Page 30 - Mercian Eagle 2016

28 THE MERCIAN EAGLE
Foreword 2015–2016
Lt Col B M Wilde MBE CO 2 MERCIAN
Being comfortable with uncertainty,
and being ready for the unexpected, is something that we in the military have drummed into us from Day 1 of training. However, during the years of campaigning in Iraq and Afghanistan, the regular
tour rotation eroded the sense that you might be called upon to deal with the Queen’s enemies at a moment’s notice.
2 MERCIAN’s entire focus since the publication of the last Mercian Eagle has been on being ready – morally, physically and conceptually – to deploy at a moment’s notice as required by our role as part of NATO’s Emergency Response Force. Since 1 January 2016, we have been the only
UK element in the multinational Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (Land) (VJTF(L)), and as such have been at 5 days’ notice
to move all year. To be ready for this, we needed to train to a high level, to have the right kit and, most importantly, to be willing to fight at a moment’s notice.
in forested and urban areas, we certainly showed our allies how it should be done, attracting much praise from the senior NATO commanders present.
The Army in general is as busy as it has ever been, and having shrunk it feels even more intense at the coal face. I would therefore like to pay particular tribute to our families, who have put up with a significant level of absence and uncertainty this year. Without them, we could not do the job we do – we must always remember that.
Out of uniform, the Battalion has continued to shine in some of the traditional areas. The commemoration of the sacrifice
First, we needed to train to CT4 as
a Battlegroup in Kenya, in order to demonstrate that we could cope with
every challenge that the modern operating environment would throw at us. As expected, the soldiers
were magnificent in
Kenya, coping superbly
with the rigours of
the harsh terrain, the
dreadful weather and
very complex and
demanding exercise.
The fact that we were taking cold and heat injuries within the same 24 hour period reflects the harshness of the climate while we were there. However, some notable performances included Kohima Coy’s noble and determined battle to neutralise what turned out to be the main enemy defensive location on the Battlegroup final attack, a superbly fast and aggressive sweep through the enemy position by Grenadier Coy on
the live fire attack, and the matador skills demonstrated by ‘El Samuelo’ OC Recce as he was (successfully) charged by a buffalo while leading the Grenadiers into an FUP. Mention should also be made of the cracking efforts of Padre King and his team of volunteers to improve the facilities and lives of the orphans of a local Nanyuki orphanage.
By the time we returned from Kenya,
our reputation was sealed as a force of choice; a spearhead unit of light role shock troops capable of conducting a range of tasks, in complex terrain, in one of the most demanding environments in the world. This was demonstrated again in Poland; we exercised with Spanish, US, Canadian and Polish troops in a visible demonstration of NATO capability. In honing our fighting skills
of our forebears during the First World War has continued, with the Battalion exercising our Freedom of Chester with a parade and Act of Remembrance in July to mark the 100th
anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, and we marched with sailors of HMS Albion in September to remember Mons, the Somme and Jutland.
With two large-scale overseas exercises and significant readiness obligations, it
has been difficult to find time for sport or recreation. However, the Battalion once again demonstrated its football pedigree with victory in the North of England Army 6-a-side competition – we expect greater things this year. We were victorious in the
42 Bde Operational Shooting Competition. Most impressively, Capt Vause, Capt Pope and LCpl Edwards won the Army of the North Warrior Fitness contest, and came close to winning the Army-wide competition.
As the Divisional Commander said to us when he visited Ex ANAKONDA in Poland, we are probably the most highly-trained unit in the Division, and are therefore the weapon of choice. It is therefore with much confidence that we now prepare for the varied operational challenges of Northern Iraq, South Sudan and the Falkland Islands. 2017 will be an interesting and testing year, but the 2nd Battalion are ready.
Stand Firm. Strike Hard.
Out of uniform, the Battalion has continued to shine...
2MERCIAN