Page 56 - Mercian Eagle 2012

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Commander fresh from the factory... Christmas was to come early for me.
Which I believe is my prompt to take over. On arrival to the Platoon two days prior to deploying to Canada, I realised there was still loads to for me to learn if I was to do justice to the boys of
consisted of deploying on a Battle Group exercise.
The peak temperatures came and left as we finished our time in Canada. All of the training prior had set the Platoon up well, allowing them to shine throughout, making
new fleet of Warrior, followed by a month of exercise with other nations down in Bavaria.
Ex Sabre Junction was our next challenge, set in a cold snowy Bavaria,
we worked alongside 19 other countries, testing the area as guinea pigs for the Army. This was in order to see whether or not BATUS could be conducted there. A much debated topic, of which the final verdict is still awaited.
Returning from the south of Germany at the beginning of November, leads us as a Platoon to now. Where we all eagerly await leave and the joys of PDT in the new year!... Unfortunately the Company is going to be reorbatted into the rest of the Battalion. However, even with my short time amongst the men of the “fighting five”, I know they will all do well wherever the reshuffle takes them. I wish them all the best!
5 Platoon, with regards to all their prior training. So still full from dinner I’d had on my young officer courses, we all set off for BATUS.
Whether they were jumping out of planes of rafting down the rockies, everyone came back with a smile.
my job somewhat easier.
BATUS was not all training though, as the opportunity arose for many of the Platoon to get away Adventurous Training, which I can honestly say all enjoyed. Whether they were jumping out of planes
BATUS in mid
summer was a great
opportunity to get to
know the Platoon I
would be commanding,
as well as to train. As Sgt Macpherson has already said, it was a rarity to ever have the Platoon together as a whole. To this end, I’m grateful I joined the Company when I did, even if my first week on the job
of rafting down the Rockies, everyone came back with a smile. Which leads us onto the next installment
of 5 Platoon life, back in Germany. On arrival back to camp, we all knew what was to come. A week of hard graft taking over a
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
B Coy in Grafenwoehr – Keep off the grass!