AROUND 150 soldiers from Aldershot-based 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards have been conducting low level confirmatory training at Longmoor Training Camp near Liss.

This was following their successful Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRX), which is an essential part of their pre-deployment training.

The additional training is to ensure that the protection groups and commanders at the tactical level are truly prepared in contact drills and dealing with indirect fire, small arms fire and vehicle immobilisation and manoeuvring, ultimately protecting the occupancy of the tailing vehicle should they encounter these various potential situations during their deployment.

Number Two Company, including elements of the Headquarters Company, are due to deploy on a six month tour to Iraq into various areas, including Taji, Irbil, Manila and Besmaya.

Their deployment on Operation SHADER 7 next month is in a force protection role, in support of the contribution to the UK’s ongoing military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq.

It will be in an attachment role to the Royal Engineers who are there to deliver training to the Iraqi soldiers.

Ultimately, within the areas Number Two Company will be operating in, they will be expected to deliver a safe area where the Royal Engineers will be able to teach, providing a security bubble for them to train within.

They will also be involved with clearing Iraqi weapon systems and facilitating an area with limited risk compared to normal.

The role the Grenadier Guards will deliver is not a kinetic approach, as it has been in the battalion’s previous deployments.

1st Battalion Grenadier Guards are a light role battalion, so taking on the Force Protection element and using the Foxhound vehicles has meant the company has had to under take further driver and commander familiarisation training, something new but exciting.

Force Protection commander Lieutenant Duncan Thorne said: “The training has gone really well, we are looking forward to operating in a new role, the Infantry element is what we do well.

“It’s still there we just have the addition of new skills and techniques.”