Bomb disposal experts train for urban warfare at Catterick

The exercise, held at Catterick Garrison, involved soldiers from 11 EOD and Search Regiment Royal Logistic Corps and was designed to prepare them for the demands of modern conflict in urban environments.

Major Matthew Coleman, officer commanding, said: “Today is bringing us back to basics from our normal day job.

“Today is hugely important, the junior and senior members of the team are all working together and preparing themselves for what they would need to do in a real-life urban warfare situation.”

The training focused on squadron-level individual training requirements, including blank firing and building clearance drills.

Designed to ensure operational readiness and reinforce team cohesion, the exercise marked a return to core soldiering skills for a regiment best known for its specialist EOD expertise.

The regiment is made up of around 650 personnel, including ammunition technicians, Royal Signals specialists, Royal Engineers search teams, and intelligence operators.

The exercise assessed individual performance, team integration, and command and control under pressure.

Lance Corporal James Tunstall, who recently qualified as an instructor, said: “Today is about training the troop in urban tactics, making sure we’re all fully trained and everyone has an awareness of what urban training is.

“Learning it is very different to teaching it.

“Personally instructing is a lot more difficult.

“Today has given me the knowledge that I need to learn the drills better in order to know how to instruct them better.

“It benefits the whole team to try and work together in close proximity – it’s definitely beneficial to the whole team and individually too.”

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Lance Corporal Caitlin Donohue, an ammunition technician who joined the unit two weeks ago, described the experience as challenging but valuable.

She said: “It’s very daunting.

“Urban training is a completely new environment for me, it’s really interesting and fun to be a part of.

“I would definitely feel 100% more comfortable going into a real-life situation because of this exercise and training.”

The regiment operates across the UK and on overseas deployments.