78 Afghanistan – Brumby Troop 2009 On the 12th of March 2009, 15 more members from 8/12 would be deployed to the UK to form the 4th iteration of the RAA Troop, known as Brumby Troop. This time they were embedded into 1RHA at Tidworth Barracks, Wiltshire – just down the road from the Royal School of Artillery. In mid-August forward elements of the troop deployed to Helmand Province, Afghanistan and were to completely occupy FOB Armadillo by mid-September. Brumby troop provided fire support to Danish Tank Forces in constant missions across numerous planned operations, which included troops in contact in the Green Zone – specifically the Adin Zai AO. Brumby Troop – which was chiefly comprised of 103 members – held a fierce reputation for accurate, aggressive and timely responsive fires in support of all those who required it. They fired 1027 rounds utilising smoke, HE and Illum from the L118 guns during the 6 month tour. In Mid-March the Brumby Troop left Hemland to go back to Tidworth Barracks, arriving in April where a well-deserved decompression commenced in Cyprus. The Troop were presented with British Operational Service Medals with the Afghanistan clasp and formally farewelled by 1RHA during what has been described as a very moving parade and church service. Operation Herrick XI experienced some of the wost losses of British and Danish troops since operations commenced. The Troop arrived back in Darwin on the 23rd April 2010. Meanwhile, back at home, in March of 2010 the 103rd Battery JFECC concentrated with the 5th Battalion as part of its lead-up training for the second rotation of the Mentoring Task Force. They would deploy in October 2010. Additionally, in April the 101st Battery played a significant role in establishing the Afghan School of Artillery as a part of the Second Artillery Training Team –
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