The Royal Irish Rangers Annual Camp 2002, Northern Ireland.

RANGERS, commanded by Lt Col A C J McCord MBE R IRISH, attended Annual Camp, including Exercise SHAMROCK MUSTER, at Magilligan Training Centre, Co Londonderry, Northern Ireland from 11 - 25 May 2002.

The first week consisted of a number of training cadres run by the NI Specialist Training Team including Hazardous Material handling, Basic Instructional Technique, Assistant NBC Instructor and Basic Range (Shooting) Coaching.

The second week was a build-up to the finale exercise on 18-20 May and included company level tactics with live firing attacks and, ambush and defence shoots by day and night. Ex SHAMROCK MUSTER was held on training areas around Magilligan and its setting was a PSO (Peace Support Operation). The exercise was valuable given the RANGERS role in providing trained reinforcements to the regular army for PSOs in Bosnia and Kosovo.

Meanwhile, the Assault Pioneer Platoon attended a separate Annual Camp with the North Irish Horse (NIH) Squadron which was the only TA Squadron to take part in 1 (Reconnaissance) Brigade's concentration at STANTA (Stanford Training Area), near Thetford, Norfolk. The two week training package demonstrated the similarity between Infantry Assault Pioneers and Recce Squadrons tasks in denying routes using chainsaws and explosive demolitions.

It should be noted that an Annual camp held in Northern Ireland was in itself an extremely rare event.