Ex STRATHCONA PHOENIX

By Lieutenant Johnson

May 2004

Ex STRATHCONA PHOENIX began at 0530hrs on 19 April 04 with weapons draw.  The Regiment

 deployed to Wainwright at 0730 hrs as part of a road move that had to be coordinated at brigade level sue to the large number of units deploying that morning.  The Regiment moved in an 11-packet convoy with Recce Squadron occupying the last four packets.  Everything was going well until we hit the North gate of the Steele Barracks, where the first vehicle broke down.  While the vast majority of the Recce arrived on the ground around midday, it was not until late in the afternoon that the crews of the broken vehicles arrived on the ground in Wainwright for the gun camp. 

The first task for Recce Squadron came on the 20-21 April.  The Squadron gun camp, which took place at Range 25 on Buffalo Hill, consisted of dismounted C-6 shoots for the Admin Troop and static 25mm shoots for the Coyote Troops.  Following the static shoots the Coyote crews conducted stabilization runs.  Later that night the Squadron conducted the Personal Weapons Test 2 - Night Supplement under what was suspected hurricane conditions.  The next morning the Squadron began to strike camp and preparations were made for a convoy escort in order to set the stage for operations in the east.  Recce Squadron took full advantage of the showers that were available prior to the restaging.  1 Troop departed at 2300hrs to establish Traffic Control Points.  The convoy of Admin Troop vehicles escorted by 2 Troop departed at 2400hrs.  Considering that it was a night move and the first convoy escort that Recce Squadron had conducted, it was an exceptional learning experience.  Once hitting the release point, the Squadron went into Troop hides to begin independent training. 

Troop training commenced on 22 April and finished on the 25th.  The training consisted of hide routine, establishing Observation Posts, route, point, and zone recces.  During the night, training was directed by SHQ who assigned taskings to conduct foot patrols, route recces, OP screens, and advance screens.  The opportunity to train with engineer assets such as the Beaver and Armoured Engineer Recce Sections was provided to each troop in order to become familiar with things such as crossing an AVLB.  The training was an opportunity for the Troops to be re-exposed to basic Recce tactics and begin to re-learn how to apply them in the field.  The training tempo was intense and allowed us to build into a cohesive unit during Squadron training. Throughout the Troop training phase there was a number of visitors, including a number of Strathcona Cadet Corps that came for a weekend visit.  Other then the experience of trying to live in modular tentage during a hurricane, all reports stated that they had an exceptional time. As a result of a tactical recce to Afghanistan, all troop training had to be conducted without the Sqn OC, Major D.A. Macaulay and the SSM, MWO B. Talty. The Squadron 2IC, Captain J. Cochrane and SQ, WO Woodford, were heard to state something to the effect: ”Your going where?” as the OC and SSM departed for the airport. On the final day of troop training, 1 and 2 Troops were given a task to link up with 1 Service Battalion for a convoy escort practice.  The Troops arrived at 1 Svc Bn’s location at 1830hrs and were informed that they required a lecture on how a convoy escort is conducted.  WO Riley provided an effective lecture and upon completion, Capt Mallette conducted abbreviated battle procedure.  Capt Mallette gave a clear, concise convoy commander’s brief and then the Troops were set to carry out the escort.  The plan was to escort 15 trucks three times, on an 18km circuit.  We were supposed to practice a rolling marry-up and dispersal at night.  This was new experience for the troops and proved to be an exceptional learning experience.  It went smoothly right to the point where it was time for the 1 Svc Bn trucks to split away from the convoy, unfortunately most of the trucks continued to follow the Coyotes.  After approximately an hour of them reorganizing themselves to conduct a subsequent rolling marry-up, we moved into an ambush where two trucks were destroyed.  The Coyotes and Gun Truck quickly dealt with the enemy and the escort task continued.  With the first convoy complete at 2400hrs, it was decided to forgo the other two. The Coyotes returned to the Squadron hide for rest and link up with the foot patrols that were out that night. Soon after the foot patrols returned via helicopter, the Squadron hide was a victim of a chemical attack.  The Squadron was forced to “crash” and move to another hide location in preparation for troop battle runs the next day.  Once given the gas clear, the Squadron conducted three hours of forced rest and then conducted maintenance and battle procedure in preparation of troop battle runs.   

The next day the Squadron waited for the morning while A Squadron conducted their battle runs and finally commenced at around 1300hrs.  For the most part, our Battle runs went well.  However, 2 Troop had some bad luck, first with worsening weather, then an engine fire bottle discharge, and finally with a calamity of jammed cannons.  2 Troop finished the live fire portion with only one operable Coyote.  Suffices to say, it was a couple hours before all cannons were cleared and 2 Troop was on its way back to the Squadron where it was waiting to get on with the evening’s activities. 

The next morning the Squadron moved to Range 16 to prepare for night firing and stabilization runs.  Once in location, the Colonel Commandant of the Armoured Corps, LGen Fox, conducted an impromptu parade in order to promote MCpl Miller and Sgt Romaniuk.  

The next morning saw the re-formation of 3 Troop upon the return of the OC and SSM of Recce

 Squadron.  At that point the Squadron began training as a sub-unit to include VIP escort tasks where the Squadron was assigned to escort the now infamous “Gen Encinas”.  1 and 2 Troops then went into an OP screen while the newly formed 3 Troop conducted troop training.  Once the Squadron was complete, with 3 Troop having had a chance to shake out, Recce Squadron began battle procedure to for the Regimentally controlled training.  During the consolidation of this operation, the Brigade Commander, Col Tim Grant, and CO, LCol Jamie Cade, presented WO McGregor and Lt Johnson their promotions. 

OC Recce was tasked with a mission to screen an advance and then establish an OP screen.  We got off to a shaky start but soon worked out the kinks.  Movement was satisfactory and continued to improve as the exercise progressed.  The Squadron managed to accomplish the first mission on schedule despite continuous communications failures. The next mission saw us screening a withdrawal, which was as equally swift.  The next day 3 Troop concluded the exercise by conducting their Battle run while the rest of the Squadron prepared for the road move back to Edmonton.  Once 3 Troop finished its battle run, it was a quick coord and then the Squadron was on the road.  The road move was accomplished with no serious complications and Recce Squadron arrived in Edmonton ready to get on with preparations for the upcoming mission to Afghanistan.