Page 79 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

who ran a highly challenging Mortars cadre finishing with live firing to ACMT standard for the second time in the year. For all members of the Company it was a chance to work with 2 MERCIAN, in this case A Grenadier Company. As the OC of the exercising Company it was interesting to see the different qualities that the regular and reservist brought to the party as an integrated sub-unit. The learning curve was steep but all benefited, subsequently enjoying a more relaxed but arduous live firing package on completion of the FTX.
The Mortars platoon has continued to work hard to maintain current capability and to develop further, both as an independent platoon and working in co-operation
with their paired brethren in 2 MERCIAN. Battalion training weekends in the New
Year saw the mortars training themselves and acting as a proper support weapons platoon; be that delivering TEWTs to young officers and SNCO on indirect fire capability to deploying in role with deployed MFC in support of Platoon tactics weekends. Of note has been the monthly joint training with the 2 MERCIAN mortars platoon as part of paired training. The credit for this activity lies with CSgt Weaver and Sgt Harrison and through it they are promoting B Company and 4 MERCIAN at the highest levels of the Army. Paired training has included ‘numbers training’, attendance on cadres, and live firing and safety supervision for both Mortars platoons. Pte King has more to say on paired training in a separate article.
As a Company we played our part in providing Bn level training. An arduous weekend early in the year saw the training return to cold and windy Sennybridge (whilst the OC sunned himself in Uganda) for the provision of section level training and tactics. A subsequent range weekend was the first opportunity for many to use the LDS and the Holographic CQB site for its true purpose, most would agree that it is a dramatic improvement over the already effective SUSAT. As a non marksman who actually hit most of what he aimed at, I was certainly a convert! The final Bn level provision of training saw the Company establish a training package in the OBUA complex at Whinney Hill, Catterick. The provision of training by the NCOs, both junior and senior was excellent and all ranks benefited from
CSgt Paul Campbell and Mrs Victoria Ford/Liverpool Town Hall LL awards/Jun 29
progressive training culminating in the practising of OBUA in a blacked out environment using the range of FIST equipments.
The provision of training by the NCOs, both junior and senior was excellent
equipments available to the Reservist soldier. He also had a chance to talk to the individual soldiers within B (Malta) Company.
Professionally a number of the Company have moved on to
Trustcott deployed with the 2 LANCS BG before Christmas and the OC heading out on his first visit at Easter. I for one found it incredibly rewarding and plan to return.
Mid way through the period we were fortunate enough to receive a visit by Derek Twigg, MP for Widnes. He was thoroughly briefed on our roles and aspirations for
the future and the impressive nature of the
congratulations were due to a number of members of the Company. Both Sgt Musiol and Pte Whittle are congratulated on the birth of baby daughters, adding to Sgt Musiol’s family and starting Pte Whittle’s and finally Cpl Simpson and Sgt Gregory are congratulated on their marriage (not to each other). In both cases the consensus is that they were lucky to snare their respective partners before they realised they could move onto better things; the impact of additional chains of command are yet to be felt by the Company.
Overall a successful period for
B Company, it has been an exciting period with varied and challenging training and a number of individuals deploying in support to operations and Army level training. There is more to come for next year with further adventure training planned and some
new integrated training on the horizon. Recruiting is growing and we all know that the future is in our hands.
STAND FIRM STRIKE HARD
B Company has
maintained its tradition of supporting operations and training throughout the period; Cpl Simpson and Pte Mounkley deployed on Op TOSCA with 2 MERCIAN which both found rewarding. B Company support to the ongoing training commitment to the STTT preparing the UPDF for deployment to Somalia continued with LCpl
the Regular Army, Both Josh Sleeman and Anthony Myers are congratulated
on their successful completion of the Regular commissioning course and
we wish them well into their respective careers. As mentioned, we are expecting good things from Paddy as he undergoes the same process. On a personal note
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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