Page 55 - Mercian Eagle 2012

5 Platoon, B Company, 3 MERCIAN.
A Platoon Commanders and Sergeants view post Herrick until present. ‘The Frantic Five’
Sgt Macpherson and 2Lt Teasdale
Having had a successful and safe tour of Afghanistan it was time to return to the normality of B Company life...
Everyone had an amazing and well- deserved leave including myself, which involved the family and I doing a trip to Disney land Florida. It also gave me the opportunity to finally pass my motorbike test. It only took me 8 years to do, however that’s another story!
Unfortunately for me, I was to take over the role as Platoon Commander and Warrior Sgt at this time as well. This being due to the loss of Capt Beardsworth moving onto “Civvie Street” and Sgt Dugmore being posted to Bovingon, in order to represent the Battalion as a Schools Regimental Gunnery Instructor. Best of luck to you both.
In addition to running the Platoon I was also to conduct a pre-cadre for the Section Commanders Battle Course and Platoon Sergeants Battle Course. The pre-cadre was a success, with the Battalion easily capable of sending more than enough candidates onward to the Infantry Battle School to conduct these vital career courses. All members who attended are now wearing their respective rank so – “Well done lads!”
Within the Platoon, people were either away on courses or away on RAAT taskings, due to the Olympics taking priority over man power from the British Army as a whole. The Company 2IC was busy trying
5 Platoon – Enjoying the Canadian Prairie
to keep the spreadsheet updated on who was doing what etc. However, the minute it was produced onto paper it was out of date, as more and more taskings came in and more courses became available. This said though, it was a good rough guide to adhere to, keeping us all on track.
Due to Canada being the main effort (there were many main efforts by the way) our preparations had begun early. Many
of our new arrivals to the Platoon were sent straight on Warrior gunnery or driving courses. It seemed that we were all back on the treadmill running up hill, with many people wishing they were back on tour, just for a more structured
routine. Yet again the
Platoon was split to the
four winds.
the LCpls and below. I despise computers at the best of times, so having to write
so many reports in an officer speech was hard going! Something I have noticed as Platoon staff is that you seem to spend more time on computers than actually training your men. Bring back the notebook and pen! Thank God I’m not the OC writing the Company’s reports.
After numerous model exercises, military lessons and career courses, the Company managed to get in some Armoured Infantry Training on the local area for three days. This short but valuable time together
was proof of how busy we had been. I remember the times
This leaves me with the greatest news, that after our leave prior to going to canada, i was to get a new Platoon commander fresh from the factory...
leading up to previous BATUS exercises,
spent out in the field
on Sailsbury plain or at Castlemartin honing our gunnery skills. This was the only time we had as a Company to train prior to Canada. The saying – “There is never enough hours in the day” was always springing to
mind. But as ever we as a Platoon and as a Company managed to get ourselves ready for BATUS.
This leaves me with the greatest news, that after our leave prior to going to Canada, I was to get a new Platoon
Finally the Platoon
did come together to
complete Gunnery
Camp held in
Fallingbostel and LFTT
in Sennelager. Starting
from the basics of
shooting the chain gun
and individual fire and
manoeuvre, to the advanced section/warrior integrated attacks and CQM shoots. This brought together the crews and dismounts to the required BATUS start standards.
My Platoon Commander was massively missed when it came to writing SJARs for
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
53