Page 142 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

B Company
It is with great pride that in the 10th year of the Ri es
that we are re-invigorating the Ri es presence in
Wiltshire with a new Ri e Company. Newly formed
and growing, B Company have set up shop with
a Company Headquarters in Swindon which has
been slowly growing over the last 12 months to
34 individuals, including the Platoon outstation
in Bulford which now has elements of a formed
nucleus of a platoon. With Support from HQ Major Alex Roberts, OC B Coy
Company and A Company, B Company has been able to train and build our ranks and this year has seen the Company start to operate independently. From a handful of individuals, the company was able to deliver a section of high quality Ri emen on the last Battalion Exercise. This year has seen Pte Rue take to the boxing stage, wining 2 and drawing 1 of her 3 ghts this year.
LCPL DEAKIN WAS INVITED TO THE KING OF SPAIN’S GUN SALUTE AND RUBBED SHOULDERS WITH THE RICH AND FAMOUS
G Company
Based in The London Borough of Newham and with strong links to the community and the local council, G Company is the Ri es’ most eastern sub-unit in The United Kingdom. The focus for the last 12 months has been force generation and the training of a ri e platoon to deploy on Op CABRIT in Estonia, but this has been far from the only commitment the company has met this year.
On the home front, led by Capt Lee Flitcroft and members of the recruiting team, the Company has supported Newham Council’s acts of remembrance, to mark the centenary of signi cant events in WW1 across the county. The company has provided an honour guard at each of the ceremonies, accom- panied by one of the buglers, to lay commemorative plaques for the Victoria Cross recipients who were from the Borough. In March 2017 several of the Company led by Cpl Gower helped councillors Ken Clark and Bryan Collier unveil new street signs to mark 100 years since Vera Lynn’s birth. In July, LCpl Deakin was invited to the King of Spain’s Gun Salute and rubbed shoulders with the rich and famous. Also in July the recruiting team had a stand at the Mayor of Newham’s show, this was a tremendous opportunity to show the local residents what the company gets up to and Cpl Pugsley and his team delivered a great stand.
In support of civil engagement but also to reinforce our heritage at the 10th year of the Ri es, Sgt Stone has been been hard at work creating a section of buglers; every Thursday the Cedars echos with the sound of ri emen practising their calls. This hard work has paid off and the Company now assembles
(and falls out) on a drill night to the bugles’ call. Away from home, Cpl Hunt deployed on a short term training team commitment to Zambia, tasked with assisting with the Zambian defence force. The training package was part of delivered mission speci c training to ZAMBATT 3 involving individual specialist courses ranging from advanced medical training to creating and training the female engagement teams as well as range packages ahead of their deployment to the Central African Republic. In slightly snowier climes Cpl Hunt was also selected to attend the winter mountain leader course in Ballachulish, Scotland, leading the skills necessary to take groups above the snowline in the
British mountains.
The main focus of the green training year has
been at platoon level getting ready for Op CABRIT; supporting the enhanced Forward Presence, designed to reassure NATO allies of the mutual commitment to collective European security. The progressive nature of the training building from the lowest levels has ensured everyone in the company has had an opportunity to dust off some unused skills and gain experience. And as the training is focus on an overseas deployment is has very keenly focused the motivation of everyone involved.
As many of the soldiers in the company are relatively junior this allowed them to practise command and leadership skill as they were thrust into section commander appointments. In February, Lt Prash Ramaraj recognising this gap in capability took 11 of the senior Ri emen and 4 Lance Corporals away for a junior leadership and tactics training weekend at the section level. Time will tell how effective this will be but it has given the soldiers involved tremendous con dence boost ahead of their promotion courses later in the year.
Members of G Coy practising junior leadership and tactics
Cpl Hunt on winter mountain leader training
140 SEVENTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES