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00:00If we go to war, are you the guys that are going?
00:07Yeah. Yeah. FaceTime, you want them out there, right?
00:15Fuck off! Stop this!
00:23We're living in an unstable world, and tensions are high.
00:27There's huge consequences, right? If I get that wrong, it would live with me forever.
00:34The threat of conflict feels very real right now, and it could affect us all.
00:42I pride myself on having a good mental resilient attitude where nothing's too hard.
00:49These are the Scots, the Royal Regiment of Scotland and Britain's most deployed infantry.
00:55And they're getting ready to fight whatever battles might lie ahead.
01:00As one battalion trains in Eastern Europe to defend our NATO allies,
01:05another one is moving to the Med, ready to react to conflict if needed.
01:10It can get very violent, and things can escalate pretty quickly.
01:17Is that another miss?
01:18Back home, ceremonial troops prepare to guard the King.
01:22But behind the pageantry, they need to be battle-ready too.
01:26It's frantic, it's frenzy, it's ferocious.
01:28Let's go! Let's go!
01:30But for the troops, it's just another day at the office.
01:34And you're in the early days at the receptionist.
01:37I see that's been a bit more, right?
01:38And you're very close.
01:39You're not even safe to guard the Bulma, right?
01:41You're speaking to one of reasons for artillery equipment.
01:43You're not good at all.
01:45It's the most long, right?
01:49Well, you're not good at all.
01:50You're not too well at all.
01:52It's the most LC Luciano.
01:54The most famous Ouchie and all these different trains just for sure.
01:56Now, let's go.
01:57I needed army, I needed army for the discipline and the routine, because if I don't have it,
02:08I'll go nuts. I lived in the pads, like I grew up, I was a bad brat. I bounced about
02:17a lot when I was younger, I was wild. My grand was in, my dad was in. I like it, I like
02:24a bit of chaos, you like, being out, seeing new things and that. I need to be doing something different all the time.
02:29Hello!
02:33Happen? What's happening bro?
02:35What are you? Fucking parking, son!
02:38I'm just a jock. Most of this thing is just.
02:41I'm not just a jock, I'm a jock. A few of the leaders, I'm not a name for a few of those a jock.
02:45Like? A private, essentially, if you ask your proper rank.
02:48Scottish? A jock is a jock, right? English battalions wouldn't call their privates jocks,
02:53they would just call them, like, peasants or something, I don't know. I don't know what they call them in English.
02:58But they'd just basically make the army go around. They'd do all the work.
03:01Like, if it wasn't for the jocks, like, the jobs wouldn't get done.
03:10I'm very proud to be a major in the British Army.
03:12I joined at the age of 16 and I'm still serving as a late entry officer based in the regimental headquarters.
03:19But deep down, I am a jock.
03:21Jocks are unique because we have a fierce fighting history, very thought-after regiment.
03:27The regiment has deployed to almost every operation the British Army has been involved with.
03:33And soon, they'll be training for the latest threat, just a few miles from the Russian border.
03:39That's one bag packed mate.
03:41I'm proud to be part of two Scots.
03:45Because we're always deployed, we always have to be on top of everything that makes you deployable.
03:49The battalion has to be current and competent with the relevant skills and qualifications.
03:57Scots are always deployed early. They're seen as one of the best infantry forces in the British Army.
04:01The threat we face today is ever increasing. Our training every day is training for war.
04:13In just 24 hours, they've expanded their area of operations, getting vehicles and men on the ground to fit this new fighting environment.
04:21We need to remain current at all times so that if we're called to go forward on operations, we are trained, we are briefed and we are ready to fight.
04:35For Maka and his battalion, that fight will come in the form of an intense two-week training exercise in Estonia.
04:42And its name, Exercise Hedgehog.
04:46Hedgehog is effectively to get the green light so that we can go there and occupy our positions if Russia start to encroach further into Europe.
04:56Britain's part of NATO. A military alliance between 32 nations.
05:02An attack on any one member is an attack on all.
05:05Each army relies on the others and they all need to be the best they can be.
05:12And that's what this training is all about.
05:16I was always basically assuring NATO that we can move over there by sea, train, bus, plane and we can get over there within 25 days, get us set in positions to pre-empt an attack.
05:28It basically puts our battalion in a very high light with NATO. It also puts the British Army in a very high light with NATO.
05:32Hopefully it shows the local population as well that their army is ready to go out and do their job.
05:47Hi mate, it's Shep here from Two Scots. How are you getting on?
05:54Hedgehog is part of the Eastern European Defence Plan.
05:57So effectively what Eastern Europe and NATO allies would do if Russia was to attack.
06:05So the first kind of part is the deployment phase.
06:10The weapons will go the one that Brady's got there now.
06:13We're going to get four different trains going from London all the way to Estonia.
06:17Exercise Hedgehog is a huge operation. Over 17,000 troops from 12 partner nations. The training we conduct is more than just training.
06:32So if you're ready, just get your kit on.
06:35We do everything we can to ensure that we achieve the highest standards.
06:37You're going to need to go.
06:41I'm Stuart McGregor.
06:46Exercise Hedgehog, it's a rehearsal to make sure that we can get to Estonia in good order.
06:51Just in case anything happens on the border and we need to react, we know that we can get there in good time with the correct kit and equipment.
07:00But the regiment also wants to test something else.
07:04If war looked likely, could they get all the way to the other side of Europe without the Russians knowing?
07:10Have you been told to put your stuff on this one, mate, have you?
07:16I think it's just the assurance piece for the MOD, and ourselves really, that we can actually do it.
07:23Part of my job is logistics, so moving the guys from here to Estonia.
07:29The kit will go on to one.
07:31Weapon bond will go on to the other.
07:34The timings are critical when we get to London, as you know.
07:37Happy enough? Yeah.
07:39So there's a lot of carnage involved.
07:41Their own luggage.
07:43And they have weapons with them.
07:45Not only are they going out on exercise hedgehog, they're also leaving their families.
07:51They don't need the stress of, oh, MacGregor's not done this, or MacGregor's not done that.
07:55So actually the pressure that I've got to make sure that the transport's going to be there.
07:59You keep a hold of that in there? Yeah.
08:01They've got the right kit, the right equipment, and it's leaving at the right time.
08:06Your weapon's staying on there, Phil?
08:08No, we're going to put the weapons on the bus, I think.
08:09Right, so, three day.
08:11And obviously when we get to each station, we've got to move all of our stuff from one train to the next.
08:15There's about 450 people on the train, so it's like 900 bags and maybe 150 weapon bundles.
08:23The weapon bundles will be transported like any other kit, but the jocks will need to keep a close eye on them as they travel.
08:32Happy enough with that, all right.
08:33Everybody's getting tested, and that's from the individual all the way up through platoon, company, battle group, four brigade.
08:43Yeah, 15, 20 minutes. That'll be as good.
08:46We'll just go through this really quick, a quick brief for the train and for the bus journey down.
08:51If you could just do one final documents check, ensure that everybody has got their passport and their NATO travel order, please.
08:56The PED policy is amber, so before the buses go in, ensure that your phones, the SIM cards are taken out, that you're on aeroplane mode and that your VPN is activated.
09:08When the troops get on the bus, they're PED amber, and then when we get into Estonia, a little bit closer to the border, they're PED red.
09:15What that essentially means is any electronic items they've got on them, there's certain restrictions when they're PED amber, but when they become PED red, absolutely there is no PEDs allowed.
09:24So like no phones, no laptops are allowed to be turned on, just so the Russians don't identify us.
09:29Even though this is a training exercise, 17,000 NATO troops so close to the Russian border is a huge real-life security risk.
09:42Any questions for me?
09:46Mega. Let's go and travel for many days.
09:50Look at this!
09:51The Scots may not be the largest regiment in the British Army, but they are the Senior Line Infantry, which means they're prestigious, due to their long term.
10:19history of service.
10:23Scots are made up of four regular units and two reserve units.
10:30That makes up a total number of around 3,000 people.
10:35Those 3,000 soldiers are from all over the Commonwealth, and not all are based in Scotland.
10:41Cateric is the British Army's largest base, and here the troops are also getting ready to leave.
10:51They're on their way to the British Army's 150-year-old base in Cyprus.
10:56They will become one of the resident infantry battalions, living in the base and ready if military action is needed across the volatile Middle East and North Africa.
11:08Me being part of the Army makes you feel proud.
11:20Sweet'n it, Eddie?
11:22Aye, sweet'n it, aye.
11:23It's days when you're in the celt and you're number twos that you're stood there with your chest out and you grow three inch.
11:29So I'm W02, Scott Pugh.
11:35The struggle is real in here, by the way.
11:38With what?
11:40Can I get the sweetener out?
11:42Sweet'n it, Turkish.
11:43Sweet'n it.
11:46Sitting in the Mediterranean, in easy reach of trouble spots, Cyprus is a strategic base to support UK operations.
11:54Troops live out there on a two-year rotation.
11:57When one tour ends, another British Army battalion immediately takes its place.
12:07Why am I cc'd in that?
12:09Everybody wants me.
12:10Hello, Jason.
12:13Well, lucky for you, mate. I am up to my knees in cowpacks.
12:22It's a family regiment.
12:24We're proud people.
12:25We've got that ethos.
12:28I love our heritage.
12:30Don't want to go to any other regiment, do you?
12:32There's that many spinning plates to now, it's unreal.
12:35Spinning all the plates and I feel like a clown because my smile's painted on.
12:39So we are moving to Cyprus and we are going to become the regional support battalion.
12:46How many bucks have you got, mate?
12:48Which just means that we're held at a higher readiness, ready to react to any orders.
12:56I'm the regimental quartermaster.
13:01That's all we need to write in there.
13:03It comes with a wee bit more responsibility.
13:05Pew's mission is to pack up the entire barracks because tradition dictates they take everything from the cutlery to the paintings on the walls.
13:17All this gets shipped to Cyprus along with all the troops' personal items.
13:21What do you want us, mate?
13:23I'm fucking on loans, mate.
13:25Fuck flat out.
13:27We're waiting for that to be picked up outside.
13:30Dane, man, nothing.
13:32What's the value of both boxes?
13:35For insurance purposes, what is the value of both boxes?
13:38Right, so how much?
13:40Do you value your life?
13:42Let's say it's about 450 pounds.
13:45Is that how much your life's worth, mate?
13:46So, no, but they estimate it's 500 pounds, mate, just in case anything goes tits up.
13:52Everybody jokes and has a laugh and goes,
13:55oh, yes, ma'am, we're going to the beach.
13:56We're just going to party, doing Naya Napa and drink pina coladas.
14:00What's the value of that box, mate?
14:02Three grand, because I think your initial issue in training is three grand.
14:05Three grand?
14:07What have you put?
14:09However, the reality will soon hit in.
14:16I'm sure they'll make the most of it.
14:17I don't think it's going to be a 24-7 beach holiday, that's for sure.
14:29The army has organised chaos.
14:32What have you done, mate? Enjoy.
14:39I'm taking your dug and all.
14:41There's this perception that every job role that you go into, there's a structure and this is how things are done.
14:47But I think people underestimate the other elements that's involved in the army.
14:53I fucking hate these straps, man.
14:55Take the unit move.
14:56It's not just as easy as, right, box, pack your kit, put it in, close the doors and that's going to go to your boat.
15:03Right, so wait, wait, wait, wait. No, no, stop, stop, stop, stop.
15:05There's so much more behind the scenes that a lot of people don't see.
15:11Fuck my point.
15:14Tell me it's not in that, is it?
15:17Yeah, get that, undone.
15:19You'll see you in Cyprus, my man.
15:20We've got a certain amount of kit that we actually need to take with us.
15:24I hope it starts fricking in there, by the way, because I'm not taking it out.
15:27It's somewhere, because I've just got a message.
15:32The containers will be shipped out.
15:34It's in my eyes eyes, man.
15:36But their journey to Cyprus will take at least two months.
15:42Fuck.
15:51Fuck, it's not in the rear.
15:53So, they need to make sure that when they get on island, if we had to be called upon, they've got the correct kit to deploy with.
16:03There's no use for it being in the ISO.
16:06The one that's shut now?
16:07It's just connected. It's up here somewhere.
16:11It's in this ISO, I'm telling you.
16:12I bet it's in your pocket.
16:13Okay.
16:20You got it?
16:21You're a fanny.
16:22I never put it there.
16:24I never put it there.
16:26I never put it there.
16:30A move of this scale, with this complexity, there's definitely pressure on all ranks.
16:36You ask for something to happen, and everybody thinks they're busy, and too busy to do this.
16:42Throughout the planning process, we need to take into consideration anything that could go wrong.
16:47So, we always plan against the worst, and hope for the best.
16:56Meanwhile, the troops on Exercise Hedgehog are making their way to London.
17:01If you can see what Russia's done in Ukraine, you know, the next move, I think, for Russia would be to invade into the Baltics.
17:13And Estonia is right on that front line.
17:15So, they're a NATO ally.
17:17We're there to protect them.
17:19It's a real-life thing.
17:21We've got to make sure that, you know, all of those soldiers get from one end to the other safely.
17:25Right now, we're getting all of the weapons and bags, the guys getting those unloaded to get onto the train.
17:50This is the Eurostar we're going to take down to Brussels.
17:57We've definitely got the weapons, we've definitely got all the bags.
18:02I think they're just kind of itching to get on with it now, at this point, I think.
18:05That's an escalator.
18:16Come right, pal, you're going to go down there.
18:18Going on the train, just follow the crowd.
18:20You're going to go forward.
18:22OK, OK.
18:26Two Scots has always been ready for operations.
18:27Any task that's been given to us, you know, we have a massive operational history, been involved in pretty much every conflict that has happened in the last three, four hundred years.
18:37Le France.
18:39So, I don't think it's new to us to tackle what's in front of us.
18:42And if that were to happen, you know, if the worst were to happen and we were to be deployed to a war footing, you know, we do what we've done every single time, which is do it.
18:51Get it done. Get the job done.
18:53Oh, there's a castle and I'm missing it.
18:55It's a house, mate.
18:56It's a castle, mate.
18:57It's a gaff.
18:58It's a castle.
18:59It's a gaff, mate.
19:00It's a gaff.
19:01It's a gaff.
19:04I've used you there, Bryson, and in the past ten minutes we've just been moving our kit from one train to another as we're getting ready to leave Brussels and head to Ireland.
19:12You're just staring at a window going across, acting like it was, but aye, it's a good laugh.
19:17I'll wear ball.
19:19Oh, look, you was naked.
19:20Oh, I am.
19:21It was a GoPro.
19:27These are what we've been eating on the journey.
19:28The finest.
19:29There are a lot of pranks that happen.
19:38Pranks get punished.
19:41I fucking hate pranks.
19:42No, that was a good laugh, mate.
19:45Why have you got such different attitude to pranks?
19:46Because he, no.
19:47Because I'm a fucking child.
19:48Nah, I'm a 25 year old man boy.
19:51I'm looking forward to sleep.
19:52Yeah, yeah.
19:53He's promised top and toe.
19:54Fucking delete that.
19:55It's a historic journey going back in time.
20:11The great thing about not having phones is it becomes very human.
20:16You know, everyone's playing cards or hanging out the windows and looking at the world going back, but like it was genuinely, you know, it was something out of time and it just lasted forever.
20:29Yeah.
20:33Latvia is looking good.
20:34Fuck no, yeah.
20:35We are on the fourth train and I think, judging by the flags, which we don't have our phones on, we're now in Latvia, which means that we have done Scotland, England, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
20:59I don't think I ever really thought about joining the military until almost the time where I decided to join the military.
21:09I left university and then, I don't know, sort of one day I thought, I think I need a little bit more.
21:20One of the greatest privileges of my life has been to command jocks, to command Scottish soldiers.
21:26They are mega.
21:27Trucks always get it done, always get it done and that's why I love it.
21:42After three days travelling, the troops have reached Estonia and are now kitted up and set for their challenge to begin.
21:49For the next two weeks, they'll be testing their fighting skills against other NATO nations to prove that they are ready for war.
21:56Back in Scotland, the troops are in the process of spring drills, bridged inspections to make sure their standard is up to scratch and that they are ready to become the Royal Guard, providing security for the King when he visits Scotland.
22:15One, two, three, take my hand and come with me because you look so fine that I really want to make you mine.
22:32Our year has broken down into two phases, so we have a green phase during the beginning of the year.
22:38So we've got to get ready and fit to deploy with the rest of the common army and that takes place over about five or six exercises with a confirmation exercise at the end of it, which for us was Lithuania this year.
22:48And then coming now into sort of coming back into ceremonial kind of season, so we've taken back up all the parades.
22:55The main one of which being Balmoral, going up to Balata and doing the King's parades.
23:01Yeah, so the King goes up to Balmoral for his holidays, so we are basically up there to provide security.
23:07Balmoral Castle near Balata has long been associated with the Royal Family.
23:12Kings and Queens have spent summers there for almost two centuries now, and it's the jocks' job to keep them safe while they're there.
23:24We've got the whole inspection and the drill test tomorrow, so there won't be PET.
23:29Spring drills is like a drill package or a marching package that it would do.
23:33It's like a prep for going up to Balata, so making sure our drill's up to standard.
23:37It's imperative that the soldiers maintain the highest standard possible.
23:46Getting their drill and kit perfect isn't just about looking good.
23:50It's about making the jocks aware of the discipline and teamwork they'd need in a war zone,
23:55when attention to detail could be a matter of life or death.
23:59Down!
24:01Down!
24:02Down!
24:03Down!
24:04Down!
24:05Down!
24:06Down!
24:07Yeah!
24:08The first day our spring drills will be getting the rifles and the Sergeant Major will be taking us through the sequence.
24:11Three!
24:12Two!
24:13Three!
24:14Three!
24:15Eight!
24:16Eight!
24:17Eight!
24:18Eight!
24:19Eight!
24:20Eight!
24:21So it's a lot of just making sure that everyone who's had their gear packed away for the last six months
24:26now brought everything up to the right standard, up-to-date with timings,
24:29and just making sure that the company's kind of in unison leading up to those inspections.
24:35Probably the hardest part of the drill package is getting everyone in sync.
24:38It takes a lot more time.
24:40I'm not particularly great at drills.
24:42It's one of those things you're either good at or you're not.
24:45It's quite funny also to watch people mess up.
24:47It makes it a bit of a lighter mood as well.
24:49Ah!
24:50Oh, fucking hell.
24:51I'll be alright on the night.
24:52Everyone wants to do well on the inspections.
24:56Fucking hell.
24:57Around the second week, you know, before the inspections, still making those mistakes,
25:04and the chain of command's attitude towards you would become a little bit more hostile.
25:09Fucking calm yourselves.
25:11Think about your personal drill a lot of you.
25:13Some of you are still flicking your toes up.
25:15Arms pinned in when you're holding the weapon.
25:18Raising the chins.
25:19Minor points to work on will take us from being above average,
25:22and then what we want is to be exceptional.
25:24Alright, so just keep up that level of effort.
25:26I'll show you lunch.
25:36Almost 200 miles away in the North Yorkshire countryside,
25:40the Scots need to maintain their training ahead of the deployment to Cyprus.
25:4475.
25:45Scots have a reputation for being skilled marksmen,
25:48and today they're being assessed as part of their annual combat marksmanship test.
25:53Cheers, mate.
25:55It's a yearly test to make sure that shooting is on point.
26:01Right, well, back a wee touch.
26:02Right, Mocha.
26:03There's a brew on the line.
26:04Alright, let's have it, flat white.
26:05Roger.
26:06Fleetwood, you've got a line to four quid.
26:07Front bushing down.
26:08Diss energy.
26:09Ready?
26:10Diss energy.
26:11Ready?
26:12On your own time.
26:13First one down, sir.
26:14Aye, me team.
26:15Okay.
26:16Oh, alright.
26:17The ACMT keeps you in date for safety.
26:19Fire at different ranges.
26:20The troops are assessed on their ability to fire weapons at targets from various distances
26:27and from different positions.
26:28Get up the boy.
26:29I'll be still slow off the trigger, boy.
26:30Long as they're doing something.
26:31No, no, no.
26:32No, no, no.
26:33No, no, no.
26:34No, no.
26:35No, no, no.
26:36No.
26:37No, no, no.
26:38No, no, no.
26:39No, no.
26:40No, no.
26:41No, no, no.
26:42No, no, no.
26:43No, no.
26:44The troops are assessed on their ability to fire weapons at targets from various distances
26:49and from different positions.
26:51Get up the boy.
26:53I'll be still slow off the trigger, boy.
26:56Long as they're done, sir.
26:59All pass.
27:00Yes.
27:01Well done.
27:02All of you have passed practice two.
27:04We're going to move on to practice three.
27:07Throughout the test, the troops need to hit a minimum number of targets to pass and prove
27:12their skills.
27:14Practice in different firing positions, and that's obviously because you never know what
27:18environment you're going to be in.
27:21This is uncomfortable as fuck.
27:24Oh, you're cupping the edge, man.
27:25I'm hitting dead center.
27:26It just allows the soldiers to meet the standards required.
27:31Ah, you missed that there.
27:33Everybody always pushes themselves.
27:34Is that another miss?
27:35Because you want to be getting marksmen for bragging rights to all your mates, so…
27:36I'm not going to lie, sir.
27:37I feel like I've got that in the bag there.
27:38I don't think we do it, mate.
27:39Yes, can we give us a score for laying nine and ten at 300m, please?
27:40Lay nine, nine, nine, nine, ten, eight.
27:43Oh, what was that?
27:44You got to get a score for laying nine and ten at 300m.
27:45Oh, you're cupping the edge, man.
27:46I'm hitting dead center.
27:47It just allows the soldiers to meet the standards required.
27:48Ah, you missed that there?
27:49Everybody always pushes themselves.
27:51Is that another miss?
27:52Because you want to be getting marksmen for bragging rights to all your mates, so…
27:57I'm not going to lie, sir.
27:58I feel like I've got that in the bag there.
27:59I don't think we do it, mate.
28:00Yes, can we give us a score for laying nine and ten at 300m, please?
28:05Lay nine is mine.
28:06Lay ten, eight.
28:07What was the rule of the final shooting for?
28:11The overall shooting for nine and ten.
28:14The young boys coming through, they're getting quicker.
28:16They're getting sharper.
28:17Ultimately, you're getting old.
28:20That's the bottom line.
28:21They're going to get better.
28:23Give me the overall score for laying nine and ten.
28:25Who got the highest, Matt?
28:26Who got the highest one at the competition?
28:30Highest score is laying ten for the whole lane simply.
28:34Well done.
28:35But it's always good that when you're beating them, you can just rub it in their face.
28:39Like, listen, I'm an old guy and you're like 18-year-old, so get a grip and run faster.
28:44The Scots have reached Estonia and have pitched up less than 20 miles from the Russian border, near a town called Verru.
29:03Now they'll be assessed on a number of tasks.
29:07But the first is called digging in, where they'll dig a trench system to live in and fight from.
29:12This is a large-scale war game where we're exercising our capability.
29:21Our partner in nations will play the enemy forces.
29:24From now until the battle training ends, the troops will fight using blank ammunition and NATO referees will assess everything, from their teamwork to their mental resilience.
29:37What we're using for the war game, we've got a command's execution checklist and contingency plans.
29:52Friendly forces marked with blue counters, enemy forces with red.
29:56During the digging in phase, Major Shepard is positioned in the fire support HQ, and his role is to plan our strategic defences.
30:04That plan needs to be made out before the enemy arrive.
30:07So, friendly forces, out to our west is the French battle group, to our east is one-lanx battle group.
30:14The enemy's going to use Russian tactics. Our intelligence officer has delivered lots of briefs on how the Russians fight, and that's how we imagine the enemy's going to fight.
30:22Intelligence officer, can you give your assessment of the enemy's most likely course of action?
30:26The most likely course of action that we are going to go through here is that the enemy, consisting of the Swedish battle group, pushing through two Scots AO and looking to attack our G4 nodes.
30:37So, we've got enemy from various different parts of native countries.
30:40There's Estonians, there's Swedish, and they fight in their own ways.
30:43So, it's a pretty difficult balance to work out.
30:46Yes, we think they're going to do one thing, but they'll probably do other stuff as well.
30:49But that's for us to work through and for the team to just deal with that as it comes at them.
31:01For the Scots in the forest, the priority is to identify their defensive positions.
31:06We've got a track going down there. You'll be there in your sort of half attack formation.
31:11Yeah, yeah, yeah.
31:12Because you've got one there, one there.
31:13We know the strengths that the Russian military have, and we need to counter those.
31:18Happy with where you're going?
31:19Happy to go.
31:21Happy.
31:22All you've got to do is look at what's going on in Ukraine to understand how that modern battlefield has sort of reverted back to a much more conventional type fight.
31:31Poncho will go down that corner, that sleeper. You'll just sleep in that corner there, and then for there, you'll just have a look out.
31:37Digging in, it's not a new thing, it's the oldest way of fighting, but recently we've been doing a lot of it.
31:44How many of you think we'll get in that?
31:46Get a bit of it for this one.
31:48Try it mate.
31:51The soldiers and officers will essentially dig in. Dig in their trench system.
31:56There's a lot of shovel here the whole time now.
31:58Shouldn't be no grafting.
32:00Try and make it a bit more livable.
32:02Try and square it off a little bit.
32:03Yeah, fair.
32:04The troops will be eating, sleeping and fighting from these trenches.
32:09It's been quite a new thing for us to do this, watch. Dig in.
32:12This seems like a good wee spot.
32:14Yeah.
32:15It's warm as well down here.
32:17I know, and then with the moss.
32:18Yeah.
32:19It's cosy.
32:20Until it gets wet.
32:21Yeah, until it gets wet.
32:25We're in the place where we would be if war was to happen, so fighting out of trenches are skills that we need to get really good at and incredibly important.
32:32Yeah.
32:33This will be where you live from, where you'll be fighting from, the ones in front.
32:38The digging in, it's still part of war fighting and something that should be assessed cos it's how the positions are built probably one of the more important parts.
32:46He's headed up to the second boundary position now.
32:48Roger.
32:49Are we going up there?
32:50Yeah.
32:51Sweating.
32:52I'm starving.
32:53So we put a lot of effort into calming them up.
32:57Oh yeah, fuck it up.
32:59As they could be in real life in this war game, the troops are a defending force and need to repel the attacking enemy to hold territory.
33:07You dig in, like a position, you're sunk into the ground.
33:13And it's good as well cos it blocks off the wind.
33:15Are you taking any more out?
33:18Cos you see when it's windy, especially when you're tired and you're wet and cold, you fucking, you feel it.
33:23Yeah.
33:28We're having to consider what they will see from the sky.
33:34Which, of course, was a threat but now it's far more prevalent.
33:39Time is always a pressure and we never know exactly when the enemy are going to attack.
33:44Although we must ensure that we build our defences as quickly as possible, it's not a task that we can do in haste.
33:56We need to ensure that our defences will be built correctly so that when we do come under attack,
34:01we can fight from our defensive positions for a sustained period of time.
34:07It's not only a place where they fight from, but it's a place where they live from for the duration of that particular operation.
34:15Everyone needs to get the green light.
34:21From the jocks it will be the fire team and then from the fire team the section, the platoon, the company, the battalion.
34:26Cos everyone needs to be confident that we can do the job.
34:31An individual soldier's goal will be a lot different from the actual goal of the exercise.
34:34The actual goal of the exercise is obviously to ensure that we get the green light as a brigade to deploy and meet the Russians for war.
34:40My goal would be make sure my skills and drills are right, make sure I'm not fucking up, make sure at the end of this I'm going to get a good report.
34:47Any job, like, if you go into a job, I don't, if I do something, I'm going to do something to the best of my abilities 100%.
34:52I don't get people that will go into a fucking job and just give 50%.
34:56Your reputation carries across the battalion.
34:59Me and my father have done 72 hours, don't pick.
35:03Better your dug in. He's happy. He looks at me every time cos I like digging. I'm rapid at digging, man. That wee mole.
35:09That wee mole.
35:17Happy with that, biggie?
35:18That way, that way, yes.
35:20Yes!
35:30When you're in a foreign country, there's the pressure that you're representing the brigade.
35:36The Swedes were there, and the Estonians were there, and, like, we had to hold ourselves under a high regard and a high standard.
35:40The goal of the brigade is achieved, but as, like, a by-product of the soldiers wanting to be a good soldier.
35:48Oh, fuck, that's fucking dead. That's dead with that.
35:51If we're not ready, we're at a severe disadvantage throughout the exercise, because...
35:57We're constantly chasing our tail.
35:58Yeah.
36:00And at any time, you can get a shock from the enemy.
36:03Normally we'd get a start date for another exercise.
36:05We'd go out a couple of days before, start pre-digging.
36:08If that's not finished, you will be digging in kit.
36:11So you try to dig in body armour and helmet?
36:13Pfff!
36:14Emotional.
36:15Aye, aye.
36:17Probably just get my remorse for that, biggie.
36:19Yeah, good to go.
36:20Here's what you've got out of tools.
36:22After days of digging, the trench systems are complete.
36:25Oh, you cannae get that in hanging, man. My mum doesn't know I smoke.
36:28But the work has only just begun.
36:30In Catterick, the Scots are sorting the final preparations to their travel plans.
36:40As they reach the end, the reality of moving is hitting home.
36:44Gary, can you put on this major group chat, mate?
36:47To send me two guys per company down to the ammo compound, mate?
36:53So I would say my job role in the unit move is theoretically a project manager.
36:59So there's always plates to be spun and that's at all levels.
37:05It's part and parcel with the job role in it.
37:07So we need to be in a good place for leaving.
37:10In terms of pressure, it can be stressful.
37:13But what you need to remember is building up to this.
37:16I've got experience from all the different ranks.
37:20I was under 18 when I first joined.
37:25I passed out of training at 16 and a half year old.
37:30In terms of your career, you'll never forget what you've done over the years.
37:34You always remember the promotions because they're a big part of why we do these courses.
37:39Why we leave our families for this length of time.
37:46I'm getting emotional.
37:50What the fuck?
38:00It's all I got.
38:15I think it's just the sacrifices that your family make to move around the world with you.
38:19Not just like my wife having to move jobs and leave our friends and family.
38:24My kids, they need to leave their family, change schools, settle back in.
38:30And I think probably being a teenager, it's a bit of a cruel world out there, isn't it?
38:36So it could be hard for them.
38:38Being in the army can take you anywhere, across the UK or around the world, for weeks, months, even years at a time, before it's time to move on again.
38:51I would have been 18 when we met. I got married at 19, so I was really young.
39:00And then, obviously, the post into four slots come up. She wouldn't have talked to me for about three days.
39:05Because she knew she was having to move again.
39:07But we decided that we're in as a family, we do it as a family.
39:13We sold the house, moved down here, but now she's going to be moved out to Cyprus.
39:17In terms of the ISOs, I think the thing I'm looking forward to the most is the person back here giving the text to say that's the last ISO on the move.
39:35Which means it's been picked up from here and it's onto the port and it's no longer our issue until it gets on the island.
39:40So, we just need to make sure that last door's shut with all the correct paperwork so there's no issues clearing customs.
39:51Sign. Back in.
40:05Exercise Hedgehog is one of the largest military exercises ever conducted in Europe.
40:11There's thousands of troops in the forest, but even so, finding the enemy is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
40:19It's the role of Sergeant Crawford to get first eyes on them and sound the alarm so the Scots can take up defensive positions.
40:28Marital resilience to me is having your worst day and you're thinking, I want to give up, this isn't for me, I'm done.
40:36Once you go into that environment and you start having those thoughts creeping in of, I want to give up, I don't want to do this.
40:43You're not just putting your life at risk, you're putting the people that you work with at risk.
40:46Perfect risk.
40:47Oh.
40:48Yeah.
40:49Out there, the country is the forest here.
41:06Out there, the country is the forest with small urban areas or small roads cut through
41:23the trees itself so to speak. Within that comes challenges that I've never seen before.
41:29Saint Crawford's role is key, so he's reconnaissance platoon. What that means is he'll be further
41:40forward than most people. He'll be gathering intelligence and he'll be reporting back to
41:45battle group headquarters and that'll allow us to kind of shape the plan. He's a key player
41:51on the ground because he'll see the enemy first.
41:55The reconnaissance platoon has been employed as the eyes and ears of the battle group.
42:01It's not for everybody. A lot of people can't hack it.
42:05As a reconnaissance soldier there's more required of you than your bog standard infantry soldier.
42:10At some point you might be anywhere from five to seven kilometres in front of friendly forces
42:15where you've not got that warm fuzzy of friendly forces being to the left and right of you.
42:21You're working round the clock, being able to make those sharp tactical decisions on little to no sleep.
42:29Anything can happen at any time. You're obviously in smaller teams. You're out there at greater risk.
42:37Right troops, you've got your attack. Pull your attack out please. Off your chest. Have a look.
42:42What we used to do is we used to zero in on our location where we are now.
42:47So those ATACs, the digital screens that each soldier has, is a complete change in how command and control and how we work.
42:55It gives situational awareness where everybody is, all the way down from the Lieutenant Colonel, the Battalion Commander, all the way down to the youngest jock.
43:04We are to the south of the main battle group. We are the most southern unit as it stands. We are on the screen.
43:14We'll gather information and feed it to who needs it.
43:20The commanding officer of that battle group, he can't be forward and he can't see everything and he can't predict what's going on.
43:28So, just a quick summary of what the next 24 hours looks like for us.
43:34What that looks like is us pushing back to our centralised location, basically in layman's terms, having a look at what's going on.
43:41To that end we need to be set in position, ready, with all sighting systems and all sensors out.
43:47Happy enough? Jerk. Cool.
43:49After their briefing, the platoon will split up and head out largely on their own, with just their radios to speak when needed.
44:19He'll be isolated out there and an enemy potentially could capture him.
44:33I actually enlisted at the age of 15. I was too young at the time. However, I'm a ditch school.
44:45And much to my mum and dad's amazement, I managed to navigate my way down to the careers office in town.
44:52So I remember having to jump to push the buzzer, because I couldn't reach, I wasn't high enough to reach the buzzer to go in.
44:59I remember the guy coming on the intercom and being like, what do you want?
45:02And I'm sure I replied something like, I'm here for the army.
45:09No one's going to hold your hand here.
45:10Any call sign a 2-5-Alfred, check.
45:14But for those that are in it, it's a very rewarding job.
45:17And being able to set the conditions for, say, an offensive action, going into a position, knowing that you've gathered all the dispositions of enemy you've got.
45:27This is how you're going to attack it. This is how many people are there.
45:30And for me being a 28-year-old geezer from Edinburgh, this is my recommendation to you, a lieutenant colonel, this is how you should attack this target.
45:40And then being able to step back and watch that attack go in, and you've orchestrated that attack, is the most fulfilling thing about being in that platoon.
45:47Sergeant Crawford will need to get eyes on the enemy before they see him.
46:00Because if the troops in the trenches come under fire without warning, it could be seen as a failure.
46:05There's one out in big trees.
46:12No!
46:13Aye.
46:14Right, come grab this with me, Brickson, please.
46:16There's a big tree in there.
46:19Come through.
46:20Aye.
46:21Trenches dug, Lieutenant Harvey Beaver has formulated a plan, which the NATO referees will assess him on.
46:37There's nothing I love more than tactics.
46:39A kilometre south that way, you've got this road that's literally just there.
46:48And it leads up there.
46:49And then there's a sort of off track that comes through the forest.
46:53And then round one of the bends, there's essentially loads of trees that are blocking the road.
47:00Boat Mill.
47:01So when they come round the corner, they won't see it, but what Corporal Kersey's doing is he's setting up little ambush positions just to the flank of it.
47:13So that when any enemy vehicles hit this block, he can hit the front one from the front, essentially.
47:19And then if they're in a convoy, he can hit the rear one, just blocking them in.
47:23And then anything in the middle, that's when Corporal Kersey's second fire team will just start opening up with any weapon system, to be honest.
47:31Just getting any dismounts.
47:40The jocks need to create these ambush sites using one tool they have plenty of.
47:45Trees.
47:47See if my dad sees me on camera, so I'm like that, mate.
47:49What's going to do, innit?
47:51Sorry, Dad.
48:02That'll do it, bro.
48:04It's a wee bit more on the left side, boys, innit?
48:06I would say that's it.
48:08That enemy's out, their recce will be out looking at you, their snipers will be out looking for you, everybody will be out looking to try to get you.
48:14Right, they might not have your exact position, but they're trying to find out where they are.
48:17So, that's why we cut out days prior, before you're starting off, you want to be getting in there.
48:24Smashing it out.
48:25That's what's happening at the moment.
48:26Happy with that?
48:28Happy.
48:30Lads, that block is not big enough as well.
48:34Do you want to go higher?
48:35Yeah.
48:36A tank would go through that.
48:37Aye, we'll stay higher then.
48:38Very happy, it is.
48:39If I saw that in the warrior, mate, I'd be looking at the hips, mate.
48:42Drive through to the neighbour?
48:43Yeah.
48:45It's like putting trees up the way.
48:46Up the way.
48:50We'll just go higher.
48:51Back in the UK, the troops are getting ready for an assessment by Edinburgh's Garrison Sergeant Major.
49:02He'll check their drills and kit, they're ready for a further inspection by officials from the Army Ceremonial HQ, known as the London District.
49:12So, the inspectors are looking at our drill, if it's all correctly performed, but they're also looking at our kit to see if it's up to scratch.
49:18It's not messy, it's all neat and tidy.
49:23A lot of intense focus on just the small, niggly items of the uniform, ensuring kilts are crease-free, ensuring that flashes are ironed, tail feathers on the Glengarry's are ironed.
49:37All of that is just to the right standard, as well as things brass-hood, nice and shiny.
49:42So, for the internal assessment, we've got soldiers from five Scots and the band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
49:56The GSM is there to do the most rigid possible inspection.
50:01March!
50:02March!
50:03R-R-R!
50:04Ready!
50:13Ah!
50:14It makes such an almighty sound
50:16There's a drumming noise inside my head
50:18That throws me to the door
50:20I swear that you should hear it
50:22It makes such an almighty sound
50:26Land to the tower
50:28When the church bells chime
50:30I hope that they
50:32It would clear my mouth
50:34That it left a ringing
50:36In my ear
50:38But that drum's still beating
50:40Lord, earth
50:42Loud and clear
50:46On to the river
50:50The GSM's a very particular man
50:52He knows what he wants
50:56He gets what he wants
50:58Yeah
51:00You can see here
51:02Difference between socks
51:04Not cutting circulation off of course
51:06But they need to make sure they're tight enough to stay up
51:08Roger sir
51:10That the London District potentially wouldn't even be
51:14Length of jacket
51:16It's arguably a harder inspection to pass
51:18Than the actual London Brigade one
51:20Which is both good and bad
51:22Because it kind of sets the tone for what
51:24The final inspection's going to be
51:26And once you're at the standard there
51:28Then you look immaculate to them
51:30Buddy buddy system, basics
51:32Some more work needs done on the brogues
51:34Almost look like a pair of coal boots
51:36The medals have still got the rain marks
51:38Whitener and things on belts
51:40Things like attention to detail
51:41The attention to detail
51:42Detail
51:43It's the small attention to detail
51:44It didn't go very well with the GSM
51:46Nice centre buttons
51:48No buttons
51:49One button
51:50Standard
51:51It wasn't so much the drool
51:53That wasn't the GSM standard
51:54It was the kit itself
51:56As you're a shining example of how to do it
52:00Please pass the knowledge on
52:02The individual who hasn't got that knowledge yet
52:04Yep
52:05They made it abundantly clear to us
52:07That the GSM was unhappy
52:09Fall
52:10Out
52:11I don't know what the fuck's going on
52:15That's here tonight
52:16Check me
52:17That's a fucking bastard
52:19It's most afternoon it's cancer
52:21This afternoon
52:22I'll go with one piece
52:23And I'll take any single person
52:25I'll take it
52:26So we have two days to get our kit to standard
52:29Ensuring just that the uniform and ceremonial dress date
52:32Is to London District standard
52:34Ready for London District inspection on Friday
52:39In Estonia
52:51The Scots are prepped and waiting
52:53For their action to start
52:57Like crack a pack of riddles out tonight
52:59To celebrate
53:00Celebrate deployment
53:01I'd like to
53:07About to put them up
53:12Did you get some?
53:15Yeah, don't stop
53:16Yeah, don't stop
53:17It's done, finished.
53:40That's awesome.
53:41The position's dug.
53:42We own it.
53:43That's our area.
53:45And then as soon as you are there, that's it.
53:47That's your gaffe for the foreseeable future.
53:49It's effectively just game on, and you're waiting for something to happen,
53:53to be told to do an action or wait on the enemy conducting an action on you.
53:58After this, we'll probably have a brief off airplane commander.
54:01We'll make our way out to the living trenches.
54:02We'll put ponchos, which is a camouflage tarp that goes over the top of it.
54:06Keeping it look on our hearts for any enemy coming in.
54:08We'll get into our routine.
54:09Everybody takes their turn during the stage, during the night, in the morning.
54:12We'll get into our morning routine, doing our teeth, powdering our feet,
54:15giving ourself a wash, making sure everybody gets a hot scoff on.
54:18Whoever's on sentry, somebody covers him, making him a hot brew.
54:21Just keeping on going.
54:22You look after each other.
54:22It's best out here.
54:23You need to look after each other in the sound cheese.
54:25Then from there, keeping comms with our platoon commander.
54:28And with our platoon commander, he'll keep comms back with the brigade,
54:31and then we can go from there and just wait for it.
54:34All right, so troops, O.C.'s happy with today.
54:52Noticed all the positions to the south are all dug in, so good to go.
54:56Standing patrols rotating on six, eight-hour shifts,
54:59and that'll be starting from tomorrow.
55:02Roger, happy.
55:02Another thing is, now that the build phase is done,
55:05we're essentially entering green phase.
55:08Green phase is when defences are ready.
55:11The enemy is approaching.
55:12We know it's getting closer, but that moment could come at any time.
55:18From 21.30, all PPE on.
55:21Good to go.
55:22Anything for me?
55:23No, sir.
55:24Mega.
55:25Right, yeah, smashing work today.
55:26Absolutely crushed it.
55:28Catch you later.
55:29Hey, thank you, sir.
55:30Deployment phase has taken place.
55:51All of our forces are now pushed out into their respective defensive positions,
55:55and now we're in the shaping phase, putting the final touches on that.
56:01Warfare is chaos a lot of the time.
56:08You know, there's smoke everywhere, there's machine guns are firing everywhere,
56:11and the thing that you need is people to understand what's in front of them
56:14and to be able to deal with the problem and deal with the threat
56:18and make decisions to have success and to beat the enemy.
56:22So there's a couple of areas there that we've highlighted that we need to go away and refine,
56:25but I think, all in all, it looks like the plan's pretty solid, so I'm happy with that.
56:31Happy.
56:33I didn't join with my eyes closed to think I would never go to war.
56:37It's one of those really difficult things, being in the military.
56:40It's sort of like, I guess it's kind of like if you were a firefighter that never fought a fire.
56:44No-one wants their house to burn down.
56:46No-one wants a war, but war could be a thing that happens.
56:49I mean, everyone's ready, everyone's set,
56:55but all plans are good until you get punched in the face.
56:58Next take on the troops.
57:01When you know it's actually happening, it's like a switch is switched.
57:06It's just everything take.
57:08Get on, put your stuff. Use it.
57:10When the aggravation starts to ramp up, it'll feel very real.
57:13It's all I'm fucking going.
57:16It's going to fucking roll through there.
57:18Right, move.
57:19Get it back in, mate.
57:25I'm fucking right, you know, D?
57:27Use a fuck.
57:49Get it back in, mate.
57:57Get it back in, mate.
57:58Get it back in, mate.
57:59Get it back in, mate.
57:59Get it back in, mate.
57:59Get it back in, mate.
58:00Get it back in, mate.
58:01Get it back in, mate.
58:02Get it back in, mate.
58:03Get it back in, mate.
58:04Get it back in, mate.
58:05Get it back in, mate.
58:06Get it back in, mate.
58:07Get it back in, mate.
58:08Get it back in, mate.
58:09Get it back in, mate.
58:10Get it back in, mate.
58:11Get it back in, mate.
58:12Get it back in, mate.
58:13Get it back in, mate.
58:14Get it back in, mate.
58:15Get it back in, mate.
58:16Get it back in, mate.
58:17Get it back in, mate.
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