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The Black Bag's line-up includes improvements such as new camouflage clothing, a larger patrol pack and upgraded body armour
IT WAS during the start of Op Telic in 2003 that British soldiers were first labelled “Borrowers”.
Deployed to Iraq, a country whose climate and terrain requires specialist equipment to overcome, personnel arrived in theatre before the supply chain could crank into gear, leaving them attired in a mixture of green and desert camouflage.
Concerned over the quality and appearance of other items of clothing, including all-important footwear, the troops began to look enviously at their international colleagues and it was not long before they were earning their cruel nickname by trading bits of kit.
But fast forward to today and the boots are most definitely on the other foot. Seven years of front-line experience have helped the Armed Forces learn valuable lessons about what soldiers do – and do not – need on operations and it is now other countries casting jealous glances at Britain.
Such a turnaround has only been possible thanks to Defence Equipment and Support’s Defence Clothing and Personal Combat Equipment Teams.
The joint-military and civilian set-up is on a non-stop mission to update and refine the clothing and gear that soldiers are given ahead of deployments.
The fruit of their labour – the Black Bag – speaks for itself.
The giant holdall, which is issued to all theatre-bound troops, contains a wardrobe’s-worth of clothing covering everything from underpants to combat shirts as well as useful everyday items including a multitool and a head torch.
And such is the quality of the kit, Defence Clothing Team Chief of Staff Lt Col Matthew Tresidder (RE) hopes it will put an end to soldiers parting with their own cash to kit themselves out for ops.
“The Black Bag came into being in 2003 when it was identified that troops going to Iraq needed additional items added to their standard kit,” he explained during an interview with Soldier at the team’s Bath headquarters.
“It has continued to evolve and is now very comprehensive. Of course soldiers will always want to personalise their kit and might think there is something better out there, but my advice is that before you spend your very-hard-earned money, have a look at what you actually get in the bag because you have much better things to spend your cash on.
“Soldiers simply shouldn’t need to buy their own kit and the day they feel that they don’t need to buy anything else is the day we will have achieved what we set out to do. I think we are 98 per cent there.”
The contents of the Black Bag – laid bare for you over the following pages – are worth a staggering £3,000. By comparison, new recruits receive £800 of kit when they join the Army.
Starting with essentials such as anti-microbial underwear and socks, the holdall’s innards contain complete sets of shorts, trousers, t-shirts and combat shirts as well as camouflage gear in the new multi-terrain pattern design.
The latest generation of Osprey body armour and combat helmet are also included, while the footwear options provide a perfect example of just how far the Army’s clothing has come.
Instead of the unpopular boots from Op Telic 1, soldiers now get to choose their preference of winter and summer boots from market-leading manufacturers Lowa and Meindl. Smaller footwear made specifically for women’s feet has been included and there are even sandals for use around camp.
And although the Defence Clothing and Personal Combat Equipment Teams are the ones who source the new gear, everything that finds its way into the bag only does so after being given the go-ahead by the soldiers who will be using it in battle.
Lt Col Tresidder explained that his team deploys to theatre every four-to-six months to talk to troops at forward operating bases about what kit works, what does not and what they would like to see added.
Further feedback from post-operational reports is also taken on board by those responsiblefor filling the Black Bag.
“You can guarantee a soldier will give you the benefit of their wisdom and we always doour best to listen,” the officer added. “It is them that have to fight with the kit and thankfully soldiers are very rarely shy in telling you what they think.
“We find that the views are almost always positive, but I don’t think that’s surprising when you consider where we have come from since 2003 – it’s phenomenal.
“Everything in that Black Bag has been trialled and approved by the Infantry Trials and Development Unit which is staffed by personnel just back from operations. They give us their opinion on whether kit is good and fit for purpose.
“All of this comes at a cost but there isn’t a budget – if something is needed then the money is there.
“The greatest compliment I have received was from a hardened corporal who described the bag as ‘a big warm hug from the Army’.”
The constantly-refreshed kit list for the Black Bag is devised with as much attention to form as function.
Many of the items – Lowa boots, Karrimor SF day sacks, Silva head torches and Blackhawk knee pads, for example – are designed and made by the commercial industry’s leading lights and have been included because they are the very best examples currently on offer.
Other gear, such as the Gerber multitool, is so advanced that it is not yet available commercially in this country.
It may not quite be haute couture, but the Black Bag’s contents represent the best of their type and Lt Col Tresidder hopes that will further reinforce the message that soldiers do not need to buy their own personal kit.
“I’m personally really pleased that we are giving guys top-of-the-range equipment – things like Lowa boots, you just don’t get any better than that,” he said. “The teams seek constant feedback from the front line to see what people need and what is working. That brought about the change in knee pads and the extra pouches for the body armour.
“We’re very conscious that soldiers need to look professional – they are there presenting an image to themselves, to the people they are working with and to the enemies they are up against.
“When you see a soldier on the front line in the new camouflage, the boots and the other kit they definitely do look the part.”
From being the butt of a lot of jokes on their arrival in Iraq in 2003, British soldiers can now stand tall knowing that their kit is just as good – and in most cases better – than their international counterparts.
Their skills and bravery may speak for themselves, but personnel can be assured
that they now have the wardrobe to match.
“This training replicates what it is like to work within centres of population and have civilians in the battlespace. It shows what conditions are like in theatre and is more complex and relevant to operations.”
The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards battlegroup was the first to experience the revamped training package and the soldiers faced a stern test of their capabilities in what proved to
be an intense exercise.
With the live firing completed, the troops tackled an array of serials that included IED drills, working with an indigenous police force, occupying forward operating bases, river crossings, patrolling in urban areas with local populations and neutralising insurgent forces.
Batus provided a convincing backdrop for these scenarios courtesy of its impressive infrastructure that features villages with facilities such as markets, mosques and police stations, all of which are manned by Afghan civilians to provide extra realism.
The change in approach was obvious to Lt Col Jonathan Biggart, CO of the Scots DG.
“The last time I was here was in 2002 as a Challenger 2 squadron leader,” he said.
“The initial part of this exercise was quite similar, certainly with the live firing, but the hybrid training in the TESEX phase has been completely different.
“It has been valuable training in testing and challenging terrain and I think my officers and soldiers will have learned a huge amount. I have no doubt that it will prepare them very well for the Afghan-specific training.”
With the expansive prairie creating infinite opportunities, the exercise allowed all elements of the visiting 7th Armoured Brigade to test their mettle.
A small handful of soldiers from 111 Provost Company took part in the training and were pleased to see their unique skills called into action.
“As Royal Military Police we came into play in the counter-insurgency phase with a mix of search, arrest and detention tasks, all of which went quite smoothly,” explained Lt Edward Ford.
“We have also done evidence handling. Some of the evidence we recovered stimulated another serial so we made a real impact, which was really good from our point of view.
“I have learned quite a lot. It could have been better but there were always going to be some teething problems at the start.
“I have been working with a small team which includes two new guys. They have performed well and it has been great to see them come out of their shells.”
The exercise also saw elements of the Royal Marines training on the prairie for the first time as part of their preparations for future operational deployments.
Cpl Graeme Murphy, of X-Ray Company, 45 Commando, said Canada had provided a valuable training opportunity and was pleased to see personnel responding well to the challenge.
“We have had lots of new guys joining and this was their first major exercise together,”
he added.
“I don’t think the Scots DG lads knew what to expect but we hit it off well from the start, the banter has flowed and everyone has got on well.
“There are a lot of young lads in the company and they have had the opportunity to mix with a civilian population.
“They have not seen anything like that before so it is a good stepping stone to our pre-deployment training.”
With the new-look Batus experience set to welcome thousands of troops in another busy season, early indications suggest that Exercise Prairie Thunder is meeting the demands of the Army in 2010.
“Batus has changed,” Lt Col Biggart said. “It now covers the whole spectrum of operations within a 24-day period.”
A Mag 58 fire support weapon fires a trace round at a target during a 1st Brigade fire demonstration at Shoalwater Bay training are on Exercise Predator's Strike.
On Monday 18th June 2012 the Australian Army’s 1st Brigade had a rare opportunity to demonstrate the Brigade’s capabilities to the Brigades soldiers deployed on Exercise PREDATOR’S STRIKE at the Brigade Firepower display. 5th Battalion (Mechanised) the Royal Australian Regiment, 2nd Cavalry Regiment and 1st Armoured Regiment displayed capabilities from a 7.72 and 50 Cal bolt action sniper rifle, through to the MAG-58 Machine Gun, Javelin man portable anti tank missile, up to the Australian Light Armoured Vehicle (ASLAV-25) and the M1AI Abrams tank.
Deep Caption: Exercise PREDATOR’S STRIKE, held from the 11th to the 19th of June 2012 at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area in Queensland, is the final brigade level exercise for the Darwin based 1st Brigade, prior to Exercise Hamel 12.
The exercise provided an opportunity for 1st Brigade Battlegroups to focus on Combat Team level combined arms integration around a series of demanding force on force and live fire activities, testing all aspects of fighting against a near peer enemy in a complex environment.
The exercise marked the first night operations conducted by the new Army Reconnaissance Helicopter or ARH Tiger.
1st Brigade will changeover to Exercise Hamel 12 where they will achieve certification to Army Training Level/S 7, ready to commence operations.
Photography by: Leading Seaman Andrew Dakin, 1st Joint Public Affairs Unit.
Bangladesh Army Soldiers during foot and vehicle mounted patrols while Peacekeeping operations serving with UNAMID, Darfur Africa
British Army Commandos, 59 Commando Squadron, 24 Commando Engineer Regiment, discuss methods of
entry and room clearing during Integrated Training Exercise 1-20 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center (MCAGCC), Twentynine Palms, Calif. Oct. 20, 2019. The Commandos took advantage of training areas at MCAGCC while preparing to participate in the Marine Air Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise as an adversary force in early November. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cedar M. Barnes)
Georgian soldiers of Alpha Company, 12th Light Infantry Battalion conduct building clearing operations during exercise Combined Resolve II at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, May 29, 2014. Combined Resolve II is a multinational decisive action training environment exercise occurring at the Joint Multinational Training Command’s Hohenfels and Grafenwoehr Training Areas that involves more than 4,000 participants from 15 partner nations. The intent of the exercise is to train and prepare a U.S. led multinational brigade to interoperate with multiple partner nations and execute unified land operations against a complex threat while improving the combat readiness of all participants. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. John Cress Jr./Released)
Acrylic marker and ink on paper 21" x 18" February 7, 2023.https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Drawing-The-English-Army-Burning-Enemy-Encampment-at-Threekingham/292357/10132007/view
Private Joshua Hill from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, advances up a beachfront during an early morning patrol insertion at the Cowley Beach Training Area, North Queensland.
The 2nd Battalion (Amphibious), The Royal Australian Regiment is the Australian Army’s specialised amphibious unit that is responsible for conducting pre-landing force actions in support of the Australian Amphibious Force and coalition partners.
Photo: CPL Tristan Kennedy
The 2016 Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo - an annual event combining military spectacle, cultural performance, vibrant music and international colour, set on the esplanade of Edinburgh Castle.
VARPALOTA TRAINING AREA, Hungary - A Soldier from the 11th Royal Netherlands Army Maneuver Brigade conducting a dismounted patrol scans for the opposing forces during Exercise Saker Falcon 2014 here, April 2. Saker Falcon is a multinational training exercise involving roughly 200 Soldiers from U.S. Army Europe's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, two Dutch Air Assault battalions, and Hungarian military forces. The objectives of the training include enhancing joint combined interoperability with allied and partner nations and preparing participants to operate in a joint, multinational, integrated environment with support from Hungarian governmental agencies. Saker Falcon, underway from April 3 through April 17, reinforces U.S. Army Europe's strategic objectives to increase regional flexibility, preserve and enhance NATO interoperability, and facilitate multinational training. (U.S. Army Europe photo by Spc. Joshua Leonard)
A U.S. Army National Guard Soldier with Task Force Spartan, U.S. Army Central shares photos he’s taken with Afghan evacuees during the arrival process at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Aug. 25, 2021. USARCENT Soldiers from all components are supporting Afghanistan evacuation efforts in a variety of ways to include capturing photos of the many moments of care and compassion. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Katelynn Bissell)
For the identification of this gun/location, I based myself on a very similar card that you can see in comments.
Dünamünde is German for Daugavgrīva, a neighbourhood in North West Riga, Latvia on the left bank of Daugava river. On the left bank, controlling the estuary, fortifications had been in place since 1641, built by the Swedish. It was of course often altered throughout time. In 1893, under Russian control, the fortress was renamed "Ust-Dvinsk" and it was completely rebuild and prior to 1914.
I believe that these fortifications might be part of the Ust-Dvinsk fortress. During the war Ust-Dvinsk was bombarded by the Schütte-Lanz Airship SL 7 of the German Army. After the fortress was taken by Imperial Germany, it was inspected by Emperor Wilhelm II in 1917. Also interesting, is that the Germans had a Airship base with large hangars in Riga, which can still be seen today and are used as a market.
Circa 1944... Here I am at Ridgeview, the married housing quarters, Freeman Field, Seymour, Indiana. Freeman Field was an Army Air Force base established in 1942 as a pilot training airfield.
Note the "Ice" sign in the window, used to tell the iceman how much ice to deliver for the ice box.
In 1942, the federal government decided to build an Army base near Seymour to train military pilots in single-engine aircraft and helicopters.
In addition to the military personnel to be stationed at the base, it was estimated that about 1,250 civilians would be needed for the construction of the base and permanent jobs on the base after its completion.
Seymour had a population of 7,500, but only six empty houses were there in 1942. The business association in Seymour identified the availability of about 1,000 rooms in private homes. However, many of the rooms were in homes without modern conveniences.
A decision was made to build a housing project with 350 units near Freeman Field. The apartments would be for civilians and married military personnel up to the rank of captain. The project was named Ridgeview.
The base and housing were completed in 1943. A total of 4,000 pilots received their wings before the base was considered surplus in 1945.
U.S. Army Soldiers Spc. Clinton Kent (right) and Pfc. Daniel Foote (left) of 2nd Platoon Apache Troop 1/75th Cavalry Battalion, 2nd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) use high ground to overlook Parwan province, Afghanistan, for possible threats.
Private Seijin Chung from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, during amphibious raid training at the Cowley Beach Training Area, North Queensland.
The 2nd Battalion (Amphibious), The Royal Australian Regiment is the Australian Army’s specialised amphibious unit that is responsible for conducting pre-landing force actions in support of the Australian Amphibious Force and coalition partners.
Photo: CPL Tristan Kennedy
A Luxembourg Army soldier stands guard next to a armored infantry mobility vehicle during exercise Saber Junction 15 at the U.S. Army’s Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, April 23, 2015. Saber Junction 15 prepares NATO and partner nation forces for offensive, defensive, and stability operations and promotes interoperability among participants. Saber Junction 15 has more than 4,700 participants from 17 countries, to include: Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Sweden, Turkey and the U.S. (U.S. Army photo by Visual Information Specialist Markus Rauchenberger/Released)
:P ive been meaning to do this for a very very long time but never got round to it. the lighting is a bit of & i need a blue collar dress shirt with a suit..... hummm, maybe monochrome would fix it? Oh & yea my bleeding hand is a distraction. :(
The Australian Army soldier combat ensemble’s dismounted field pack in the new Australian multicam camouflage uniform pattern will be issued to artillery gunners, combat engineers and infantry soldiers. The ensemble will be rolled out to 1st Brigade at Robertson Barracks in Darwin, May 2015.
The Australian Army’s new soldier combat ensemble, an essential component of the Plan Beersheba modernisation program, will roll out to 1st Brigade in Darwin in May 2015. Gear includes the new Australian multicam camouflage uniform designed in response to 13 years of continuous operations and observations of Army uniforms in harsh environments, and development and testing equipment in the field. The ensemble also includes new body armour, pouches and field packs.
The 1st Brigade, based at Robertson Barracks in Darwin, is one of three Australian Army combat brigades. Under the Australian Army’s modernisation program, Plan Beersheba, the 1st Brigade will consist of a headquarters, an armoured cavalry regiment, two standard infantry battalions, an artillery regiment, a combat engineer regiment, a combat service support battalion and a combat signals regiment. The brigade is at the forefront of Australia’s operational commitments around the world with recent deployments to Timor-Leste, Afghanistan and Iraq.
21,000 sets of equipment will be delivered across the Australian Defence Force. In addition to Australian Army soldiers, Royal Australian Air Force airfield defence guards and Royal Australian Navy boarding parties and clearance divers will be issued the new gear.
A U.S. Army Paratrooper assigned to 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, uses his spotter scope to see the impact of his snipers bullet during sniper training as part of Exercise Eagle Sokol at Pocek Range in Slovenia, Mar. 25, 2019. Exercise Eagle Sokol is a bilateral training exercise with the Slovenian Armed Forces focused on the rapid deployment and assembly of forces and team cohesion with weapon systems tactics and procedures. Exercises such as this build a foundation of teamwork and readiness between allied NATO countries. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army Contingency Response Force in Europe, capable of projecting ready forces anywhere in the U.S. European, Africa or Central Commands' areas of responsibility. (U.S. Army Photos by Paolo Bovo)
Polish Army Soldiers from the 6 Batalion Dowodzenia Krakow, during a mission readiness training exercise for a future deployment to Kosovo.
Photos: 6 Batalion Dowodzenia Krakow
A U.S. Army Soldier with the 1/18th Battalion provides security during an exercise with pararescuemen at Grand Bara Range, Jan. 12, 2013. Airmen from the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron (ERQS), 82nd ERQS and Soldiers with the 1/18th Battalion conducted joint training to maintain proficiency in advanced parachuting, rapid vehicle movement, infiltration and exflitration, while the 1/18th Battalion Soldiers enhanced their skills in aircraft security measures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Erik Cardenas/Released)
Turkish Army soldiers during follow up operations after two sergeants were killed and a soldier was injured after a military vehicle passed over a PKK mine trap in the rural area of Hakkari province - The mine explosion took place in Kirikdag area of rural Hakkari in southeastern Turkey on Monday morning. Two specialist sergeants were killed and a soldier was injured after a military vehicle of Zap Army Post passed over a previously laid mine - The vehicle fell to the River Zap with the impact of the explosion, and left 2 specialist sergeants dead and another soldier injured.
The PKK attack was announced with a press release from the Hakkari Governorship shortly after the incident.
1940's era buildings used for building munitions for the military. Seen in the Savanna Army Depot, near Savanna, Illinois. Just a few of the numerous warehouse buildings, most connected by rail, in this (mostly) abandoned facility. A number of these buildings are being used by commercial enterprises for storage.
Savanna Army Depot was a 13,062-acre (52.86 km2) installation, located on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, in Carroll and Jo Daviess counties, around seven miles (11 km) north of Savanna, Illinois. It was opened in 1917 as a proving and testing facility for weapons developed at Rock Island Arsenal. In 1921 it became a weapons depot. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed the depot as a Superfund site in 1989.[1] The depot was selected for closure through the Base Realignment and Closure process in July 1995 and was officially closed on March 18, 2000. The Jo-Carroll Local Redevelopment Authority (LRA) was established to redevelop a portion of the property for commercial and business usage referred to as the Savanna Depot Park. On September 26, 2003, the United States Department of Defense agreed to transfer 9,404 acres (38.06 km2) of land to become the Lost Mound Unit of the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. 3,022 acres (12.23 km2) were initially transferred with the rest to be transferred following environmental cleanup. The portion near Lock and Dam No. 12 was transferred to the United States Army Corps of Engineers and a small part to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.