Page 61 - MERCIAN Eagle 2022

Ex EAGLE ANCESTRY
Between the 13 – 17 June JNCO’s across the Battalion deployed to France on a Battlefield Study (BS). The BS followed the advance of the German forces during WWII. Starting at Sedan, passing through Arras and finishing at Wormhout. The trip allowed JNCO’s to practically apply their doctrinal understanding using a historical framework. Taking place in the shadow of an ongoing conventional war in Europe, the trip bears even more significance than it may have a year ago.
Sedan
The BS started at the site where the Germans broke from the Arden and crossed the river Meuse. 2 MERCIAN’s JNCO’s stood at the precise location where 2nd Panzer Division crossed the river. Using their knowledge and expertise, they discussed what are the similarities and differences when compared to a modern tactical approach.
Arras
With the amalgamation of 2 MERCIAN and a large number of the JNCO’s moving to armoured infantry with 1 MERCIAN, Arras provide an excellent opportunity to look
at how armour and infantry must work
in unison to provide a credible fighting force. The afternoon was spent visiting
La Targette, one of the largest allied Commonwealth War Grave (GWWG) sites, and Vimy Ridge, a site of huge strategic importance during WWI.
Wormhout
The final day of the BS focused on the achievement and sacrifices of the Mercian antecedent regiments. We visited a
memorial at Wormhout where members
of the Cheshires’ were rounded up and executed by the SS. The 5 Cheshires’ along with 60 others defended a barn from the SS until they ran out of ammunition. When they surrendered they were all rounded up and killed. Our youngest qualified JNCO, Pte Richards, read a citation to honour 4384647, Lance Sgt Edward Thompson, then each JNCO laid a poppy for a soldier from the antecedent regiments at local CWWG.
Overall, the trip provided an excellent opportunity to develop our knowledge of the past so we can avoid making the same mistakes in the future.
JNCO Development
We worked hard to invest in the professional and personal development of our JNCOs throughout the year. With Dave Maddock we delivered some fantastic resilience training to develop both the mental and the physical, and a number deployed to France to conduct a battlefield study to France to study the withdrawal to Dunkirk. The overriding theme was one of empowerment, taking responsibility and mindset.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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