UPDATED: The British Army is holding a Reserves exercise on the Isle of Wight in September which will result in increased levels of activity both on the ground and in the skies.
The exercise is key to shaping the ongoing Force Development of the unit and will see various areas of the Island used for some of the exercise activity.
Islanders are being warned that it is likely you will see an increase in military personnel and military vehicle movement on the roads, alongside an air presence, but the MoD say every effort will be made to keep noise to a minimum and not to cause any unnecessary concern to members of the public.
The exercise will take place from 28th August to 13th September 2015. The peak activity will be from 1st–8th September 2015.
The Ministry of Defence is grateful for your support and patience during the exercise period.
UPDATE WEDNESDAY: It has been confirmed that The Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), the City of London’s Army Reserve regiment, will be the regiment conducting the nine-day exercise on the Isle of Wightm starting Tuesday 1st September.
The HAC is a dedicated surveillance and target acquisition (STA) regiment with a role of
identifying and tracking enemy activity. It is a highly specialised role and the exercise, entitled VAMBRACE HORIZON, is designed to test and improve this capability.
The Isle of Wight offers a unique training opportunity for the regiment by providing a challenging and unfamiliar environment compared to the remote military training areas normally used.
The exercise will be conducted entirely on private land with the permission and support of the landowners. All military activity will be self-contained and will not involve the island community. A visible increase in military personnel and transport may be evident but residents and visitors can be assured that the HAC’s presence is for training purposes only. There will be no use of weapons or explosives although soldiers will be carrying rifles during the exercise.
HAC Senior Major Johnny Longbottom MBE said:
“It’s not often that the regiment has the opportunity to train its soldiers away from the mainland and we are grateful to be extended this privilege. We look forward to a challenging and productive exercise on the Isle of Wight.”
