HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-09-21, Page 13 (2)Times -Advocate, September 21, 1918 Page 13
opportunity to putj alItogether in `battle'
their sophisticated
'mechanical and com-
munication roles. '
Andy Seguin invited us
into his "hooch" for. coffee
and we learned again that
the fly -boys. attempt to
maintain their glamor
reputation.- He even had
carpet tin -.the floor .of his
self -designed tent. which
can be stored quickly on the
trailer which forms part of
the compound. They even
had a covered outhouse!
Sure beats the trenches!
As we departed. black
clouds moved in from the
right and the unit's choppers
could be seen coming in
from all directions to 'get
home before the storm hit.
The following .morning it
was off fol a visit to the 3rd
Battalion. The Royal Cana-
dian Regiment, one of two
infantry batallions in the ex-
ercise.
Headquarters was set up
in a school yard. and after a
briefing from 'Major Dick-
Gray, we moved outside to
watch the German
youngsters race around the
yard .seeking autographs
from the Canadian soldiers.
Major- Gray echoed the
words of Major Gaudreau.
who had informed us earlier
that the infantry were little
different than their Roman
-predecessors "except we
•have new combat boots".
"The final task is com-
pleted on foot and our object
is to,ciose with and destroy
the enemy,' Major Gray ad=,
viseji. noting that the Cser-
- man "enemy" would resem-
ble to an incredible degree
the east block countrie§ in
their actions" a`gainsf the
Canadians in - Bavarian
Bayonet.
He also noted that while
NATO doesn't have an
%aggressive nature "it is pru-
dent to practice all four
stages" of war. those being
advance. attack. defend and
retreat. Bavarian Bayonet
was designed • primarily -'to
practice offensive
measures.
While they're equipped
With the latest in weaponry
from machine guns down to
pistols. the RCR still have to
contend with the soldiers'
nightmare — digging
trenches. In peacetime it
takes on another aspect. the
trench has to be refilled and
the sod replaced before the
troops move on. •
A teacher to whom we
.spoke at the school said, she
was a bit annoyed with the
noise when the troops moved
into- the area the night
before, but it did bother
her for long as s realized
that it is a n cessary
defence measure for her
country. •
The kids were obviously
relishing the unexpected
visitors, although their joy
didn't appear to be shared
by a few haggered soldiers
attempting to- catch up on
some sleep in a nearby cor'
nor of the school yard:
German Observer
After being invited in for a
cup of coffee at another field
kitchen location in the small
village: we had a chat
[through an interpreter
with Lieutenant fiuffolf
Fraschauer. a G rman
militia officer who was with
the Canadians as an
observer.
He was most impressed
with the good morale and
high. discipline 'of the Cana
than troops. despite the fact
there appeared to him to be
a much more relaxed at-
mosphere than that to which
he was accustomed.
He felt that there was
more comaradie and
openess between the top and
bottom ranks in the Cana-.
dian army. but that voung-
offic•ers in the' German
army were changing to that
as well.
He noted that Germans
are conscripted for 18
months in the -armv when
they reach age 18, and it was
not a , pleasant experience
for those who had been in
' the work force prior to their
stint because of their redue-_
ed wage level while in activ}
duty.
• Fraschauer was getting 11
marks a day while on the ex-
ercise. "Just enough for
cigarettes_,aod-.neer." he
smiled, but ,there was
evidence he as enjoying
- fully the association with -the
-Canadians. The time off did
not reduce his civilian holi-
day period. -
A Deadly One
Our next experience was
looking down the business
end of an: anti-tank
weapon...the TOW
( Tubelaunch Optically
Tracked Wire Command
Link (...which i$ • about as
complicated to explain as it
sounds.
Basically. the • four -man
crew must maintain their
sights on the target until the
missile hits. because it is
joined to the gun through
two pieces of copper wire
which direct- its action. -The
TOW will go through any
known armor and is "ex-
tremely accurate" up to a
distance of 3.000 meters.
When it hits a tank, it bores
through and then spreads
the molten metal around the
inside.
When the unit pulled into a
farm card. the farmer
politely asked them to
"point the gun the other
way" when it was still fac-
ing toward: his barn.
Our final -unit to visit was
that of the "umpires". the
needed ingredient to make
an exercise tick. Major
Dave Noble. who headed the
150 -man contingent brought
in from Mobile Command
Headquarters in Canada to
act in that, capacity• said
their,.job would be to paint a
realistic picture for the
troops and commanders as
the exercise progressed.
Bei•ause bridges and roads
can't be blown up. the ad-
vancing forces -aro -told what
they- should be seeing in the
way of obstacles and the
time it should take them to
overcome those obstacles.
In' addition. • the umpires
declare "dead" men and
equipment from each side as
the battle moves. although
the dead are returned to the
ranks after an allotted delay
(usually an hour) se they
can continue to benefit from,-
the
rom,the exercise.
He noted there were many
problems in such ,an exer-
cise! -such as the fact that
tanks have to travel at night
with flashing- lights to warn
civilian motorists. That. of
course. is not conducive to
keeping one's position
known from the enemy.
Umpires travel with each
unit. and because they have.
been given. information
about where major skir-
mishes are expected to take
place. can judge fairly
which side gets the upper
hand.
As in baseball games, the
umpire is never right it
seems and there,.are many
arguments. about who shot
who first-
_ Realistic Indeed
While peacetime exer-
cises have their limitations,
they are also very realistic.
We awoke on our final day in
thejJJm area to the blast of
heavy. artillery several
kilometers distant and as we
moved through the battle
-area. the sound of rifle and
machine gun blasts could be
heard from the small towns
as the troops encountered
each other. — -
While we never did catch"
up to the infantry due to
some questionable direc-
tions, it did -afford -us -an op= --
portunity to seethe bridge
layer inaction.
It 'arrived ,at the River
Brenz and we stood with
mouths'wide open as the 50 -
ton equipment quickly spew-
ed forth its two sections of
bridge and spanned the river
in the unbelievable time of
two minutes.
The bridge can then carry
up to 50 tons, well beyond
any equipment owned by the.
Canadian Forces, and after
they are across. the Leopard
tank moves to the other side.
picks up its bridge and
proceeds to the next
obstacle.
It is capable of spanning a
river up to 63 feet wide. and
the one we watched in action
was being operated by a cou-
ple of Germans on loan, as
was the equipment itself.
although another similar
unit being used is owned by
this nation.
While we were watching
the bridge- layer. four Ger-
man tanks quickly zoomed
into position on the hill in
front of us and started filling
the air with heavy blasts
from their guns.
The umpire on the scene
catte over to announce we
were "deadd" and out of ac-
tion for an hour.
"Oh well. now we can
have breakfast." sighed the
men in charge. still wonder-
ing why their own tanks
hadn't engaged the Ger-
mans. As we left. we heard
the argument as the
Canadians contended that
they had indeed spotted the
Germans prior to their at -
tack and ,were claiming a the debate concluded.
hit. There were no beer
bottles - thrown out of the
stands. but we left before
•
It may have sounded like a
game.. .but it was really
another serious reminder
that those 'contemptible'
Canadians are highly skilled
and professional fighting
men.
• Oberleutnant Rudolf, Fraschauer. right. 6 member of the German Mi11ti6. was on observer
with • the Canadian troops in. the exercise and_ is shown here checking a map with two
Canadians. •
Who -does you'r makeup?•was one of the first questions Major
Dick Gray was asked by the female member of the press cor-
ps. He gave her a sample of the material before outlining the
role of the RCR in Bavarian Bayonet.
t;
• d /•
_15 - r -
The newest and most prized addition '-td the Canadian Armed Forces is no. the chop on the
right, but rather the German -built leo and Tank being demonstrated They replace our an-
tique Centurions.
•
-,
}.
2"15
Sgt. Jackson Jennings, right, assures a couple of German farmers they'll be compensated for
any damage done to their fields,used by -the engineers during the exercise. Once Assured they
enjoyed a cup of coffee. - - - -
i-
M
•
Canadian Armed Forces personnel -are popular in Germany, a fact evidenced by this scene
when Major Bill Whitehead was mobbed for his autograph in a school yard which was being
used by some troops. -
One of the more sophisticated pieces of equipment used by today s Aimed Forces is this
bridge layer. it's shown in the top photo pulling up to a river and in tv.o minutes it hod's
bridge acroAs the river as shown in'the photo below. This unit was on loan from the German
ormy, although Canada hos arLother one that was being used by another group of engineers
in1he exercitlf.
I• .' •••s
A Canadion'r'ohlie'rttets-plenty of attention from a group of school rh ldren as he attempts to
catch up on some reoding. His secluded spof;,r iitfetr szhaof-yard wos anything -but that -at
recess time.
ti
-1.t-.LoLBut _aldtvm.1efl._01Bd.M9tQL,...t+dL SecLuin,-boll_of_whom trained at RCAF C•en-
tralia. chat with a membe'r of their helicopter pilot brigade. i