A groundbreaking and unflinchingly raw war documentary series is set to premiere on television this evening, offering viewers a stark and unprecedented look at the brutal training regimen British Army personnel undergo to prepare for potential combat deployment.
Unprecedented Access to Military Preparation
The three-part series, titled Platoon 24/7: Preparing for War, launches tonight on Channel 5 at 9pm. It forms part of the channel's established 24/7 documentary strand, which has previously included programmes such as Casualty 24/7 and Babies 24/7.
This instalment, however, ventures into dramatically different territory, tracking a newly formed infantry platoon over six gruelling months of preparation. The production company describes it as a candid and savage portrayal, featuring previously unseen footage that documents the soldiers' journey from raw recruits to a cohesive, combat-ready unit.
The Stakes of Modern Soldiering
With war continuing to rage in Eastern Europe, the documentary's context is acutely relevant. The official description states the series follows the British Army as it readies its infantry platoons, the fundamental 30-strong units that form the backbone of the force, for potential action.
The programme focuses specifically on 13 Platoon, D Company, 5th Battalion The Rifles, the Army's largest infantry regiment. This platoon, comprised of soldiers from diverse backgrounds across Britain, must bond and train intensively to be prepared for deployment within a demanding six-month timeframe.
Leadership Under Pressure
Leading this critical transformation is 22-year-old Platoon Commander Lieutenant Tom Drew, a recent graduate of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst with only four weeks of barracks experience. Alongside Platoon Serjeant Dan Mann, Lieutenant Drew bears ultimate responsibility for the platoon's performance and readiness.
With time of the essence, the leadership immediately plunges the Riflemen into a week-long training exercise in the challenging terrain of the Brecon Beacons. Here, they face an intensive assessment known as 'Top Dog', designed to test their physical conditioning and psychological fortitude across four gruelling winter days and nights.
The 'Top Dog' Competition
The competition to be named the Company's Best Rifleman spotlights several soldiers with compelling personal stories:
- Rifleman Callum Hancock: A former bouncer and powerlifter from Cornwall, whose difficult upbringing fuels a fierce determination to succeed.
- Rifleman Will Halliday: The only Rifleman in the platoon with A-Levels, who believes his intelligence can overcome Hancock's physical prowess.
- Rifleman Owen Morris: An 18-year-old who joined the Army immediately after being expelled from school, now determined to prove his worth.
- Rifleman Ryan Dutton: A father of two returning from an extended injury absence, fighting to demonstrate he still deserves his place in the unit.
The 'Top Dog' challenge culminates in the 'Sword Lane' exercise, where exhausted soldiers must neutralise multiple targets at close range using only a bayonet—referred to as a 'sword' in Rifles terminology. This exercise forces each soldier to confront, for the first time, the profound question of whether they possess the capability to take a life if required in combat.
A Glimpse into Future Episodes
Subsequent episodes will follow the platoon as they advance to more complex and realistic training scenarios. Viewers will witness:
- Combat exercises simulating Eastern European conditions.
- Intensive urban warfare training.
- An attack on a simulated settlement.
- Participation in NATO manoeuvres in Germany.
The series finale promises to be particularly intense, documenting the platoon's first experience in a simulated 'kill or be killed' combat situation, a pivotal moment in any soldier's training.
Platoon 24/7: Preparing for War airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5 and will be available for streaming on the channel's digital platform, 5. The series is expected to provide a sobering and educational insight into the extreme demands placed on modern British soldiers as they prepare for the realities of contemporary conflict.
