Page 35 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

1 MERCIAN RECCE PLATOON
All soldiers who aren’t Recce, either want to be Recce or want Recce to fail. As
we understood this, we understood that the pressure of leading the battle group across the Prairie was not necessarily the greatest challenge facing the platoon. The pressure in addition to demanding, detailed and thorough training brought together a disjointed platoon from September 2014, and created an outstanding Armoured Close Recce Platoon that performed to an extremely high standard, whilst deployed in Canada on Exercise PRAIRIE STORM 3.
OC 2IC
Pl Sgt
Captain Stu Lowe
Colour Sergeant (Wez) Werrett Sergeant (Loz) Lawrence
The first two months of the year saw
the platoon begin its Light Patrolman’s Recce Cadre, which was tweaked and extended to cover elements of armoured reconnaissance. The initial few weeks consisted of presentations, fitness, navigation and armoured recce tactics, before spending a week in the CATT simulators where the platoon had its first experience of armoured close recce.
We then deployed to Brecon to conduct the field phase of the cadre, where temperatures dropped well below freezing, with snow and freezing
fog to lift the spirits
of the men whilst
conducting back to
back CTRs’. As an ACR
Platoon, we couldn’t
accept the light role
mentality of just being fit
and able to carry kit. We
also needed intelligent
soldiers who had the
knowledge and confidence to step up and personally give the Commanding Officer options. However ,we didn’t have the luxury of time in order to select out of the platoon, so the emphasis was on training and teaching the soldiers we had, ensuring they thoroughly understood their roles.
Once the light role foundations had been set, the focus switched to armour. Members of the platoon continued to train as CVR(T) drivers, gunners and commanders, but
due to vehicle availability, the platoon had
to make do with Land Rovers for mounted training, or at a push deploying as a pair
of Scimitars on Rifle Company’s CT2 exercises. As the platoon Corporals were sent to Warminster to conduct their ACR
Section Commanders course, the remainder of the platoon took
to CATT for CSTTX in spring. The platoon performed extremely well, and showed
the battle group how much of a crucial asset the ACR Platoon is, even as the “B Team”
commanded our vehicles.
The platoon didn’t finally come together
until we deployed to BATUS in early August. Scrapheap challenge had begun, and with only days to push under the guidance of Scouse and Bill (REME), the platoon worked into the early mornings to ensure we were
in a position to deploy. Once out on the prairie, vehicle availability fluctuated from day to day, but whichever C/S were left on the ground, took up the slack to ensure the battle group was led successfully across the battlefield. The platoon and LAD managed to deploy all eight Scimitars during one operation, all be it for an hour, until Recce Dave (Corporal Hodson) decided to crash into a tank target pit whilst on a night advance. The platoon finally tracked back onto the dustbowl with seven CVR(T)’s, with one literally being held together by Sergeant Lawrence’s spare boot laces.
The platoon has embraced armour, and proven itself as an effective unit who can provide timely and accurate information
day and night, in all weather conditions and on all types of operations. I am extremely proud of the work they’ve done, but we do not intend to stop now. With the next Recce Cadre in sight, we look to the remainder
of the battalion for quality soldiers that will continue to improve our capability.
As an ACR Platoon, we couldn’t accept the light role mentality of just being fit and able to carry kit.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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