Page 48 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

Foreword
Lt Col B M Wilde MBE
CO 2 MERCIAN
Last year’s Mercian Eagle section on
2 MERCIAN led with the cast of The Inbetweeners being shown around the Green Line in Nicosia. Like the many other high profile visitors to the Battalion during our six month United Nations peacekeeping mission, they went away enlightened as
to the complexities faced by the soldiers and impressed with the commitment and professionalism demonstrated throughout the tour. They were even more impressed with the enthusiasm with which the guys and girls of the Battalion embraced the delights of Cyprus and made the most
of what the island has to offer, whether that be the occasional brandy sour or the excellent adventure training facilities. Back home, the Rear Operations Group, based on A (Grenadier) Company, worked hard to establish ourselves in Chester with a series of parades and events in the surrounding area, and also found the time to show the armies of the Baltic States how to fight
– of which more later. Dragon Company deployed to Kenya in support of 2 SCOTS and, again, showed them how to fight.
Sadly however, the unique challenges of life in a blue beret seem a long time ago. On our return from Cyprus the focus has been on settling into The Dale, on getting our heads around future operational roles and on preparing, at the time of writing, for our imminent deployment to Kenya
for Ex ASKARI STORM, which will take place between October and December 2015. The dust of Camp Bastion and
the Upper Gereshk Valley and the challenges associated with operating in
a counterinsurgency environment are a distant memory as we adjust to a changing strategic context, and rather than build
up for a six month operational tour every two and a half years, we are now held at readiness, ready to deploy anywhere in the world and ready to respond to conduct
a range of tasks, from humanitarian operations to high intensity warfighting. Political upheaval, ethnic tensions and religious fanaticism continue to fuel violence, humanitarian suffering and mass migration around the southern and eastern edges of Europe. Our world is not getting any safer, and now that 2 MERCIAN are required to be ready to respond at a moment’s notice,
it may well not be long before our strong operational pedigree is called upon once again.
So how have we adjusted to this
new profile of readiness rather than tour rotation? Aside from our United Nations commitment in Cyprus, the focus has been on doing the basics well, and on adopting a flexible mindset. A (Grenadier) Company led the way on this. While ensuring that
the populations of towns across the North West know who we are through a series of parades and civil engagement events, they also deployed to Lithuania in support of a NATO exercise aimed at developing alliance partnerships and demonstrating NATO interoperability. The Russians will have been watching, and will doubtless have been as impressed as our American allies were by the discipline, determination and professionalism demonstrated by
our soldiers. The people of Nanyuki and Laikipia in Kenya have become familiar with the Mercian cap badge even before the Battlegroup deployment, after both Dragon and Grenadier Companies deployed in early 2015 in support of other battlegroups. Both were highly successful and the
extra experience will prove invaluable in the coming months. All the Companies have spent ample time honing their light role drills in Otterburn, Leek and Brecon in preparation for the forthcoming Kenya deployment; by the time we return from Kenya I expect our reputation to be sealed as a force of choice; a spearhead unit of light role shock troops capable of conducting a range of tasks, in complex terrain, in one of the most demanding environments in the world.
Out of uniform, the Battalion has continued to shine in some of the traditional areas. In the last year, 216 soldiers in the Battalion have qualified to Army foundation level in rock climbing, kayaking and mountain biking. We reached the semi- final of the Army Boxing competition after
a storming victory over 2 YORKS, and having made significant use of local gyms and coaching expertise in the build-up to an impressive display of technical boxing ability in the Inter Coy Competition, look
to do even better this year. We were
also victorious in the Cyprus Inter Unit Cross Country and the Infantry Tug of War Championship (with a last minute entry
by a scratch team). Notable individual successes have included Cpl Silvers’ Taekwondo triumphs in the Inter Services Martial Arts Championships. Lastly, a historic triumph by the football team in the Infantry Six-a-Side Tournament has sealed the Battalion’s reputation for having a football pedigree to be reckoned with.
Finally, we must take a moment to remember three of our number who were still with us when you read the last edition
of Mercian Eagle. Private Jamie Sawyer RLC, Private Dean Caudley and Private Alex Jones RLC were all young men who lived life to the full, who contributed tremendously to Battalion life, and whose loss is still felt by all who knew them. We will miss them.
Stand Firm. Strike Hard.
2MERCIAN