Page 84 - Mercian Eagle 2012

OC:
2IC: PSAO: CSM: SPSI:
Mor Pl PSI CQMS: QPSI:
Pl Comd:
SF PI Comd:
Maj Ian Bond Capt Dixon Capt Hymas WO2 Spooner WO2 Duffey Sgt Roddis CSgt Bywater CSgt Malec
Lt Homer
CSgt Ainsworth
82
Scotty was a bugler and a great stalwart of E Company and representative of the Light Infantry Association. He promoted E Coy and The Rifles and The Mercians at public events throughout the country. He will be sadly missed by every soldier who has ever served with him.
Conclusion
The early part of the training year 2011 – 2012 focused on conventional operations before moving to contemporary operations in order to ensure that those who mobilised for Op HERRICK were well trained and prepared for the challenges that await them. 2013 will see the battalion mobilise for Op TOSCA in support of the UN Mission in Cyprus and again for Op HERRICK. Needless to say, E Coy, which has previously mobilised soldiers for Op TELIC, and Op HERRICK will continue to support the regular army
E ‘RIFLES’ Coy is a very strong Company. We have new recruits coming through the system, thanks to the hard work of Rfns Empson, Summerfield,
E ‘RIFLES’ Coy soldiers take a break during Ex LION STAR
people. As such there has never been a better time to join the TA. We have soldiers who have recent operational experience from Afghanistan to consolidate the
are deploying on operations within a short period of completing their training. Our soldiers are working hard to ensure that the skills gap is plugged. Our soldiers
are completing three or four consecutive weekends to safeguard the future of
E Company and the Territorial Army. For this we have to thank our supportive families and our employers for giving us the opportunity to serve.
“The Reservist is twice the citizen.”
Was attributed to Winston Churchill. Whether he said it or not is not known, however, the commitment which E Coy has shown to the Army does it justice.
Swift and Bold
L/Cpl Zaza and Cpl
Evans, who are bringing
in recruits from all over
Shropshire and the
Welsh border towns.
However, we still
need and want more.
The Future Reserve
2020 announced an
additional £1.8 billion
being invested in the reserve forces and that the TA will grow in strength to 30 000
F company
The last twelve months have been a busy time for the soldiers of F Coy, not least with their mobilisation on Op HERRICK 14, and the programme of events has been packed, with training weekends, a summer camp in Cyprus and preparations for Op OLYMPICS, to name but a few.
Op HERRICK 14 saw the mobilisation
of eight soldiers from Kidderminster and four from Burton, all being assigned to three different regiments. Most went to
3 MERCIAN in Germany, while others deployed with 4 SCOTS also in Germany and 1 RIFLES in Chepstow. All of our soldiers proved themselves to be excellent ambassadors for our company and showed themselves to be well prepared, capable members who were assets to the teams they joined.
Notably Burton’s Pte Eddie Binns received a nomination for a Millie award for best reservist. Forty-five-year-old Pte Binns was described by his platoon commander as “the rock of the platoon”, and was personally involved in no fewer than 22 contacts during his tour. On one particular
experience embedded within the company from tours to Iraq, Northern Ireland and The Balkans. However, we are not resting on our laurels and we are continuing to recruit. The Company is sending recruits away on the Winter, Spring,
Summer and Autumn Challenges which are providing quality soldiers, many of whom
day he found himself in the middle of a heavy contact on a routine patrol in Lashkar Gar when a colleague sustained gunshot wounds to the head. Pte Binns dragged the casualty 900 metres across open ground under a hail of rounds and RPG fire to the waiting MERT team. Modestly, Eddie said “In that situation, all that is going through your mind is that you have got to get
your mate to safety”. He was pleasantly surprised and very proud to be nominated for the Best Reservist award and enjoyed a celebrity-clad evening at the Millie Awards in London, the highlight of which he said was meeting Prince Harry.
Whilst some F Coy members were enduring the “joys” of Afghanistan, soldiers at home were treated to a comprehensive Machine Guns Cadre at Sennybridge in September. Twelve students attended and the training began at Penhale Camp with the first two days being in the classroom, then out in the field, refreshing memories and learning new skills and drills. Whilst the live firing ranges were being set up at Sennybridge, the students were given a
e ‘riFLeS’ coy is a very strong company. We have new recruits coming through the system...
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
two-day adventure training package which was very much appreciated by all, as was the evening social at the local pub. On arrival at Sennybridge the course resumed, with two days of shooting followed by a four-day live firing exercise which included various ranges, night shoots and even a combined shoot with mortars. On the last day Sgt Stout treated the students to an impressive demonstration of the uses of plastic explosives, which took most of the lads by complete surprise.
A beautiful sunny day in May gave some of our soldiers a day to remember with the