Lobbing grenades in Townsville

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, (1RAR) conducted static and moving grenade live-fire training at the Townsville Field Training Area in early February.

CAPTION: Soldiers conduct moving grenade drills at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland. Story by Captain Brittany Evans. Photos by Trooper Dana Millington.

Static throwing of the F3 practice and F1 fragmentation hand grenades was followed by throwing grenades from kneeling and prone positions.

Charlie Company’s Lieutenant Isaac Jarvinen said the aim was to instil confidence in the soldiers.

“We conduct this practice at the start of the year to get our soldiers current with drills as part of our progression through the Army training level standard,” Lieutenant Jarvinen said.

“We’ll build up the soldiers to conduct section and platoon attacks, incorporating heavy equipment later in the year.”

Hand grenades can be used to neutralise a threat underground or from behind cover.

They can also force an enemy into the open, which provides targets for rifle and machine-gun fire.

Lieutenant Jarvinen said the activity comprised part of the training leading up to Exercise Brolga Sprint.

“Brolga Sprint will see the battalion participate alongside the American and Japanese militaries, undertaking a battlegroup-sized, live-fire assault,” he said.

“All of our training is leading up to this.”

CAPTION: An Australian Army soldier from 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment throws an F3 grenade at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland.

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