Page 19 - MERCIAN Eagle 2022

5 Platoon
Pl Cmd Pl Sgt Wr Sgt
Lt Millward Sgt Angus Sgt Whitaker
The recent months in Malta Company have really demonstrated both the professional, war fighting aspect of the Regiment, but also the social side of being a part of an armoured infantry battalion. B Company has been preparing for the responsibility
of being part of the Lead Armoured Battle Group and we are looking forward to applying the training we have conducted on several operations and major exercises in the new year.
The most recent training involved a week- long exercise on Salisbury Plain. 5 Platoon practised low level infantry skills that are crucial for the war fighting force that is The Mercian Regiment. The light-role exercise involved several navigation exercises, fieldcraft lessons and concluded in a long tactical move with multiple enemy positions. B Company section commanders had
the opportunity to patrol with their troops and react to multiple enemy contacts.
LCpl Oakden and LCpl Hoddinott were particularly impressive over this exercise; employed as section commanders, they led their subordinates well and demonstrated the high standard expected of this key command appointment.
Training on the Warrior platform has also been conducted for the Warrior commanders, gunners, and drivers. The return to role training has involved re- familiarisation on the 30mm turret and taking new members of the Company on introductory safety lessons. This will culminate in a 3-week armoured range package in Lulworth in January 2023 – the weather for which is expected to be perfectly soggy and cold.
Looking forward, the Company will combine the vehicle crews and dismounted soldiers in training serials utilising cutting
Cpl Sutton represents B Company in the ring before departing for A Company
edge simulators. Using simulators, we can practise a range of manoeuvres from basic road moves all the way to complex attacks involving tanks,
dismounted troops, and
engineer assets.
eye worn by the ever-cheerful Pte Jeffries. Company HQ selected an extremely talented boxing team after six weeks of
arduous training under the expert coaching of Cpl Shepherd, a champion Army boxer. Through an excellent performance
in the preliminary fights, seven out of the nine fights on the Regimental boxing night involved the B Company team and the night ended in B Company winning overall. Since the boxing competition, several of the B Company team
have been identified for the Infantry team with trials commencing in November, Cpl Shepard is again leading the training and will no doubt, be utterly ruthless.
At the same time as
war fighting training,
B Company had several
volunteers for Regimental
boxing. Initial training was
daunting for some of the
men, and rightly so, with
the 6’3, 108kg, Pte Nialati
throwing wild haymakers
with boxing gloves that
were apparently made
from concrete. Such
a punch, thrown with lightning speed, connected with myself in one of the sparring sessions, making my jaw swing like a revolving door. The aftermath of the session was several sore heads and a black
Such a punch, thrown with lightning speed, connected with myself in one of the sparring sessions, making my jaw swing like
a revolving door
Cpl Bray narrowly defeats LCpl Morris in one of the Pte Jeffries, formerly of 2 MERCIAN, represents the Company highlights of the 1 MERCIAN boxing night
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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