Ex.Lionheart 1984
Quote from DavidFullard on December 28, 2023, 2:08 pmWho remembers Ex. Lionheart in 1984? It was the biggest ever mobilisation of troops. Some facts and figures.
131,565 personnel, regular, TA and reserves took part, 50,ooo personnel were moved to Germany.250 UK flights transported 32,000 personnel to BAOR. 150 sailings across the North Sea and the English channel using mainly Civilian RoRos, carried 23600 personnel and circa 14000 vehicles and trailers.
13000 RAF personnel were involved. Harriers and the brand new Tornados were deployed in the field. 10,000 German, Dutch, American and Commonwealth Forces made up‘the enemy’.I remember the Exercise well, it was my last as SSM HQ Squadron.We were leagured up for the first 4 days. Scriv returned from an O Group and told me we were getting 30 reserve and 20 TA for the duration of the Exercise.
Hmm what to do with them. We planned on a few going to GW and Recce a couple to A1 and the rest split up amongst A2. When they arrived at our Leaguer Area it was like Fred Karno’s army. 4 of the Reserves were in civvies and had no military clothing at all. They were not there voluntarily they insisted but had received warning of legal implications if they failed to mobilise. One of them was particularly obtuse causing Scriv to mutter ‘Sarn’t Major he needs one of your ‘special’ talks. He got it. Most of those we hosted were a sorry mix of misfits Imust say albeit there were a couple of notable exceptions. The TA were unsurprisingly better than the Reserves having mobilised willingly and on full military pay and allowances. But they were far from being ‘battle ready. Perhaps we hosted an untypically poor selection of TA and Reserves? I recall 2 of the Reserves declared themselves ‘sick’ 2 days after arrival and went off to the medics never to be seen again. One of them was the recipient of my ‘special talk’. My abiding memory of Lionheart is; lots of time spent doing little or nothing, the logistics of moving and controlling so many forces in a battle scenario was staggering and showed some major weaknesses in our planned reliance on BCRs.
But Lionheart was certainly an eye-opener for me, it laid bare how poorly trained and motivated some ( if not most) of the TA were ( certainly at that time) and what a waste of time most of the Reserves were. My doubts about the effectiveness of the TA were confirmed when, after resigning my regular commission in 1993, I was offered a Major’s commission in a specialised TA unit. It was basically a social club interspersed with a bit of training. I recall spending one whole afternoon ‘learning’ how to pack a Bergen. I stuck it for 5 years, during which I spent time back in BAOR on Exercise and a few weeks in Cyprus , lots of fun times but it eventually became boring and my civilian career became ever more demanding so I left.
I have no idea as to the state of the TA these days but I hope it has improved since I left!
Who has memories of Lionheart to share?.
Who remembers Ex. Lionheart in 1984? It was the biggest ever mobilisation of troops. Some facts and figures.
131,565 personnel, regular, TA and reserves took part, 50,ooo personnel were moved to Germany.
250 UK flights transported 32,000 personnel to BAOR. 150 sailings across the North Sea and the English channel using mainly Civilian RoRos, carried 23600 personnel and circa 14000 vehicles and trailers.
13000 RAF personnel were involved. Harriers and the brand new Tornados were deployed in the field. 10,000 German, Dutch, American and Commonwealth Forces made up‘the enemy’.
I remember the Exercise well, it was my last as SSM HQ Squadron.We were leagured up for the first 4 days. Scriv returned from an O Group and told me we were getting 30 reserve and 20 TA for the duration of the Exercise.
Hmm what to do with them. We planned on a few going to GW and Recce a couple to A1 and the rest split up amongst A2. When they arrived at our Leaguer Area it was like Fred Karno’s army. 4 of the Reserves were in civvies and had no military clothing at all. They were not there voluntarily they insisted but had received warning of legal implications if they failed to mobilise. One of them was particularly obtuse causing Scriv to mutter ‘Sarn’t Major he needs one of your ‘special’ talks. He got it. Most of those we hosted were a sorry mix of misfits Imust say albeit there were a couple of notable exceptions. The TA were unsurprisingly better than the Reserves having mobilised willingly and on full military pay and allowances. But they were far from being ‘battle ready. Perhaps we hosted an untypically poor selection of TA and Reserves? I recall 2 of the Reserves declared themselves ‘sick’ 2 days after arrival and went off to the medics never to be seen again. One of them was the recipient of my ‘special talk’. My abiding memory of Lionheart is; lots of time spent doing little or nothing, the logistics of moving and controlling so many forces in a battle scenario was staggering and showed some major weaknesses in our planned reliance on BCRs.
But Lionheart was certainly an eye-opener for me, it laid bare how poorly trained and motivated some ( if not most) of the TA were ( certainly at that time) and what a waste of time most of the Reserves were. My doubts about the effectiveness of the TA were confirmed when, after resigning my regular commission in 1993, I was offered a Major’s commission in a specialised TA unit. It was basically a social club interspersed with a bit of training. I recall spending one whole afternoon ‘learning’ how to pack a Bergen. I stuck it for 5 years, during which I spent time back in BAOR on Exercise and a few weeks in Cyprus , lots of fun times but it eventually became boring and my civilian career became ever more demanding so I left.
I have no idea as to the state of the TA these days but I hope it has improved since I left!
Who has memories of Lionheart to share?
.
Quote from Bob Riley on December 28, 2023, 5:01 pmWell I was on my last 6 months In Chorley Duke of Lancs Yeomanry the Sqn SSM getting ready for the TA unit for guard duty in the North West ports Liverpool etc so some of our guys where sent to BAOR for participation in Lionheart ,then I became retired.
Well I was on my last 6 months In Chorley Duke of Lancs Yeomanry the Sqn SSM getting ready for the TA unit for guard duty in the North West ports Liverpool etc so some of our guys where sent to BAOR for participation in Lionheart ,then I became retired.
Quote from jkwebster06 on December 28, 2023, 10:19 pmLionheart !?! I too remember plenty of "hurry up & wait", sometimes what seemed like days on end. I was SSM "A" Sqn at the time, & remember the whole Regiment (& others) being held up at a bridge due to a load of tree huggers mounting their protest over Ex Lionheart taking place. The solution ? The German Police went to the back of our column and slashed the tyres of the protesters VW Campervans parked at the roadside !! The Politzi then came back, gave them the news which saw the protesters scurrying back to check the damage - astutely, the German Police ensured more than one tyre on each campervan was slashed so that a simple wheel change wouldn't get them able to drive again any time soon ! With the protesters now otherwise engaged we moved our tanks quickly over the bridge and onto our next "hurry up & wait" episode lol. We never saw any protesters again lol. To be honest, it was the most boring exercise I'd ever been involved in - looking at the figures of vehicles & troops involved it's not surprising but at the time, with the hype surrounding it all, we envisaged a fast moving exercise with plenty of "action" against our "enemy" - I can't recall ever seeing any, never mind making a contact against them ! I can remember seeing the Harriers at close quarters, taking off & landing, all in daylight of course because the RAF don't work unsocial hours !! John (JKW)
Lionheart !?! I too remember plenty of "hurry up & wait", sometimes what seemed like days on end. I was SSM "A" Sqn at the time, & remember the whole Regiment (& others) being held up at a bridge due to a load of tree huggers mounting their protest over Ex Lionheart taking place. The solution ? The German Police went to the back of our column and slashed the tyres of the protesters VW Campervans parked at the roadside !! The Politzi then came back, gave them the news which saw the protesters scurrying back to check the damage - astutely, the German Police ensured more than one tyre on each campervan was slashed so that a simple wheel change wouldn't get them able to drive again any time soon ! With the protesters now otherwise engaged we moved our tanks quickly over the bridge and onto our next "hurry up & wait" episode lol. We never saw any protesters again lol. To be honest, it was the most boring exercise I'd ever been involved in - looking at the figures of vehicles & troops involved it's not surprising but at the time, with the hype surrounding it all, we envisaged a fast moving exercise with plenty of "action" against our "enemy" - I can't recall ever seeing any, never mind making a contact against them ! I can remember seeing the Harriers at close quarters, taking off & landing, all in daylight of course because the RAF don't work unsocial hours !! John (JKW)
Quote from Cliff_C on December 29, 2023, 4:41 pmBrin Evans was my Troop Sergeant/commander. Another goodun. I was blessed as I always had good Troop sergeants. During the exercise we were told that the royal signals had a Squadron of snoopers trying to do mischief. It was called the "Black Swan Squadron". One morning as the sun was about to rise we noticed a funny looking vehicle partly under cam at the end of our track where we had stopped for night. I have a few photos, it had a big array of what looked like radar on its roof. Brin told me to go down and have a closer look. They were all inside the vehicle with no sentry. There was also a couple of FFR landies, I stole all the VHF antennas and took the photos. Having been in a Regiment with pretty good standards, I would always shake my head in disbelief that there was no sentry. Brin did have a wee panic thinking that it might cause a stir!
We could open a new thread to give more examples of why we were Second to None.
Cliff
Brin Evans was my Troop Sergeant/commander. Another goodun. I was blessed as I always had good Troop sergeants. During the exercise we were told that the royal signals had a Squadron of snoopers trying to do mischief. It was called the "Black Swan Squadron". One morning as the sun was about to rise we noticed a funny looking vehicle partly under cam at the end of our track where we had stopped for night. I have a few photos, it had a big array of what looked like radar on its roof. Brin told me to go down and have a closer look. They were all inside the vehicle with no sentry. There was also a couple of FFR landies, I stole all the VHF antennas and took the photos. Having been in a Regiment with pretty good standards, I would always shake my head in disbelief that there was no sentry. Brin did have a wee panic thinking that it might cause a stir!
We could open a new thread to give more examples of why we were Second to None.
Cliff
Quote from DavidFullard on December 29, 2023, 10:10 pmYou are right about Bryn Cliff, he is/was a great guy. I spent many a Friday evening in the ‘Heidekotten’ Gasthaus in Sennelager with Bryn, Scouse Pierce, Jim Halliday et al. I went running with him a few times, let’s just say that man could run! Saw him 2 years ago at NE Branch Dinner, he has barely changed.
You are right about Bryn Cliff, he is/was a great guy. I spent many a Friday evening in the ‘Heidekotten’ Gasthaus in Sennelager with Bryn, Scouse Pierce, Jim Halliday et al. I went running with him a few times, let’s just say that man could run! Saw him 2 years ago at NE Branch Dinner, he has barely changed.