A GROUP of 34 staff from HQ 1 Mechanized Brigade and its units has just returned from a tour in Egypt studying military campaigns in the area. The aim of the staff ride (which is usually called a battlefield tour) was to develop an understanding of the tactical considerations taken during major combat operations at the brigade level.

Three major North African campaigns were studied - El Alamein in 1942, the Suez Crisis of 1956 and the Sinai Campaign (known as Yom Kippur War) of 1973. Throughout the staff ride, the lessons of the past were constantly linked to the present day contemporary operating environment - thereby setting the current fight in the historical context of former campaigns.

The staff ride was supported by two renowned academics - Dr Niall Barr, a reader of military history at the Defence Academy, Shrivenham, and Gary Sheffield, professor of war studies at the University of Birmingham. Both added realism to the debate and discussions that took place.

The first day focused on the Sinai Campaign and started with a visit to the October 1973 Panorama - a unique building with a 360-degree painting depicting the Egyptians’ storming of the Bar-Lev Line. Following this, the group moved to the east side of the Sinai by crossing the canal via an Egyptian military ferry and carrying out several stands, one of which was at a captured Israeli bunker in the middle of the desert. On day three, the group moved 100km west of Alexandria to El Alamein. The group visited six individual sites and, although all the stands visited were interesting and vitally important, the key event for many during this day was the chance to visit the military cemetery at El Alamein.

An excellent service was conducted by Padre Daniel from 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh with added realism from John Carbis, a guest VIP Chelsea Pensioner.

The group returned to the UK having visited the Pyramids at Giza the day before. The staff ride allowed 34 participants to study three campaigns that all have relevance in today’s contemporary operating environment.