Page 90 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

L/Cpl Mottashaw Award
One of the members of the company received a surprise accolade this year as L/
Cpl Mottashaw was recommended and received the Lord Lieutenants commendation for his selfless commitments to both the Company and Battalion as a soldier and
as the Company Physical Training Instructor (PTI). L/Cpl Mottashaw has been with
the Company since 2010 and qualified as a PTI in 2012. Since then he has regularly planned and conducted training well above what is expected of him showing huge enthusiasm at all he turns his hand to. He received the award in summer this year from the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire at Chester Cathedral along with members from other organisations.
The next major commitments for D Company are to continue to fully integrate the returning members from Op Tosca and prepare for its two key exercises in both Croatia with soldiers of the host country and Kenya, where we will see ourselves once again training with 2 MERCIAN. In summary, the company is going from strength to strength and we look forward to updating you shortly with our latest.
L/Cpl Mottashaw, Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire David Briggs MBE, Chester Cathedral, 06/15
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The Mow Cop Killer Mile
LCpl Christopher Mottershaw
Mow Cop is a small village perched at the top of a hill that nestles between the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire border. The hill is the venue for an annual road
race called the Mow Cop Killer Mile. The mile is ‘contour-rich’ and rises up from the Cheshire Plain, winding up a country lane to a steep 1:4 gradient close to the finish line in the village at the top. The race is run in May each year and attracts many semi- professional and club runners from across the country, whilst also bringing in hundreds of local fun runners and spectators.
D Company had decided to enter a six- man team, to ascend the hill as a formed squad whilst carrying 15kg bergens. This would provide a good challenge and, in tandem with our recruiting team, would provide an excellent opportunity to promote D Company to the many hundreds of
spectators. Our team, comprised of
a cross-section of soldiers from within
the Company, made their way down to the start line. Being so popular, the semi-pro and club runners had already competed in earlier races, leaving the massed throng to set off in the third race.
We gathered at the start line and from the off, knew that this was going to be
a fantastic challenge. We set off at a cracking pace, leaning in against the
hill. The gradient soon increased and we pushed on amongst many runners, who at first overtook us unhindered by weighted bergens. Such effort really gets the pulse racing, and I will never forget the view by the time we reached the halfway point. As a team we tabbed onwards and I looked up to see the route ahead and the 1:4 gradient set in the final third of the race.
We now began to overtake some of those fun runners who had earlier run ahead of us but were now spent. The exertion was starting to take its toll, but as we pushed on up that final section the spectators cheered us on and thanks to our recruiters, the crowd knew who we were, calling out “D Company!” as we gritted our teeth to make a final push to cross the finish line.
We crossed the line achieving a time
of 16 mins 10 seconds. The whole team agreed that the race was well worth the physical effort and felt exhilarated having completed it. This was a fantastic event and showcased D Company to many like-minded people. It is an event that I’m sure will be attempted annually, each year looking to outshine the year before. I for one am looking forward to the challenge.
The D Company Team pose above the finish line of the Mow Cop Killer Mile. L to R rear row: Cpl Wheeler, LCpl Willock, LCpl Mottershaw front row: Pte Potts, Pte Edelsten, Pte Legge
THE MERCIAN EAGLE