Page 37 - MERCIAN Eagle 2017

More detailed tales from these deployments will fill the following pages. However, there were some particular highlights in 2017. The QM’s Department and MT Platoon, yet again, received a near faultless report in the Land Equipment Assurance Inspection. Dragon Coy
pushed themselves and the supporting
RAF and RN assets to the limits with their final exercise on West Falkland, winning praise and respect from the entire South Atlantic services community. Grenadier (Champion) Coy drove the expansion of
the UN operational profile in a harsh and austere environment, making a genuine difference to the lives of local people
and to the confidence of the UN chain
of command. In Iraq (Taji and Besmaya) Kohima Coy expanded significantly the delivery of training that would prove critical to the defeat of Da’esh, and shattered any Aussi or Kiwi notion that they are superior to the Brits in the gym or on the running circuit! In Iraqi Kurdistan, Malta Coy coped with
the significant turmoil caused by outbreak
in hostilities between Kurds and Iraqis, providing our European allies some much needed steel when their commitment to
the mission wavered – as well as riding the waves of a 7.4 earthquake... Finally, special
mention should be made of the Welfare Team, whose tireless efforts to maintain morale and sustain the full passage of information through a hugely challenging period for our families were vital to the maintenance of focus on operations.
As we now turn our thoughts to the forthcoming move to Cyprus and the upheaval that this will cause to our families yet again, it is to those we regularly leave behind that I would like to pay tribute. Without the tolerance, patience and good humour of our wives, husbands, children, partners and wider families, we simply could not do what we do. Our operational success is built on your love and support, and the continued close-knit ethos of our Regimental family is therefore a vital, battle- winning asset.
And now, having commanded this magnificent Battalion for nearly three years, it is now, very sadly, time for me to move on. I said when I took command that as commanders, we are merely caretakers – the soul and ethos of a Unit is driven by its people. Brave, humble, committed, tough, good-humoured - you are the finest warriors in the Infantry.
It has been my life’s honour to serve with you. Stand Firm, Strike Hard.
Freedom March Eastgate St
A (Grenadier) ‘Champion’ Company
Since the last publication of the MERCIAN EAGLE, life has been busy and, but absolutely rewarding and fun for the men of A (Grenadier) ‘Champion’ Company. The period started off as the last publication finished, being at Readiness in line with NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF). Although the Coy never deployed, we were always prepared. As the lead Coy Gp we were able to show
our NATO brothers and Spanish Bde HQ why the Grenadier Company is always the best in the Bn, with the best troops. As this commitment drew-down, a number
of the more senior members of the Coy, along with Cpl Downey, flew to Uganda for a Short Term Training Team (STTT) task. This involved mentoring 2 x Ugandan BGs through their final MST exercises in order to qualify them for operations in the remote and lawless parts of Somalia. Although only a few weeks in duration, all involved found this experience rewarding. We were humbled and impressed at the robustness and motivation of troops, with so little kit and equipment, who were being asked to go to a location which had previously been overrun and to do so with a smile on their face!
This led to a much needed Christmas stand-down (although we were still at readiness) before the New Year, bringing with it a new readiness challenge as the lead Coy for the UK Standby Bn/Op TEMPERER. With a number of UK terror related incidents, the troops absolutely threw themselves into this training as it
seemed a question of when, and not if
we would deploy. Although we had a few moments where it seemed like it was going to happen, it did not in the end. However this task, alongside the fact we had been warned-off for Op TRENTON 3, meant
we had to get some serious live firing in to be at the required level. This meant a trip to Sennybridge where the Coy fired up to Platoon by day.
To mix up the training a little, it was decided that we should do something different to develop the Moral, Physical and Mental aspects of the Coy in preparation for operations. Therefore, we conducted
a battlefield study of Arnhem (Moral), a TAB along Hadrian’s Wall (Physical) and
conducted Ex MISSION IMPOSSIBLE to test the mental strength and agility of the troops. All that was left, was for the Coy to deploy to South Sudan as part of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), where we celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Mercian Regiment.
A (Grenadier) ‘Champion’ Company / Ranges / Sennybridge / March 17
OC
Coy 2IC
CSM CQMS Coy Clk
Maj AJ Bourne MBE
Capt B Griffiths / Capt J Berridge
WO2 (CSM) S Catherwood WO2 (CSM) A Cartledge
CSgt R Keeton CSgt K Howard
Cpl A Oakes
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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