Salisbury Plain hosts largest military exercise in ten years

Six thousand soldiers and 300 armoured vehicles from units from the 7th Armoured Brigade (the Desert Rats) have taken part in their final training exercise – the largest on Salisbury Plain in ten years – before heading off to Afghanistan. One of the final brigades to deploy in a combat role, Germany-based 7th Armoured Brigade put its soldiers, from all three services, through vigorous paces this month as it prepares for the drawdown of British troops from Helmand Province. The tour itself will be like no other, with soldiers deploying for about eight months instead of the usual six.