John Culatto
EIGHT members of the Royal Gibraltar Regiment (RG) spent five weeks in The Gambia training over 60 of the West African country’s officers and soldiers.
Accompanied by a Royal Marine Medic they based themselves at the British High Commission in Serrekunda, 10 km from Gambia’s capital Banjul.
While there they focused their efforts on ‘Training the Trainers’ of the Gambian Armed Forces so they could then give the courses themselves to their own battalions.
The Gambia, a former British colony, is completely surrounded by Senegal by land.
The RG’s trainers’ goal was to make sure GAF soldiers were ready to support any forthcoming UN mission and making sure they were combat ready.
“The training for the Soldiers began by focusing on refresher training in such subjects as fieldcraft, the handling of captured persons and first aid training,” British Forces Gibraltar said.
“The Gambian soldiers then learned how to plan, prepare and deliver lessons and develop their ability to review lessons being given by others.”
They imparted the course to 52 soldiers and eight officers.
After a final mock battle exercise, GAF Brigadier General Torro Jawneh gave certificates and awards to top students.
The newly qualified tutors will now return to their battalions to help 300 new recruits just out of basic training to be better equipped for any future challenge.
Gibraltar has a long military history with many of its citizens volunteering for both world wars.
The Gibraltar Defence Force formed during the Second World War became the Gibraltar Regiment in 1958.
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