Page 80 - MERCIAN Eagle 2018

OP REFLECT by the RSM 4 MERCIAN
The build up to Remembrance Sunday
is always a busy period, however with
this year seeing us remember 100 years since the Armistice the diary was even more hectic than usual and saw soldiers and Officers from 4 MERCIAN attend in excess of 30 events, ranging from Minster services, rededications, sporting events and the Remembrance Sunday parades themselves.
4 MERCIAN represented 19 locations this year on Remembrance Sunday, an increase from last year and included the honour
of Soldiers from D Company guarding 8 original VCs from the antecedent Regiments at Lichfield Cathedral.
The evening preceding Remembrance Sunday saw soldiers from 4 MERCIAN supported by the RST and the Band of the Mercian Regiment attend the WBA televised home game against Leeds. The Band were given the opportunity to play in the Fanzone
LCpls Edelsten and Rook at Lichfield Cathedral
as well as march into the stadium to play a set. This was followed by a guard of honour from the players tunnel where we stood shoulder to shoulder with the 1914 Sikh platoon and cadets to mark the occasion
of Remembrance. 26,000 individuals stood in absolute silence before and during the Last post – a moment etched into everyone present that day forever.
Pte Mall (RST) shoulder to shoulder with the 1914 Sikhs, sea cadets and soldiers from 4 MERCIAN during the WBA guard of honour
Although Remembrance Sunday has passed, we continue to support our local counties with attendance at services and memorial sites. It has been both an honour and a pleasure as RSM to meet some truly inspirational people during these events, listening to stories of old and new and receiving some very warm welcomes by the communities within the Herat of England.
78
Adventure Training – CSgt Matthew ‘Sonic’ Newell (HQ Coy CQMS)
In September 2018, HQ Coy deployed 20 personnel on Ex EAGLE ADVENTURE, an
Adventure Training package held at Capel Curig in Snowdonia. Arriving on the evening of 7 Sep, the troops settled into
a comfortable self-contained cottage, all that is except the CO’s Driver, LCpl Chris Dyer from Wolverhampton, for whom hasty alternative accommodation arrangements were made due to his incredible snoring ability!
Saturday morning saw the troops meet with instructors and then they swiftly embarked on the first activity, the climbing wall, which proved to be a great activity to shake off the cobwebs and build some confidence for the remainder of the day. From climbing, the troops progressed
to abseiling and having proved it could
be done in a safe and controlled manner without causing serious injury on the indoor climbing wall, the next step was to venture outside, braving the inclement Welsh weather and tackling the abseil tower.
Saturday afternoon was spent on paddle boards. Everyone was
quite adept at them.
After an exhausting
Saturday, the evening barbecue finished everyone off and a relatively early night was enjoyed by all.
Sunday saw us
canoeing, which proved
to be a completely
different art to the paddle boarding we had completed the previous day. The instructor’s idea was that we would paddle against the tide, stop for a cup of tea and then paddle back, finishing by going through a weir. This
HQ Coy soldiers from Wolverhampton and Kidderminster enjoying paddle boarding on Adventure Training in Capel Curig, Snowdonia National Park
Saturday, the evening barbecue finished everyone off and a relatively early night was enjoyed by all.
proved to be a complete fabrication! Tea was going to be provided
by something called a ‘Kelly Kettle’. The idea being that you collect local flora, burn it in
the Kelly Kettle and it gives you hot water for a brew. Great if the local
vegetation is dry – which it was not! After consuming all of our lighter fluid on trying to burn some vegetation a command decision was taken to default to a camping stove for the much-needed warm beverage.
Having finally managed to produce half a cup of hot water with a tea bag and some twigs in it, the group embarked on the return journey, through the eagerly anticipated weir. This was probably the most exciting thing of the morning and tested our newly taught canoeing skills
to the maximum. Sunday lunch time arrived all too soon and it was time to pack up and return to ARCs having had a thoroughly rewarding weekend where the group enjoyed first class AT activities in the beautiful surroundings of Snowdonia National Park.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE