Jump to content
News Ticker
  • I am now accepting the following payment methods: Card Payments, Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal
  • Latest News

    Recommended Posts

    Posted

    Combat Team Waler - part of Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4, participate in a range day to allow troops to hone their skills in the application of fire control processes. Soldiers also practice the employment of Direct Fire Weapon Systems (DFWS) within a combined arms team.

    Posted

    Australian Light Armoured Vehicles wait for the order to move into position for the beginning of a range practice. An up-armoured Uni Mog can be seen on the range with soldiers erecting Figure 11 targets to the right.

    Posted

    Australian soldiers maintain a safety perimeter behind the firing point, while local Iraqis arrive to watch the Australian troops go through their firing range practice.

    Posted

    An Australian Light Armoured Vehicle idles and crew members wait for clearance to to leave the firing point after completing their live-fire range practice.

    Posted

    The 516 soldiers of Overwatch Battle Group (West) 4 are mostly drawn from units of the Brisbane-based 7th Brigade. The Battle Group is comprised of the Headquarters and Cavalry Squadrons of the 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment (Queensland Mounted Infantry), operating Australian Light Armoured Vehicles (ASLAVs); and an Infantry company from the 6th Battalion of The Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR) operating Bushmaster Infantry Mobility Vehicles (IMVs).

    Combat Team Waler is named for a type of horse used by the Australian Lighthorse Units in the past.

    The name 'Waler' is derived from the term 'New South Waler', a horse bred in New South Wales, and Australia's first colony. It was coined as a term for colonial bred horses used both in Australia and as remounts for the British Army in India. Rajahs also bought Walers for military and recreational use such as polo. Walers, through the flourishing remount trade, were sold to India from the 1840's to the 1940's and were supplied to the Australian Army for the Boer War and World War I, where their feats of endurance and courage became legendary. Although again supplied to the Army in World War II, the horses were not sent overseas, mechanization having transcended their use.

    Below is Lieutenant Guy Hayden riding his gallant mare "Midnight".

    During the second battle for Gaza "Midnight" remained continuously under saddle for 7 days . Hayden rode "Midnight" in the charge at Beersheeba and both were shot as they reached the Turkish trenches however Hayden was not mortally wounded.

    Posted

    Hi Tiger-pie,

    very interesting photos of the exercise.

    But I am wondering - do you Australians wear nicknames on the uniform (post 17) ???

    Or has he got a twin in the same unit :)

    greetings

    eitze

    Posted

    Hi Tiger-pie,

    But I am wondering - do you Australians wear nicknames on the uniform (post 17) ???

    greetings

    eitze

    It is accepted, but not encouraged. :cheers:

    Regards;

    Johnsy

    Posted (edited)

    Some things never change... :rolleyes:

    Private James Somerville from Combat Team Waler waits with shovel in hand.

    Edited by Tiger-pie

    Create an account or sign in to comment

    You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

    Create an account

    Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

    Register a new account

    Sign in

    Already have an account? Sign in here.

    Sign In Now
    ×
    ×
    • Create New...

    Important Information

    We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.