Page 16 - Mercian Eagle 2016

B Coy (Malta) Coltman Stretcher Race
B Company was also proud to enter a team into the arduous Coltman Stretcher Race, covering 8 miles across the Malvern Hills in memory of the highly decorated Great War stretcher bearer, Bill Coltman. LCpl Nash, Ptes Brown, Williams, Oates, Smallwood, Peak and Cotterill and I took up the task. Kindly hosted the night before by Mrs Sophia Buxton, the event organiser, the team was up early to move to the start point and assemble our stretcher. After strapping it together with copious amounts of tape, and dubiously eyeing some of the other team’s more presentable, but suspiciously light looking offerings. Then we began, with a decidedly miserable first ascent.
After the rough initial climb, the going quickened and we gathered pace along the ridgeline, and we soon began to overtake teams who had been released before us in the staggered start. However, after the first few miles the novelty soon wore off, and with arms starting to ache and fatigue setting in, we managed to continue making good progress, slowly but surely overtaking the teams in front of us. After ambushing a volunteer and making off with a crate of water bottles on our way, we neared the final climb and the finish.
The team finished second, only behind the 1 MERCIAN Recce Platoon, a good result that we hope to improve upon next year, perhaps competing against 2 MERCIAN or other Regular units.
14
6 Pl Comd 6 Pl Sgt
6 Pl Wr Sgt
Lt John Prettyjohn Sgt Cromwell
Sgt Mills
6 Platoon
It has been a busy year for 6 Platoon, with the arrival of many new faces including Sgt Cromwell and I taking up the reins as Platoon Commander and Sergeant, ably supported by the newly arrived Sgt Mills, Cpl Barnett, and an influx of fresh blood from Catterick.
The Platoon took up its first training in the new format with gusto, hurling themselves into public order training in Copehill Down, establishing a reputation for robustness and aggression. Special mention must go to Pte Peers, whose enthusiastic but unorthodox turn with the fire extinguisher saw him effectively dealing with petrol bombs...by spraying the would be petrol bomber in the face.
The Platoon’s Warrior crews also took up the challenge of an extended period in the simulators at Warminster, working with both the RTR and 1 MERCIAN battlegroups.
Pte Jones 66 stepped up as a vehicle commander with his faithful gunner Pte Henshaw, and not content to just shoot down helicopters, he also crucially managed to spot an unseen column of enemy tanks in a battlegroup mission, quickly reporting the information and shaping the higher plan.
Assaulting the trench system during CAMD 2016
Perhaps the highlight of the year so far has been the Platoon flexing its legs by deploying in the light role on EX LION’S STRIKE on Salisbury Plain. Working alongside, and competing with B Coy
2 MERCIAN, support the training of newly promoted Majors about to take up company command. With attacks ranging from FIWAF to building clearance, the Platoon
was able to sharpen our skills, and acquaint ourselves with the very complex abundance of trenches and thorn bushes to everyone’s delight. All in all it was a good exercise, and a good first outing for the newer members of the platoon to cement their place, and put their training to the test.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
OC B (Malta) Company with fellow commanders from the other participating nations of Ex IRON SWORD (L-R: Lithuania, Poland, Canada, USA, Lithuania, Luxembourg, USA and UK)