Page 33 - RSDG Year of 2023

of leading a high calibre team is the pinnacle of every Artificer’s career. One of the best parts of the job is being on the tools diagnosing and repairing faults with the opportunity to develop and mentor the team. I have enjoyed the pressure and responsibility of making critical engineering decisions. Ensuring maximum vehicle avail- ability is our raison d’etre and there is no greater feeling than contributing to mission success.
The opportunity to make a small difference to the lives of the Malian people we met on patrol was extremely humbling. Trivial things to us, like being able to offer some food and water to those that need it and providing protection to villages that really needed it, will live with me forever. One of the most rewarding instances was when we played games with the children we met while on patrol. Seeing them having fun and smiling, a noticeably short respite from the hardships they live daily.
SSgt Wilby – Acting Artificer Sergeant Major OP NEWCOMBE ROTO 5 – Theatre Drawdown Activity. Jan 2023 – Apr 2023.
Week one, day one of my assignment to SCOTS DG LAD was D-1 of Ex NEWCOMBE TEMPEST; The Op NEWCOMBE Mission Rehearsal Exercise (MRX) on STANTA Training Area. I was informed by the OC before I arrived that I would be coming into Task Group Headquarters as acting ASM, and there was a real chance that I would also deploy to Mali in this role. 7 LMBCT could not resource us with an ASM and I did end up deploying in that role working with the National Support Element. A fantastic opportunity. The term ‘baptism of fire’ is often overused in life. On this occasion however........
Some of the Command Group and I deployed on the Pre-Advance Party a few weeks before the main body arrived in theatre. While we were still conducting accli- matisation in Camp Bagnold, it was announced by CO ROTO 4 that the UKs support to the MINUSMA mission would be ceasing. ROTO 5 would be the last iteration of UK force presence in Mali. focus would switch from Long Range Reconnaissance to Theatre Drawdown which in turn brought its own set of unique challenges. Firstly, there was a need to re-patriate several vehicles back to the UK over the Christmas period while also supporting patrols. With a hastily prepared Proof of Good Order (POGO) passport issued by PJHQ, the Task Group prepared seven FOXHOUNDS and 2 MASTIFFS beyond the standard expected on the far bank – and whilst simultaneously delivering vital in mission and inter mission Equipment Support to our teams deployed in the Sahel. After receiving an e-mail from DSG ASHCHURCH stating that they had received ‘some of the best kit seen that has come through the RSC’ and that ‘It is a mark of Engineering Excellence achieving these standards’ from SO1 ES Field Army, it is
fair to say that I was beginning to find my feet. That was before the Theatre Drawdown Unit (TDU) arrived for a recce with subsequent ES personnel arriving slightly later to assure the POGO process. Whilst we may have preferred the REME team to be embedded within the LAD, their job was to assure, and we began to present platforms in the pre-agreed order. HMTV platforms were placed into ISO containers for Sea Movement whilst other platforms were prepared for Air Movement out of theatre. It is testament to the Fitter Section Commanders (SSgt Wykes, SSgt Richardson, and Sgt Hagen) that all platforms were prepared well in time, and none were refused by the RAF.
Other elements sent to Theatre included two engineers from BABCOCK. Paddy and Chris were quite simply exceptional and became a real part of the team. Their sole mission was to regenerate the PJHQ agreed donor FOXHOUND platform. As ever, ESMAT was the handbrake, particularly after drawdown was announced but we got there in the end and the vehicle drove under its own steam onto the C17. More importantly Paddy was a fantastic addition to the LAD 5 a side football team.
Other highlights of the tour for me included a short trip to the capital Bamako to conduct inspections within my own CEG as an Artificer Weapons, a fabulous change of scenery. Working hand in hand with the QM’s Department and the RLC stores section was also a real privilege. They did nothing short of move heaven and earth to enable the LAD to conduct vital ES activity. Overall, I think the tour can only be seen as an enormous success story for the Regiment and I am in no doubt that it is due to the work conducted by all the ES personnel attached to SCOTS DG for ROTO 5. It was truly humbling to be on the command team of a diverse and selflessly committed G4 team.
A/SSgt Bell – Ex ARCADE LEDGER – 7 Light Mechanised Infantry Brigade Combat Team NATO Readiness Exercise. Jun – Jul 2023.
Exercise ARRCADE LEDGER took place in Hohne and Sennelager Training Area in Germany. For the older generation, it was an opportunity to get back onto some of the best ranges in Europe, enjoy a Gyros, a Warsteiner and the odd Currywurst and – if time permitted - visit a few old haunts from previous postings. For the young
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