BRITISH ARMY: Recon Patrol (1985)

[@demobbed688]

The Infantry Demo Battalion was usually used to produce training aids like this and they usually got the gucci kit first. 1 RWF features in this video and was in that role until about 1985.

[@PokeEyeSlapSlap]

Quite Correct, it was ‘85 and my Regiment, 1st Bn Royal Welch Fusiliers who were based in Warminster at that time.

[@daryllcornier4509]

Gucci kit❤

[@davel831]

Blimey thanks for posting this i remember this lol I think that the SA80 only got to us in 1987 thou

[@SurvivingTheApocalypse]

Heard this same narrator on quite a few MOD films.

[@jimmyjohnson7027]

These films were made at the Demonstration Battalion at Warminster. They had kit and weapons on trial long before it was released to the wider army. I should know, my lot were Demo in the nineties. We were trialling Combat 95 clothing before 1995. I saw this film in 1987. Also, the LSW's are the early version.

[@meme4one]

I love these videos. Gives me flash backs to basic training and continuation training too. How much of these basic skills are still current? Obviously night is now very different with II for everyone in the section, GPS, drones and digital mapping. If the film really is 1985, I'd be surprised if they are real sa80s. They only came into service at the end of that year.

[@robbiepemberton]

You do realise that various units get new kit for trials before it goes on general issue yeah? How do you think they come up with training manuals, train the instructors and figure it all out or do you think that it's just all made up on the day of the kit being issued. What you see here is the Infantry Demonstration Battalion which would have done exactly this to prepare the wider army for adoption.

[@meme4one]

@@robbiepemberton yes, I'm aware of how new kit is introduced, thats been my job previously. Actually since watching the video I read that these were indeed plastic model rifles as they weren't available yet but made sense to use them over real SLRs because the film was planned to be used for a good few years after release.

[@nickwilkinson5849]

Reckee please

[@jjsmallpiece9234]

The army were getting better, using coloured crayons to write with

[@jonathanpipe8249]

Rather than eating them !

[@snowflakemelter1172]

Theres no " recon" in the British army its called " recce". Reck-ee.

[@weejimsdad]

Or the entire Commonwealth for that matter...

[@jackthelad5366]

I’m sure we used to say “int” and now it seems to be” intel”

[@KH-wy7le]

​@@jackthelad5366Americanisms!

[@Roddy556]

It all means the same thing

[@warlock1969]

I do not think it is 1985 as the SA80 did not enter service until 1987 and look at the day sacks it is PLCE which came in about 1990 also the Mk 6 helmet is being used

[@warlock1969]

@StanlyStud I was in the last platoon in Depot Para 1987 to use the SLR and GPMG - passed out using the SA80 then went to battalion where we had the SA80. We had 58 pattern webbing which we had to exchange for the PLCE webbing and had to exchange our Para bergans for the PLCE bergans. This was in late 89 early 1990

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

The video description explains this. It's 1985

[@warlock1969]

@@dsdgdsfegfeg It does indeed I was confused at this as we did not start getting issued the SA80 until April 1987, the day sacks and Mk 6 helmet. @demobbed688 explained that the Infantry Demmo Battalion got all the gucci kit first.

[@smith5385]

We did troop trial on plce in 84/85.

[@SimDeck]

It would be interesting to know which fish and chip unit did this video. Probably a Welsh battalion based on the tashed up staff patrol commander. I know it's just an instructional video but just looking at them you know they are basic. My battalion and regiment just looked and worked much more professionally than these champs.

[@genwoolfe]

Which fish and chip mob was yours?

[@deborahjones5289]

This is clearly not 1985, the rifles and packs are wrong. Has the start of the film been sliced in from another film.

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

The video description explains this. It's 1985

[@deborahjones5289]

@@dsdgdsfegfeg so why are the rifles and kit from the 1990’s. Look up the introduction of the SA80 and the PLACE webbing and carrying systems. Also so see the other comment supporting the fact that this is the 90’s.

[@dsdgdsfegfeg]

@@deborahjones5289 I don't have skin in this game, I'm going by the description (did you read it?) Also Mike has obviously put a lot on energy into uploading these, so I'm guessing his source info is true, he was obviously aware this might come up, and he still stood by it and added info about the dates/equipment. Also remember they spend years in field research time for equipment before they are gold stamped. Going from a tech point of view, which is more my area, this video is of high quality, but it doesn't look like a 1990's recording, it has the distinctive 1980's look to the recording.

[@guy-be-man6908]

@@deborahjones5289 The SA80 was introduced in late 1985, so this 1985 made film was made to show off the new stuff to recruits in training, plus the webbing in the video is actually the 58 Pattern Webbing, not the 1990's PLCE.

[@deborahjones5289]

@@guy-be-man6908 You can clearly see men with the 2 side pouches zipped together, which is PLACE 90. 58 pattern webbing had one large pack, their is no way this is 58 pattern webbing.