Page 38 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

36 EAGLE AND CARBINE
MOTOR TRANSPORT TROOP
Captain T McCann
2021, as always has been an extremely busy year for the MT team. The calendar has seen the team support a variety of Divisional and Brigade Set tasks whilst ensuring our resources were readily available to assist the regiment during several exercises and training events.
At the beginning of the year the team hit the ground running conducting basic fieldcraft training in and around Leuchars Station. We certainly went back to basics; our exercise was conducted in freezing cold conditions, on occasion dropping to below -10. The station training area holds a small cross-country driv- ing circuit and wooded area for robust fieldcraft and driving lessons. This proved to be an excellent oppor- tunity for team cohesion and allowed the department to focus on both dismounted and mounted skills in preparation for Ex WESSEX STORM 3/21. The train- ing started with a very cold Battlefield Discipline les- son delivered by Trooper (Bruce) Lee, washing and shaving in the field at which time the MTWO (WO2 (Paddy) Kelly) conveniently had to go back to the office and “check for important emails”. Funnily he returned to the exercise with wet hair and smelling of roses!!
As the week progressed the JNCOs delivered some outstanding lessons, one of note was LCpl Metcalf’s vehicle camouflage and concealment stand which was well received albeit in the snow. Cpl (Gary) Dryburgh was particularly feeling the cold and had deployed on the exercise with his trusty hot water bottle, a proper old man tactic, something the department remind him of frequently!! The exercise concluded with a casualty evacuation scenario and the recovery team lead by Sgt Macawai discovered what the term “dead weight” actu-
Sunset in Oman
BCS Training
ally was when extracting Capt (Stevie) Chart (MTO) some 300 metres in full kit.
Over the next few months our focus shifted to ensur- ing we had the correct qualifications to deploy on WESSEX STORM, which saw MT organising and resourcing three ADR courses, and Sgt (Andy) Kempton and Cpl (Dan) Wilson pulling out all the stops to ensure the courses ran smoothly. During this time, we said a fond farewell to Capt (Stevie) Chart and welcomed our new MTO Capt (Tam) McCann.
In the month of May the regiment deployed on Ex WESSEX STORM. This came in two phases. Phase one was the STANTA range period, which was pre- dominantly mounted, our TCV drivers however were relied upon heavily to move regimental personnel throughout the range complex. The medical section was also kept at high readiness with one BFA crew always on immediate notice to move. During a break in firing the Troop were able to conduct some refresher training, and with the remainder of A1 now available we were finally able see what a large beast A1 was and how difficult it would be to move tactically across the battlefield. We were also able to test the recovery plan with LCpl (Jack) Metcalf “the mechanic” getting his vehicle well and truly bogged in, although not entirely his own fault, he none the less got some ‘boggy’ banter from the troop!!
WESSEX STORM Phase 2 started at a slow pace allow- ing the department to concentrate on some required