Page 68 - MERCIAN Eagle 2022

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B (Malta) Company
Capt Trapper Travis (PSAO)
For those in B (Malta) Company, the last 12 months have been particularly busy. December 2021 saw the final Battalion training weekend of the year take place,
at Swynnerton Camp. The focus of this weekend was a patrols competition,
which included a 2km stretcher race, an observation lane, a bayonet lane, and a battlefield casualty simulation, with each company providing a team to compete. The B Company team, led by 2Lt Scott Hodgson, emerged victorious, taking home the Dixie Oliver Trophy, awarded to the Champion Company of the Battalion. Early in the New Year, members of B Coy deployed to Germany with their regular counterparts in 1 MERCIAN, to participate in an armoured infantry training exercise. May saw the company take part in the Battalion annual training exercise, Ex IRON WOLF, in Lithuania.
The company proved their marksmanship skills during the Battalion shooting competition in June, with the B Coy team championing the overall competition. During the Commonwealth Games, members of the company were mobilised to deploy
on Op UNITY, which involved personnel providing security for the games held in and around Birmingham. Taking advantage of the warm weather, the company enjoyed a weekend of mountain biking in Llandegla, North Wales, including a company social
at Widnes to develop cohesion and ensure hydration levels were maintained.
Following a well-earned summer leave,
Members from 5 Platoon (Widnes) during the remembrance parade in Victoria Park, Widnes
another busy period awaited B Coy. September saw a variety of opportunities, including the start of the Battalion’s UK Standby task. This consisted of members from across the Battalion being held at High Readiness, in case of the requirement to
be deployed in support of UK Resilience tasks. Those NCOs who weren’t quite ready to finish their summer holiday were offered the chance to deploy with 156 Regt RLC to Croatia on Ex SAVA STAR. During the exercise, the NCOs were employed
as Infantry SMEs in command positions
to help mentor the non-infantry exercising troops. At the end of September, LCpls Kirby and Stafford were mobilised to deploy to the Falkland Islands on Op FIRIC. During their mobilisation, they both completed Section Commanders Battle Course, in order to further develop as potential Section Commanders, before returning to the Falklands.
October proved to be another busy month, as other members of the coy had the chance to enjoy some character- building activity in Brecon in the form
of Ex CAMBRIAN PATROL. Patrol Commander, 2Lt Hodgson, led the Battalion team, including Pte Kershaw from B Coy. Unfortunately, the team suffered three injuries early in the patrol, however the remaining members demonstrated their resilience, pushing through to complete the patrol and be awarded a certificate of achievement. Concurrently,
Ex SPEARPOINT was taking place on
Dixie Oliver trophy awarded to 2Lt Hodgson, B Coy
B Coy personnel on Ex SAVA STAR, in Croatia
Salisbury Plain. This saw B Coy troops working alongside 5RRF to undertake
the light role infantry exercise, including practising urban operations at the Corsham Mines training facility. Ex SAXON LANCE saw the remainder of the Battalion conducting Platoon Attacks in Leek, a
B Coy led exercise, run by our PSI, Sgt Daz Lightfoot.
During November, the coy took part in
Ex SHORT SWORD, a coy training weekend which included an ACMT and incorporated the annual Remembrance Parades in Widnes, Stockport, and Ellesmere Port. Soldiers from the Ellesmere Port ARC took part in the Service of Remembrance at Chester Football Club, alongside service personnel from 2 YORKS and members
of the Mercian and Cheshire Regimental Association. In the remaining few weeks
of the year, the coy can look forward
to the final Battalion training weekend, taking place in early December, before the Battalion stands to enjoy a well-earned Christmas leave.
Members of B Coy alongside 156 RLC on Ex SAVA STAR in Croatia
Members from 4 Platoon (Ellesmere Port) during the Service of Remembrance
at Chester Football Club
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