Page 45 - Bugle Spring 2024

8 RIFLES
8 RIFLES MG
8 RIFLES MG CADRE
14 Riflemen keenly volunteered for the 8 RIFLES MG Cadre, giving us seven Gun Teams to train. We started with some theory lessons about GPMG(SF). This can be summed up in three sentences; The kit is heavy; It’s a pig to clean; It’s great fun
to fire! We then moved outside to start putting the theory in to practice. Morale was high as learning a new skill always builds confidence. After five days the course was ready for their Weapons Handling Tests.
The enthusiasm had paid off as all passed and we started the prep for going out to the range to do it for real!
Live firing, as you would expect, started off slowly, building confidence in the skills learnt the previous week. Firstly, getting used to 20 round bursts! Un-natural for most. Then on
to engaging targets out to 1000 meters and working on corrections. By day three, we had moved on to recording targets on the C2 Sight, which at first is a bit like learning Chinese
with some maths thrown in! By the final Friday we were ready to take the Annual Combat Marksmanship Test which most passed giving us two sections of newly qualified Machine Gunners, a mean feat in the time allowed and is testament to the efforts and attention of the Riflemen, having never touched a GPMG before.
The kit is heavy; It’s a pig to clean; It’s great fun
to fire!
Riflemen are put through their paces on the GPMG(SF)
8 RIFLES Development Weekend
In mid-October RIFLES Companys converged on Parsons Barracks, Donnington from their dispersed Army Reserve Centres.
The weekend consisted of Battalion PT, rank ranged development, a Regimental HQ SWIFT brief and Cpl Ricky Furgusson MC presented an outstanding motivational presentation before he joined the Battalion for a Bugle Brunch the following day.
SSgt Jason Kitchen QMSI put the Battalion through its paces with a heart racing
Battle PT session to kick the weekend off.
A series of equally lung busting exercises conveniently found themselves back- to-back for 45 minutes. This led us into
challenging team cohesion exercises that required a lot more brain power than the exercising troops expected! We finished off with an unexpected, old-fashioned team stretcher race, which managed to break the hearts of all taking part but impressed the Chain of Command with the resilience and determination shown.
We had the privilege of spending some time with Cpl Ricky Furgusson MC (4 RIFLES), and Ricky spent the best part of the weekend with the Battalion. The presentation he delivered highlighted his career in the army, time as a top-class sportsman, operations, life-changing experiences and life after the army.
We had the privilege of spending some
Milestones included competing in the Invictus Games to reaching Mount Everest base camp, all of which set an inspiring scene and demonstrated that, regardless of adversity, your state of mind is powerful.
Bugle brunch on Sunday saw LCpl Monk, LCpl Kynaston and Cpl Miles receive their promotional rank slide from the Commanding Officer, Regimental Serjeant Major and Cpl Ricky Furgusson MC, having passed their respective promotion courses.
2Lt Bullivant, accompanied by the Bugle Major Sjt Chris Coxon, delivered the Bugle Horn Script to the Battalion and reinforced the significance of regimental history that covers all things RIFLES.
time with Cpl Ricky Furgusson MC
RIFLES The Bugle 45