Exercise Rhino Heart, the largest deployment of reserve British soldiers since the Cold War, has seen 650 part-time soldiers from the UK, US and Germany work together. The exercise tested the reservists’ ability to mobilise quickly and work alongside other NATO forces.

Led by the UK’s 19th Light Brigade, the operation at Sennelager, Germany, highlights the essential role of civilians in modern military efforts. Sennelager is an old British Army base in Germany that was reborn as a defence hub – just a few months before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Participants from many different professions balance regular jobs with intensive military training. For many ordinary civilians, who have to balance their military training around their day jobs and families, the logistics of a big multinational exercise are far more challenging than for full-time soldiers.

The two week exercise included a visit from Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh who is Royal Colonel of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry (QOY), Her Royal Highness marked her first visit to the Regiment in the field.

It highlighted the Regiment’s collaboration with NATO allies. During her visit, she interacted with US National Guard reservists alongside the QOY, emphasising the robust international partnerships and camaraderie within NATO reserve forces.

Based at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle, the QOY is a light cavalry regiment within the Army Reserve, with squadrons located in York, Wigan, and Chester.

Next year’s Exercise Rhino Heart 25 is already in the planning stages.

Exercise Rhino Heart for Queen’s Own Yeomanry

Exercise Rhino Heart, the largest deployment of reserve British soldiers since the Cold War, has seen 650 part-time soldiers from the UK, US and Germany work together. The exercise tested the reservists’ ability to mobilise quickly and work alongside other NATO forces.