Page 8 - Mercian Eagle 2013

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The Company understood just how demanding the tour would prove to be.
A Company very quickly became comfortable with the
area. Working with
the ANSF was a new
The other main way in which the soldiers filled their time was with ‘phys’. When I say ‘phys’ please do not think this training was
excelled. It is a sign of the Company’s success, that the AOR became stable enough to allow the Company to be short toured.
A Company can rightly look back on HERRICK 17 proudly. When called on to fight we did so with all the aggression and fighting spirit needed, but it was in the less glamorous, day to day tasks, all done to the highest standards, that made a telling contribution to the campaign. It was a difficult tour for all involved as inaction was seen as success, not something easily explained to highly trained and motivated soldiers. The flexibility in both thought and action was tested and it was one passed with flying colours.
After the main body of the battalion returned in April 2013, A Company rapidly found itself swept up in Welcome Home Parades, the presentation of new Colours for The Mercian Regiment and a change to most of the Company key personalities
The Battalion was privileged to parade through a number of towns in Cheshire County and A Company in particular was lucky enough to make up the majority of those on the Welcome Home Parades.
Those who had served on OP HERRICK 17
for the first time were presented their medal in either their hometown, or one closest to
their family. For those
A Company soldiers who had volunteered
to serve with other Companies, the week in Cheshire acted as the ideal time to reunite.
experience, even
for those who had
deployed on HERRICK
12. A typical task would
see the elements of
the Company deploy
to a ANSF Check Point
(CP), drink chai, and
then accompany the police on a short patrol. Although the ANSF were supposed to do this without our support, often they would prefer the additional security that our presence gave them. On many occasions, elements of the Company were to stay overnight in CPs, and were always well hosted with a seemingly endless supply of chai, rice and bread.
Apart from patrolling, the blokes were kept busy by regular refresher training
under our Company Medic LCpl Changaiya or search training under Cpl Chambers. Often they were more vitally employed in
the construction of a poker table, under
the supervision of Sgt Barry! Cpl Roberts selflessly spent his spare time training
newer recruits in the fine art of coffee brewing! It wasn’t long before his most gifted apprentice barista; Private Whitehurst was banging out coffee. One night a week each Platoon would get together and have
a ‘pub quiz’, the main difference being the lack of a pub, drinking cans of coke rather than beer. This was a good chance for Platoon bonding, even if this was only over everyone’s shared hatred (jealousy) of Private Everett, who won the quiz every week!
During its time as
ATEC(S) A Company
remained ready to
fight when called on
and when necessary it
performed with courage
and restraint. In the
plethora of tasks which
befell it: escorting VIPs
to District Governors
meetings, providing
outer cordon for AT/
ANSF operations and
coordinating the battle space in any way necessary, the Company and Platoons
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
in pursuit of cardio- vascular fitness, for you would be wrong. Instead, everyone was on ‘OP MASSIVE!’ Cpl Chambers’ explanation for this was as such: “when does a girl ever approach you back home and ask you what your VO2 max
is? Never! But girls will come up to me when they see the size of these biceps!” An unarguable point.
After a couple of months A Company were informed that it would be returning back home in time for Christmas. This news was received with mixed emotions. Those who had served overseas before were glad to be returning home, but those more junior, less experienced (and those who just needed the extra money!) were disappointed. A few willing volunteers were given the opportunity to stay and fill gaps in the other Companies.
Working with the ANSF was a new experience, even for those who had deployed on HERRICK 12....
Those who had served on OP HERRICK 17 for the first time were presented their medal in either their hometown, or one closest to their family.
The presentation
Colours saw A Company called upon to
act as one of the two guards. Initially, the thought of another week of drill followed
by a parade in front of the wider Mercian Family didn’t thrill anyone. Nevertheless, after the first day, scepticism subsidised and A Company performed brilliantly in front of HRH the Prince of Wales and a crowd of thousands.
A Company conducted a weeks Adventurous Training (AT) in Capel Curig under the guidance of WO2 (QMSI) Dunn. The AT package was superb, every man was able to experience rock climbing, hill walking and mountain biking, the latter proving surprisingly challenging to all. That didn’t stop the CQMS getting out on his bike each day or the newly promoted Sgt McCabe relishing in his role as an assistant Mountain Leader. This week also marked the arrival of WO2 Vezza as the new CSM. The AT week culminated with a pub supper and a couple of beverages in a local hotel, before travelling back to Marne Barracks the following morning. All agreed that it was a fantastic week away, primarily due to the exceptional delivery and high quality of the training provided by QMSI Dunn and his team.
of the new Regimental
L – R LCpl Deal Long, LCpl Evans, Pte Cross, Cpl Whiting, Pte Butler, Pte Llewellyn, Cpl McCabe and Lt Brierley with the 1 Platoon Interpreter, FOB SQT