A combat exercise called Edelweiss is being held this week from the Tinée valley to the Saint-Pons airfield. This Tuesday, the soldiers of the 4th regiment of hunters from Gap were on maneuvers in Ubaye.
The wind whips the rare blades of yellowed grass that cling to the crests of Mercantour. In this setting of black rocks, barely visible silhouettes move from rock to rock, in single file. They are soldiers from the mountain troops, including the 4th Chasseurs de Gap regiment.
They are taking part in Operation Edelweiss, a huge exercise involving infantry and cavalry troops, foot soldiers and armored vehicles. For four days, the soldiers evolve on the peaks and valleys of the Southern Alps.
450 soldiers engaged
This Tuesday, the scenario is simple. Enemy troops seized the Bonette, Allos and Cayolle passes. We have to take them back. The 450 soldiers are divided into these two camps, each managed from the Tarron barracks, in Condamine-Châtelard.
British troops even participated in the maneuver. All shots are simulated, recorded and validated by referees who eliminate either vehicles or men.
On the ridge which separates Ubaye from Tinée, two soldiers hide behind a jagged rock. They monitor the road which climbs the Bonette via its maralpine slope.
“We managed to find a favorable position to be able to fire with the AT4-CS on the first elements that will come to us, explains one of them. And once we have stopped, we will be able to fall back on our vehicles then on posts which have been recognized in advance by our friends.”
A few turns further down, tanks and buggies line up on the asphalt, hidden by an overhang of the mountain. Men disperse on foot down the slopes, to take the enemy from the rear. In the armored vehicles, we are preparing to go on the offensive.
“We are going to land just behind the movement of the ground,” explains Lieutenant Henri, of the 13th battalion of Alpine Hunters. “And we are going to infiltrate from the east of the pass to be able to seize it.”
“Fire if necessary”
Behind him, Brigadier Paul, of the 4th regiment of Chasseurs de Gap, takes up position in his tank. He will be the eyes of his comrades and will be responsible for covering their assault.
“My role will mainly be observation through my rifle scope,” he explains. “And if we encounter enemies, to be able to fire if necessary.”
Favored target, antennas stand against the autumn sky. The transmission operators have been in place for more than 24 hours and have already spent the night in the cold.
Their role is paramount in ensuring the success of their camp in this constantly evolving situation. Master Corporal Pierre, of the 27th mountain command and transmission company, is part of the small group.
“The radio stations receive the command transmission and redistribute it to the units on the ground. Without us, the units are on their own,” he explains. “They have no radio link, do not receive orders and do not cannot transmit information. We lose the chain of command.
Maneuvers also on the Champsaur side
Hours pass, the attacking troops seize the Col de la Bonette and secure their advance. They progress downstream, towards the Ubaye valley. Always split, between armor and infantry, protecting each other.
The path is no simpler than at the top, the fighters move on an alternation of scree, abrasive limestone rocks, and patches of more welcoming grass.
But a vertical cliff blocks their path. Specialists installed a rappel to bring the soldiers through one by one. Warrant Officer Thomas, from the Gapence regiment, is one of them.
“It’s specific to mountain troops,” he adds. “All these simple mountaineering techniques, settling on a rappel already set up, progressing on a rope, abseiling with the bag and the weapons “.
The exercise continued on Wednesday, with the capture of the Saint-Pons airfield, and new maneuvers on Friday in the Hautes-Alpes, near Champsaur.
