Page 30 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

Platoon Commander Platoon Sergeant WR Sergeant
Lieutenant J Cartwright
Sergeant Pywell/Sergeant Collins Sergeant Swan
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8 Platoon
Having spent our first year as a complete platoon following the regimental re- organisation, the men of 8 Platoon have had an extremely busy time of it. The last 12 months has seen us convert from a light role platoon, to a fully functional and highly skilled armoured infantry fighting force.
The first half of the year saw many of
the lads embark on the armoured infantry journey, with Private Kofie enrolling
on his gunner’s course, and Lance Corporal Warren performing highly on his commander’s course. Whilst the courses were ongoing, the rest of the platoon were keeping their light role infantry skills up to scratch, deploying on Exercise Armoured Kohima. This saw Lance Corporal Roberts step up as section commander, leading his men through a number of complex attacks.
Following our three week gunnery
camp in Castlemartin - which saw Private Stockton score full marks on his Annual Crew Test - the platoon was ready to begin its collective training out on our home turf of Salisbury Plain. Benefiting from a mini July heat wave, the platoon tracked out
on C Company’s CT2 exercise, eager to display how far we have come over such
a short space of time. With the Warriors coolly commanded by Corporal Barton and Lance Corporal Thompson, the platoon conducted a number of FIWAF and OBUA assaults with Private Binks, a recent addition, quick to show his room clearance skills.
The deployment to BATUS was all we expected and more, with the environment
A C Company soldier moving forward to an enemy position in Canada
and the tasking conspiring to make it
as testing as expected but also hugely rewarding. The initial set back of losing
call sign ‘Two One’ at range control on
day one - never to be seen again - was quickly overcome as the platoon set about commencing its live fire progression. The opportunity to fire Underslung Grenade Launcher (UGL), 60mm mortars, Rarden 30mm and chain gun all on the same range
was unique, and demonstrated the value
of training in Canada. The platoon then rapidly transitioned to the TES phase, and the importance of the dismounts, expertly marshalled by Sergeant Collins came to the fore, with the clearance of Pakshar village and tunnel complex in Farik Bora.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
C Company honing its mortar skills