Page 14 - Mercian Eagle 2012

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7Pl after 360P on FTX
ASKARI THUNDER 5 was a successful period for C Company, proving that the Bayonets were more than ready to begin Mission Specific Training and all set for their Operational Tour as Ops Company to Afghanistan, on HERRICK 17.
The specific training for Afghanistan started in April. A live firing package was conducted at Lydd Ranges in Kent. The live firing tested us on a number of different ranges, replicating Afghan-style scenarios, including allowing us to develop our night vision capability again. The paintballing ranges were also a big hit, with the inoculation (standing in front of each other and being shot) proving particularly popular. This was followed up by two weeks in Warminster where we trained on a simulation package which mirrored the situation we
will face in Afghanistan. It was effectively
a large computer game during which we were tested on a number of different and complicated scenarios. All those hours
in front of Playstations seemed to pay off
as the Company and the Battalion did
very well: aside from Sgt Chambers who continually demonstrated his ability to crash his computer-generated vehicle. Thankfully he is better at commanding the real thing. During these two weeks Sgt Maj Glynn took the Search Team off and they completed their training with the Royal Engineers. They produced a very good result on the course with Cpl Walls, Search Team Commander, and Pte Main warranting individual praise from the staff running the course.
8Pl on the attack in Kenya
Section O’s on CFX
Our time in camp was well spent. It was important that we learned the lessons from previous exercises and honed our skills before the Confirmatory Exercise (CFX).
This in-camp training was planned and organised by the NCOs in the Company and their hard work ensured that when we were on exercise the lads performed very well.
From the start, the soldiers threw themselves into scenarios imaginatively
put together by experienced Section Commanders and Platoon Sergeants, and got to grips quickly with new equipment that they would be using on tour. Learning capabilities of the equipment that will be frequently used on tour has been a big part of MST. It has been crucial to C Company that the soldiers learn how to employ this kit to its best effect and in this way it will give us a huge advantage over the insurgents we are due to face. The Company has become proficient in moving across difficult terrain at night using night viewing devices, and putting in these extra hours of work has been hard but rewarding. One of the main pieces of equipment that the soldiers have been keen to get to grips with is the metal detector. Days have been spent walking slowly up and down lanes laid down by instructors looking for ground signs and sweeping with the detector to find potential IEDs. – 2Lt Steve Broadhurst
For the CFX we went to Stanford, in Suffolk and worked out of a patrol base on a specially designed training area. This package was excellent and the experience
Another C Coy aviation assault
the Company gained was invaluable. Real time Afghan nationals, playing the part
of civilians and Afghan Security Forces, made it the most realistic exercise we have done. Hard lessons on the complexities
of operating in Afghanistan were learnt at the beginning; however we produced some good performances throughout the week and went home with a strong report. As well as the platoons being worked hard,
the operations room was given a good run out, under the watchful eye of the Company 2IC, Capt Rich Sawyer. Part of his team included LCpl Webb whose impressions, singing and all-round entertaining skills provided some small amount of humour. The 5ft 6in LCpl Webb did on occasion suffer the wrath of the 6ft 5in Capt Sawyer which was more entertaining then any
of Webby’s hopeless impressions. We experienced some pretty severe weather and the pace of the exercise was relentless. The lads maintained their good humour throughout and were complimented by the staff running the exercise for their positive attitude to training. After the final operation they even decided to ‘hard target’ back into the Patrol Base, something which the OC and Sgt Maj found difficult to do after a hard week and a combined age of 77 (most of which is the Sgt Maj!!!).
The CFX training package was the first time we had been able to receive
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