107 The battery culminated all efforts in yet another Exercise Koolendong, the battery’s crowning achievement over previous years, but this time it was extended to the entirety of the 1st Brigade. More than 2000 troops from the Australian Defence Force and Marine Rotational Force Darwin completed a high-end live fire warfighting exercise at Bradshaw Field Training Area in September of 2021. This exercise confirmed the ability of both forces to deploy in response to any crises in the region if required, a sentiment shared by Brigadier Ash Collingburn of the 1st Brigade. This was a key training event of the Brigade as a whole, which enhanced the cooperation between the USMC and ADF through combined arms fire. The Battery may have played a small role in the huge machine that is MRF-D and 1st Brigade, but the 103rd supported the efforts through indirect fire and effects, sharing missions with Mike Battery and even at one stage firing out of the same position. The Battery had shared a gun position with the marines before, but what made this year different was the foundation of mateship made the environment exciting and new. Like previous years the battery engaged out of the American FDP and Australian CP, in a combined battery of both American and Australian guns in digital fire missions. The gun position hosted an array of dignitaries who also oversaw the conduct of the missions. The enormity of the exercise demonstrated a capability to respond as a coalition force, with an integrated coalition command structure. The achievement comes as the ANZUS treaty marks 70 years. Farewelling the Marines in 2021 was an emotional affair and was observed over the Gunners Dinner event, which sat almost 300 people. The Gunners Dinner is a recurring event that has entertained gunners both ADF and MRF-D throughout the years, but 2021 was significant for its use of clever humour, raucous proceedings and an evening filled with laughter. A pseudo-formal event, the Gunner’s Dinner encourages fun and enriches the evening with various fines or punishments. It then ends on a
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