S'PORE, AUSTRALIA TROOPS TAKE FINAL OBJECTIVE AT EXERCISE WALLABY

After hours of walking, Singapore and Australia troops creeping under the cover of night finally broke their silence. Weapons blazing, they took several objectives at the Urban Operation Training Facility (UOTF) in Shoalwater Bay Training Area, Australia.

Nearing their final objective - a four-storey building - they were pinned down by heavy fire from opposing forces.

But that was not for long. Dodging into a nearby building to regroup, the main bulk of the attacking troops charged towards their objective while the rest remained behind to provide cover fire.

Despite the different uniforms, soldiers from both sides fought as one force. The bigger purpose was to clear the adjacent sections of road so that friendly forces could flow through unhindered.

That was the scene at the Shoalwater Bay Training Area on 10 Nov as about 100 troops from the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) and the Australian Defence Force (ADF) took out multiple objectives in their final mission at Exercise Wallaby.

Despite only meeting two days ago, the two forces integrated well, said Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) James Yin, Commanding Officer Battalion Task Force.

The two sides had a day on 9 Nov to observe each other's urban fighting drills and work out how to work together as a cohesive fighting unit.

Commenting on the dawn attack conducted by the two forces, LTC Yin said: "It went well. We had to adapt and change our battle plans along the way (to suit conditions on the ground) but overall, both sides did well."

"Ultimately we wanted the stealth and the element of surprise. If we came in too late (and day breaks), then the whole night of walking (to the objective) would be wasted," added LTC Yin.

Said ADF trooper Lance Corporal Jarrad Gouma: "The Singaporean soldiers have been very professional in the way they worked with us. Overall it has been a good experience working with the guys." He is 2nd-in-charge of a section within the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment based in Adelaide. The unit had returned from deployment in Afghanistan about a year ago.

For SAF troopers such as Corporal (CPL) Raden Jafni Bin R Jafri, it has been an eye-opener. "Training out here, we see how other forces fight and it's been an interesting learning experience."

Starting with their amphibious landing on the beach at Freshwater Bay from the Republic of Singapore Navy's Landing Ship Tank RSS Persistence on 8 Nov, the soldiers marched inland to take several land objectives before the final dawn attack on 10 Nov.

This year's Exercise Wallaby is conducted from 18 Sep to 15 Nov, and involves more than 5,000 SAF personnel and over 400 SAF platforms. Exercise Wallaby 2014 marks the 24th year of the SAF's training in the Shoalwater Bay Training Area.