Page 25 - MERCIAN Eagle 2018

Dragon (Earl of Chester’s) Coy
OC:
CSM:
CQMS(M):
CQMS(T):
OC ASSLT PNRS:
OC JAVELIN:
OC MORTARS:
OC RECONNAISSANCE: OC SNIPERS:
Major Alex Burgess MC WO2 John Dickinson CSgt Mick Herbert CSgt Jack Sinclair
Sgt Chris Lavelle Captain Reece Courtney Captain Andy Zeal Captain Oli Elliott
CSgt Jay Waters
Company HQ – Maj Burgess MC
This year has seen a significant change of personalities within the Company; Major Alex Burgess as Officer Commanding, Captain Reece Courtney in Javelin Platoon, CSgts Mick Herbert and Jack Sinclair as CQMSs (M) & (T) respectively having already taken over their roles and Lt Tom Margetts soon arriving in Recce Platoon. We therefore wish a fond farewell to Major Andy Snell, Captain Chris Bermingham, CSgts Craig Robinson and Robert Brookes and thank them for their service to the Company and Battalion.
and about half the Company deployed on Ex SAIF SAREEA 3 in Oman.
The year began with
the Company supporting
the King’s Royal Hussars
Battle Group on CSTTX in
Warminster as preparation
for Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1 in
BATUS. This followed with
deployment to Canada for the
Live Firing and TESEX, where the Coy could demonstrate its potential and lethality to the KRH, not normally established for Javelin, Snipers, Assault Pioneers and Mortars. Needless to say, the professionalism of
the Company won over both the KRH
and the BATUS Observer Mentors and
resulted in a very successful exercise from the Company’s perspective.
Towards the end of the summer the Company deployed to Oman
for Ex SAIF SAREEA 3, fielding a Recce Platoon of eight cars, a Section of Javelin Platoon and three MFCs in support of the
1 MERCIAN BG, with the Mortar Platoon and Pioneers backfilling key posts for the other Companies and RAP. The exercise began with an acclimatisation programme that gradually led into a Battlecraft Syllabus (BCS), designed to minimise adverse effects from the considerable heat.
The BCS built from Platoon maneouvre (mounted and dismounted), into Company Group actions and finally to BG operations. There followed a short rehabilitation period in the field before the BG was retasked
into an Omani Bde for the Final Training Exercise, working directly to the Brigade, as part of a Divisional operation, with two other Omani Brigades.
Sgt Crawford was awarded a Brigade Commander’s Coin for his sterling performance in the ISTAR screen; characterised by a steady stream of accurate reporting and lethal engagement of enemy positions.
The crescendo of the exercise was
the Fire Power Demonstration (FPD), incorporating Javelin and Mortar Platoons live firing for a joint UK-Omani display
in front of a host of foreign dignitaries, including the Secretary of State for Defence. However, those not involved in the FPD were instead involved in either the mammoth task of closing-down all the vehicles ready for onward movement, or some of the many adventure training activities, ranging from Sailing and
Readiness for operations continues
to drive the pace of life in Battalion and over the last year, the Company has been deployed a number of times; both overseas and on exercise in the UK. This has included Demo
Troops on the Army
Warfighting Experiment,
Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1
as part of the KRH BG,
Support to Training on
SPTA, Support Weapon
Cadres for the Platoons
Readiness for operations continues to drive the pace of life in Battalion...
Dragon Company playing Omani soldiers at football during Ex SAIF SAREEA 3 / Oman / Sep 18
Javelin Platoon Cadre / Salisbury Plain / Apr 18
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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