Page 61 - Mercian Eagle 2012

Sgt Brown refuses to submit to the cold
CO COEFOR decided to abandon caution for a Coup de Main operation, which saw
a covert insertion by Recce and Snipers followed by a Sqn Coy Group Attack on
the main NATO crossing site. A hugely successful insertion outflanked the BLUEFOR Guard and set us up for the main strike with the benefit, unusually, of surprise. The Salamanders and Sturgeons crossed the Line of Departure without breaking our stealthy posture and advanced until the Tanks came under contact from an unexpected flank. They swung to protect the Sturgeons and cover the advance. It should be said that BDA established later that CSgt Maxwell had, in fact, engaged a large rock...
Unperturbed, the AI Coy launched for the final run in, setting some comprehensive speed records for Sturgeon, as we advanced down Letcher Trail through what appeared to be a BLUEFOR NLAW matrix. However, to paraphrase Admiral Fisher (no relation to the WSM), there was something wrong with their guns that day, as 0B and 20 were marshalled across the Reserve Demolition site by a friendly BLUEFOR engineer, who realised his mistake when Sgt Brown’s section dismounted and TES-killed him and his team. In the ensuing carnage, CO COEFOR was TES-killed leaving OC
C in command – his enthusiasm tempered by the realisation that the surviving BG was smaller than C Coy at the outset. Sgt Brown was outraged as only a Jamaican can be, when his section was sent back across the river, because “you’re not supposed to be on this side” but amused when the safety concerned missed the Sturgeon with the God Gun. CSgt Maxwell had a high time hiding between three “burning” vehicles, and Safety killed all
the COEFOR troops who had inserted the previous night, flatly refusing to believe they had got that close. Finally, BLUEFOR were able to blow the Reserve Demolition and withdrew, leaving COEFOR to reorg on the crossing site and enjoy success.
Following this high, we re-roled into definitely-not-Afghan clothing to provide CIVPOP for the stabilisation phase. BATUS, not wishing there to be too many defenders in TARMEK the next day. We
LCpl Hutton occupying a defensive position during live firing
settled down to replicate life in an Afghan Khalian village, which the blokes did extremely well, wandering, eating Kebabs and gently harassing BLUEFOR. The bubble was slightly burst as it became clear that BATUS had provided CIVPOP from 3 MERCIAN, in the village patrolled by 3 MERCIAN and from 4 SCOTS for the village patrolled by – 4 SCOTS. However, relations remained cordial over three very quiet days, morale being lifted somewhat when we found B Coy “borrowing” water from our concealed bowser, because they had run out.
Once Prairie Thunder 3 was complete
we recovered to BATUS, washed and administered and settled down for a relaxed period of admin and R&R under Company arrangements. We received 10 new
pax from Fallingbostel to replace our injured, conducted a 48 hour shake out exercise to refresh our Light Role skills
in preparation for CT3, and deployed for
a week of AT. Expectations of freezing temperatures yielded to warm and dry
days as the Company split down for Horse Riding, Canoeing, Climbing the Multi-activity package. The canoeists, amongst them the OC, CSM, CQMS, and Cpls Mills, Bryan and Biusavu had been the butt of many jokes about freezing water, but a swift
move to British Columbia proved a master stroke, as we were the only people not to get snowed on! A special mention is due
to CSgt Scott and Cpl Mills for their fine performance in T-boning the OC whenever possible due to ropey steering.
On return to BATUS, we re-roled again (making 5 switches in
all), this time back to
Light Role for 4 SCOTS
a stiffer challenge than SCOTS DG, trading dash, élan and utterly predictable tactics
for manoeuvre and deception which kept COEFOR guessing for much longer – though we still claim a 4 nil win! As the snow started to come down on D+23, missions were cancelled and a swift piece of planning by HQ 7 Bde saw C Company deployed to defend Hettar for the final attack with a brief of “make it difficult and complicated” from the Commander. We set out to do that as hard as possible, and delivered a defence laced with OS, mines, planned CPERS deployments and use of human shields
(we were, after all, the bad guys). LCpl Gardner led a heroic counter attack into a BLUEFOR held compound as A Company struggled to deal with CIVCAS and we delayed A Company and the Canadians so long, that we had to be ordered to surrender by Brigadier Nanson to bring the battle to a close – probably the hardest thing most of the blokes had done! Pte Marston finished the day by emerging from the well in the middle of town and attacking anything he could see and we swiftly went into the bag before recovering to BATUS and beginning handback.
COEFOR was a hugely rewarding experience. We conducted Light Role ranges, worked as an AI company, achieved CT3 as light role, adventure trained, went on R&R and forged a strong relationship with
4 SCOTS who hosted us superbly. Special mentions should go to Sgt Brown, who
for much of PT4 was all the Pl Sgts and
Pl Comds at once, to Cpl Mills who held
the line as CQMS whilst CSgt Scott acted
as WSM and to the
ten new soldiers who reinforced us halfway through the deployment and never really worked out what had hit them. As a Company, we learnt flexibility, to react to what was in front
of us and plan on our feet. We returned to Fallingbostel with a strong core, which
should be well set to face the challenge of MST and deployment.
CT 3 exercise. 48 hours
as NATO forces, and a
successful clearance
of NDF extremists from
Pakshar and Hettar
later, we were once
again NDF extremists
ourselves and did it all
again – but this time
against 3 MERCIAN
BG, which brought an extra spice to the challenge. Indeed, 3 MERCIAN presented
As a company, we learnt flexibility, to react to what was in front of us and plan on our feet.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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