In news-A team from 4/5 Gorkha Rifles (Frontier Force) which represented the Indian Army at the prestigious Cambrian Patrol Exercise at Brecon, Wales, UK from 13th to 15th October 2021 has been awarded Gold medal.
About Cambrian Patrol Exercise
- It is an annual international military patrolling exercise in which the teams have to cover a 50-mile (80 km) course in less than 48 hrs while performing numerous types of military exercises placed throughout the rugged Cambrian Mountains and swamplands of mid-Wales, UK.
- Cambrian Patrol was first set up more than 40 years ago, by a group of Welsh Territorial Army soldiers who designed the training event to feature long-distance marching over the Cambrian Mountains culminating in firing.
- The aim of the exercise is to test their leadership, self-discipline, courage, physical endurance, and determination.
- Organised by the UK Army, it is considered the ultimate test of human endurance, team spirit and is sometimes referred to as the Olympics of Military Patrolling among militaries in the world.
- During the exercise, teams were assessed for their performance under harsh terrain and inclement cold weather conditions which presented various challenges in addition to the complex real world situations painted to them so as to assess their reactions in combat settings.
- The Indian Army team received rich accolades from all the judges particularly for their excellent navigation skills, delivery of patrol orders and overall physical endurance.
The Cambrian Mountains
- They are a series of mountain ranges in Wales.
- The term Cambrian Mountains used to apply to most of the upland of Wales.
- Since the 1950s, its application has become increasingly localised to the geographically homogeneous Mid Wales uplands, known in Welsh as Elenydd, which extend from Pumlumon to Radnor Forest in the east and Mynydd Mallaen to the south.
- This barren and sparsely populated ‘wilderness’ has been referred to as the Desert of Wales
Source: PIB
