While the camp is being built, training work is also underway.
Because this exercise has a confrontational nature, a lot of extreme training subjects have been added. Compared with previous training items, the difficulty is greatly increased.
In fact, the training of the Northern Rhodesian Division was very strict in the past. After all, professional soldiers and conscripts are still different. For conscripts, running ten kilometers is the limit. Professional soldiers are fully armed and carry more than 30 kilograms of weight. Armed off-roading of 50 kilometers is commonplace.
Now the difficulty has increased further. The same 30 kilogram load, the same 50 kilometers of armed cross-country, civil engineering work must be carried out immediately after arriving at the destination, and live ammunition shooting is required. All requirements are as close to actual combat as possible.
As a result, the results on the first day were disastrous. In the previous training, the shooting results of the officers and soldiers of the Northern Rhodesian Division were generally above good, and 60% of the officers and soldiers could reach excellent. As a result, after the first day of training, they achieved passing
There are very few of them.
"What a shame. Such results are a shame for our Northern Rhodesian Division! If war breaks out, will we use this performance to fight our enemies? I'm afraid we will be exhausted before the enemy reaches the battlefield. You guys
How do you usually train?" After learning the training results, Martin was furious at the regular meeting.
The chief officers of each regiment looked at each other, no one dared to speak, and it could be seen that everyone looked a little aggrieved.
It is true that the training requirements this time are too strict. Just take out the various training items of armed cross-country, civil engineering, and live ammunition shooting, and the officers and soldiers of the Northern Rhodesian Division can all get excellent results.
But it is difficult to adapt to all these things together. After all, it is only the first day of training, so it is understandable that the results are not good. If time goes by, the officers of the Northern Rhodesian Division will also be confident of getting excellent results.
Of course, this is only for the Northern Rhodesian Division. Relatively speaking, the daily training of European armies at the same time was still at the formation level. In order to save money, live ammunition shooting was not necessarily conducted once a week, with a load of 30 kilograms.
The 50-kilometer armed cross-country is a common practice in the Northern Rhodesian Division. If those European troops were to try it, not to mention the excellent results and the time required, it would be a blessing if they could complete it.
"Gentlemen, cheer up. You must know the significance of this exercise. This is the first military exercise after the establishment of our Southern African federal government. It is a comprehensive test of all our armed forces in Southern Africa. Our Ministry of National Defense
It has the largest funding among all departments of the federal government. The Prime Minister and ministers are paying attention to this exercise. Your Lordship will also come to the Okavango Swamp in a few days. Like us, we will have food and accommodation in the military camp, so we are all keeping our spirits up.
Come on, our Northern Rhodesian Division will never allow failure!" Chief of Staff Isiah Ulysses cheered. The Northern Rhodesian Division is the earliest established and most equipped among all four integrated divisions in southern Africa. The officers
The most educated troops, Ade and Rock both have great expectations for the Northern Rhodesian Division. It can be said that the Northern Rhodesian Division is the trump card among the trump cards in southern Africa, so high requirements are inevitable.
"One month, I only give you one month. Within one month, the performance of all troops must reach an excellent level. We are professional soldiers, not a motley army composed of conscripts. We must show the mental outlook and quality level that professional soldiers should have."
, If anyone thinks that I have strict requirements, then you can apply for transfer, and I will approve it now." Martin was full of murderous anger, and he didn't mind trying to avoid past mistakes at this time.
"Make sure to complete the mission!" The military commanders of each regiment were unwilling to be outdone, and their voices became louder than the last.
After the meeting ended and the military officers of each regiment left one after another, Isiah Ulysses questioned in a low voice.
"Are our requirements too strict? As far as our current training level is concerned, it can be considered harsh even in Europe. No European army's training level can reach our level. If the French were defeated in the Franco-Prussian War,
If you have an army like ours, the final result will never be the defeat of France." Isiah Ulysses and Martin are also old friends. Even if they have doubts, they will cooperate with Martin in regular meetings.
"Haha, Isaiah, when our troops just started carrying 30 kilograms of weight for 50 kilometers in armed cross-country, many people said that this was an impossible task. You know the result of our civil engineering and tunnel operations. Many people
I also think it is not necessary at all. Those are the tasks of the auxiliary troops. As a result, you have also seen our shooting training. The European army is still shooting chest targets, and we have started shooting head targets. Sixty percent of the officers and soldiers have excellent results.
These are all the results of hard training, so I think the current training level of the army is far from reaching its limit, and there is still room for further improvement." Martin has high requirements and takes the initiative to put more responsibilities on himself.
Roark has reminded Martin that after this exercise, Secretary Hopkins will be promoted to marshal, and then he will gradually retreat to the second line.
When the time comes, the minister will definitely be Roque, and Martin's status will also rise. Therefore, Martin urgently needs various achievements. In a short period of time, there will be no war in southern Africa. This exercise will become Martin's best stage.
"Your Majesty's requirements for the troops are too strict. Many officers and soldiers were injured in today's training, and the temporary hospital is overcrowded. I will have to go and take a look later." Isiah Ulysses is not sure about northern Rhodesia now.
The division officers and soldiers are at their limit. Their bodies seem to have infinite energy and they will never get tired.
"Wait for me, let's go together." Martin was also concerned about the situation of injured soldiers. Although this time it was just for acting, there were also casualty indicators.
There were indeed a lot of wounded soldiers in the temporary hospital. Many suffered from heatstroke and sprained feet, and some were bitten by poisonous snakes. Fortunately, they were treated in time and after doctors treated them, their lives were not in danger.
The Northern Rhodesian Division usually pays great attention to popularizing first aid knowledge among officers and soldiers. Every soldier knows what to do after being bitten by a poisonous snake. The temporary hospital has 16 doctors and more than 30 nurses, and its medical strength is comparable to that of a family.
The small hospital is headed by Dr. Paul Fox, who has just returned to southern Africa with the flight team.
"Basically there is no big problem. A soldier of the Nyasaland Commando Regiment had his leg broken by a log yesterday and has now been sent back to Milna. The other sick and wounded can continue to participate in the exercise after a few days of treatment. Our soldiers
We are all outstanding. The soldier who was bitten by a venomous snake today might not have been able to be sent back to the hospital if his comrades had not dealt with him in time." Paul Fox's white coat was clean and tidy, and he did not look stressed.
This exercise is also a rare opportunity for the medical force of the Northern Rhodesian Division. Twelve of the sixteen doctors in the temporary hospital are interns who have not yet obtained medical qualifications, so even if there are more wounded
Paul Fox is not afraid either, he just happens to be able to teach on the spot.
While Isiah Ulysses nodded repeatedly, Martin felt a little regretful.
Too much advancement in science and technology is not good. If in ancient times, Martin might have been able to share the same robe with his son and show that he loved his soldiers as much as his son, but that is not possible now. If Wu Qi's army had enough doctors at that time, he might have
I can't use my mouth to treat drug sores.
However, the process can still be followed. The temporary hospital consists of more than a dozen tents. Most of the wounded have left the temporary hospital after receiving treatment. There are still more than a dozen soldiers staying in the temporary hospital for observation. Martin and Isei
Ya Ulysses just followed Paul Fox around.
Most of the soldiers were Chinese, but a few Gurkha soldiers stood out. Martin casually stopped next to a Gurkha soldier who was resting on a camp bed.
"General!" The second lieutenant, who was napping next to the soldier's bed, immediately stood up and saluted.
"What's wrong with him?" Martin said pleasantly.
"Reporting to the general, Ram sprained his ankle during today's training. Because the condition is serious, he was hospitalized for observation. I am the second lieutenant platoon leader of K Company, Beihai Honor Regiment, Kaili Zhang." The second lieutenant's voice was loud, and Ram on the camp bed said:
Confused face.
"General, Ram just joined the army at the beginning of the year and is not yet proficient in Chinese yet," Carey Zhang explained in a low voice with a look of shame on his face. Language training for Gurkha soldiers in the Northern Rhodesian Division is directly under the responsibility of the officers.
"English?" Martin switched to English and continued to be pleasant.
"I'm not proficient in English either" Kaili Zhang feels even more ashamed. It's really difficult to learn two languages at the same time.
"Then how do you usually communicate?" Martin was curious.
"It's easy to handle in normal training. Ram will do whatever we do. Ram's training results are still very good. Today, he carried three rifles for his comrades during the armed cross-country, so he was exhausted." Carey·
Zhang couldn't help it. The Northern Rhodesian Division usually had very heavy training tasks, so it didn't have much time to teach Ram the language.
The Lee Enfield produced in Nyasaland weighs 39 kilograms. Carrying three rifles for his comrades is equivalent to someone else's 30 kilograms of weight. Ram's weight is 42 kilograms. This load is not much worse than that of a mule.
.
"There are twelve people in a class, how can he be carried alone?" Martin was a little surprised. If there are three people in a class who are physically exhausted, then the training situation of the army should be more serious than Martin imagined.
"In the past training, machine gunners were armed with only four ammunition boxes for cross-country training. This time the requirements were higher. The machine gunners had to carry eight boxes, and the whole class had to help carry them. The result was" Carey Zhang was also depressed. In the previous training with the Northern Rhodesian Division
, you are only required to carry supplies that can be consumed for two days. This time the standard is raised to three days, and you will definitely have to carry more supplies.
"I'm sorry." Ram finally came to his senses and a simple conversation was still possible.
"No need to apologize, have a good rest." Martin said in a friendly tone. This is not a soldier's problem. Martin will have to reflect on his future...
