Ex Bonnie Dundee 1988

Exercise Bonnie Dundee was a British home-defence military exercise conducted in Scotland from 22 October to 2 November 1988, designed to test and validate updated plans for defending UK installations in the event of serious international tension or war  .

🛡️ Participants

    •    It was part of the Scottish District exercise series under the broader “Brave Defender” home defence programme  .

    •    The exercise involved:

    •    Regular British Army units across the Army’s districts in Scotland.

    •    Volunteers from the Territorial Army (TA), the Home Service Force, and individual reservists.

    •    Supporting roles from the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, including US forces garrisoned in the UK  .

    •    Participation from civil agencies such as the police, fire and ambulance services, and voluntary aid societies  .

🎯 Purpose & Lessons Learned

The exercise aimed to stress-test the UK’s home‑defence arrangements at a district level, far beyond the national-scale Brave Defender 1985. Key lessons and insights included:

    1.    Testing coordination across multiple services and agencies: Defence units (army, navy, air force, TA) had to operate together with civil authorities (police, fire, ambulance services, and voluntary agencies), reflecting the reality of domestic defence in wartime conditions  .

    2.    Defending strategic sites in Scotland: Among the facilities exercised were ports, airfields, nuclear-related sites (e.g., Rosyth naval base, Clyde submarine base, RNAD Machrihanish), reflecting Scotland’s high strategic value in the NATO‑Warsaw Pact confrontation  . Territorial wings like the 2/52 Lowland Volunteers and 3/51 Highland Volunteers managed local coverage, including critical defence of Rosyth, Clyde submarine base and Fife  .

    3.    Reliance on reservist manpower: The exercise showed how essential reservists and territorial forces would be for homeland defence, supplementing regular troops to defend infrastructure and maintain order   .

    4.    Local level readiness: By delegating to district commands (Scottish District), planners could evaluate the effectiveness of planning, communication channels, and decision-making at a decentralised level—not just at Whitehall headquarters  .

    5.    Civil‑military cooperation: The inclusion of police, fire brigades, paramedics, and welfare agencies underlined the need for integrated response in high‑stress emergencies, beyond pure military action  .

    6.    Preparation during low‑tension peacetime to maintain capability: Conducting such exercises when international tension was low ensured that plans remained effective and personnel familiar with procedures in case they had to escalate rapidly to war  .

In Summary

Exercise Bonnie Dundee tested the UK’s home‑defence posture in Scotland in autumn 1988. It involved a mix of regular forces and reservists, supported by civil and emergency services, and focused on defending vital military and defence-related infrastructure—especially in the Highlands & Islands and along the Clyde/Forth naval facilities. It provided lessons on the importance of multi‑agency cooperation, the strength and limitations of territorial forces, decentralized command planning, and the necessity of training in peacetime to maintain preparedness in the face of potential Soviet/Warsaw Pact aggression.

A Squadron, Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry (DLOY) under Major John Tustin, operating within 51 Highland Brigade in the Highlands & Islands—and the key lessons drawn from the final scenario at Barry Buddon Training Area:

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🪖 Role of A Squadron DLOY under Major John Tustin with 51 Highland Brigade

    •    A Squadron DLOY was assigned medium reconnaissance duties within the 51 Highland Brigade, whose area spanned most of northern and western Scotland. They were based from Perth brigade headquarters and deployed widely across the Highlands and Islands as part of UK home-defence planning.  

    •    Under Major John Tustin, the Squadron provided:

    •    Squadron headquarters support to 51 Brigade: liaising between Brigade HQ and troops in the field,

    •    Reconnaissance operations, including observation posts (OPs) monitoring off‑coast Russian vessel incursions,

    •    Coordination with civilian police in major simulated incidents, and even co‑ordinated the final assault in the grand finale scenario.  

    •    The Squadron also elevated their presence in the field: their ability to cook from vehicles, operate in harsh conditions (frosty Highlands), and manage logistics over rugged terrain won admiration from regular units and local communities.  

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🎯 Finale at Barry Buddon: Key Lessons Learned

    •    Although Barry Buddon Training Area is the site of the grand finale of the exercise, direct descriptions of the finale scenario at Barry Buddon are not widely documented. However, from the DLOY’s own account and Brigade commentary, we can infer the following lessons:

    1.    Seamless civil-military integration: A Squadron worked closely with local police, coordinating a simulated major incident under media scrutiny (local television). This demonstrated the importance of integrated planning between military reconnaissance units and civilian agencies. The Brigade Commander praised their performance as “most professional.”  

    2.    Scalable reconnaissance across terrain: Operating across the challenging Highlands—including remote coastal areas and high-altitude passes—the Squadron proved the feasibility of deploying mobile armoured reconnaissance units in varied terrain. Effective OPs on the west coast monitored enemy vessel movement.  

    3.    Importance of local reconnaissance and liaison: Squadron HQ traversed widely to visit DLOY troops in remote posts, maintaining situational awareness and cohesion with the Brigade staff. This supported better command decisions under simulated wartime stress.  

    4.    Public visibility and morale boost: The grand finale at Barry Buddon, conducted with local media presence, not only validated training realism but also enhanced public and partner confidence in the Reserve units’ capabilities.  

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✅ Summary Table

Element

Role & Contribution

Unit

A Squadron, Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry (Territorial Army, recce armoured cars)

Command

Under Major John Tustin, working with HQ 51 Highland Brigade (based in Perth)

Operational role

Medium reconnaissance, OPs monitoring coastal approaches, liaison with Civil Police, coordination of final scenario incidents

Terrain & scope

Highlands & Islands, long-distance deployments, remote & rugged terrain

Finale lessons

Civil-military coordination, recon scalability, local liaison, operational professionalism under public scrutiny

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Summary

Major Tustin’s A Squadron DLOY played a crucial reconnaissance and liaison role within 51 Highland Brigade—providing situational awareness, coordinating with civilian agencies, and supporting command staff across a vast and rugged region. Their performance during the culmination at Barry Buddon Training Area confirmed the value of integrated civil‑military planning, the operational effectiveness of reservists in harsh terrain, and the power of credible, visible exercise finales for morale and public confidence.

During that period in the 1980s, including exercises like Bonnie Dundee, the Duke of Lancaster’s Own Yeomanry (DLOY) were indeed equipped with Land Rovers—not armoured vehicles—for their role in medium reconnaissance.

✅ Clarification:

    •    The Territorial Army (TA) reconnaissance squadrons like A Squadron DLOY used long-wheelbase Land Rovers, typically:

    •    Land Rover 109 or 110 variants,

    •    Often modified with radio fitments, and camouflage nets,,

    •    Light, mobile, and suited for the rugged Scottish terrain (unlike heavier, armoured recce vehicles like the CVR(T) series, which regular regiments might have used).

Why Land Rovers, not armour?

    •    TA recce units were trained to operate in support of regular brigades but on limited budgets and logistics, especially in home defence roles.

    •    Land Rovers provided:

    •    High mobility over terrain like the Highlands and moorlands,

    •    Easier maintenance in austere field conditions,

    •    The ability to blend into civilian infrastructure and roads (important in domestic defence exercises).

Role during Exercise Bonnie Dundee:

In this context, A Squadron DLOY, under Major John Tustin, would have conducted:

    •    Patrolling and establishing OPs (Observation Posts),

    •    Supporting local police liaison,

    •    Coordinating movements from squadron HQ Land Rovers,

    •    Operating independently over large distances with light kit and local supplies.

Summary Note: 

 'A' Squadron DLOY with 51 Highland Brigade

Throughout this period, the major exercises were:-

EX BRAVE DEFENDER - SEPT 1985

EX TARTAN HERO - SEPT 1986

EX FIRST WATCH - MAY 1988

EX BONNIE DUNDEE - SEPT 1988

Records show that Major John Tustin, Officer Commanding through this period, played a pivotal rôle in building and sustaining the operational partnership with 51 Highland Brigade. His continuity of command and personal rapport with brigade staff were central to the squadron's performance and the overall success of those exercises.

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