Local soldier now in Canada's Wild West
2005-08-25
FORMER Wellington resident who is now a soldier in the British Army, Fusilier Conley Davis, is currently keeping the army moving and supplied with all its needs in the vast wilderness of Suffield, Canada, during exercises that take place across the 1000 square miles of real estate.
Davis (27) is serving with the First Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers based at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS) where he works supporting the exercise programme.
Says Davis, “This is my first time here and it’s a brilliant place. It's very much like home in some ways - the countryside is similar and the temperatures as well, although it gets very cold here in the winter.
“This summer we have had some extreme weather - there has been torrential rain, floods, tornados and hailstones the size of golf balls. Everything is big in Canada including the weather!
“I have been involved in some community projects and I like the atmosphere among the people - I will definitely come back.
“We have taken vehicles out to street fairs and carnivals - it all helps promote the British Army and the work we do in the area.
“We also have the latest communications kit called Bowman, and everyone has been on a steep learning curve with this excellent kit.”
For a soldier on the ground the new Bowman system marks a big difference since he is now able to communicate by radio in clear speech without the use of complex codes.
The radio signal is encrypted or scrambled preventing the enemy listening in to conversations.
Commanders at all levels are able to pinpoint their soldiers, armour, artillery and force support elements together with enemy positions by the use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and sophisticated battlefield computers.
The Hi Tech revolution gives a clear picture of the progress of the battle added to which the Bowman system offers an email facility between units.
Communications are speeded up by the use of clear speech while the computers can display maps of positions and hazards such as minefields.
Conley attended Huguenot High School and worked in correctional services before joining the British Army in 2002. He was until recently stationed at Cele near Hannover in Germany.
His parents, Toyce and MC Davis, live in Wellington.
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