Page 44 - MERCIAN Eagle 2022

4 Platoon
Lt Cameron Johnstone
The majority of 4 Platoon returned to Weeton barracks in May having been deployed to Kenya as the enemy force for 1 PWRR. After some well-deserved leave the Platoon’s focus was switched towards making sure each individual would be prepared for the looming amalgamation, whether they would be continuing with the 1st Battalion or moving on to elsewhere
in the Army. This has seen the soldiers of 4 Platoon undergo a programme that will make sure they are deployable heading towards their new unit and in the best position to be able to thrive.
Alongside the necessary continuation training we as a Platoon have made
sure that it has been an enjoyable period even through uncertainty. Members of
the platoon have been away conducting adventure training, the highlight of these trips being run by Sgt Baikirewa who led a kayaking package in Germany. This saw himself alongside a section escape Battalion life for a week to gain their
basic open water kayaking qualification
in the beautiful Bavarian countryside. The Platoon also contributed to the Battalion’s freedom marches through Worcester
and Derby. This offered an excellent opportunity for some of our soldiers to
proudly parade through their hometowns in front of friends and family and allowed some a final chance to show off as part of The Mercian Regiment before they leave for their next role.
2 MERCIAN were also required to sponsor the King’s Division Training
Team (KDTT), the cadre private soldiers must go through before promoting to lance corporal. The best soldiers across the Battalion will compete to attend this course and Pte Beacon from the Platoon was chosen from amongst his peers. I attended the course as the in-role Platoon Commander along with Cpl Graham as a section commander, a role that required us to help train and test some of the brightest soldiers who are hoping to be promoted. The course was one of the
first to be run combined with the Queens Division, allowing those attending to mix with their peers in the run up to becoming a singular Division in September. Throughout, those attending are not only expected to gain experience in the role of a section 2IC and improve their abilities in the field, but also to gain the confidence to teach, present and be able to plan
and conduct ranges and exercises. This develops the soldiers to a level where on
returning to their respective Regiments they can begin to become role models to their sections and take an active role in their peer’s progression even before getting promoted.
Rank
Name
Unit
Appointment
Sgt
Ball
2 MERCIAN
2IC STTT and Defence
Cpl
Drayton
2 MERCIAN
Urban ops 2IC
LCpl
Ghale
32 Rgt RE
Defence 2IC
LCpl
Middleton
2 MERCIAN
CMT + Med Lead
42
Kenya Stabilisation Operations and Tactics STTT
The 2nd Battalion’s deployment to Kenya was not exclusive to ASKARI STORM,
but part of the wider Land Regional Hub concept. 2 MERCIAN undertook a key
role in defence engagement, supporting a Short-Term Training Team (STTT) with the Kenyan Defence Force (KDF) at their School of Infantry in Isiolo. Our mission was to train 21 members of the KDF in the instruction
of Stabilisation Operations with specific focus on route clearance, rural and urban patrolling, defence operations, counter- improvised explosive devices (C-IED) and operations in built up areas (OBUA). Training delivered by the UK STTT was to be disseminated by KDF instructors to improve these skills in KDF soldiers preparing to deploy in support of the African Union Mission is Somalia (AMISOM).
Over the first week, Cpl James and his team taught the KDF: stack formations, corridor drills, room entry drills, cadence firing, movement in the urban environment/ rural interface, communication, and female CPERS handling as an additional lesson. The KDF learnt remarkably fast, with the teach-backs conducted on the final day
of the OBUA week showing a depth of understanding.
The students were hand-picked from
their units to attend the course and from the outset impressed with their ability and desire to learn. The officers selected for the course were excellent, actively leading on the practical elements of the lessons to a very high standard. The vital ground in terms
of relationships on the course was the link between the instructors and the SNCOs. When lessons were completed the SNCOs would act as the ‘link-men’ between the instructors and the students, elaborating on the British instructor’s direction in Swahili. The KDF are extremely polite and friendly but are reserved; they take time
to develop rapport. The use of common Swahili phrases was very well received and
respected by the KDF. By the end of the course, the team had forged strong bonds with the KDF student instructors.
It was not just the KDF who benefited from the STTT. The team learnt a great deal from the KDF. Their operational experience in Somalia has impacted our understanding of counter-insurgency TTPs. As an experience, the STTT rates highly in tasks the team has conducted in the British Army. BPST(A) provided exceptional resources throughout and gave the team a lot of responsibility which required individuals
to rise to the challenge and each of which came away with a positive experience.
OC STTT and T3 lead Urban ops lead C-IED lead
C-IED Lead
Capt Davenport Cpl James Cpl Mumby LCpl Donnelly
2 MERCIAN 2 MERCIAN 2 MERCIAN 2 MERCIAN
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