Page 53 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

Worcester Marathon
Sgt Sumner
After reading an article about the Worcester Marathon, I decided that it would be a good idea to enter a marathon team made up of eager volunteers from across the battalion.
I spread the word and was surprised how many lads asked to take part especially
as the race was on Easter leave. On a hot Sunday morning, we RV’d at Worcester Stadium ready to begin the race. In true MERCIAN style, the guys destroyed the burger van, mainly to cure some beer filled heads. So as the locals stretched, we ate!
After sorting our way through registration, the team lined up in their groups, raring to go. What the marathon organisers failed to get right was the description of the race which they describe as flat as a pancake. This route description would not have survived contact with Brecon DS, and as soon
as the race began, we found ourselves heading uphill. After some hard running we began to get into, it but no sooner had we settled into the pace the half marathon runners broke off in a blow to morale,
A Company 2 MERCIAN Worcester Marathon
as we realised we still had 13.1 miles to go. The team ran really well with some impressive times, particularly from those who only found out they were running the day before! Cpl King of A (Grenadier) Company being the first team member to finish with a time of 3hrs 15 mins.
During the race, I organised the recruiting team to put up their stand to
see if we could capture some fit potential future Mercians, and there turned out to be plenty of interest. All in all it was an excellent day, and thanks to some eager volunteers from across the battalion we had a good team presence in a major MERCIAN recruiting area.
B (Malta) Company
‘The Bayonets’ Major Kelly
It is with a heavy heart that I must announce that this is my final entry in the MERCIAN Eagle as OC, B (Malta) Company; I handover imminently to Major Rob Agnew. My tenure has witnessed three 2ICs, three CSMs, five CQMSs, six Pl Comds, six Pl Sgts and
well over 250 soldiers. I am reassured that despite these tectonic changes in manpower, the ethos and professional determination of the Coy have remained constant; a fitting and true testament to the quality of our soldiers. The Coy have been on quite a journey since my last update, and with my limited experience of horizon scanning, I assess this shows no signs of abating in the future.
The Coy was selected to deploy to Cyprus, Sep 14 – Apr 15, on Op TOSCA 21, to act as the bedrock for the UN Mission in Sector 2 of the ‘Buffer Zone (BZ),’ separating the Greek Cypriot and Turkish
Cypriot protagonists. As such, the Coy undertook the responsibility of patrolling the 40kms of the Nicosia AO. The tour was an unusual experience for many Iraq/Afghanistan veterans, and certainly required some refinement of the ‘close with and kill the enemy’ mission of the infantry. However, the men adapted superbly to the parameters of the task and quickly began to evolve a Battlespace that had lain dormant and largely unchanged since its conception.
Additionally, the Coy integrated a formed platoon of Reservists from 4 MERCIAN under the Comd of Lt Matt Styles and Sgt Green, and they provide their experiences later on.
OP TOSCA tested the age old adage of flexibility, and it is with great pride that I can state that the UN Force Commander noted that Sector 2 of the BZ had undergone a ‘step change’ in
Sector on parade
B Malta Coy at American Wives Club
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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