Page 26 - MERCIAN Eagle 2018

Assault Pioneer Platoon – Sgt Lavelle
1 MERCIAN’s Assault Pioneer Platoon has deployed across three continents this year and delivered our niche capability
to the Battalion on all our deployments. The year started off with a Pioneer Cadre, where we honed our skills ready for the deployments that
lay ahead of us. We
trained our soldiers in
demolitions, assault
breaching, infantry
bridges and defence.
In the Pioneer Platoon,
we understand that
the vast majority of
future conflicts are
likely to be fought in the
Urban Environment – and this is where we focussed a lot of our training. We trained in Copehill Down Village to practice our Urban Skills and we worked alongside
the Rifle Companies to demonstrate our Urban Warfare options and to provide an opportunity to integrate our capabilities into their Platoons.
Copehill Down was the culmination of our pre-training for Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1 and this set us up
We trained our soldiers in demolitions, assault breaching, infantry bridges and defence.
Cpl Andrews preparing to deliver a lesson on Desert Defence / Oman / Oct 18
In September, the Pl deployed to Oman on Ex SAIF SAREEA 3. Oman was a particularly interesting deployment for the pioneers due to the open nature of the ground and its effect on the defences
that were to be used. Initially dispersed,
the platoon had to come together to
create Desert Field Fortifications, which were completely new to the Platoon. Our Pioneers did us proud, and constructed the desert field defences to a high standard and they then went on to instruct the remainder of the BG on how to recreate these trenches. Until then, the BG had not dug a Stage Three Trench position for a number of years, and it came down to the hard work of the Pioneers that we were able to teach the Companies what they needed to do. During this phase, the lads who were integrated into the platoons were able to put into practice the lessons learnt from the practice builds and were able to assist the Rifle Platoons in building a large amount of defences in a short time.
The Platoon is looking forward to working alongside the KRH again in 2019, when we deploy on operations in Estonia under their Battle Group.
well for the live ranges in Canada. There, we seized every opportunity to work alongside the Royal Engineers and
to learn as much as we could from them. BATUS is a fantastic training area and gave us the opportunity to
practice more complex training scenarios that we rarely get the opportunity to perform in the UK, such as destroying bridges with Reserve Demolitions.
It takes 1200 sandbags to build a single trench, and temperatures easily reached 40 degrees / Oman / Oct 18
Building a Fireteam Battle Trench on Ex SAIF SAREEA 3 / Oman / Oct 18
24
Snorkelling to a Battlefield Study of the actions of 22 Special Air Service Regiment on the Jebel Akdar.
It has indeed been a busy year for
the Company, who have been asked to support a number of other military and civilian activities, ranging from recruiting
to sports and charity events. One of
the highlights was recognition for Sgt
Price, who received a General Officer Commanding’s Commendation for providing life-saving care as a first-responder, during a fatal road traffic incident, while off duty.
With Christmas Leave rapidly approaching, the Company is planning to support operations in Estonia and Ukraine, exercises on SPTA, ranges and Armoured Infantry training across the UK, recruiting and a multitude of other tasks – it promises to be hard-work, but full of opportunity. As ever, Dragon Company is relishing the challenge.
WO2 (CSM) Dickinson enjoys a spot of AT during Ex SAIF SAREEA / Oman / Oct 18
THE MERCIAN EAGLE