Exercise Serolane – South Africa

Last week soldiers of the Dutch 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade and their counterparts of the South African 44 Parachute Regiment have started Exercise Serolane in South Africa. In the first week, the training focused on familiarization with each other’s tactics, techniques and procedures. There are differences but similarities prevail!


Exercise Serolane started on June 2 and was officially inaugurated on Saturday June 9th with the 'stone piling' ceremony. This ceremony serves as a motivation for the soldiers. Before piling a stone each soldier makes a three-fold promise to him/herself; commit to effective training, accept personal responsibility for all equipment received and allocated and commit to the calling as a soldier, never to hesitate to protect the country and her citizens.

The Netherlands soldiers from 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade, 240 Service Company and 421 Hospital Company together with their South African counterparts improve their skills in expeditionary deployment. During the three week exercise they learn how to survive and perform in the Kalahari dessert. In the second and third week, units are fully integrated with over 500 South African and Dutch soldiers operating alongside. 421 Hospital Company plays an important role since they provide a military hospital and are responsible for the medical support of the exercise. In the first week a combined Netherlands – South African surgical team had to treat two South African casualties that suffered injuries of exploding ordnances while fighting a fire at the training grounds.

Exercise Serolane takes place from June 2 to 24 at the South African Army Combat Training Centre Lohatlha in the Northern Cape Province. With its 158 thousand hectares, it is the largest training facility on the Southern hemisphere.

Dutch Soldiers from the 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade during Helicopter Trooping drills using South African Air Force Oryx Helicopter during the Air Assault Training Exercise Serolane held in South Africa – June 2012 

Photos: Zadrach Salampessy.