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BRITCOM 4
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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.
01:34The Darmians 2
01:53Let's go!
01:54I 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
02:18a lot when I was younger, I was wild. My grand was in, my dad was in. I like to
02:24like it, I like a bit of chaos, you like being out, seeing new things and that. I need
02:28to be doing something different all the time. Hello? What's happening? What's happening
02:35bro? What are you? Fucking Parkinson. Oh yeah. I'm just a jock. What's this thing
02:40is just? I'm not just a jock, I'm a jock. A few years, I'm not a name for a few of those
02:45a jock. Like? A private, essentially, but that's your proper rank. Scottish. A jock is a jock,
02:51English battalions wouldn't call their privates jocks. They would just call them peasants
02:55or something, I don't know. I don't know what they'd call them in English. But they'd just
02:58make the army go around, they'd do all the work. Like, if it wasn't for the jocks, the
03:03jobs wouldn't get done. I'm very proud to be a major in the British Army. I joined at the age
03:13of 16 and I'm still serving as a late entry officer based in the regimental headquarters.
03:19But deep down, I am a jock. Jocks are unique because we have a fierce fighting history,
03:25very thought after regiment. The regiment has deployed to almost every operation the British
03:31Army has been involved with. And soon, they'll be training for the latest threat, just a few
03:37miles from the Russian border. That's one bag packed mate. I'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
04:01British Army. The threat we face today is ever increasing. Our training every day is training
04:10for war. In just 24 hours, they've expanded their area of operations, getting vehicles and
04:18men on the ground to fit this new fighting environment. We need to remain current at all
04:28times so that if we are called to go forward on operations, we are trained, we are briefed
04:33and we are ready to fight. For Maka and his battalion, that fight will come in the form of an intense
04:40two-week training exercise in Estonia. And its name, Exercise Hedgehog.
04:46Hedgehog is effectively to get the green light so that we can go there and occupy our positions
04:51if Russia start to encroach further into Europe.
04:56Britain's part of NATO. A military alliance between 32 nations. An attack on any one member
05:04is an attack on all. Each army relies on the others and they all need to be the best they
05:11can be. And that's what this training is all about.
05:14I was always basically assuring NATO that we can move over there by sea, train, bus, plane
05:24and 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
05:32in a very high light with NATO. Hopefully it shows the local population as well that their
05:37army is ready to go out and do their job.
05:39Hi mate, it's Shep here from Two Scots. How are you getting on?
05:54Hedgehog is part of the Eastern European Defence Plan. So effectively what Eastern Europe and
06:00NATO allies would do if Russia was to attack.
06:03So the first kind of part is the deployment phase.
06:10The weapons will go the one that Brady's got there now.
06:14We're going to get four different trains going from London all the way to Estonia.
06:19Exercise Hedgehog is a huge operation. Over 17,000 troops from 12 partner nations. The training
06:31we conduct is more than just training.
06:33So if you're ready just get your kit on.
06:35We do everything we can to ensure that we achieve the highest standards.
06:38You're going to need to go.
06:40I'm Stuart McGregor.
06:47Exercise Hedgehog, it's a rehearsal to make sure that we can get to Estonia in good order
06:52just in case anything happens on the border and we need to react. We know that we can get
06:58there in good time with the correct kit and equipment.
07:01But the regiment also wants to test something else. If war looked likely, could they get
07:07all the way to the other side of Europe without the Russians knowing?
07:14Have you been told to put your stuff on this one mate have you?
07:18I think it's just the assurance piece for the MOD and ourselves really that we can actually do it.
07:24Part of my job is logistics so moving the guys from here to Estonia.
07:30The kit will go on to one. Weapon bond will go on to the other.
07:34The timings are critical when we get to London as you know. Happy enough? Yeah.
07:39So there's a lot of carnage involved. Their own luggage. And they have weapons with them.
07:46Not only are they going out on exercise hedgehog, they're also leaving their family so they don't
07:51need the stress of, oh McGregor's not done this or McGregor'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. They've got the right kit, the right equipment and it's
08:03leaving at the right time.
08:07Your weapons staying on there Phil? No, we're going to put the weapons on the bus.
08:09Right, so 3D. And obviously when we get to each station we've got to move all of our stuff
08:14from one train to the next. There's about 450 people on the train and so it's like 900 bags
08:20and 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.
08:30Happy enough with that, alright? Everybody's getting tested and that's from the individual all the way up through platoon, company, battle group, four brigade.
08:41Yeah, 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.
08:57The 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,
09:20but 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.
09:30Even though this is a training exercise, 17,000 NATO troops so close to the Russian border is a huge real-life security risk.
09:44Any questions for me?
09:46Mega. Let's go and travel for many days.
09:51Look at that!
10:13The Scots may not be the largest regiment in the British Army, but they are the senior line infantry,
10:19which means they're prestigious due to their long history of service.
10:24Scots are made up of four regular units and two reserve units.
10:31That makes up a total number of around 3,000 people.
10:36Those 3,000 soldiers are from all over the Commonwealth, and not all are based in Scotland.
10:46Katerik is the British Army's largest base, and here the troops are also getting ready to leave.
10:53They're on their way to the British Army's 150-year-old base in Cyprus.
10:59They 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.
11:19Sweetener Eddie?
11:21Aye, sweetener aye.
11:22It's days when you're in the celt and in your number twos that you're stood there with your chest out and you grow three inch.
11:31So I'm W02 Scott Pugh.
11:36The struggle is real in here, by the way.
11:39With what?
11:40Trying to get the sweetener out.
11:42Sweet enough Turkish.
11:43Sitting 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.
12:01Why am I CC doing that?
12:09Everybody wants me.
12:11Hello 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.
12:26We've got that ethos.
12:27I'm Scottish at me.
12:29I love our heritage.
12:30Don't want to go to any other regiment do you?
12:32There's that many spinning plates to know, it's unreal.
12:35Spinning all the plates and I feel like a clown because my smile's painted on.
12:40So we are moving to Cyprus and we are going to become the regional support battalion.
12:46How many box have you got mate?
12:48Which just means that we're held at a higher readiness, ready to react to any orders.
12:58I'm the regimental quartermaster.
13:02That's all we need to write in there.
13:03It comes with a wee bit more responsibility.
13:08Pew's mission is to pack up the entire barracks.
13:12Because tradition dictates, they take everything from the cutlery to the paintings on the walls.
13:16All this gets shipped to Cyprus along with all the troops' personal items.
13:22What do you want us to?
13:24I'm fucking on the ones, mate.
13:26I'm flat out.
13:28We're waiting for that stick to be picked up outside.
13:31Dean, man, nothing.
13:33What's the value of both boxes?
13:36For insurance purposes, what is the value of both boxes?
13:38Right, so how much?
13:39Do you value your life?
13:42Let's say it's about £450.
13:45Is that how much your life's worth, mate?
13:47So, no, but they estimate it's £500, mate.
13:50Just 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.
13:58Doing Naya Napa and drink pina coladas.
14:01What's the value of that box, mate?
14:03Three grand.
14:04Because I think your initial issue in training is three grand.
14:06Three grand?
14:07What have you put?
14:08£500.
14:10However, the reality will soon hit in.
14:17I'm sure they'll make the most of it.
14:19I don't think it's going to be a 24-7 beach holiday, that's for sure.
14:25The army has organised chaos.
14:35What have you done, mate?
14:36Enjoy.
14:39I'm taking your dug, I know.
14:41There's this perception that every job role that you go into,
14:44there'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.
14:52Fucking eat 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,
15:02and that's going to go to a boat.
15:03Right, so wait, wait, wait, wait.
15:04No, 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 either.
15:15Yeah, get that undone.
15:18Fucking hope it.
15:19You'll see it in Cyprus, my man.
15:21We've got a certain amount of kit that we actually need to take with us.
15:24I hope it starts flinging 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 Larry's eyesos, man.
15:36But their journey to Cyprus will take at least two months.
15:42Fuck.
15:51Fuck, it's not in there, yeah?
15:53So, they need to make sure that when they get on island,
15:58if 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.
16:05The one that's shut now?
16:06It's just connected.
16:08It's up here somewhere.
16:11It's in this ISO, I'm telling you.
16:12I bet it's in your pocket.
16:20You got it?
16:21You're a fanny.
16:23I 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,
16:33there's definitely pressure on all ranks.
16:36You ask for something to happen,
16:38and everybody thinks they're busy and too busy to do this.
16:42Throughout the planning process,
16:43we need to take into consideration anything that could go wrong.
16:47We always plan against the worst and hope for the best.
16:57Meanwhile, 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.
17:12And Estonia is right on that front line.
17:14So they're a NATO ally.
17:16We're there to protect them.
17:20It's a real life thing.
17:21We've got to make sure that all of those soldiers get from one end to the other safely.
17:45Right now, we're getting all of the weapons and bags.
17:49The guys getting those unloaded to get onto the train.
17:55This is the Eurostar we're going to take down to Brussels.
17:59We've definitely got the weapons.
18:01We've definitely got all the bags.
18:03I think they're just kind of itching to get on with it now at this point, I think.
18:15That's an escalator.
18:16I'm right, pal. You're going to go down there.
18:18Oh.
18:19Going on the train. Follow the crowd.
18:20We'll go forward.
18:21OK, OK.
18:26Two Scots has always been ready for operations.
18:28Any task that's been given to us, you know, we have a massive, you know, operational history.
18:32We've been involved in pretty much every conflict that has happened in the last three, four hundred years.
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 fitting,
18:47you know, we'd do what we'd 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 hoose, mate.
18:56It's a castle, mate.
18:57That's a gaff.
18:58That's a castle.
18:59It's a gaff, mate.
19:00It's a gaff.
19:01It's a gaff.
19:04I'm usually at Bryson and the past ten minutes we've just been moving our kit from one train to another
19:09as we're getting ready to leave Brussels and head to Ireland.
19:12You're just staring at a window going across.
19:14I need to look at us.
19:15But aye, it's a good laugh.
19:19Why don't you use her naked?
19:20I am.
19:21There's a go for it.
19:22Yeah.
19:23There's a lot of pranks that happen.
19:24Pranks get punished.
19:25I fucking hate pranks.
19:26I fucking hate pranks.
19:27No, that was so good laugh, mate.
19:28Why have you got such different attitude to pranks?
19:29Because I'm a fucking child.
19:30I'm a 25-year-old man-boy.
19:31I'm looking forward to sleep.
19:32Yeah, yeah.
19:33I'm looking forward to sleep.
19:34Yeah.
19:35Yeah, yeah.
19:36Is there a lot of pranks that happen?
19:38Pranks get punished.
19:41I fucking hate pranks.
19:46No, that was so good laughing.
19:48Why have you got such a different attitude to pranks?
19:51Cos he, no...
19:53Cos I'm a fucking child.
19:55Nah, I'm a 25 year old man-boy.
19:59I'm looking forward to sleep.
20:01Yeah, yeah, he's promised top and toe.
20:06Fucking delete that.
20:10It's a historic journey, going back in time.
20:16The great thing about not having phones is it becomes very human.
20:20You know, everyone's playing cards or hanging out the windows
20:23and looking at the world going back.
20:24But like, it was genuinely, you know, it was something out of time
20:26and it just lasted forever.
20:33The average is looking good.
20:34Fuck no, yeah.
20:36We are on the fourth train and I think, judging by the flags,
20:39which we don't have our phones on, we're now in Latvia,
20:41which means that we have done Scotland, England, France,
20:46Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Lithuania and Latvia.
20:52I 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.
21:14One of the greatest privileges of my life has been to command jocks, to command Scottish soldiers.
21:24They are mega.
21:27Trocks always get it done.
21:29Always get it done.
21:30And that's why I love it.
21:32After 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.
22:05Back in Scotland, the troops are in the process of spring drills.
22:09Brigid inspections to make sure their standard is up to scratch
22:13and that they are ready to become the Royal Guard, providing security for the King when he visits Scotland.
22:19Our year has broken down into two phases.
22:35So 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.
22:41And that takes place over about five or six exercises with a confirmation exercise at the end of it,
22:47which for us was Lithuania this year.
22:49And then coming now into...
22:50Sort of coming back into a ceremonial kind of season, so we've taken back up all the parades.
22:55The main one of which being Balmoral, going up to Balota and doing the King's parades.
23:01Yeah, so the King goes up to Balmoral for his holidays.
23:04So we are basically up there to provide security.
23:08Balmoral Castle near Balota has long been associated with the Royal Family.
23:13Kings and Queens have spent summers there for almost two centuries now.
23:17And it's the jocks' job to keep them safe while they're there.
23:25We'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 it would do.
23:33It's like a prep for going up to Balota, so making sure our drill's up to standard.
23:37It's imperative that the soldiers maintain the highest standard possible.
23:45Getting their drill and kit perfect isn't just about looking good.
23:49It'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!
24:00Down!
24:01Down!
24:02Down!
24:03Down!
24:04Down!
24:05Yeah!
24:06The first day our spring drills will be getting the rifles and the Sergeant Major will be taking us through the sequence.
24:12Three!
24:13Two!
24:14Feenets!
24:15Feenets!
24:16Feenets!
24:17Feenets!
24:18Feenets!
24:19Feenets!
24:20Up!
24:21So it's a lot of just making sure that everyone who's had their gear packed away for the last six months
24:26has now brought everything up to the right standard, up to date with timings and just
24:30making sure that the company's kind of in unison leading up to those inspections.
24:35Probably the hardest part of the drill pack is getting everyone in sync.
24:39It takes a lot more time.
24:40Feenets!
24:41I'm not particularly great at drills.
24:43It's one of those things you're either good at or you're not.
24:46It's quite funny also to watch people mess up.
24:48It makes it a bit of a lighter mood as well.
24:50Ah!
24:51Oh, fucking hell.
24:53I'll be alright in the night.
24:55Everyone wants to do well on the inspections.
24:58Fucking hell.
25:00Around the second week, you know, before the inspections, still making those mistakes.
25:05And the chain of command's attitude towards you would become a little bit more hostile.
25:10Fucking calm yourselves.
25:12Think about your personal drill a lot of you.
25:14Some of you are still flicking your toes up.
25:16Right.
25:17Arms pinned down when you're holding the weapon.
25:19Raising the chins.
25:20Minor points to work on will take us from being above average and what we want is to be exceptional.
25:24Alright, so just keep up that level of effort.
25:26I'll show you lunch.
25:27Almost 200 miles away in the North Yorkshire countryside, the Scots need to maintain their training ahead of the deployment to Cyprus.
25:4575.
25:46Scots have a reputation for being skilled marksmen.
25:49And today, they're being assessed as part of their annual combat marksmanship test.
25:54Cheers, mate.
25:56Cheers, mate.
25:59It's a yearly test to make sure that shooting is on point.
26:05Right, well, back a wee touch.
26:09Right, Mokka.
26:11There's a brew on the line.
26:12Alright, let's have it. Flat white.
26:15Roger.
26:16Fleetwood, you got a line to four quid?
26:20Front bushing down.
26:21Front bushing down.
26:24This energy, ready.
26:28On your own time.
26:31First one down, sir.
26:32Aye, me team, Mokka.
26:36Oh, have it.
26:37The ACMT keeps you in date for safety, firing at different ranges.
26:42The troops are assessed on their ability to fire weapons at targets from various distances and from different positions.
26:52Get up, the boy.
26:54Aye, we are still slow off the trigger, boy.
26:56As long as they're done, sir.
26:59All pass?
27:00Yes.
27:02Well done. All of you have passed practice two.
27:04We're going to move on to practice three.
27:06Throughout the test, the troops need to hit a minimum number of targets to pass and prove their skills.
27:14Practice in different firing positions and that's obviously because you never know what environment you're going to be in.
27:21This is uncomfortable as fuck.
27:23Oh, you're cupping the edge, man. I'm hitting dead center.
27:44It 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?
27:53Because you want to be getting marksmen for bragging rights to all your mates, so...
27:57I'm not going to lie, sir. I feel like I've got that in the bag there.
27:59I don't think we can do it, mate.
28:01Yes, can we give us a score for lane 9 and 10 at 300m, please?
28:05Lane 9, 9, 9, 9, 10, 8.
28:09What was the final shooting for?
28:12The overall shooting for 9 and 10.
28:15The young boys coming through, they're getting quicker, they're getting sharper.
28:18Ultimately, you're getting old. That's the bottom line. They're going to get better.
28:24Give me the overall score for lane 9 and 10.
28:26Who got the highest, Mark?
28:27Who got the highest one at the competition?
28:31Highest score is lane 10 for the whole lane 10.
28:35Well done.
28:36But it's always good that when you're beating them, you can just rub it in the face.
28:40Like, listen, I'm an old guy and you're like 18-year-old, so get a grip and run faster.
28:45Better luck next time, Marker.
28:46The Scots have reached Estonia and have pitched up less than 20 miles from the Russian border, near a town called Verru.
29:04Now they'll be assessed on a number of tasks.
29:08But the first is called digging in, where they'll dig a trench system to live in and fight from.
29:13This is a large-scale war game where we're exercising our capability.
29:22Our partner in nations will play the enemy forces.
29:27From now until the battle training ends, the troops will fight using blank ammunition
29:31and NATO referees will assess everything from their teamwork to their mental resilience.
29:47What 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
30:01and his role is to plan our strategic defences.
30:04That plan needs to be made out before the enemy arrive.
30:08So, friendly forces, out to our west is the French battle group.
30:12To our east is one-lanx battle group.
30:14The enemy is going to use Russian tactics.
30:16Our intelligence officer has delivered lots of briefs on how the Russians fight
30:20and that's how we imagine the enemy is going to fight.
30:22Intelligence officer, can you give your assessment of the enemy in the most likely course of action?
30:27The most likely course of action that we are going to go through here
30:29is that the enemy consisting of the Swedish battle group
30:32pushing through two Scots AO and looking to attack our G4 nodes and then any...
30:38So, 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.
30:44So, 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.
31:06You've got a track going down there.
31:08Yeah.
31:09You'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?
31:20Happy 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
31:26has sort of reverted back to a much more conventional type fight.
31:31Poncho will go down that corner, that sleeper.
31:33You'll 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.
31:39It's the oldest way of fighting, but recently we've been doing a lot of it.
31:43How many junk you'll get in that?
31:44You've got a bit of a blob in this one.
31:45It's fine mate.
31:46The soldiers and officers will essentially dig in.
31:47Dig in their trench system.
31:48There's a lot of shovel here the whole time, man.
31:49There shouldn't be no grafting.
31:50Try and make it a bit more livable.
31:51Try and square off a little bit.
31:52Yeah, fair.
31:53The troops will be eating, sleeping and fighting from these trenches.
32:09It's been quite a new thing for us to do this much.
32:12Dig in.
32:13This seems like a good wee spot.
32:15Yeah.
32:16It's warm as well down there.
32:17I know.
32:18And then with the moss.
32:19Yeah.
32:20It's cosy.
32:21Until it gets wet.
32:22Yeah, until it gets wet.
32:25We're in the place where we would be if war was to happen, so fighting out of trenches
32:30are skills that we need to get really good at and incredibly important, yeah.
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.
32:43Cos it's how the positions are built probably one of the more important parts.
32:47He's headed up to the second boundary position now.
32:49Roger.
32:50Are we going up there?
32:51Yeah.
32:52Sweating them.
32:53I'm starving.
32:54So we put a lot of effort into calming them up.
32:57Oh yeah, fuck it.
32:59As they could be in real life in this war game, the troops are a defending force and need
33:05to repel the attacking enemy to hold territory.
33:08You 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 money out?
33:17I see if you can fix it.
33:18Cos you see when it's windy, like, especially when you're tired and you're wet and cold,
33:22you fucking, you feel it.
33:24Yeah, I think I'm all about it.
33:29We're having to consider what they will see from the sky.
33:32It's just sliding in it.
33:33I think it looks good.
33:35Which, of course, was a threat but now it's far more prevalent.
33:40Time is always a pressure and we never know exactly when the enemy are going to attack.
33:48Although we must ensure that we build our defences as quickly as possible,
33:53it's not a task that we can do in haste.
33:56We need to ensure that our defences will be built correctly
33:59so 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,
34:09but it's a place where they live from for the duration of that particular operation.
34:14Everyone needs to get the green light.
34:20From the jocks it will be the fire team,
34:22and then from the fire team the section, the platoon, the company, the battalion.
34:25Cos everyone needs to be confident that we can do the job.
34:30An individual soldier's goal will be a lot different from the actual goal of the exercise.
34:33The actual goal of the exercise is obviously to ensure that we get the green light as a brigade
34:39to deploy and meet the Russians for war.
34:41My goal would be make sure my skills and drills are right, make sure I'm not fucking up,
34:44make sure at the end of this I'm going to get a good report.
34:46Any job, like, if you're going to a job, I don't, if I do something,
34:50I'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%.
34:55Your reputation carries across the battalion.
34:58Me and my father done 72 hours, don't pitch.
35:03Better your dug in.
35:04He's happy, he looks at me every time cos I like digging.
35:07I'm rapid at digging, man.
35:09That'll be more.
35:17Happy with that biggie?
35:18That'll be it, that'll be it.
35:25That'll be it.
35:30When you're in a foreign country, there's the pressure that you're representing the brigade.
35:35The Swedes were there, and the Estonians were there,
35:38and, like, we had to hold ourselves under a high regard and a high standard.
35:41The goal of the brigade is achieved 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.
35:54Throughout the exercise, because, um...
35:57We're constantly chasing our tail.
35:58Yeah.
35:59Um, and 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.
36:10So you try to dig in body armour and helmet.
36:13Pff, emotional.
36:14Aye.
36:15Aye.
36:16Can I just get my remorse for that biggie?
36:19Yeah, good to go.
36:20Anything you got out of tools?
36:21After days of digging, the trench systems are complete.
36:25Oh, you cannae get that in the hanging, man.
36:27My 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, to send me two guys per company down to the ammo compound, mate?
36:54So I would say my job role in the unit move is theoretically a project manager.
37:01So 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.
37:09In terms of pressure, it can be stressful.
37:13But what you need to remember is building up to this.
37:17I've got experience from all the different ranks.
37:23I was under 18 when I first joined.
37:25I passed out of training at 16 and a half year old.
37:28In terms of your career, you'll never forget what you've done over the years.
37:34You always remember the promotions because they are a big part of why we do these courses.
37:39Why we leave our families for this length of time.
37:47I've got a motion.
37:58I 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 her friends and family.
38:25My 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.
38:42Being in the army can take you anywhere.
38:44Across the UK or around the world.
38:47For weeks, months, even years at a time.
38:50Before it's time to move on again.
38:55I would have been 18 when we met.
38:58I got married at 19.
38:59So I was really young.
39:00And then obviously the post into four slots come up.
39:03She wouldn't have talked to me for about three days.
39:06Because she knew she was having to move again.
39:10But we decided that we're in as a family, we do it as a family.
39:13We sold the house, moved down here.
39:15But now she's going to be moved out to Cyprus.
39:18In terms of the ISOs, I think the thing I'm looking forward to the most is the person back here giving me the text to say that's the last ISO on the move.
39:32Which means it's been picked up from here and it's onto the port and it's no longer our issue until it gets in the island.
39:44So 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.
40:12There's thousands of troops in the forest, but even so, finding the enemy is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
40:18It'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.
40:37Once 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.
40:46Yeah.
40:47You're putting the people that you work with at risk.
40:48Oh.
40:49Yeah.
40:50Oh.
40:51Yeah.
40:52Oh.
40:53Oh.
40:54Oh.
40:55Yeah.
40:56Oh.
40:57Oh.
40:58Oh.
40:59Oh.
41:00Oh.
41:01Oh.
41:02Oh.
41:03Oh.
41:04Oh.
41:05Yeah.
41:06Oh.
41:06Oh.
41:07Oh.
41:08Oh.
41:09Oh.
41:10Oh.
41:11Oh.
41:12Oh.
41:13Oh.
41:14Oh.
41:15Out there, the country is the forest with small urban areas or small roads cut through
41:23the trees itself, so to speak.
41:25Within that comes challenges that I've never seen before.
41:32Saint Crawford's role is key, so he's a reconnaissance platoon.
41:39What that means is he'll be further forward than most people, he'll be gathering intelligence
41:43and he'll be reporting back to battle group headquarters and that'll allow us to kind
41:48of shape the plan.
41:50He's a key player on 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.
42:06As a reconnaissance soldier there's more required of you than your bog standard infantry soldier.
42:11At some point you might be anywhere from 5 to 7 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
42:28to no sleep.
42:30Anything can happen at any time.
42:31You'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.
42:42Have a look.
42:43What I want you to do is I want you to zero in on our location where we are now.
42:48So those ATACs, the digital screens that each soldier has, is a complete change in how command
42:54the control and how we work.
42:56It gives situational awareness where everybody is, all the way down from the lieutenant colonel,
43:01the battalion commander, all the way down to the youngest jock.
43:06We are to the south of the main battle group.
43:10We are the most southern unit as it stands.
43:13We are on the screen.
43:14We will gather information and feed it to who needs it.
43:21The commanding officer of that battle group, he can't be forward and he can't see everything
43:25and he can't predict what's going on.
43:31So just a quick summary of what the next 24 hours looks like for us.
43:35What that looks like is us pushing back to a centralised location, basically in layman's
43:39terms 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
43:46out.
43:47Happy enough?
43:48Jerk.
43:49Cool.
43:50After their briefing, the platoon will split up and head out largely on their own, with just
43:57their radios to speak when needed.
44:11He'll be isolated out there and an enemy potentially could capture him.
44:38I actually enlisted at the age of 15.
44:42I was too young at the time.
44:44However, I ditched school and much to my mum and dad's amazement, I managed to navigate
44:51my way down to the careers office in town.
44:53So I remember having to jump to push the buzzer, because I couldn't reach, I wasn't high enough
44:57to 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.
45:12Any call sign, a 2-5-Alfred, check.
45:16But for those that are in it, it's a very rewarding job, and being able to set the conditions
45:20for, say, an offensive action, going into a position, knowing that you've gathered all
45:25the dispositions of enemy you've got.
45:28This is how you're going to attack it.
45:29This is how many people are there.
45:31And for me, being a 28-year-old Giza from Edinburgh, this is my recommendation to you, a lieutenant
45:38colonel, 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
45:44that attack, is the most fulfilling thing about being in that platoon.
45:54Sergeant Crawford will need to get eyes on the enemy before they see him.
45:57Because if the troops in the trenches come under fire without warning, it could be seen
46:05as a failure.
46:06There's a lot in the big trees.
46:12Aye.
46:13Right, come grab this with me, Brickson, please.
46:19There's a big tree in there.
46:24Come through.
46:29Aye.
46:30Trenches dug, Lieutenant Harvey Beaver has formulated a plan, which the NATO referees will assess him
46:36on.
46:37There's nothing I love more than tactics.
46:43A kilometre south that way, you've got this road that's literally just there, and it leads
46:49up 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
46:57the road.
47:02So when they come round the corner, they won't see it.
47:07But what Corporal Kersey's doing is he's setting up little ambush positions just to the flank
47:12of 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
47:28start opening up with any weapon system, to be honest.
47:31Just getting any dismounts.
47:32The jocks need to create these ambush sites using one tool they have plenty of, trees.
47:45See, if my dad sees me on camera, something like that, mate, I'm just going to do it, mate.
47:59That'll do it, bro.
48:03It's a wee bit more on the left side, boys, and then.
48:06I would say that's it.
48:08That enemy's out there.
48:09Their recce will be out looking at you.
48:10Their snipers will be out looking for you.
48:12Everybody 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 a days prior, before you're starting off, you want to be getting
48:23in there.
48:24Smashing it out.
48:25That's what's happening at the moment.
48:26Happy with that.
48:27Happy.
48:28Lads, that block is not big enough as well.
48:33Do you want to go higher?
48:34Yeah.
48:35I can't go through that.
48:36Aye, we'll stay higher then.
48:37Very happy.
48:38If I saw that in the warrior, mate, I'd be looking at the hips, mate.
48:41Drive through to the neighbour?
48:42Yeah.
48:45It's like putting trees up the way.
48:46Up the way.
48:49We'll just go higher.
48:51Back in the UK, the troops are getting ready for an assessment by Edinburgh's Garrison Sergeant Major.
49:01He'll check their drills and kit.
49:03They're ready for a further inspection by officials from the Army Ceremonial HQ, known as the London District.
49:10So 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.
49:19It's all neat and tidy.
49:20A 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 Glengarrys are ironed.
49:37All of that is just to the right standard, as well as things brass-hood, nice and shiny.
49:41For the internal assessment, we've got soldiers from five Scots and the band of the Royal Regiment of Scotland.
49:55The GSM is there to do the most rigid possible inspection.
50:00March, now!
50:02March, now!
50:03March, now!
50:04March, now!
50:06There's a drumming noise inside my head that starts when you're around
50:11I swear that you could hear it and make such an almighty sound
50:15There's a drumming noise inside my head that throws me to the gall
50:20I swear that you should hear it and make such an almighty sound
50:25The GSM's a very particular man, wasn't he, sir?
50:52He knows what he wants, he knows how he gets what he wants.
51:00You can see here the difference between socks, not cutting circulation off of course,
51:05but they need to make sure they're tight enough to stay up.
51:08He's looking for things that the London District potentially wouldn't even be.
51:13Length of the jacket.
51:15It's arguably a harder inspection to pass than the actual London Brigade one,
51:19which is both good and bad because it kind of sets the tone for what the final inspection is going to be.
51:25And once you're at the standard there, then you look immaculate to them.
51:29Buddy buddy system. Basics.
51:31Some more work needs done on the brocs.
51:33Almost look like a pair of coal boots.
51:35The medals have still got the rain marks.
51:37Whitener and things on belts.
51:39Things like attention to detail.
51:40The attention to detail.
51:41Detail.
51:42It's a small attention to detail.
51:43It didn't go very well with the GSM.
51:46Nice centre buttons.
51:47No buttons.
51:48One button.
51:49Yeah.
51:50It wasn't so much the drool that wasn't the GSM standard, it was the kit itself.
51:55As you're a shining example of how to do it, please pass the knowledge on.
52:00The individual who hasn't got that knowledge yet.
52:03Yep.
52:04They made it abundantly clear to us that the GSM wasn't happy.
52:08Please.
52:09Fall.
52:10Out.
52:11I don't know what the fuck's going on.
52:14I don't see a ton, mate.
52:16Jeremy is a fucking bastard.
52:18It's most afternoon it's cancer.
52:20This afternoon I'll go with one piece and I'll take any single person in the pocket.
52:26So we have two days to get our kit to standard, ensuring just that the uniform and ceremonial dress date
52:31is to London District standard.
52:34Ready for London District inspection on Friday.
52:50In Estonia, the Scots are prepped and waiting for their action to start.
52:56Crack a pack of riddles out tonight to celebrate.
52:59Celebrate deployment.
53:07Better put them up.
53:26It's done.
53:38Finished.
53:39That's us.
53:40The position's dug.
53:42We own it.
53:43That's our area.
53:44And then as soon as you are there, that's it.
53:46That's your gaff for the foreseeable future.
53:48It's effectively just game on and you're waiting for something to happen.
53:52To be told to do an action or wait on the enemy conducting an action on you.
53:57After this, we'll probably have a brief off airplane commander.
53:59We'll make our way out to the living trenches.
54:01We'll put ponchos.
54:02It's just a camouflage tarp that goes over the top of it.
54:04Keeping it.
54:05Look on our hearts for any enemy coming in.
54:07We'll get into our routine.
54:08Everybody takes their turn during style during the night.
54:10In the morning, we'll get into our morning routine, doing our teeth, powdering our feet,
54:14giving ourselves a wash, making sure everybody gets a hot scoff on.
54:17Whoever's on sentry, somebody covers him, making him a hot brew.
54:20Just keep them going.
54:21You look after each other.
54:22Especially out here, you need to look after each other on the sound sheets.
54:24Then from there, keeping comms with our platoon commander.
54:27And 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.
54:34Right, so troops, OC's happy with today.
54:51I noticed all the positions to the south are all dug in, so good to go.
54:55Standing patrols rotating on six, eight-hour shifts,
54:58and that'll be starting from tomorrow.
55:00Roger, happy.
55:01Another thing is, now that the build phase is done,
55:04we're essentially entering green phase.
55:06Green phase is when defences are ready.
55:09The enemy is approaching.
55:11We know it's getting closer, but that moment could come at any time.
55:16From 21.30, all PPE on. Good to go.
55:20Anything for me?
55:21No, sir.
55:22Mega.
55:23Right, yeah, smashing work today.
55:25Absolutely crushed it.
55:26Catch you later.
55:27Hey, thank you, sir.
55:28Hey, thank you, sir.
55:49Deployment phase has taken place.
55:50All of our forces are now pushed out into their respective defensive positions.
55:54And now we're in the shaping phase, putting the final touches on that.
56:01Warfare is chaos a lot of the time.
56:03You 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
56:17and 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.
56:29So I'm happy with that.
56:32I didn't join with my eyes closed to think I would never go to war.
56:36It's one of those really difficult things being in the military.
56:39It's sort of like, I guess it's kind of like if you were a firefighter that never fought a fire.
56:43No one wants their house to burn down.
56:45No one wants a war.
56:46But war could be a thing that happens.
56:48I mean, everyone's ready, everyone's set.
56:53But all plans are good until you get punched in the face.
56:57Next time on the Troops.
57:00When you know it's actually happening, it's like a switch is switched.
57:04It's just everything tight.
57:06Get on, put your stuff. Use it!
57:09When the aggravation starts to ramp up, it'll feel very real.
57:12It's all I'm fucking doing!
57:14I feel it's going to fucking roll through there.
57:17Right, move.
57:20Get out of here, mate!
57:24I'm fucking right, you know, T?
57:26Use a fuck!
57:47Take care!
57:56Take care!
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