Integration…Artillery style

Smoke Mission – Artillery Shoot, Glen Imaal

Artillery Smoke Mission as seen from the Gun Line

120mm HE. Night shoot. DC is BS Oxberry, No. 2 Cpl Monaghn, No. 3 Gnr. O’Connell

OC 2 FAR issued an OPORD ‘tasking’ 62 RAR to supply pers to his regiment for the Corps Artillery Shoot last week. Going under operational control on Monday, all pers were mixed into the various artillery groupings and went mobile to Glen Imaal. With just 2 days training to iron out any issues, the Combined Regiment conducted artillery live firing practices to include Registration, target Recording, multi Battery Fire plans, and Multi Battery Co-Ord Illum co-ordinated by the FDC. Additionally a battery and FOO from 4 FAR came under the control of the 2 FAR FDC for the duration of the shoot. The importance of the exercise is that with just 2 and a half days integrated training, the unit conducted a well planned and accurate artillery shoot. Lessons were learned for sure and training deficiencies identified, but the most important result was how easily both regiments integrated when they had a common goal.

One additional feature was the inclusion of a member of 62 Reserve Cav in an Artillery FOO role. Amongst other achievements he gave a line correction on the Registration shoot to achieve a target round, thus guaranteeing accurate fire there after! 62 RAR held some of the key appointments (Both FOO’s, the GPO, CPO and BK on the gun line, range officer, 3 AGDC’s and both section officers, and we also had a member in the FDC).