Green dragon on Dartmoor

The British Royal Marines have carried out this year’s Exercise Green Dragon on Dartmoor in order to test all of the logistics regiment’s components.

Green Dragon is a validation exercise designed to determine whether a logistics task group is capable and ready to be deployed with the lead commando group, anywhere worldwide and under any environmental condition.

Exercise Green Dragon involved the Commando Logistics Regiment (CLR), which deployed its varied units to test their ability to support the front line during the two-week-long exercise.

The event saw the Barnstaple-based unit provide the support the Royal Marines of 3 Commando Brigade require to operate in the field.

The unit delivered food, medical cover, fuel, vehicle repair and recovery, ammunition and other supplies to the marines during the exercise. Exercise Green Dragon is usually conducted on Salisbury Plain in England every year, however this year’s iteration was relocated to Dartmoor to allow the Royal Marines to train themselves in the challenging moorland conditions.

The 14-day event involved the movement of a convoy of approximately 100 vehicles from Barnstaple to Dartmoor, as well as setting up base at Lee Moor Quarry and Newnham Park.

The vehicles carried nearly 300 specialists, who were assessed in their different areas of expertise in vehicle repair, engineering, emergency medical treatment and communications, in addition to the distribution of stores and equipment.

Exercise Green Dragon serves as the perfect platform to demonstrate the new methods of camouflage and defence used by the warfighters.

The Royal Marines previously participated in the exercise in July last year, which was conducted across Salisbury Plain in order to test the infantry’s battlefield logistics capabilities.