"We have come to Lithuania to show we stand together in solidarity with Lithuania and the Lithuanian Armed Forces. While we are here, we can learn many things from each other," Commander of the 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh, Her Majesty's Armed Forces, Colonel Lieutenant Mark Davis said. He came to Lithuania for Exercise Thunder Storm 2018 to see one of the companies in the battalion under his command integrate into the training event.
Commander expressed his delight the exercise provided excellent conditions for British troops to train together with Lithuanian troops, as well as allied troops also training in Exercise Thunder Storm 2018.
The UK company is assigned to the Lithuanian Armed Forces battle group in the exercise and receives direct orders from the battle group commander. "This deployment also gives us a good opportunity to practise our logistical procedures. Making it to a specific destination within short notice is the key element of the operation," Lt Col M. Davis said.
The British company deployed in Lithuania last week and joined the training with the Lithuanian Army troops. The company includes over 100 light infantry personnel and is strengthened by mortar, anti-tank and reconnaissance units. Such a composition allows the company to be able to complete diverse tasks.
"It is very exciting to train here, in Lithuania, where the conformation and natural conditions are different from those in the United Kingdom. We find big temperature fluctuation here, hot days and cool nights. The task of our company in the upcoming operation is to harass the enemy, then we will withdraw to defensive positions," deputy company commander Lieutenant Leon Debnath said.
The British company joined the battle group, formed majorly by the Lithuanian Grand Duke Kęstutis Motorised Infantry Battalion, by conducting a tactical foot march from the Lithuanian Great Hetman Jonušas Radvila Training Regiment. On June 9 the Brits moved from the Regiment compound and marched more than ten kilometres to the assembly area of the battle group.
"The march was not easy - sandy and complicated terrain and full gear, and it has given us good experience. It has taken us roughly 8 hours. I am a reconnaissance specialist and my task is to warn the company about possible actions of the enemy. We will be acting within several kilometres around our units when the operation begins," Private Kasey told.
The British company has been deployed in Lithuania as part of the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF). It is a great opportunity for British troops to familiarise with Lithuania and colleagues. "It is really useful to our soldiers," Commander of the 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh, Her Majesty's Armed Forces, Colonel Lieutenant Mark Davis asserted.
The JEF is a highly ready pool of force elements for a wide spectrum of operations: from humanitarian assistance to conventional deterrence, and combat operations worldwide. Up to 10 thousand soldiers of Denmark, Estonia, UK, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Finland, and Sweden can be mobilised to the JEF. In 2018 Lithuania contributes a company-sized unit operating in composition of the Danish Battle Group, and a military medic to the UK field hospital. Also, one Lithuanian officer has been serving at the operational headquarters of the JEF at Northwood, UK, since 2016.
POC: Capt Tomas Pakalniškis +370 657 61 271, tomas.pakalniskis@mil.lt
Private Recruit Rūta Šaltmerytė
