The training area of Drawsko Pomorskie is a mixture of rolling hills, tended woodland and large expanses of open areas. The area is strewn with old Soviet training systems, burnt out hulks of tanks and mobile guns some dating back to the Second World War which adds a realism effect that is found in only a few areas.

The training that was to be completed whilst in Poland was for the Battle Group of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards to start to work together for the first time in a while. The Battle Group consisted of both Infantry Companies of the Irish Guards and Armoured Tank Squadrons from the Royal Dragoon Guards with support from the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers.

The exercise started off with a few days of the Companies working individually on their own skills and drills. For the Rifle Companies this meant practicing advancing into battle and then dismounting from the Warrior APC and fighting attacks. For the ISTAR (Information Surveillance and Target Acquisition Recce) group containing the Recce, Mortar and Sniper Platoons and the Forward Observation Officers from the RA, this was the time for the four groups to start to work together as one on the battlefield.

Once these skills had been mastered it was time to fit the DEFWES kit (a series of electronic boxes that allow you to shoot at the enemy and record kills as well as being able to be taken out of the battle yourself) and take part in a full exercise to practice the skills that had been honed over the previous days. Working with a live enemy supplied by the Queens Royal Lancers this proved to be an exciting time as the Recce and Sniper platoons deployed forward of the Battle Group and started to report on the enemy movements so that the Rifle Companies could launch an attack.

After a short but intensive exercise the Battalion returned to Münster, Germany with lots of lessons learned and ready to put them into practice at BATUS, Canada in June 2001