5 (V) R IRISH Annual Camp 1980, Federal Republic of Germany.

Event
Mon, 09/08/1980 - Sat, 09/27/1980
5 (V) R IRISH digging in on the River Leine below Schloss Marienburg, 1980.
5 (V) R IRISH digging in on the line of the River Leine below Schloss Marienburg.

The 5th (Volunteer) Battalion The Royal Irish Rangers, commanded by Lt Col A H Reid TD, attended Annual Camp by participating in Ex CRUSADER in BAOR for two weeks in September 1980.

The Battalion concentrated in Osnabruck by Tuesday 16 September following road and air moves from Northern Ireland. The first 48 hours were spent with their sponsor unit, the 1st Battalion The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment. After deploying on Ex CRUSADER the initial tasks were Bridge Demolition Guards on the River Leine at Schloss Marienberg and Betheln. On 21 September the Battalion changed to an Orange Force role and joined 3 Panzer Brigade in fighting through the Osterwald forest, with one company finally securing the outskirts of Osterwald village. The end of exercise return to Osnabruck was mainly by road except for the company and Battalion Tactical Headquarters in the village which were recovered by helicopters.

The return to Northern Ireland was via Sennelager, RAF Gutersloh and RAF Aldergrove with the Rear Party the last to arrive home on 27 September 1980.