By Lt Kevin Madore, Comd, 4 Tp, 52 Fd Sqn, 5 CER
On the evening of 4 December 2011, the sappers of 52 Field Squadron were called upon to take part in Exercise Castor Glorieux and support the 1 R22eR Battalion Group Domestic Task Force in its deployment to the town of Shawinigan.
The scenario for the exercise was that a summit in the Mauricie region attended by numerous VIPs had prompted the Quebec Area Dom TF to deploy in aid of the civil power. A team of geomatics technicians deployed with the field squadron to provide mapping support. The exercise took us back to the basics of engineering, performing tasks such as presence patrols and assault boat crossings. The cold was a factor in preparing the boats and starting the motors, but good weather made for an easy crossing of the St Maurice River. The purpose of the 2.5-km journey was to insert a reconnaissance group and stealthily establish a cordon around an objective to enable the civil power to search a suspect building.
The exercise brought to light points for improvement to make us more effective in any future field engineer deployment in support of the Dom TF.