Page 67 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

2 MERCIAN Mortar Platoon
The current platoon formed as part of the MERCIAN merger in summer 2014, with executives and numbers from all three battalions across the beaten zone of Mercia. The command element of the platoon moved to establish a fixed RV within Dale Barracks early. Over a period of some three months the men arrived,
2 SCOTS, which certainly led to a testing exercise for their battle group. The PRT however rewrote a lot of the existing range work for the mortar live firing in Kenya, following restrictions being imposed to mitigate noise induced hearing loss, and this proved to be a severe headache to say
as they completed Post
Operational Tour Leave
(POTL), completed
career courses, or
moved from Catterick,
Belfast and Germany.
This left the new platoon
fully manned and
holding all relevant qualifications to fulfil the role of a Light Role Mortar Platoon.
In October 2014 the platoon deployed with the remainder of Dragon Company to SPTA to conduct their annual Mortar Cadre. This renewed the senior member’s currency and developed the junior member’s competency on the weapon system, as well as developing sub unit cohesion at all levels. The culmination of the cadre was one week of live firing, integrating 4 MERCIAN and including the Annual Weapon Assessment (AWA) and some intensive fire planning. Once rounds were complete the platoon ceased firing and extracted back to Dale Barracks in time for the festive period.
2015 so far has been a very busy time for the platoon, starting in January with the re-orbatting of the company to deploy to Kenya in support of Ex ASKARI STORM as COEFOR for the subordinate elements and PRT for the command team. The platoon struck, seized and grasped the opportunity to act as an enemy rifle company against
the least.
The platoon is
currently looking forward to deploying on Ex ASKARI STORM 6 (Ex AS6) later this year. The platoon has completed a testing week
of live firing practice in Otterburn in preparation, incorporating
Kohima Company
with Arty Target
procedures and live
battle runs to test the
Mortar Fire Controllers
(MFCs). Ex AS6 will
be the first time that this
platoon has been formally
tested for operations since
the formation of the new
battalion. This is a challenge
that all ranks welcome with
open arms, and will look
forward to cementing a strongly
forged reputation for 2 MERCIAN
Mortar Platoon, with both British
Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) and the wider Army.
The platoon struck, seized and grasped the opportunity to act
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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