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If, despite all precautions, the lead scout is surprised by an enemy force, or the team walk into the “killing ground” of an ambush, he who thinks, shoots and moves first has the best chance of survival. The most important rule is that the small patrol or team must seek to break the contact and disappear back into the landscape, with the minimum of casualties. I n response, the experienced enemy will attempt to outflank and encircle the smaller force to prevent their escape. The well-rehearsed escape routines are known as ‘contact drills’. These are divided into three phases: immediate action drills, delaying actions and evasion.
A contact to the front is met by the scout who lays down a brief burst of suppressive fire, while the other team members cover arcs of fire on the flanks. After firing, the scout withdraws to the rear of the team and team leader opens fire to the front. The sequences repeated as the men move to the rear in successive bounds, either individually or in pairs. Eventually the flank scouts bring their machine-guns and light-support weapons into play, as the assistant team leader and rear scout prepare explosive charges or Claymore mines to delay pursuit. This backwards ‘rippling’ movement is continued until contact is finally broken. The reverse technique is used in the event of a contact to the rear.
A contact to the side is met initially by one of the flank scouts, whose support weapon provides security for the rest of the team withdrawing from the contact. This delaying action allows the other team members to retreat a short distance and construct a screen of Claymore mines. As the scouts rejoin the team, the soldiers continue to move away from the contact. In twos and threes, the soldiers move to the rear in short bounds, while the other members of the team lay down covering fire. However, if the team finds themselves caught in the ‘killing ground’ of an ambush, casualties may be minimized by breaking through and reforming behind the enemy positions.
At night the team’s personal weapons may help the enemy pin-point its position. In contrast, fragmentation and white phosphorus grenades can panic the enemy and delay pursuit without giving away the position of the withdrawing team. During these brief actions, soldiers are at risk of becoming separated from the team, particularly the lead scout who may be seriously wounded in the initial exchange of fire. Left to their own devices, the men will attempt to make their way to one of a series of RVs. For Commonwealth patrols in Borneo, the first RV, designed to reunite the lost soldier with his team, was the Patrol RV – usually a prearranged geographical feature or grid reference, which was kept open for four hours after the contact. Missing this RV meant a longer walk to the Troop RV, usually the last overnight rest-stop, which was manned for a further 12 hours. If this, too, was missed, the man would have to find his own way to either the Border RV (insertion LZ) or to the War RV (the nearest security force position).
(A) On meeting the enemy, contact front
The Lead Scout bears the brunt of a surprise contact to the front. He who shoots first usually survives the fire-fight. At first burst of gunfire, the rest of the team move into defensive positions to protect their flanks. This creates a corridor along the centre of the team (A1). The Lead Scout ‘shoots and scoots’ to the rear of the patrol (LS2). The Team Leader then opens fire before moving back to the rear of the patrol (TL2). This rippling ‘fire and movement’ continues until all the team fall back behind the Assistant Team Leader and the Rear Scout who, by this time, have laid out a screen of protective Claymore mines (A2).
(B) On meeting the enemy: contact flank
A surprise contact on the flank is met by the Flank Scouts who carry the support weapons such as machine-guns and grenade-launchers. The rest of the team move to the opposite flank and lay down suppressive fire while preparing a protective screen of Claymore mines. In a full-blown ambush, with enemy on both sides of the trail or the other flank blocked by obstacles, the team attempt to fight their way through the enemy positions and reform behind them.
(C) On meeting the enemy, contact at an overnight rest stop
Overnight rest stops or lying-up positions are screened by Claymore mines, leaving a narrow escape and evasion corridor. If an enemy patrol appears to investigate the area too closely (they may be following the team’s tracks), the sentry tugs a communications cord which is connected to the Team Leader’s wrist and, in turn, to the rest of the patrol. Moving silently, the team activate the delayed-action Claymore screen and depart along the escape and evasion corridor. Ambush Drills, SAS, Special Forces, contact drills, ais, sops, firefight, SBS, Special Air Service, British Army, Winning the fire fight, Front, Rear, Flank, Peeling off.
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