A unique British-German Amphibious Engineering Battalion has demonstrated its expertise by creating a series of ferries across the River Rhine, Europe’s busiest navigable and commercial waterway.
Operators of safety boats are measuring the depth of the banks of the River Rhine.
Soldiers of 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron on a safety boat enjoying a joke before crossing the Rhine.
A soldier of 23 Amphibious Squadron refuelling vehicles taking part in Exercise Grand Crossing the day before the crossing of the Rhine.
Vehicles are being marshalled onto a ferry made up of four M3 Amphibious Rigs to cross the Rhine.
M3 Amphibious Rigs of German-British Amphibious Engineering Battalion 130 crossing the River Rhine under the watchful eyes of the local population.
Exercise Grand Crossing saw 130 Battalion, the only one of its kind in Europe and a niche NATO capability, involved as part of more than 1,200 soldiers and hundreds of vehicles and was designed to evaluate the operational capability of the unit.
Joined by Italian and Dutch engineers, troops began their journey at the Battalion’s base in Minden before deploying to Sennelager Training Area to assemble and conduct combat engineer tasks.
Joined by Italian and Dutch engineers, troops began their journey at the Battalion’s base in Minden before deploying to Sennelager Training Area to assemble and conduct combat engineer tasks.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for all my soldiers in 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron RE because we get to work with a different nation, learn from their experience and effectively be better together.”
A tactical road march to the riverbank near Rees on the River Rhine then took place, replicating the logistical demands of real-world operations, including vehicle movement, convoy refuelling and inter-army coordination.
The workhorse of the crossing capability was the M3 Rig, which can be joined together to complete a bridge or single ferries capable of transporting heavy military equipment, including main battle tanks.
Exercise Grand Crossing saw 130 Battalion, the only one of its kind in Europe and a niche NATO capability, establish emergency military crossing points across the river.
The British Army’s “water sappers” deployed fourteen rigs in total, working in coordinated sequences to build and operate a military ferry, which is what the rigs become once connected on the water.
The task was demanding as manoeuvring a floating platform carrying tonnes of military equipment across a fast-flowing and busy commercial river requires focus, dedication, and lots of skill.
Sapper Sheldon Busby of 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron RE, an integral part of 130 Bn, said: “It’s an amazing opportunity to have. Being on the water, controlling the ferries and bridges. When I joined the Army, I thought it would be the infantry. Then I got the opportunity for amphibious stuff. I’m living it here right now.”
Military vehicles were transported quickly to the far bank by using the ferries on a rotational basis.
Italian and Dutch engineers had established further crossing sites upriver using floatable pontoons.
The exercise demonstrated how different nations can plug into a shared system and deliver.
“We work, day in, day out with the Germans,” said Major Ryan Ingram RE, Commanding 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron RE.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity for all my soldiers in 23 Amphibious Engineer Squadron RE because we get to work with a different nation, learn from their experience and effectively be better together.”
Although the River Rhine is a formidable natural obstacle, soldiers from 130 Battalion took on the challenge, and demonstrated just how far armies can go when they work together.
