Honorary Colonel in Croatia with 4 Mercian

Carl Richardson, the Honorary Colonel of 4 MERCIAN, paid a visit to Croatia this week to see the troops in action on the NATO Exercise SAVA STAR.

Honorary Colonel Carl Richardson with Lt Col Goran Anic (L), Lt Col Andy Lawson of 4 Mercian and British Ambassador to Croatia Javed Patel (R)

An annual training exercise, SAVA STAR has been running between the Croatian armed forces and various British army regiments for 13 years.

This year 4 MERCIAN, the Reserve Battalion of the Mercian Regiment, took over 90 personnel to Croatia for the two week exercise which is designed to build closer ties and improve joint operational capabilities between NATO allies.

The Honorary Colonel was joined on the visit by the British Ambassador to Croatia, Javed Patel, and the Deputy Prime Minister of Croatia, Ivan Anusic, as well as Lord Lancaster who serves as the Army's Director of Reserves.

The Honorary Colonel watching Ex SAVA STAR in action

Commenting on the exercise, Capt Matej Takalic from the Croatian Armed Forces said sharing tactics and techniques with the British army was "very important" in the current climate.

"The changing security environment in the world, especially on the eastern borders of the NATO lands, is rapidly changing from counter-insurgency to large-scale combat operation,"

Croatian & British troops together at the end of the Exercise

A story on Exercise SAVA STAR was also featured on the BBC. Link here to view: Mercian Army reserves 'ready to stand by' Nato allies - BBC News