Page 14 - Mercian Eagle 2013

OC Maj E Gaffeny 2IC Capt S Pope
CSM
7 Pl Comd 7 Pl Sgt
8 Pl Comd 8 Pl Sgt
9 Pl Comd 9 Pl Sgt
WO2 A Hopkins Lt L Riordan
Cpl J T Kauleta Lt S Broadhurst Sgt M Chambers Vacant
Sgt J Pywell
12
C Company
A great deal has been accomplished and achieved by C Company 1 MERCIAN
over the last year. We deployed on
Op HERRICK 17 in September 2012 as the
day disrupting insurgent activity deep in the enemy rich Dashte area of Nad-e-Ali. This first mission set the conditions for the rest of the tour. We maintained our professional approach throughout, improved the infrastructure of the patrol base and
Operations Company Nad-e-Ali Transitional As the last company to deploy, by the time we got to Patrol Base FOLAD (our home for the next 6 months) the headquarters was already up and running and 48 hours later we deployed
in the 1 MERCIAN Support Unit (TSU).
We maintained our professional approach throughout...
maintained the pressure on the insurgents,
while enabling and encouraging the Afghan National Security Forces to take the lead.
The pace of transition surprised us all. Patrol bases were closed and companies were sent
targets were developed for us to exploit. The benefits of properly developing a target were clear for all to see. In one particular operation we partnered the Afghan National Directorate of Security in arresting a Insurgent Commander who the Recce Platoon had identified 7 weeks previously. The whole operation took less than 90 minutes with two platoons inserted and extracted by helicopter and four insurgents detained.
Unfortunately not all of the Company returned back to the UK. LCpl Jamie Webb was killed on the 23 March 2012 when a massive Vehicle Borne IED was
on our first mission.
Although our training has been successful and comprehensive, our first real mission brought home the realities of operating in Afghanistan. The mission was a success, with 60 men inserted by helicopter and then extracted 12 hours later having spent the
home early as the ANSF continued to take on more responsibility. By the end of the tour they were able to mount Brigade size operations with little ISAF support. This meant the company were held in the patrol base for long periods while the correct
9 Platoon with members of the Afghan National Directorate 7 Platoon pose after a patrol in the Dashte of Security before an arrest operation
THE MERCIAN EAGLE