Page 55 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

4 Platoon - Op TOSCA 21 – Conventional Training Focus Lt Sones
B (Malta) Company deployed on Op TOSCA 21 in September 2014. We had a two phase plan to enable us to maintain our conventional skill set, on what would be a very unconventional tour. Phase one involved Platoon level dry training. With the rotation that we had put in place for Op TOSCA, it allowed each platoon to have three sections available for training. Both
5 and 6 (The Reserve) Platoon were able
to deploy for four days to the dry training areas within the RAF Akritiri Sovereign Base Area (SBA). This was conducted in addition to a well-developed Adventurous Training package.
6 Platoon deployed first, and were able to cover basic infanteering drills from the lowest level, up to allow for the newly formed sections to shake out and operate as a formed body of men. Their main focus was FIBUA and Cpl Henshaw (previously of A Grenadier Company, 2 MERCIAN) took the lead on instructing on entry and room clearance drills. 5 Platoon repeated this process a few weeks later.
Unfortunately and as with all good
plans, flexibility had to be superimposed upon the 4 Platoon deployment. The 15 Nov represents the anniversary of the
illegal establishment of ‘Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus’ or ‘TRNC,’ this is
a general call to arms for all right wing Greek Cypriots to descend on the N-S crossing points, especially within Nicosia to demonstrate. B Coy along with a Platoon from C Coy/Mobile Force Reserve picketed the capital in full riot gear for the weekend. While the discharge of smoke grenades, flares and an uncanny resemblance of some of the far right protestors to their 1930s German counterparts, violence did not erupt. I put this primarily down to the fact that the prospect of meeting ‘Bayonets’ in crowd control equipment already irritated
at the loss of the weekend, resulted in the stench of fear manifesting within the crowd, paralysing their will and concluding in their eventual dispersal.
Once ‘TRNC’ day had concluded, we did manage to fit a few days of training at Ledra Palace Hotel (LPH) and the United Nations Protected Area, based at the old Nicosia
Airfield. This again was focused on low level training driven by the Section Commanders.
The second phase of training for our deployment was live firing. The regular components of B (Malta) Company had achieved CT1 level live firing before deploying. However, the Reserve elements had not been so fortunate. With all the range facilities on the island available,
6 Platoon set about conducting LFMT
The ground at Pyla range was something not far from what you would expect in Kenya
and advanced application of fire using respirators, something they had not previously done. This once again saw them deploy to RAF Akritiri.
4 and 5 Platoons were both afforded
the opportunity to deploy to Pyla Ranges
on the Dhekalia SBA, to conduct section level LFTT. Both platoons built on skills
from individual fire and movement through to section attacks. The ground at Pyla range was something not far from what you would expect in Kenya, with many natural obstacles that channelled attacks, but provided great cover for approaches and for fire support elements. All attacks conducted
Lance Corporal Ball – Pyla Ranges
required the commanders to really think through their plans, and provided them the ability to show off their tactical knowledge.
Throughout the training packages conducted for each platoon, key operational skills were covered, mainly that of the ‘Soldier First - Combat Hunter’ mind set, and this led to practical tracking lessons fit for a 3* general! These skills were then put into practice while on patrol in the Buffer Zone leading to finds, that would have
gone unnoticed without this knowledge and training.
All training conducted on Op TOSCA
21 allowed the soldiers to really show off their infanteering skill sets, even when deployed on a non-conventional operation. The calibre of soldier that is employed by The Mercian Regiment has been apparent throughout the deployment on Op TOSCA 21 in the level of operational output seen by B (Malta) Company.
Cpl Henshaw cannon ball
Pyla Ranges - the MT classification, VOR
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