page 35
5 RIFLES
Rifleman Correia
was named
B Company’s
Chosen Man
B COMPANY CHOSEN MAN
B Company’s Chosen Man competition
took place over four demanding days
in Sennybridge training area, testing
individuals across a challenging 35km
route. The event featured a series of stands
designed to assess a broad range of military
skills and endurance focusing on Move,
Shoot, Communicate, Medicate and key
Armoured Infantry skills.
Riflemen and junior leaders faced a
variety of tasks including military knowledge,
armoured fighting vehicle (AFV) recognition,
communications, artillery target identification,
Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and
Nuclear (CBRN) drills, a march and shoot
event, a stalk stand, and the physically
demanding Sword Lane to finish. Each
stand required determination, teamwork
and tactical awareness reflecting the varied
challenges Riflemen encounter in operational
environments.
After four days of intense competition,
Rifleman Correia was named B Company’s
Chosen Man, demonstrating exceptional skill,
Ri昀氀emen
and junior
leaders
faced a
variety of
tasks
resilience, and leadership throughout the
event. Lance Corporal Grimshaw earned the
accolade of top junior leader setting a high
standard for others to follow.
The competition continues to be a great
way to highlight individual excellence and
identifying future leaders. Congratulations
to all participants for their dedication and
outstanding performance in this rigorous
challenge.
Lt Owen Harris
OC 7 Platoon
Ex GAUNTLET HORIZON
In the cold, wet and unforgiving conditions
of a British winter, the 5 RIFLES Battlegroup
deployed onto SPTA to conduct Exercise
CYCLONE, a demanding period of collective
training designed to sharpen individual and
unit-level Warfighting capability. Despite the
challenging weather conditions, soldiers
embraced the opportunity to develop their
tactical skills and strengthen battlegroup
cohesion ahead of future operational
commitments.
The activity commenced with Exercise
TRADEWIND, a rigorous two-week package
focused on qualifying new Armoured Infantry
Crew Commanders. The course challenged
participants across a broad spectrum of
tactical tasks, progressing from fighting
and manoeuvring individual vehicles to
leading mounted combat teams within
the wider battlegroup framework. Crew
Commanders were required to demonstrate
technical expertise, tactical awareness and
decisive leadership under pressure, all whilst
operating in difficult terrain and adverse
weather conditions.
Amongst the standout performances
was that of Lieutenant Charlie Kearney,
who delivered an exceptional display of
tactical acumen during a battlegroup attack.
Identifying an opportunity to exploit a
weakness in the enemy position, he conducted
a bold and effective flanking manoeuvre
that disrupted the opposition’s cohesion and
created the conditions for a decisive victory.
His initiative, aggression and understanding of
manoeuvre warfare marked him as one of the
Exercise’s most impressive performers.
Following the successful completion
…the grit,
resilience
and
昀椀ghting
spirit that
continue
to de昀椀ne
5 RIFLES
of TRADEWIND, 5 RIFLES transitioned
into collective battlegroup training. This
phase concentrated on refining unit-level
actions, improving planning processes
and integrating emerging capabilities into
tactical operations. Emphasis was placed
on the employment of Uncrewed Aerial
Systems (UAS), granting them primacy in the
detection, identification and engagement
of enemy forces whilst simultaneously
enhancing force protection.
Throughout the exercise, the battlegroup
demonstrated professionalism, adaptability
and determination. CYCLONE successfully
reinforced a modern approach to tactical
operations and highlighted the grit, resilience
and fighting spirit that continue to define 5
RIFLES.
Capt Joe Hayes, Operations Officer
RIFLES The Bugle 35
