Page 34 - Mercian Eagle 2013

Company Commander’s Foreword
It was in a dusty Afghan Ops room that I received the news from the Commanding Officer of 2 MERCIAN that I was to be given the opportunity to lead A (Grenadier) Coy. As an officer who has “grown up”
in the 1st Battalion and Cheshire Regt previously, the opportunity was both tempting and daunting. At the time I knew nothing of the fantastic traditions and reputation of this, the prestigious Grenadier Company. I am truly honoured to be given this opportunity.
The company was handed to me in fantastic order from Major Dean Canham the previous OC and I would like to publicly give him thanks for the comprehensive handover
So now we look forward......At the time of writing this short foreword, our forecast
of events for the next 12 months is already fast paced:
• A truly fantastic training opportunity on
the horizon with Ex Askari Storm
• Arms Plot move to Chester
• Op Tosca (Cyprus)
• Return to Contingency and entry into a
new Bde (42X) as the Adaptive Force I look forward to being able to report
back in the next MERCIAN EAGLE on what this year brings. I’m sure the text will be filled with stories of daring and panache, as they seem to be part of the very ethos of what Grenadier Coy is all about.
Maj Charlie Brunskill Officer Commanding A (Grenadier) Coy
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THE MERCIAN EAGLE
A (Grenadier) Company
The Return to Contingency
Capt L P Beetlestone, A (Grenadier) Company 2IC
The task of Force protection for the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps was thrust upon the Company late 2012
and carried with it a 12
leaving the deployment to Kenya for Ex Askari Storm hanging by a thread !!
month commitment. Once the initial excitement had settled, we as a company learnt that deployment anywhere other than RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall as exercising troops would be highly unlikely. In addition, being on a constant
In addition, being on a constant 20 days notice to move would prevent any overseas training opportunities...
Once the festivities
of Christmas had passed and the company returned
from an extended leave due to Op Olympics,
we realised that the ARRC task offered the company some much needed breathing room as the days of spoon-fed MST training packages were now a thing of
20 days notice to move would prevent any overseas training opportunities..... thus
the past. The time allowed the command element to design and focus on its own
2MERCIAN