Page 73 - Mercian Eagle 2016

D (Dragon) Company
Lt Mark Jones
This has been a very welcomed
‘slower paced’ year operationally for Dragon Company than we have previously experienced. I use the term ‘slower paced’ as, despite the reduced operational tempo, we seem to have been no less busy. The beginning of the year saw the return of our various augmented troops from 2 MERCIAN as part of OP TOSCA and bringing them back into the fold has been a welcome bolster to our numbers. However, it
seems as soon as this is complete we find ourselves preparing to attach several more to our counterparts at the 4th Battalion
The Lancashire Regiment as they deploy
on their rotation of the tour. Something we wish them all the best on and look forward to their return. Dragon Company continues to support the Battalion operations such as those is Uganda where both our CSM and Section Commander, Cpl Wheeler, have deployed to provide their experience and skills among others from the Battalion.
The remainder of the time has been
very much on the side of developing our soldiers and encouraging others to join the ranks through our recruiting and retention teams; two mission sets that are very much at the top of our priority. We have seen
a good and varied selection of recruits come through the doors at Hanley with 7 completing CIC and 1 becoming a qualified chef. This is primarily down to the efforts of our recruiting team who have spent the last year building and developing relationships with the local communities and schools
to ensure those with the abilities and inclination to be an infantry soldier are well served.
The middle of this year has seen Dragon Company focus on developing
Colour Sgt Griffiths
Our latest challenge comes in the reformation of our Company. Dragon Company...
company skills at Operations in Built Up Areas (OBUA). Initially striping back to basics and individual drills, training started early on with room clearance tactics with the teams focusing on communicating in the congested and confusing battlespace that is OBUA. With some initial enthusiasm pushing through the less than ideal weather, we began to perfect our approach and skills. As confidence and ability developed over varying training weekends, the tempo quickly stepped up and formations moved to section and platoon level operations. Orders were subsequently being given to
mount recognisance and cordon operations before striking into bunkers and buildings
to clear and neutralise enemy targets. The next phase of this training saw us pairing with B Company to further develop the skills. This time we focused on operating
at night, taking advantage of the night
vision equipment to conduct an attack
and clearance of a building at night. These skills will be put to the test in a Battalion Exercise in Copehill Down with support from 1 MERCIAN.
Our latest challenge comes in
the reformation of our Company.
Dragon Company has now gladly been granted additional manning and command responsibility for the platoon location based out of Burton-on-Trent. A long established platoon with a healthy esprit de corps it
is now my predicament in ensuring both locations with their own familiarities are
fully integrated with one another creating
a stronger company. The Burton Platoon will also be taking on the role of Guns Platoon providing additional opportunity and experiences to develop alongside those if rifle men. We welcome Burton and look forward to regular training with one another.
Finally, this year Dragon Company lost one of its most experienced and faithful members. Colour Sergeant Griffiths
retired this year after 27 years of loyal service. Joining in 1989 he went on to
be Dragon Company’s Quartermaster for the last 8 years and has proved pivotal in supporting Dragon Company in its day to day operations as well as the huge amount of support he regularly provided to the battalion HQ. We wish him all the best in his retirement and his future endeavours as well as thank him for all of his tireless work.
in navigation, so necessarily; movement was slow and methodical. Some of the newer soldiers took the lead to navigate our teams through the tight crawl spaces filled with water. In the final 100 metres, at various points we had to submerge and make our way through. To finally appear
at the end, and elated at completing such
a challenge, it was great to be able to
laugh and exchange tales to shouts of ‘you should have seen your face when...’ Having completed this event, it was time to move onto phase two. Rafting.
Rafting began with our teams splitting into two, the issuing of equipment and then it was off to the water’s edge. Here
Adventurous Training Lt Mark Jones
It’s been a busy year for Dragon Company so far. It’s a constant juggling act to deliver the right combat training to our soldiers, as well as ensuring everyone has attended the courses required for our professional development. Having said that, there is always time for a spot of adventurous training, and in early August we found ourselves on a sunny weekend near the banks of Carsington Water in Derbyshire. It was here that we tried our hand at rafting, kayaking, caving and rock climbing.
Such adventurous training really challenges both physical and psychological boundaries and helps to push us all towards completing an activity that at first, we find
Having said that, there is always time for a spot of adventurous training...
daunting. Our first activity was caving.
I’m certain that we were all masking our apprehension as we began to abseil down a rock face to the base of a cave. In such
a dim and claustrophobic environment, there are no features or landmarks to assist
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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