Ex BLACKSMITH comes to Wainwright

September 6, 2022 - MWO Brad Hughes

The Wainwright Ammunition Platoon and Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Team put their training to the test from June 27 to 30 as they participated in Exercise BLACKSMITH 2022.

In total, 15 military members, five civilians and one civilian police member participated.

The exercise was designed around the birthday of the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (RCOC), which is on July 1. Ex BLACKSMITH was so named for the official march past of the RCOC: “the village blacksmith.”

Ex BLACKSMITH is designed to achieve yearly recertification, professional development and the maintenance of essential skills for the Wainwright EOD Team. The exercise ran for four days with a different theme for each day.

Day one was dedicated to logistical disposal wherein the Platoon disposed of time expired or damaged ammunition.

The second day was dedicated to professional development, where members developed their own improvised shape charges that were subsequently used against tank hulls. The most effective of the group was Master Corporal Ryan Phillips’ wine bottle-shaped charge, which completely penetrated the tank hull. Members of the ammunition trade learn all about Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) ammunitions, but very rarely get to use most of the inventory. During day two members were also instructed on the uses and functioning of Bangalore torpedoes and a DM 21 landmine to further their understanding of ammunitions.

Two objectives were set for day three. The first was a logistical disposal of a Bomb General Purpose (BGP) MK‑83 Mod 4 of 1000 lb. The second objective was for members MCpl Sam Roy and MCpl Tony Nixon to complete testing and training for their Advanced Conventional munition disposal (ACMD). The logistical disposal was led by Corporal Jerrett Diamond, who first explained the basics of the aircraft bomb and how the logistical disposal of this item will work. Next, Cpl Diamond led a team in the preparation and disposal of the item. MCpl Roy was given a DG Missile Aerial AIM‑7M to render safe. During the render safe procedure, they explained the process using the Allied Explosive Ordnance Disposal publication system. MCpl Nixon was given the task of rendering safe the BGP MK‑83 Mod 4 of 1000 lb with a FMU‑139B/B tail fuse.

The fourth day of the exercise was dedicated to Improvised Explosive Device Disposals (IEDD) demonstrations. Ammunition Platoon got to observe the use of the 20 mm Nutrex against five different objects. The first object was an M19 ammo can, the second was a roaster pan, the third was an M2A1 ammo can, and the fourth and fifth were both threaded pipes. This demonstration was given to encourage interested members of Ammunition Platoon to apply for the IEDD operator courses 1 and 2.