Page 31 - Mercian Eagle Year of 2023

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HQ (Eagle) Company
To be in a deployable unit in the Field
Army in 2023 is to be in the midst of a maelstrom of competing priorities and
tasks with currents large and small
carrying people away and back again
and threatening to swamp the whole enterprise. There is however evidence that Headquarters Company are steadily making headway on our course through these choppy waters. The reality of a land war in Europe commands attention and resources. The Lead Armoured Battle Group vehicle fleets remain forwards mounted in Germany and there has been a constant rotation of personnel, notably from the LAD, CIS Pl,
MT Pl and QM’s department, throughout the year to account for, deploy, receipt and maintain it. We have collectively spent so much time in Germany that there has been talk of buying Battalion holiday homes there.
There have been many other overseas deployments this year which have seen
HQ Coy soldiers involved. Ex WARFIGHTER in Texas, Ex AURORA in Sweden,
Ex SARMIS in Romania are some of the major ones which stick out, but individuals have also been working in France, Switzerland, Malta, Belize, Estonia, Cyprus, Falkland Islands and Eastern Europe. In addition, throughout all Battalion tasks large and small, throughout the UK and abroad, the small team of chefs and medics have been in constant demand.
The BHQ team has been fully refreshed this year due to a posting tidal wave. Between Jan and Jun the following roles changed over: CO, 2IC, RSM, OpsO (twice), Adjt, IO, AIO, RSO, Trg Officer, Trg WO, RAO Det Comd, RAWO, FSA, SSA, QM (M), QM(T), RQMS(M), RQMS(T), to name but a few. The fact that the ship has remained steady no matter who was at the various helms is a huge credit to the superb and diligent preparation work put in by the outgoing incumbents.
In Coy HQ we have said farewell
to WO2 (CSM) Dave Lennon, CSgt (CQMS) Dan Lawrence and Pte Michael Asamoah, and welcomed in WO2 (CSM) Ritesh Patel and CSgt (CQMS) Will Saunders. We wish those departing best of luck and huge thanks for their time in HQ Coy. The new incumbents have very much had
to hit the ground running. Particularly WO2 Patel who joins the Bn from 2 R ANGLIAN; a visual (and audible) reminder that we
are now part of the new Queen’s Division. On only his first weekend in post he found himself coordinating the ceremonies at the annual Worcester and Sherwood Foresters Reunion Day at Worcester Rugby Club. A fitting introduction to MERCIAN Regimental heritage.
HQ Coy also provided the backbone of CRTC’s 8 Group (CSS) as Observer Mentors (OMs) for 1 R WELSH’s Ex IRON STORM. This is the organisation which was formerly known as BATUS in Canada and is now settling into its new home in Sennelager,
Germany. Although Sennelager is only 1 timezone away (as
opposed to Medicine Hat’s 7), many of the
challenges for both exercising
troops
and OMs alike remain the same. a lengthy deployment (3 months) in temporary accommodation and endless vehicle maintenance challenges. However, it is still the closest, most realistic rehearsal for a wartime deployment should the proverbial balloon go up. In this instance, one of the greatest challenges was staying in trim when faced with the outstanding catering provision, led by 1 MERCIAN’s own Sgt Shiai Gurung.
As we reach the end of the year, the good ship HQ Coy is very much still afloat and with the prospect of large scale deployments to Poland and eventually Estonia on the
horizon and a
mostly fresh new
crew aboard it will
continue to make
good headway.
The CO, LCpl Derby and Veterans of the Worcester and Sherwood Foresters marshalled by CSM Patel – Worcester – Jun 23
THE MERCIAN EAGLE