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target for the insurgent and we conducted a successful counter-sniper operations against the firing points that were being used against us. The insurgent did not always offer a clear target himself and it
is testament to the professionalism of the soldiers in C Company that we did not cause any civilian casualties during these engagements – often not to fire back was the correct response within the context of the entire campaign.
Morale was maintained throughout
the tour, most notably with the highly successful “Folad’s Got Talent” Christmas Day extravaganza. This was a talent (I use the word very loosely) competition that was organised by LCpl Webb and was eventually won by 7 Platoon.
We conducted a successful handover to the incoming Company from 2 LANCS and returned home to the UK. For 6 months we had operated in a dangerous and testing environment where the need to enable the
ANSF was paramount and our own actions were under the most intense scrutiny. The pressure on individual soldiers has never been higher and what we asked of them was immense. True to form the soldiers
of C Company conducted themselves with the utmost professionalism and they can all look back with pride on a job well done. Farewells:
WO2(CSM) Glynn, Sgt Howard, Cpl Iddison
Welcome to:
WO2(CSM) Hopkins, Sgt Pywell
1 MERCIAN C Company FOXHOUND Manoeuvre Group by Capt JWS Brierley
I joined C Company, the Battle Group (BG) Operations Company, in early December, having moved across from A Company when they returned back to the UK. I arrived in Patrol Base (PB) FOLAD to take the reins of Mighty 9 Platoon from Captain Steve Pope who was to endure the pleasure of taking over as Company 2IC from Captain Rich Sawyer.
During the first three months of the tour, 9 Platoon had conducted daily Ground Domination Area (GDA) patrols around the PB and a number of Helicopter Assault Force (HAF) operations. These had been hugely successful in affecting the structure of the insurgent chain
of command in the
Bowrie Dashte areas. These activities meant that
9 Platoon were a well-oiled machine; clearly competent and confident in their knowledge of the AO and how best to operate within
it.
Soon after arriving however, Sgt Howard and I were
told that the platoon
The FOXHOUND Mobility Group, a force package developed during the tour
Returning to Patrol Base FOLAD after another HAF
THE MERCIAN EAGLE