Page 41 - Mercian Eagle 2013

C (Skirmish) Company
OC’s Introduction by Major C S Fowler
OC 2IC
CSM CQMS
7 Pl Comd 7 Pl Sgt
8 Pl Comd
8 Pl Sgt
Asslt Pnr Pl Comd Asslt Pnr Pl Sgt
Maj C S Fowler
Capt G B A Tyldesley
WO2 M Cooke
CSgt L Jones
2Lt D Bell
Sgt M Harris / Sgt Cotterill
2Lt S Vause Sgt J Herberts 2Lt J Burridge Sgt R Keeton
This has been another very busy and demanding year for the Skirmishers of
C Company. On the back of the heels of Op OLYMPICS the Company was stood
to for another deployment to Afghanistan. This time in a training role as the Relief in Place Coordination Group (RCG) for the Op HERRICK 17/18 relief in place between 4th and 1st Mechanized Brigades. Post deployment. The focus has been on preparation for Kenya with CT 1 training in Dartmoor followed by Adventurous Training in Newquay, where the Company learned
to surf and throw themselves off large cliffs whilst coast steering.
The Company congratulates Cpls Sheppard, Hughes and Woodward for passing SCBC and LCpls Blakey, Martin, Milton and Smith for passing the POW Div JNCO Cadre. We say goodbye to Sgt Harris who is posted to AFC Harrogate. He has been immense for the Company and
I could not have wished for a more loyal hard working individual: he will be missed by all. We also welcome 2Lts Bell and Burridge, Sgt Cotterill, Cpl Chamberlain and LCpls Connolly, Dawson, Watson, Williams
and Wragg. The Company is in very good spirits and morale is high as we look forward to Kenya, the move back to the Dale Barracks and whatever opportunities will arise in 2014.
adventure Training on the North Cornwall coast on a four day expedition utilising Mountain Bikes, surfboards and life jackets as the men pushed themselves off high cliffs and into (occasionally) massive waves. The week was an excellent opportunity for all to try new experiences and push beyond their comfort zone, demonstrated as one Private Holmes found himself nudged towards the highest of the coasteering cliffs.
Since the training, the Pioneers have been undertaking Pioneer Soldier and Demolitions training at Royal School of Military Engineering at Chatham and Minley and will continue to learn and practise as they look to the move to Chester.
Assault Pioneer Platoon by 2Lt Jazz Burridge
The Assault Pioneers have had a busy year, with several new arrivals. So welcome to the new lads and the devilishly handsome Platoon Commander. Congratulations are also due to Corporal Hughes and Lance Corporals Bower and Milton who have all been promoted this year.
In early February, the Platoon were somewhat divided as one half deployed to Afghanistan, running RSOI out of Bastion. The other half undertook what courses they could to ensure that the Platoon would be ready for future deployments,
The RSOI deployment engaged the men for four months and tasks varied from running the Grouping and Zeroing range, to quad bike instructing and range construction. This was interspersed with
volleyball tournaments courtesy of the Royal Artillery who lent us their pitch,
0500 AFTs and Op Massive, with every other waking moment ensuring the lads fulfilled their secondary tasking: Op Bronze. Besides experience delivering training
to a wide range of regiments and corps, the deployment offered all the chance for interaction and even some lessons with different forces, particularly the Americans.
Upon returning from Afghanistan, the Pioneers regrouped for the Colours Parade and, following POTL were joined by four new lads fresh from Catterick. Thrown in at the deep end, they undertook a week training on Dartmoor followed by Adventure Training. This was a great chance to gel as a Platoon and exercise basic skills before
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