Page 17 - MERCIAN Eagle 2018

6 Platoon – 2Lt Hodgeson
Like everyone else, 2018 has been a busy year for the troops of 6 Platoon. First and foremost, they have had to remain very flexible as to what their missions and tasks have been. From being on 12-24 hour NTM as the UK Standby Battalion to integrated live firing in Castlemartin. The command team has changed somewhat, with Sgt Cromwell leaving the Battalion on a posting to 4 MERCIAN, Sgt Mills moving to Pl Sgt and the introduction of Sgt Cooper as Wr Sgt.
6 Pl started the year off with a dismounted exercise in Wales under the instruction of Sgt Tomlinson. This stood the men in good stead for their subsequent deployment to Castlemartin where, for the first time in nearly a decade, they were
a part of an armoured infantry company
conducting live integrated shoots, by day and by night on UK soil.
This build up was ultimately to enable
the deployment of the company to Oman
to conduct exercise SAIF SAREEA 3.
The platoon was heavily reinforced by soldiers from 4 MERCIAN and from 5
RRF. Responsibility for getting the reserve soldiers integrated by the time the Company rolled off the dust bowl fell to every man. Cpl Chambers, attached from A Company, LCpl Williams and Pte Willis were all instrumental in making this happen.
Lt Margetts was drafted in from
A Company to take command of the platoon in the absence of a platoon commander. He quickly bonded well with the troops and felt like he had always been a part of the company.
6 Platoon returned to the UK following some hard-earned Adventurous Training, with troops given the opportunity to snorkel and abseil amongst other activities. The return to the UK saw another ORBAT change as many of the platoon reinforced A Coy as they prepared for a deployment on Op CABRIT.
Congratulations to Pte Swift passing the JNCO cadre, and a look forward to LCpl Williams and Pte Lance both attending their respective promotional courses in the first quarter of 2019.
In loading in Oman / Oman / Sep 18
Pl Comd
Pl Sgt WR Sgt
Lt O’Malley-Pearson/ 2Lt Hodgeson
Sgt Cromwell/Sgt Mills Sgt Mills/Sgt Cooper
Breaking in to Copehill Down / SPTA / Mar 18
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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