Page 92 - MERCIAN Eagle 2015

OC Maj Nick Clarke
2I/C Capt Gareth Dixon CSM WO2 Simon Coulson PSAO Capt Darren Carter SPSI WO2 Dean Hudson QSPSI CSgt David Mellors
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F Company
OC Foreword Major Nick Clarke
In the second quarter of 2015 it was announced that F Company 4 MERCIAN was to be disbanded and would be incorporated into C Company. Despite this we are continuing to recruit and are in fact going from strength to strength. Retention is high and our percentage turnout is better than ever with high moral and a great team forming. We now share the ARC with 159 Regt RLC and we are combining our efforts to enable training at all levels during our numbers build up, which are Main Effort? at present.
We have also had a new HQ element with Major Nick Clarke taking over as
OC F Company (now OC Burton) after having recently returned from a year’s deployment at ANAOA in Kabul. The
CSM has also changed with WO2 Dougie Spooner standing down and WO2 Simon Coulson taking over. WO2 Coulson came from C Company which has really bonded us all, especially now that we have been somewhat absorbed into them. Our 2ic, Capt Dixon returned from Op TOSCA earlier this year and has now re-deployed to Kenya as part of the STTT. As our attention seems to be turning in that direction I am sure others will follow in due course.
Our in house recruiters are pushing hard and have shown great results thus far. We are sure that the Army Reserve Centre will stay open but time will tell as to whether we can persuade the powers that be to keep the MERCIAN cap badge embedded within its walls. Our intent is to recruit good quality soldiers with potential who will enable us
to show that we are a force worth keeping, but as a company location again. To this effect the stronger the attendance, the better case we can argue but time is not
on our side as the decision will probably
be taken in the second quarter of 2016.
We are on track to complete a second platoon by the end of the year and therefore
hopefully reverse the changes in 2015. Our recent activity has resulted in Ptes Shand, Bridges and Langford passing out of CIC and joining the ranks of the fully trained soldiers. On the Community Engagement front the recruiting team have forged good working relationships with various local groups, Juniper being the latest which is
a Government backed schemes which works with young 16-18 years of age local people with a view to helping them into work. We have had great success running various team tasks for them. We aim to develop their ability to work in a team, communication skills and confidence in their own physical and mental abilities. The feedback is very encouraging and more
For many this was their first visit to the Arboretum and it proved to be very thought provoking experience
than a few have made enquiries on how they can join the Army or Army Reserve when they are old enough.
In February we began training for
the Brigade level Operational Shooting Competition. This was not without its drawbacks as we had heavy commitments elsewhere. We finished a creditable second place after 1.5 training days on the ranges and withstanding the weather at Wathgill Training area. Cpl Stonier from D Company took the best shot prize. 4 weeks later we found ourselves against very stiff opposition at Divisional level with only 2 out of the original 8 members we achieved 6th place out of 18 teams which meant that we had qualified for Army Reserve Operational
Shooting Competition at Bisley. Again with
a new team we competed against the best of the best, suffice to say that we went for the experience with 2 out of the team being straight from CIC. Given the stats we would have come mid-field in the results had we had a full team. Pte Shand gained a top 100 placement and he and L/Cpl Tristram are proving themselves to be a LSW pair to be reckoned with. Next year as they say!
In June the Company visited the National Arboretum. For many this was their first visit to the Arboretum and it proved to
be very thought provoking experience. Despite a chill in the air most personnel spent many hours walking around the vast area and couldn’t help be taken in by the atmosphere. For those with a personal connection to colleagues with their names engraved on the memorials this is always a time for reflection. The Company felt it right to mark this visit with a photograph so that the day would not be forgotten.
The Crich Memorial Pilgrimage and Memorial weekend was an emotional experience. Despite this being an annual event for 4 MERCIAN, it was a first for
F Company for quite a few years to act
as main effort in setting the day up. WO2 Coulson and the team worked tirelessly
on the previous Saturday, grappling with tentage and chairs while the officers stood back trying not to get in the way. The Sunday would have gone splendidly had
it not been for the weather as the storm clouds gathered over the ceremony and the heavens opened to biblical proportions causing everyone to seek shelter as best they could. Suffice to say that within the hour the sun was back out which is typical.
Major Clarke went out to Uganda as part of the 4 LANCS STTT in July to assist in the running of the first Battle Group (BG) Commanders Course as part of the British
After 1.5 mile run in, Pte Shand’s fig 11 target firing from 300m he had 2 exposures of 12 seconds
with 29 rounds using LSW. Not bad for a beginner with 28 out of 29 in the max scoring zone
Members of Juniper at the ARC Burton who work closely with the Recruiters, Andrew Griffiths MP looking on, he was very interested in the training we can offer
THE MERCIAN EAGLE