Page 36 - Mercian Eagle 2016

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3 Machine Gun Platoon, A (Grenadier) Coy, 2 MERCIAN Sgt C Wightman
2016 has been a busy year for Machine Gun Platoon, A (Grenadier) Company, which culminated in the deployment on Ex ANAKONDA in Poland as well as many other tasking’s under the VJTF(L) banner.
There has been a steep learning curve this year for the new lads in the Platoon as the Company deployed to Sennybridge on exercise URBAN RAM where the Platoon had chance to put into practise the skills and drills taught on the machine gun Cadre. With Lt Russell paving the way with Sgt Bryan, the Platoon was put through their paces with a three, five and eight mile insertion march into live firing, with bounding guns lines in which gun controllers and gunners were carrying up to 44 KG not including their personal kit. The mid-Tab gurning, which can be seen on the photos, shows the great effort and determination put in by all Platoon members and of which was of great amusement to the G4 staff who were stood at the top of heartbreak hill! This exercise set the Platoon up nicely
for its deployment on exercise ANAKONDA where the platoon had chance to hone
their skills before providing training and demonstrations for our Spanish, American, Polish and Turkish counterparts. This instructing was of great benefit to all involved as it gave us chance to integrate and provided a good insight into our
allies’ tactics, techniques and procedure’s with the aim of us being able to work together anywhere in the world as part of a multinational force. As an aside, the Platoon also found itself winning the baseball and
MG Pl in Poland on Ex ANAKONDA
football competitions in Poland along with many other battalion led events. This gave us the accolade of Champion Company this year, something the lads are constantly reminding our battalion brothers in arms☺.
The Platoon has seen huge change in
this latter part of the year as there has been much churn. Many people have come and gone this year with Lt Russell aka (Guns don’t do Cuddles) having posted to ITC Catterick and the Platoon now awaiting
Lt Berridge all the way from sunny Bulford. Also, Sgt Bryan has now taken responsibility for 1 Platoon from myself which has freed me up to become the MG Pl Sgt.
We now look forward to and are concentrating on the upcoming deployment to South Sudan on Operation TRENTON next summer. The upcoming 2 MERCIAN
led MG Cadre will see all machine gun Platoons back in Sennybridge to hone their skills before moving onto pre-deployment training which will dominate 2017 until our deployment in July 2017.
Overall, a tough but enjoyable year for
all and a great chance now to put into practise the lessons we have learnt working with other nations. And to all those that doubted that the Platoon could carry all their kit without the use of Quads or the G4 elements, over the plains of Europe and Wales, over vast distances, let the words
of Machine Gun Platoon, A ‘Champion’ Company forever ring in their ears.
“GUNS DON’T DO CUDDLES!” Sgt Wightman
3 PL Sgt
Get some, get some! MG Pl in action at Brecon
Guns don’t do cuddles! MG Pl tabbing in Brecon
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
Suns out, guns out! MG Pl with multinational troops on Ex ANAKONDA in Poland