The warfighting skills of British soldiers have undergone a stiff test on a new patrolling competition.
Nearly 150 personnel from six nations formed into teams to conduct ten days of acclimatisation and training run by 1st Battalion, The Royal Gurkha Rifles along with the Royal Brunei Land Force and the UK’s Institute of Naval Medicine.
The event, called the Jungle Warfare Skills Meet (JWSM), built on the 2023 UK-only pilot called Exercise Sundar Patrol. But the latest iteration expanded the competition to a wider audience involving soldiers from international partners as well as hosting several observer nations.
The line-up was dominated by British Army units but patrols from Brunei, Australia, USA, Malaysia, and Singapore also competed.
The teams were prepared for the mission with an introductory session under supervision, after which they were transported from their base at Sittang Camp in Brunei to a jungle training area nearby.
A series of demonstrations by instructors drawn from 1 RGR included trapping and preparing game for cooking, finding sources of fresh water, building temporary and long-term shelters and lighting fires.
Participants were also given the opportunity to sample chicken cooked underground on wood embers, and a variety of bush food ranging from meal worms to jungle bananas.
The line-up was dominated by British Army units but patrols from Brunei, Australia, USA, Malaysia, and Singapore also competed.
“The event demonstrated that the British Army can deliver a joint, safe and challenging competition in the close country tropical environment,” Maj Dan Dewick (RGR) said.
“The joint training and acclimatisation package proved a great opportunity for
close bonds to be forged between our soldiers and the international teams involved, sharing best practice.”
The patrols spent 72 hours completing a series of stands across 10km of primary and secondary jungle with the goal of locating and conducting specific reconnaissance tasks against a ruthless mock organised crime group.
British units overwhelmingly occupied the gold medal positions, but the competition was not only a success on that front, the officer explained.
“As with Cambrian Patrol, JWSM 24 highlighted the Army’s soldiering skills in tough environments, as they adapted quickly to the heat and battled through the tropical characteristics that Brunei offers,” he added.
“Just as importantly, it served as a fantastic opportunity for defence engagement with daily interactions between the teams, and the significant international interest in the competition reinforcing our standing in the region.
“It’s the aspiration of the Bruneians and UK defence to expand the competition to more international teams in the future.”
IN NUMBERS
Nations participated: 6
Number of teams who entered: 16
Competitors: 148
Supporting staff from British Forces Brunei, 1 RGR and the Royal Brunei Land Force: 198
Minor heat casualties during the event: 2
Gold medal winners: 8
