Page 86 - Mercian Eagle 2012

84
HQ company
by Capt J K M Lam
2012 has been quite a busy year for the Bn with many opportunities for new challenges in addition to the normal weekend trainings. HQ personnel have no doubt supported all the activities in full.
In March, the Bn organised an educational and development tour in London where Maj Whittingham, Capt Lam, WO2s Rigby and Harding, Sgt Talbot, Cpl Vaughan and Ptes Breakwell and Chitombo visited the Imperial War Museum and the Churchill War Room.
In April, Exercise Dragon Wave, a week of adventure training in Malta organised by 143 Brigade, attracted a lot of applications. However, due to the limited vacancies available, only Capt Lam and Pte Breakwell were fortunate enough to get on the trip and flew to Malta for Rock Climbing and Diving respectively.
In May, Exercise MERCIAN MARKSMAN (two-week shooting camp at Swynnerton and Kingsbury Range) was organised by the Bn 2IC to select and
whereas Sgts Read and Newell and Ptes Beasley and Timlin took part as Butts Party and Firers.
Sgt Newell took
part in the Battalion
Shooting Team
where they won
the Champions in
Match 20 – Section
Advance, and
Match 21 – Section
Attack, and were
runners-up in Match 26 – Falling Plates. Sgt Newell also won himself the Individual Winner Best Oldest Shot (although it was unclear how many “Old Shots” were there)! The Bn entered a team at Bisley in July with Sgt Newell, Cpl Rogers and Ptes Timlin and Connelly from HQ. Although not taking part in Bisley, Capt Lam, WO2s Moody and Rigby supported the Annual Camp of the
train a Shooting Team to represent the Battalion in the 143 (WM) Brigade Operational Shooting Competition. Capt
Lam and WO2 (CSM) Moody supported the exercise as Range Conducting Officers
2012 has been quite a busy year for the Bn with many opportunities...
Birmingham University Officers’ Training Corps in Germany as RCOs on the ranges and training staff on the FTX.
The flagship training event for the Battalion was the Annual Camp 2012 in Cyprus. Apart from the normal G4
personnel led by QM(V) Capt Young and the ex-RMQS newly commissioned Capt Jones, Maj Whittingham, Capt Lam, Sgt Newell, Cpl Rogers and Ptes Connelly, Timlin, Tomkin and Worth took part as
the exercising troops where they had the opportunities to assault from a landing craft on a beach landing and a helicopter lift. Whilst in Cyprus, there were opportunities for various adventure training which included diving, parachuting, rock climbing, mountain biking and hill walking. The Cyprus camp concluded with a spot of beach relaxation prior to boarding the flight back home.
Op OLYMPICS was one of the main operations in support of the London 2012 Olympics in which Capt Lam and Ptes Tomkin and Worth were mobilised. They
WO2 (CSM) Moody trying to watch where the round hit on the target at Kingsbury Range
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
Capt Lam guarding the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony.