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BRITCOM 4
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00:00Probably a really stupid question, but are you not scared?
00:02The drones are a bit annoying.
00:03The drones are a wee bit...
00:05The drones are a wee bit annoying.
00:06Aye.
00:06You hear a high-pitched buzz and that's the last thing you hear.
00:23We're living in an unstable world and tensions are high.
00:27There's huge consequences, right?
00:29So 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.
00:41I pride myself on having a good mental resilient attitude where nothing's too hard.
00:50These are the Scots.
00:52The Royal Regiment of Scotland and Britain's most deployed infantry.
00:56And 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.
01:11It can get very violent and things can escalate pretty quickly.
01:14Is that another miss?
01:18Back home, ceremonial troops prepare to guard the King.
01:21But behind the pageantry, they need to be battle ready too.
01:25It's frantic.
01:26It's frenzied.
01:27It's ferocious.
01:28It's ferocious.
01:30But for the troops, it's just another day at the office.
01:38Previously on the troops.
01:40Exercise Hedgehog is a multi-nation exercise on the Estonian border.
01:46All sorts of different units coming together and practicing.
01:57So if anything did happen, we know that we can work as a whole organisation.
02:01Get us on the columns if any drama's alright.
02:05Jameson, move! On the move! On the move!
02:12It's more than just training, it's training for war.
02:15Warfare is chaos a lot of the time.
02:17And the thing that you need is people to understand what's in front of them,
02:20to have success and to beat the enemy.
02:23So what am I doing with these two casualties?
02:27Right, let's go.
02:28Back with me.
02:29You need to get that we're doing this for a reason.
02:31Especially now how turbulent politically the world is.
02:34Going to be alright brother.
02:36There's a lot of pressure.
02:37If I get the whole force protection wrong, it would live with me forever.
02:44In Estonia, the troops are now less than 20 miles from the Russian border,
02:48taking part in Exercise Hedgehog.
02:51It's a NATO training mission which involves around 17,000 soldiers
02:56from the allied nations.
02:58It's testing whether they are battle ready
03:01should Russia's invasion into the Ukraine spread.
03:04So during the exercise we are really close to the Russian border
03:07but from my personal perspective I think that's good.
03:10Training in the environment that we potentially could be fighting in
03:13and it also gives the Jocks a feel for the environment that we'll be fighting in.
03:17They're firing blank ammunition and being assessed on their readiness for war
03:22by NATO referees.
03:24The battle is well underway with the troops now in the final phase known as FTX.
03:30FTX standing for Field Training Exercise.
03:33This is a training event where soldiers practice and refine their skills
03:38in a simulated combat environment.
03:40Which will be sort of four or five days of testing
03:43if we've got everyone in the right places
03:45and we'll have an enemy that are playing Russian tactics.
03:50The Red Forces are the simulated enemy
03:52and they are played by NATO forces.
03:56And we'll fight against them for four or five days
03:58to show that we're really good at it.
04:04The Jocks are training for the most likely real-life scenario right now
04:07and so their role in Estonia is a defending force.
04:12Their aim is to fight from the trenches they have built
04:15and to push back any encroaching enemy forces.
04:19Above all, they have to hold their ground.
04:23When it comes to the push of enemy forces
04:26unlike World War I
04:27it's not just a big grand assault onto every piece of land.
04:31What they'll try and do is spearhead
04:33and kind of punch and obliterate a small part of the line.
04:37Where is he?
04:39Keep your eyes on.
04:41It's up to the Scots battle group
04:43to put the gum shield in and take the main blast.
04:45The very high tempo, a lot of armour,
04:48a lot of assaults coming in
04:50which makes it hard for us.
04:52Back up!
04:53Cheering smoke!
04:54Bookie, send a mini flare.
04:55The mini flares are quite useful.
05:00If you think back to World War I, World War II
05:04where communication was hard
05:06there was no audio-visual communication between units.
05:11Jump forward a hundred years
05:13you've now got the challenges of an EW threat
05:17electronics will go down,
05:19technology will fail you
05:20therefore you need to revert back to the old and bold measures
05:24whether that's keeping a pigeon in your back left
05:26or a pen flare in your pocket
05:29these are the things that you're going to have to use.
05:32It's a mini flare
05:33it goes in there
05:34so what you do is put the trigger back
05:35and it denotes
05:37you fire and then we'll
05:38just for safe practice
05:40we're using these.
05:41Mini flares are a vital communication tool
05:44in the modern battlefield
05:45so the troops need to practice using them
05:48although in this training scenario
05:51they're not being used to send messages
05:54but rather
05:55to signify something far scarier
05:58Now on the exercise piece
06:00mini flares were used to simulate
06:03next generation lightweight anti-tank weapons
06:06so if you've seen a pen flare
06:08or a mini flare getting fired directly at you
06:11it's safe to say that was
06:13a bit of munitions getting launched at you
06:16and you were going to become dust
06:18send a runner
06:19your rating here on ABO
06:21what do you need?
06:22556
06:23you've got one anything
06:25he's got one
06:26just one
06:29I'm a runner for Ali mate
06:30just fucking
06:31shout out to him if you need to
06:32fuck you mate
06:34IDF fucking
06:37IDF
06:39simulates artillery strikes
06:45or a barrage of explosives coming from
06:48airborne threats
06:52now
06:53on the exercise that was simulated
06:55by blasting an air horn
06:57and then that would last for maybe
06:59five to ten minutes
07:00and then they'd come back round
07:01and blast another air horn
07:03once that happens
07:04there's a select drill
07:06and select doctrine
07:07that you have to do
07:08hit the ground
07:08go to dirt
07:09try and get as flat as possible
07:10and then just wait out
07:13I'm probably going to keep it in
07:18clear
07:19back up noise
07:21IDF coming in
07:22slide into the fire
07:23if you hit the beck
07:24you can get the cover as fast as you can
07:26warm beaks
07:27denoting
07:28MACA
07:29MACA
07:30MACA
07:31a lot of the time
07:33it can feel a bit like a game
07:35I think it's probably unavoidable
07:36because you're not killing each other
07:38and we have to remind a few people
07:40that you're not doing that
07:41because some people can get a bit
07:42involved with it
07:43and
07:44watch your leg
07:45watch your leg
07:46watch your leg
07:47fuck off
08:00we'll be speaking about that later
08:02in cataric
08:08other troops
08:09are learning how to handle
08:10a public disorder situation
08:12it's an operational requirement
08:14for us to have their training under a belt
08:16right back in
08:17double and that's fucking global
08:18they've been tested to the limit
08:21to develop the skills they'll need
08:23as a resident infantry battalion
08:25in the eastern Mediterranean
08:27it's not supposed to be timid
08:29because in real life realities
08:31they're extremely volatile
08:33and extremely violent
08:34a lot of the time
08:35why someone fucking drop him
08:40I am Lieutenant Laura Donovan
08:41and I'm a platoon commander
08:43in Delta Company
08:44I have a platoon of 24 soldiers
08:47under my command
08:50with their training complete
08:52Laura and her platoon
08:53are now ready for deployment
08:54to their new base in Cyprus
08:57I think I'll miss
08:59just being able to pop home
09:00at the weekend
09:01I've still got
09:02so much army kit
09:04in the summer house
09:05of our garden
09:06is that the mansion
09:07in the villa
09:08that's not how we all live
09:09I don't call my shed a summer house
09:10yeah because there's a shed
09:11that's got like bikes
09:12and stuff at the bottom
09:13of the garden
09:14and then there's a summer house
09:15that's got like
09:16tables and chairs
09:17a lot of tables and chairs
09:18my shed have
09:19boxes
09:20tools
09:21lawnmowers
09:22what do I need a lawnmower for?
09:23cut the glass no?
09:24you don't do that
09:24oh sorry
09:25yeah somebody
09:25but before they can go
09:30there's one more room
09:31to pack up at the barracks
09:33and this one
09:34is a big one
09:35that one of
09:37the Esplanade
09:38that will come with us
09:39because that's
09:40nationally important
09:41Gordon will come with us
09:42Piper Mackay
09:43definitely will
09:44General Sir Peter Hunt
09:45will come
09:46most of the things in here
09:47will come with us
09:49when one battalion leaves the barracks in Cyprus
09:53they take everything back home
09:55what about the Queen?
09:57is the Queen coming?
09:58so the Queen is coming
09:59and so when the Scots take up their position
10:02it's tradition for literally everything to go with them
10:06Lieutenant N.G. Cameron
10:11Lieutenant N.G. Cameron
10:13Lieutenant N.G. Cameron
10:15Yep
10:16November golf
10:17Jinx
10:18I think my family are looking forward to coming out and visiting
10:24and so are my friends
10:25and so are my friends
10:26which is funny because
10:27people complain a lot about making the journey down to Catrick from Edinburgh
10:31but I don't think they're going to complain as much about making the journey out to Cyprus
10:34at least they'll know that we're in the sunshine
10:36there's a Facebook page between the rifles who we're taking over from
10:43they obviously are needing to sell lots of
10:47they're needing to sell lots of the stuff that they've picked up on island
10:53I think they call the cars out there Cyprus Specials
10:57because everyone just kind of rotates them between the units that go out
11:00that's three paintings of 365
11:05365
11:07progress
11:08we're nearly there
11:09it's going to be a long weekend
11:11exercise hedgehog is designed to feel as real as possible
11:23and in this war game
11:25the troops in the trenches are coming under heavy indirect missile fire
11:29they're holding ground
11:32but enemy forces are using every tactic at their disposal
11:35and have their sights on battle group headquarters
11:39which is the crucial nerve centre for the Scots
11:42carefully hidden in the forest
11:44in a combat environment especially a kinetic one
11:46things don't always go to plan
11:48and for the troops
11:50their best laid plans are about to be tested
11:53now we were testing some equipment
12:11and one of them bits of equipment kind of compromised us a little bit
12:14it was a 17 foot mast I think it was off the top of my head
12:17and that's a communication system that we use for the comms
12:20but this mast was silver
12:22and when the drone went overhead clearly it was sunny that day
12:25so the drone kind of seen the shine off the mast
12:28and it identified us
12:30and the minute a drone identifies you
12:32you've probably got 10 to 15 minutes
12:35and then you're going to get indirect fire on top of you
12:38I mean the helicopters and jets going over the top
12:41we understand that we've been taken out through a number of different ways
12:44it could come across comms
12:46referees they'll come in and they'll just let us know exactly what's happened
12:49and we need to react to their words of command
12:54the guys come in and says look you've all been destroyed you're all dead
12:58when we've been IDF'd here
13:00what we do is we hand over to ALT
13:03so it's just alternate HQ
13:05it is essential that we hand the battle across to them
13:07just so there's constant feed to the guys on the front line
13:11so when it comes to the tent Major Shepherd being one of the key personalities within that
13:15geographically they're in different locations clearly for protection
13:19you don't want everybody killed at the same time
13:21so you've always got a reserve essentially for planning and executing
13:28With dozens of key players now taken out of the game
13:31it's up to Shep and his team to keep the jocks on track
13:34this morning the first enemy action was to have indirect fire
13:40so artillery fire onto our main headquarters
13:43which meant that this headquarters had to step up and take control of the battle
13:46which happened pretty quickly
13:49we were expecting the enemy actions to start ramping up today
13:51obviously we weren't expecting our main headquarters to be taken out of action so quickly
13:55bit of a jump for us but always ready over in the ALT HQ
13:59so ready to step in
14:01since then for the last sort of six hours
14:03we've been controlling that battle
14:05which has mainly been down on the main route into A Company's location
14:14they've had the majority of the enemy force come up there
14:16and we've been understanding and trying to support them through their fight
14:19a zero echo zero
14:22can you just confirm that the fire control centre is re-established in your location over
14:28the final kind of exercise will be the full whack and everything coming in all at once
14:34the exercise will finish with something that is the most complex scenario you can deal with I think for sure
14:43While Shep and his team devised tactics to help the soldiers hold ground
14:49after days living in the trenches
14:52for the jocks
14:54things have gone quiet
14:56the lull in the battle
14:58can be one or two things
15:00we've defeated the enemy
15:01or they could be planning another up against us
15:04but essentially what we would do then
15:05is we would do exactly the same thing
15:08we would reconsolidate
15:10we would make sure all our kit and equipment is ready to go again
15:13just in case they hit us at any time
15:19go for a walk
15:22go for a walk
15:24go for a walk
15:26come on then
15:32I absolutely prefer being with animals
15:34it's just the way I am
15:35you know
15:36I just prefer the companionship
15:40if I'm ever feeling
15:43anything other than happy
15:44they can sense it
15:46hey
15:50I'm Cornwall Stewart
15:52I'm the pony major
15:53and I am Crookhan IV's handler
15:56in Edinburgh
15:58Rory is preparing the regimental mascot
16:01sixteen year old Crookhan IV
16:03for the freedom of Falkirk parade
16:06go on then
16:07it's a ceremony
16:08where the regiment can showcase their tradition
16:10while receiving the honour of the freedom of the town
16:13Crookhan is the symbol of the regimental battalion
16:18he's a Shetland
16:20what they lack in size
16:21they make up an attitude
16:23Crookhan lives with his uncle and companion nightcap
16:27but it's Crookhan who serves in his ceremonial duties
16:31and holds the rank of corporal
16:32of corporal
16:34want some cracks
16:39come on then
16:41come on
16:42eh eh
16:43walk on
16:44Crookhan wears his medals
16:45those medals are given to him
16:47whenever one of the units within the regiment goes on tour
16:50it's almost to show off what the regiment's done
16:52during his time as a mascot
16:54got a normal day
16:56getting him getting up
16:57checking on them
16:58giving them a physical check over
17:00just make sure they've not done any damage
17:02trying to escape
17:03or fighting with each other
17:05get their hay
17:06and then they'll muck out in the paddock
17:09Crookhan is a diva
17:11he knows he's important
17:13and he'll show off
17:15I mean at the end of the day
17:16they're all still animals
17:17but sometimes just like us
17:19they'll have an off day
17:20they'll have an off day
17:21one of the most notable ones was
17:23him eating the
17:24queen's posy of flowers
17:26she knew what Crookhan was like
17:28and
17:29she was a big fan of
17:30animals obviously
17:31and she loved
17:32spending time with these two
17:38that'll do for him
17:39because we'll get him severed anyway
17:48it's not very good
17:49but
17:58head and shoulders
17:59for the dandruff
18:122010
18:13I was actually 18 years old
18:14while out on patrol
18:15in Afghanistan
18:19we were basically
18:20providing
18:22a security cordon
18:24for a new
18:25Afghan National Police Headquarters
18:27opening up
18:28and we've seen these motorbikes
18:34going in behind this compound
18:36to our front
18:37most of the time in Afghanistan
18:38if it's two
18:39two military aged males
18:40on
18:41on
18:42on a motorcycle
18:43it's
18:44the Taliban
18:50so yeah they went in behind this compound
18:52and then
18:53next thing I know
18:54I'm like
18:55almost coming round
18:56looked down
18:57and there was just
18:58blood coming out
18:59er
19:00tried to shout man down
19:02nothing was coming out
19:05Rory had been shot in the face
19:07by the Taliban fighter
19:09so it went in
19:10my chin here
19:11back out my jaw
19:12and my neck there
19:13went round my neck
19:15through my spine fracturing into two places
19:18and then
19:19got lodged in my left shoulder blade
19:21I thought that was me
19:22I was actually temporarily
19:26like penalised
19:38when you join the army
19:39you should understand the risks
19:41I was angry
19:43of course
19:44but I understood
19:46like
19:47this is just
19:48the nature of the job
19:49this can happen
19:51and
19:52it could have been worse
19:53you know
19:54people have had worse things done to them
19:55so
19:56I was pretty lucky
19:57in
19:58my eyes
20:13you took them a walk this morning?
20:14no not today
20:15not in this weather
20:16it's the day of the Falkirk parade
20:18and a dreach day in Scotland
20:20when I first got into this job
20:22obviously I was nervous about it
20:24you know
20:25as much as I had done
20:27marching in parades before
20:29being with Crookin
20:31Crookin's got that many fans
20:34you know
20:35the spotlight is
20:37on us
20:38Rory's colleague Private Robbie Burt
20:41is on hand to help
20:43for this parade
20:45because we're going up a high street
20:46we like to
20:47clean up the way behind us
20:48because people will be walking
20:49through it obviously
20:50so I had
20:52chief paper scooper
20:53he's known as
20:54Bobby Joby
20:55no he's going back in
20:57I know
20:58no chance
20:59no
21:00dad we're going home
21:03I see you later
21:04I see you
21:05gone right in here
21:09I've got your own jobbies
21:10I think everyone minds being wet
21:13if you've got a job to do
21:14you've got a job to do
21:15and Crookin understands
21:17once he gets his uniform on
21:19he has a job to do
21:20good to go
21:21happy my boy
21:23no
21:25yeah
21:28you happy
21:29aye
21:30he's going
21:31ha ha ha
21:32can't even hold it
21:35I don't think he's got to do that
21:36I don't
21:37I don't think he's got to do that
21:38I don't think he's got to do that
21:39Hooray
21:41low
21:43and
21:46cut
21:53when he's not happy
21:54he makes sure he knows
21:55by being grumpy
21:59the troops need to walk through the centre of Falkirk
22:02before concluding with an outdoor formal presentation
22:06it's the pride of doing it
22:08even if he hasn't behaved
22:10just for him to be there
22:11and to be beside me and do the parade
22:14and be there for the people
22:16it's a big thing
22:17it's a big thing
22:18and he'll always get rewarded at the end
22:20regardless whether
22:21I've got a hand left or not
22:27For the troops heading to Cyprus
22:28all that's left is to pack up their personal belongings
22:31and say their goodbyes
22:34but Lance Corporal Josh Rankin
22:35won't be saying goodbye for too long
22:38as his girlfriend Claudia
22:39and dog Winnie
22:40are giving up their life in Scotland
22:42to be with him in Cyprus
22:44so you're leaving me tomorrow
22:46yeah
22:47then I'm flying over on the 9th
22:48yeah
22:49and you're picking me up from the airport
22:50and then
22:51on the 11th
22:52we're picking money up
22:53money up from the airport
22:54and then
22:55is it the 13th
22:56we should hopefully get
22:57into our house
22:58somewhere round of it then aye
23:00me and Claudia
23:01I met in
23:02April of last year
23:03so we've been together just over a year
23:07for the last year
23:08we've just been
23:09seeing each other
23:10about the weekend
23:11yeah
23:12and it's been a lot of travelling for you as well
23:13because you've been going up and down every week
23:15yeah
23:16Claudia was a nurse
23:18in a stroke ward
23:19in one of the NHS hospitals in Edinburgh
23:22she's left that
23:23to basically come out to Cyprus to live with me
23:29making that decision was probably quite difficult
23:31but
23:32we've kind of both agreed that the opportunity
23:35to live in a different country for two years
23:37has really got to pass up on
23:39when we got over there
23:40we're not really putting any pressure on
23:42Claudia working
23:43or finding a job
23:44like
23:45she's going to take care of
23:46Winnie and me essentially
23:49from what I've heard
23:50like
23:51people that have been to Cyprus
23:52I mean I've never been
23:53but they all love it
23:54aye
23:55all the
23:56padwives
23:57and etc
23:58that was one of the best things I ever did
23:59yeah exactly
24:00but it's not like I'm there on my own
24:01there's going to be other people
24:02that I can go and speak to
24:03and meet up with
24:04nice
24:08so we've
24:09both decided
24:10to have like a
24:11leave and do
24:12which I think is a really important thing
24:14because we're going away for
24:15like a prolonged period of time
24:19and as good as
24:20we'll have people coming out to visit us
24:22when we're there
24:23there is people who we won't see
24:24for some of that period
24:26this door's heavy by the way
24:28I know
24:31hello
24:32you all right?
24:33hi
24:34where are we going to sit?
24:35I don't know
24:38hi Babs
24:39how are you?
24:40how are you?
24:41how are you?
24:42I was sitting there last time
24:43good to see you though
24:45about some of you aren't it?
24:46you all right?
24:47I don't know
24:48oh yeah
24:53that's cute
24:54I don't even think we had this many photos together
24:55no
24:56well
24:57surprise
24:59that's so cute
25:05mmmm
25:06I'll miss the people
25:07not the place
25:10that's what I keep saying
25:11Scotland always holds a place in your heart
25:13as much as you moan about it in the weather
25:17when you come back
25:18nothing really changes
25:19I think it's more Josh that's nervous
25:21he's more nervous
25:22not about moving
25:24but he's nervous that when we get there
25:25I'm not going to like it
25:26and I'm going to want to come home
25:28anybody taking any dogs?
25:31yeah?
25:33there's a guy taking two adventures
25:34there was a post on the page
25:36on Facebook saying
25:37it was advertising a little babysitter
25:39but she can watch her way
25:40and she can watch her dog
25:41yeah
25:42so you know
25:43not a white dog
25:45have you guys beat?
25:48excuse me please
25:49have you just
25:50been put on the spot here
25:55no really
25:56no really
25:57you stole our girls heart
25:58but you didn't have to drag her
25:59all the way to Cyprus
26:00we just want to wish you both
26:02all the luck in the world
26:03on your new adventure
26:04your little family of three
26:05you both deserve all the happiness
26:08in the world
26:09we can't wait to come and visit
26:11so good luck
26:12have an absolute ball
26:13and a toast
26:15to Josh and Claudia
26:21cheers to Cyprus
26:27in Estonia
26:28just a few miles from the border
26:29with Russia
26:30the trenches are quiet
26:32but the jocks have received word
26:34that the enemy is getting closer
26:36I presume they're going to push back
26:38about 150 metres
26:40north
26:41from the other side of the enemy sir
26:47Maka has spotted something
26:55the enemy are moving with their armour
26:57and that can range from
26:59a small tank
27:00to similar to a challenger
27:07it's a bit concerning
27:08when they start moving out
27:09about the battlefield
27:10we will
27:11we'll start complaining against that
27:15where you are
27:16Liz Kelsey up there
27:17push
27:18show me
27:19it's time for the jocks to go all out
27:21and leave everything they have
27:23on the battlefield
27:24let's go
27:25let's go
27:26let's go
27:27nine times in a ten
27:29in Estonia
27:30we were fighting them in a trench
27:31say
27:32five ten metres
27:34as you're trying to pick them off
27:35as they're coming over
27:37they're not afraid of anything
27:38nah
27:39I know fucking boys
27:40that are nuts
27:41but they're
27:42fucking brown soldiers
27:43I like to call it flow state
27:50you've got your task
27:52you've got your intent
27:53and you just need to make it happen
27:55whether that's working in the day environment
27:57or night environment
27:58you just need to keep operating
27:59you just need to keep operating
28:00get a couple of hours kept
28:01then you're back in
28:02it does all just flow into one
28:05yeah
28:06it's the best way to see who someone is
28:07they can be the nicest person when it's easy
28:08as soon as it gets a wee bit
28:09wet and cold
28:10you've got your task
28:11you've got your task
28:12you've got your intent
28:13and you just need to make it happen
28:14whether that's working in the day environment
28:15or night environment
28:16you just need to keep operating
28:17get a couple of hours kept
28:18then you're back in
28:19it's the best way to see who someone is
28:30they can be the nicest person when it's easy
28:33as soon as it gets a wee bit
28:34wet and cold
28:35then the cardio will work
28:43going down the street
28:44in Civis
28:45you wouldn't know that that guy's done this
28:46or that guy's just been to Estonia
28:48he's willing to lay down his life
28:49or willing to take the fight
28:50to a substantial enemy
28:52and not really think twice about it
28:55I'm moving right
28:57here he comes, here he comes
28:59hang on Scott
29:02it's a culture
29:03and to being able to do the things that we do
29:06under the strain
29:09and under the stressful situation
29:11you have to be a certain type of person
29:13and if that certain type of person is me
29:15I'm fucking happy
29:18we're very close to the Russian border
29:22it's an exercise now
29:23but in the future it might not be
29:25as a jock
29:32the best thing you can hear during an exercise
29:34is the phrase
29:35endex
29:36as endex
29:37as endex
29:38stands for end of exercise
29:39endex
29:40as endex
29:41as endex
29:42stands for end of exercise
29:43endex
29:44as endex
29:45as endex
29:46stands for end of exercise
29:50end
29:52yeah
29:54yeah
29:55yeah
29:56yeah
29:57yeah
29:59yeah
30:00yeah
30:02yeah
30:03it's a
30:04Yeah, index is a glorious word.
30:10It sends shivers up my spine.
30:12Nine times out of ten it comes over the net,
30:14it comes over the radio from higher to say,
30:16yeah, sack it. That's it done.
30:21After seven intense days of living and fighting from the trenches,
30:25all that remains for the Scots
30:27is to wait and see if they pass the test.
30:34Oh, buzzing.
30:38Fucking the best feeling in order.
30:39Aye, fair enough, I enjoy the job.
30:41But I assume you're saying, aye, index.
30:44There's no better words than index.
30:48Back up, fuck off.
30:50Good to go.
30:59Back in Scotland, it's time for Laura to pack up too.
31:02The two-year deployment to Cyprus
31:04will be her longest time away from home so far.
31:07I'm looking forward to the move.
31:11I find it pretty easy to leave home.
31:14But I think being out in Cyprus
31:17and not having my girls around
31:21is probably going to be the thing that I struggle with the most.
31:25And I love the guys that I work with.
31:27I've got such good friends in the mess.
31:29But sometimes it is just nice to be around the girls.
31:32And not having the ability to just go home
31:34and see them will be probably a bit of a struggle.
31:38And for Laura,
31:39saying goodbye to her biggest supporter
31:41will be the hardest of all.
31:43So, you're used to me being away now.
31:49Well, I'm coming and going all the time.
31:51Yeah.
31:51Yeah, but just being gone for a bit longer this time.
31:55Yeah.
31:56Do you think when you watch the news now
32:00that you look at things through, like, a different light
32:03knowing that, like, our political climate is...
32:08Well, I don't watch much of the news.
32:11But, yes, because of the role that you're now in,
32:16there's a knock-on effect,
32:19or there could be with some of the news we hear.
32:24My dad, from a young age,
32:27knew that I was very in tune
32:30that I would just always do my own thing.
32:32Like, I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
32:34I know that he was hugely proud of me.
32:36Growing up.
32:39And I was at the, I suppose, young age of 12,
32:41starting high school,
32:43when he got ill.
32:44And it's a bit sad, actually, to think, like,
32:47he would never have known this chapter of my life.
32:52He would... Yeah.
32:54Yeah, no, I know he'd be hugely proud of me.
32:57But I get that from my mum.
32:59Sorry, I'm getting so emotional.
33:01I think...
33:04Oh.
33:05My mum took on the role of both parents
33:09when I lost my dad.
33:12So...
33:12Jesus.
33:14The fact that she is
33:16my biggest cheerleader
33:18and tells me, relentlessly,
33:22how proud she is,
33:23it reflects the fact that
33:26I know that my dad would have felt the same way.
33:28I want to make the most of what I've got left of platoon command.
33:36And there's not really much better place to do it than in Cyprus,
33:41especially in the first year where it's all new and exciting.
33:43I'm not necessarily saying that I want to go into a kinetic environment
33:49and take my platoon there and...
33:51there'd be the horrors of war to happen in my life.
33:57However,
33:59if I got called to do that,
34:00I would happily go and trust in my soldiers to do their jobs
34:04and then do my job
34:05in, like, the only setting that would be able to provide it,
34:08which would be the reality of going to war.
34:13With the move fast approaching,
34:15Laura's sister has been roped in to help with the packing.
34:18So, how many boxes do you get to take?
34:22So, I've got
34:23five big boxes.
34:25So, they'll be in a big ISO container and they'll be shipped out.
34:29What is ISO?
34:30Just, like, a big shipping container thing.
34:32Well, you're always coming out with these letters
34:34and I don't know what you're on about.
34:35You just start firing live.
34:36I know.
34:37I know.
34:37It's like another language, but...
34:39I think you're used to a lot of it now.
34:42Like, why Cyprus, though?
34:44Like, what...
34:45Like, why are you getting put there specifically?
34:46There's always two battalions based out there
34:49in two different locations on the island
34:50and it's basically, like, a forward operating location
34:54for if there was anything to happen, say,
34:57in the Middle East
34:58and they needed people to go
35:01in whatever role we'd be asked to do,
35:03then we would be able to deploy more quickly from Cyprus.
35:08Would you say that you're scared to go to Cyprus?
35:11No, I wouldn't...
35:13I don't think I've ever really been scared to do
35:16anything because I've not experienced anything
35:19truly scary yet,
35:20but knowing, like, the way that the, kind of,
35:24political climate has gone recently
35:26and that we actually might be asked to do something
35:28a bit more kinetic than what we would have originally anticipated,
35:33there is that bit of, like, uneasiness around that,
35:35but we're well-trained and, like, well-oiled machines,
35:38so I trust that if we did need to do anything,
35:40then we'd be able to do it well,
35:41but maybe it's a bit easier to not think about it.
35:49Whenever I'm home,
35:51the first question my friends will ask me is,
35:54are we going to war?
35:56All the time.
35:57I don't think...
35:57maybe they're not being completely serious when they ask it,
35:59but they do watch the news
36:02and to have me in their lives,
36:03it's, like, an extra question mark
36:05over what that actually means.
36:07So, I know that they do worry
36:10more than they probably would
36:11if they didn't know me
36:13or didn't know someone that was in the military
36:15and that could actually have a part to play,
36:18but at the end of the day,
36:21you want to do something that you've trained for,
36:23but that kind of situation,
36:25that conversation of reality
36:27is the one that's, yeah,
36:29sometimes maybe one of the harder conversations to have.
36:35Well, for the Troop's family,
36:37the thought of their loved ones in combat
36:38may be difficult.
36:40For the Scots,
36:41it's the role they were born to do.
36:43From the start of that FTX to the end,
36:46it was just one big fight,
36:48I think, is kind of how it played out.
36:50How good is that you got there?
36:53Unbelievable.
36:54The boys just get it done every time.
36:56Yeah.
36:57The win is the, kind of,
36:59the big aims of that objective were achieved, I guess.
37:01So, we got everyone there,
37:02we got everyone to dig in
37:03and do defence positions.
37:05We proved that we could fight in that terrain.
37:07There was a lot of, a lot of wind.
37:14This is probably the end of two years as an OC.
37:18Two years of what has hands down
37:20been the best job I've ever done
37:22and rounding it off by seeing
37:24the boys do phenomenally well.
37:33We can leave Estonia confident
37:36and I think we can absolutely let Natal know
37:38that we are ready if anything does happen.
37:40We're more than ready.
37:42Do I want it to be cold?
37:43Absolutely not.
37:44But are we ready?
37:45Absolutely.
37:46Yeah, we're ready.
37:46I enjoy coming off exercise and looking back on it
37:50and being like,
37:51yeah, I'm happy with how that went.
37:54It is nice to see the lads doing well as well
37:56and being able to see the change
37:59that you've had a part in.
38:02You know what the banter is like in the military.
38:04That's one of the things that I'm going to miss.
38:06The banter's great.
38:07I don't live it down.
38:08They always tell me that I got everybody killed
38:10in Battlegut headquarters, so, yeah.
38:15Are you happy with that?
38:16I think that's probably as good as we're going to get it.
38:18Three, two, one.
38:21Cheers, Troop.
38:22Cheers, Troop.
38:25Cheers!
38:28When I got put in parade at the end, right,
38:29they told us, look,
38:30you've done well, you've passed this.
38:31You've passed the validation.
38:32Well done.
38:33Thank you for all your efforts.
38:34The commanding officer gets everybody together
38:36and recognises individuals
38:37that have performed well during that time.
38:39Right, Molly, everyone.
38:41I just want to say a few words
38:42now we've come to the end of the exercise.
38:45You're saying a well done for your graph.
38:47A few presentations from people
38:48who've done really well in the exercise.
38:51Fusel Ed McMillan from A Company
38:52who was instrumental in the construction of trenches.
38:55Fuck it, I didn't expect I was getting an award, man.
38:57My name got called out.
38:59Showed a strong work ethic for our
39:01very team members around
39:02and will wait to make you get so good humour.
39:05I don't want people to come around, like,
39:06here's Marker.
39:07He's shit.
39:08Like, I want to be able to go to a different company
39:10or other people.
39:11Oh, here's Marker.
39:12Fucking grafter.
39:13Do you know what I mean?
39:14Like, that's what I want to be known as.
39:16Howdy, bro.
39:18You sure my bum looks good on camera?
39:19I've been squatting that, aye?
39:24Obviously cut that bit out
39:25but I've just done a big snotter.
39:27Let's go!
39:28Oh, fuck, I was a Marker to the front
39:38but I had a pure Beamer.
39:44I've got conclusions for a bright red.
39:46Bang, I saw it up.
39:51Half of it is.
39:51Once back in Edinburgh
40:04for Piper Ben Milne
40:06there's no time to rest.
40:08The next chapter of his story
40:09is only just about to begin.
40:12A jock
40:12is a soldier
40:13who just pushes through.
40:15We've got a reputation
40:16that we are
40:17the hardest people in the army
40:18and we keep it going
40:19because at the end of the day
40:20we're jocks.
40:22I'm Beasley or Ben Milne
40:24I have the 2nd Battalion
40:25that are in Scotland.
40:29Today he's at the airport
40:30where he's expecting
40:32a special arrival.
40:34I'm in a relationship
40:35her name's Jen.
40:37I don't see her that often
40:38she lives in Canada
40:39so it's actually been 7 months
40:40since I've last seen her
40:41so I'm looking forward to her
40:42coming over.
40:47Hello!
40:48Hi baby!
40:49Are you okay?
40:51How are you?
40:51Yeah?
40:52We met when we've done
40:53the Royal Edinburgh
40:54military tattoo
40:55in 2033
40:56so she's a Highland dancer.
40:58Let's go home.
41:00Take that off.
41:01Take that, alright.
41:03As we were getting ready
41:04to go on to
41:05one of the dancing
41:06and piping sets
41:07we do together
41:07we got chatting.
41:12Every summer
41:13Edinburgh Castle
41:14is the stage
41:15for the Royal Military Tattoo
41:16now in its 75th year.
41:18the couple
41:19will take part
41:20in the 40-show run
41:21which is centred on
41:23armed forces
41:23from around the world
41:24but also features
41:26civilian performers
41:27like Jen.
41:28And this year
41:29for the 75th anniversary
41:30of the first tattoo
41:31the duo will be sharing
41:33the stage once more
41:34but before the shows begin
41:36there's just enough time
41:37to get reacquainted.
41:38When I was younger
41:40I was army staff.
41:42So my family was actually
41:43in the Navy
41:43I decided to choose
41:44the army route
41:45watching stuff on TV
41:48when you're younger
41:48you're like wow
41:49that's what I want to do
41:50that's really cool.
41:51So I went to the
41:52careers office in Glasgow
41:53and they went
41:53listen you're a wee bit too young
41:55come back in a couple months
41:56when you're 15 and a half
41:57so I waited
41:59and I waited
42:00as soon as I could
42:01went straight to the careers office
42:02done the pre-assessment
42:03you have to do there
42:04and that was it set
42:05I was 16 in three months
42:07at that point
42:07so I'm still a child.
42:09It started in September 2019
42:10that's been me
42:11ever since.
42:13Right you can go first
42:14ladies first.
42:18Oh that's definitely going on.
42:24You tried me better.
42:27Okay.
42:29My main responsibility
42:30is a rifleman
42:30so I'm just a basic soldier
42:32who does what I'm told to do
42:34when I'm told to do it.
42:36I've got a dual role
42:37so I'm doing
42:37everything from a typical
42:38jock a squaddy will do
42:39but I'm also
42:40a musician
42:41within the army.
42:48When do you start rehearsals
42:49for the tattoo?
42:51There's a mass
42:51plays and drums rehearsal
42:52on Sunday
42:53just at Redford
42:54because we've not seen
42:55each other at all yet.
42:57When I was like
42:5812 years old
42:59our music teacher was like
43:00if you want to learn
43:00any instrument
43:01come and see us
43:02so I went to them
43:03and I was like miss
43:04I really want to learn
43:05to lay the bagpipes
43:06and they were like
43:07no
43:07but I was like
43:09okay brilliant
43:09so then I joined the army
43:10found out the army
43:11will teach you
43:11I was like 100%
43:12that is what I'm going to do
43:13so I messaged the drum major
43:16and I was like
43:16this is what I want to do
43:17I'm here in training
43:18but I want to come with
43:19types and drums
43:20and they brought me across
43:21so as well as doing
43:28the day to day
43:29soldier side of things
43:30I'm constantly practising
43:32the pipes and the chanter
43:33for the Royal Edinburgh
43:35Miller's tattoo
43:35with around a thousand
43:38performers
43:38the tattoo is one
43:40of the largest
43:40and most complex
43:41spectacles of its kind
43:43are you ready?
43:45so we got this music
43:46what a couple weeks ago now
43:48and then
43:50pipe majors like
43:51Ben
43:52and Nami
43:53you're on harmonies
43:54so I need to learn
43:55the whole
43:55first set again
43:56well
43:57three days to go
43:58the dancers rehearsal
44:00what is it like?
44:01what do you do?
44:02we start with
44:02costume fittings
44:04right away
44:05it's a shot by the way
44:10Friday to Tuesday
44:11we're in the gym
44:13learning our dances
44:14because we don't know
44:15anything at 8am
44:16until dinner time
44:17every day
44:19just weeks after
44:20returning from Estonia
44:21Ben has to get ready
44:22for another huge challenge
44:24just five days
44:25until we're crossing
44:26over that drawbridge
44:27for the first time
44:28in front of an audience
44:29of 8,000
44:30oh
44:32here
44:33yes
44:34it's just one
44:35that
44:35cheers
44:36with just a few days
44:41till the first performance
44:43it's time for Ben's rehearsals
44:44to ramp up a gear
44:45and the stakes are high
44:47across the performances
44:49over 200,000 people
44:51will attend the events
44:53at the castle
44:54we're travelling from Pennycook
45:09to Redford every day for the tattoo rehearsals
45:12where we'll be playing alongside the bands
45:14during rehearsals
45:18during rehearsals
45:19it's the first time the bands
45:20and drums are coming together
45:21and we're expected to play up
45:23about 110 beats per minute
45:24when we're only practicing at say 90
45:26so the pace of play is so much faster
45:30it's a big jump
45:32and it's really difficult for your fingers
45:33to keep up
45:34I've had better days playing my pipes
45:37I've been practicing the firsts
45:46I'm actually meant to be playing
45:47the harmonizing
45:48it's different notes
45:50you can hear what everyone else is playing
45:52and you're having to play something
45:54completely different to them
45:55so it can be really challenging
45:56on the ears
45:58because you feel like you're playing
45:59the wrong thing
46:00so right now my current boss
46:03or my current pipe major
46:04is pipe major Joe Davies
46:05he's feeling the strain
46:11because he's in charge
46:12he's responsible
46:13so we sound like shit
46:14it's him that sounds like shit
46:16because he's set up the band
46:17right we all right
46:18good
46:18right so
46:19what's going to happen now
46:20we're just waiting for the
46:21mass military bands
46:22to do their thing
46:23using March Out
46:24playing Braveheart
46:25it's doubled the time now
46:26for Braveheart
46:27so do you know
46:28we were practicing it
46:28it's not that anymore
46:34like because you're going to be
46:35marching to it
46:36as a fight major
46:37he's strict
46:38and he's rigid
46:39he knows what he wants
46:40because he's
46:41he's been playing pipes
46:42a long long time
46:43but if we're not performing
46:44for the rest of our abilities
46:45he can get stressed
46:46and then
46:47we'll just
46:48take it from that
46:49alright
46:50it's hard to work with sometimes
46:51it's the same every year
46:53the face is so fast
46:54right this is Braveheart
46:57must be
46:59sounds like Mel Gibson
47:01doesn't it
47:01there's always a bit of chaos
47:07during rehearsals
47:08alongside the live audience
47:13around a hundred million people
47:15worldwide
47:16will watch the tattoo
47:17on TV
47:18the march on itself
47:20with the tattoo
47:20it has to be perfect
47:21and we're practicing
47:22all day
47:23every day
47:24and by ever 14
47:2515
47:26you're tired
47:27your feet are tired
47:28your fingers are tired
47:29your instrument's tired
47:30so if everything takes a battering
47:31my jaw hurts man
47:34hanging out my hoop
47:36Joe's got a right idea
47:39he'd done
47:40if he's doing what I'm doing
47:45I'm sitting having a seat
47:45take 12
47:52of the march on
47:53a few points
48:01we just need to work on
48:02the slow air
48:02the break
48:03into the slow air
48:04like you know
48:05just getting the two beats in
48:06take off the bail
48:08off the back of it
48:09and then just straight into it
48:10and just work on them jigs
48:11because it's getting really quiet
48:12behind me
48:13I need people
48:14as soon as them jigs kick in
48:15people are just cutting out
48:16we have to get it
48:18spot on
48:19that's why we're pushed
48:20and we're pushed
48:21to get it perfect
48:21I'm struggling with the tempo
48:23because it's faster
48:24than what we've practiced
48:24okay right
48:25so just work on them
48:26like you know
48:27we'll do a bit of work
48:28after all
48:29we'll get that cracked
48:31it's fair to say
48:33I'm not exactly ready
48:34back in Pennycook for shit
48:45life on base
48:48is returning to normal
48:49the company performed incredibly well
48:53so yeah I think
48:54you're very happy
48:55of how that exercise
48:56panned out in the end
48:57yeah
48:58jocks always get it done
49:01always get it done
49:02infantry battalions
49:04are incredibly busy places
49:05you're doing stuff
49:06that you feel like
49:07it's worthwhile
49:08and making a difference
49:09you know which Estonia was that
49:11you felt like
49:12you're there for a purpose
49:13yeah yeah yeah
49:14being part of the armory
49:15there is a sacrifice to it
49:16but there's a sacrifice to everything in life
49:17the hardest thing right
49:18it's the hardest for the people
49:19who are like away from their families
49:21so like guys that have kids and stuff
49:22like yes
49:22it's really tough
49:24really it's like
49:24like me and you Finn
49:25like
49:26it's the best job I've ever had
49:29you need to hang out with all your mates
49:30all the time
49:30all the time
49:31once again
49:33our favourite stat
49:34not more than 24 hours apart
49:36for coming up on a year now
49:37that's it yeah
49:38it's forcing friendship
49:38it's a sacrifice
49:40but you get to force friendship on people
49:41in Edinburgh
49:45it's the first week
49:46of the military tattoos
49:47so I've performed
50:06in two previous Edinburgh tattoos
50:08it's a festival of music and culture
50:11from around the world
50:12I've got to work
50:22you just bent the pin
50:23oh no
50:25you've got my own medals back
50:28you've got my own medals back
50:28I've got it anyways mate
50:29especially for that one mate
50:31I've got to stand a rag
50:32every single arm shot
50:33sorry
50:34where's your medals
50:35oh no
50:37I'll go here
50:40aye
50:41no mistakes Ben
50:42no promises
50:44our last run through
50:48before the performance
50:49is the big blow
50:50at the top of the castle
50:51so that's the last time
50:52we can make any mistakes
50:54we have to get it set in perfect
50:55before we march for the drubberge
50:56shortly after
50:57come on
50:58one
50:58two
50:59so you get to see military bands
51:12from around the world
51:13dancers from around the world
51:14and music
51:15from around the world
51:16it comes together
51:16it comes to Edinburgh
51:17for one month
51:17it's the best thing in the world
51:19we'll see you in the world
51:36we'll see you in the world
51:38Right, other things. So there are four mobile cameras on the Esplanade. The zoom lenses
51:59on these things could read the headlines of a newspaper from about 300 yards away. Right,
52:07so just because you can't see a camera doesn't mean that you're not in shot. So we need to make sure
52:12that we're switched on at all times. And then the last thing, if you do make eye contact
52:20with a TV camera inadvertently, don't stare down the barrel of the lens. Yeah. Anybody got any
52:27questions? We're all happy. It's nice and sunny. It's a great place to be. Okay, enjoy. Thank you.
52:34Good luck. Run through over, it's time for the tattoo to begin and Jen to take up her position
52:40while Ben waits for his starting moment. This might not be his first tattoo, but this one will be the
52:47most poignant. I'm actually getting out of the army and moving to Canada to start a new chapter.
52:53Are you able to go on? Yeah. Right, good luck. Thank you.
53:09My mum hates that I'm moving to Canada. She keeps telling me Ben all the time,
53:13I'm going to cut off your passport, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that, you're not going.
53:15And I'm like Nicola, I'm going. I think I'm able to adjust as the army is the only thing I've done.
53:23I don't join the army at 16, so it's the only thing I've ever done. It's the only thing I know.
53:27So the adjustment to civil street life will be a hard and maybe a long one,
53:32a bit worth the correct support network there. It should be easier.
53:36When you're behind the scenes and you're stood there in your formation, good to go,
53:47you're going through the tunes in your head, you're going through, make sure you've got the step,
53:51you're really trying to focus in on everything. You go try and calm your breathing as well,
53:55because you're going to be nervous and there's thousands of people out there.
53:59You need to be calm when you're playing, because if you're not calm, your pipes will be erratic.
54:03So you really need to settle into your pipes, settle into your tune, because you know what you're going to do.
54:06You've practised the tunes, you've memorised them, you've perfected your music.
54:10It's now just relaxing into your craft of the marching.
54:15And where we stand, near the back of the echelon, we can see half the crowd.
54:20So you can see there's going to be a lot of people there and they're going to put you off.
54:23You just have to keep going.
54:33You have to work hard, because if you get caught out not being 100%, you're going to get noticed.
54:41So you have to make sure you're on top of your game at all times, you don't know who's watching.
54:48Fucking shit myself.
54:50The moment of truth has arrived.
55:01Huh...
55:05Huh.
55:06You just can see...
55:08You just may...
55:17This time...
55:20This time...
55:21Is the time for the sea?
55:22Yeah.
55:26This time...
55:26Yeah.
55:27This time...
55:27This time...
55:28A jock is a soldier, it just pushes through.
55:43We're fighting for the girls and lads to the left and right of us.
55:57That's all that matters, you know.
55:59I mean, we're all jocks, you know.
56:02Nothing's better than a jock.
56:07I absolutely love my time in the army.
56:09I wish I could start again, but unfortunately I can't.
56:12My time will come to an end.
56:14I don't want to get to that stage yet.
56:16I'm just trying to put it to the back of my mind.
56:22It's days when you're in the kilt, you're stood there with your chest out
56:25and you grow three inch.
56:27It fills you with pride.
56:32If it wasn't for the jocks, the jocks wouldn't get done.
56:40The pride of identifying with a regiment with such a great reputation,
56:45it invokes a feeling of just genuinely belonging.
56:50Definite sense of pride when you're out in public in your ceremonial kit
56:57and just being there representing the regiment is quite an honour.
57:09How amazing jocks are that are almost sacrificing their lives,
57:13not just for their country, but for their muckers left and right.
57:16You don't really stop being a jock.
57:28Once a jock, always a jock.
57:46I'll tell you that you're late.
57:48It sounds about the bullet.
57:49You're not doing things so well.
57:51You're not what we expected.
57:53How happy you would be.
57:55If your hips still fall a moment.
57:57No more ecstasy.
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