Exercise Spring Fever II
Spring 1978
Thetford - Norfolk

Worried by the intellectual polish of my Pln, I decided for our annual Pln weekend to go up to the wilds of Thetford Training Area and engage the Cam- bridge University OTC in mortal combat.

I don't know how much our intellects were "bulled" with contact with such brainpower in the shape of enemy, but I certainly feel we all learned some military lessons, especially the use of infantry against AFV's, which is without doubt the most important thing that any NATO bound troops can learn.  The reason for the success of the week-end was in large part due to the labours of Captain Scott-Barrett, Scots Guards who, as Adjutant of the OTC, was very much the guiding hand over the operations.

The week-end was divided into several phases of flexible attack, heli-borne operations and rapid defensive reaction to superior enemy strength.

The fun of the weekend was due mainly to the mobility of operations; acting with stripped down vehicles, ground could be covered with enviable speed and it certainly taught most of us how much quicker reactions have to be when not merely relying on the normal pedestrian rate of advance. The arrival of helicopters gave us a chance to practise flight drills - especially deplaning drills (where the Pln Commander showed enviable powers of leadership by stressing the importance of a speedy exit) and a heli-borne attack, which was judged by the DS as having succeeded.

Our final set piece battle in the West Tofts village showed what a properly staged defence can achieve: though we did have the advantage of L/Cpl Skilling and his porridge gun, not to mention MacPherson's hedge hopping Schermuly.

The final miracle of the weekend was L/Cpl Thoirs who managed to make a cold meal hot without the use of flame (could it be something to do with a certain amount of Vindaloo paste?)

All in all - a good time was had by most of us - and the Colonel of the OTC later wrote to thank us in glowing terms -and thus a job well done as well.