Over the past week, the Roulement Infantry Company (RIC), currently the Coldstream Guards, stationed at Mount Pleasant Complex, have been carrying out a military exercise named Cape Bayonet.

The exercise, which concluded on Onion Range at Mount Pleasant, was the culmination of three months worth of training. It saw the RIC cover long distances over the challenging terrain of East Falkland, with support both from the Royal Air Force and the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF).

On the final day of the exercise, the RIC conducted a diverse range of drills and challenges aiming to strengthen the company’s ability at every level and rank. These included CBRN (Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear) defence and vehicle checkpoints.

Not only did these drills test the lateral thinking of the RIC, they also have real-world application – these drills prepare the Coldstream guards for Operation Temperer, a government plan to put the battalion at readiness in the case of public disorder or terrorist attacks, in support or in place of police officers.