The soldiers of 6RAR have proven themselves the best battalion in the infantry at the Duke of Gloucester Cup.

THE Duke of Gloucester Cup now has pride of place at 6RAR’s Cpl Dan Keighran VC Club, with its section taking the award, along with the Ghurkha Trophy for best overall shooting.

Sections from each of the Royal Australian Regiment’s battalions competed for the prestigious cup at the School of Infantry from August 5-8.

6RAR’s Cpl Josh Conaty led his section through patrols and long stomps to victory.

Although the team prepared from early this year, a few last-minute adjustments were needed.
“One of our team members finished a course on the day we left for DoG Cup, we briefed him on the strategies we were going to employ and he took that on board, just like we would do in any combat situation,” Cpl Conaty said.
“It’s been a busy year already. I’m sure the section was considered as the underdog this year, but I think our guys were quietly confident in their abilities.
“Looking up and seeing the trophies we took away from the DoG Cup in the cabinet of the Dan Keighran Club, it’s a great feeling to have earned that bragging right.”

6RAR spent two months in Shoalwater Bay earlier this year and majority of its fighting force are deployed to the Middle East.

“The message has gotten to our deployed members and they were so happy, we really wanted to boost their morale,” Cpl Conaty said.“I am so proud of all of the section members for volunteering and really put-ting in so much effort, especially on the day.”

Senior Instructor – Tactics Wing at the School of Infantry, Maj Alastair Robinson, said the competition changed this year.
“Last year we brought fatigue to the competition, this year the focus was on the basic skills of a soldier; marksmanship, navigation and communication“Each regiment was extremely competitive and the soldiers displayed a high level of marksmanship this year.”

Soldiers were tested on things like command ability, care of the battle casualty, soldier welfare, navigation, resupply and communications.

Over five days each soldier covered close to 150 kilometres, including a 20-kilometre extraction, a 3-kilometre jerry can carry and 4-kilometre stretcher carry.

Before the completion finished, each section was put through the obstacle course.

In October 6RAR’s DoG Cup winning section will compete in Exercise Cambian Patrol, a two-day competition in the Cambrian Mountains and swampland of Wales.

READ the full Report and Results here www.defence.gov.au/news/armynews