Page 23 - 4RA 2021-2023

97 Battery
After 2 months in post as the Battery Commander, I am delighted to write the foreword to this year’s addition to the 4RA Journal. The hefty sum of sub- missions is testament to the demand and opportunities which have been placed on 97 Battery (Lawson’s Company) and a credit to the men and women who serve their country proudly. Professionally, we are a Tactical Battery with Fire Support Teams and Joint Tactical Air Control Par- ties, but there is much more capacity in 97 Battery, as demonstrated by the broad range of activities in this submission. It shows the abundance of talent and dedi- cation of our soldiers and officers, who are now strapping themselves in for another operationally-focused year in support of the Very-high Readiness Joint Task Force (Land). Please enjoy this snippet of our last twelve months as we ourselves reflect on our great Battery history dating back to our formation in 1803.
Ex KANJAR OMAN
Capt Hebblewhite
Ex KANJAR OMAN is a large collective training exercise conducted in the deserts of Oman. It allows a scale and freedom of movement akin to BATUS, and a similar experience would be ultimately difficult to find in the UK. 97 Bty are fortunate to
Sgt Fletcher Ex KHANJAR OMAN 21
have been able to attend this exercise twice, first supporting the Royal Irish BG in Autumn 21 and subsequently the 2 SCOTS BG in Autumn 22. During both iterations the Bty battled through the burning heat to deliver Joint Fires to their respective BGs, synthetically killing the Kings’ enemies in spades. In both cases, 97 Bty maintained a well-deserved reputation amongst our combat arm brethren. The assets aligned to this exercise were extensive: during the first iteration the Btys JTACs saw multiple sorties from WILDCAT, AH-64, and F35, in a concentration very rare and quite pos- sibly unrealistic for a BG to have. The Bty however gained significant currency and competency benefits from the exercise and enjoyed what were for many the best cultural trips and AT they had ever expe- rienced whilst serving. FST parties were also tested, learning to operate out of both
The acting BC spins some dits
Jackal HMTV and Foxhound in a com- plex environment. This was all whilst also testing both their physical skills utilising the TES system to deliver synthetic fires, and their conceptual knowledge, advising on ROE, Battlespace management and enemy forces capability.
Ex SB 22 Skills house
SSgt Middleton & Bdr Hodgkinson
In Jan 2022, 4RA deployed to Gareloch- head in Scotland to conduct battlecraft syllabus (BCS) training on Ex SUNDER- LAND BAYONET. This saw a series of BCS stands, which notably included an intro- duction to Urban Operations. This was run by the Regiment’s Urban Warfare Instruc- tors, SSgt Middleton and Bdr Hodgkinson, and focused on tactically operating in the urban environment. This was the first time since OP HERRICK that the regiment has
4th Regiment Royal Artillery
(Lawsons Company) Maj Jordan Willey RA
Maj Willey RA
Capt Tombs RA
Capt Hebblewhite SCOTS DG Capt Rutherford RA
Capt Clark RA
Capt Ryall RA
Capt Bowler RA
Capt Pilkington RA
Capt Gandy RA
Capt Charrington RL
Flt Lt France
Flt Lt Reid
WO2 (BSM) Keegan
WO2 Spooner MC
SSgt Middleton
SSgt Stevens
Sgt McDonnell
Sgt Maddock
Sgt Caton-Hewings Sgt Fletcher
Sgt Hartley
Sgt Clifton
Sgt Mitchell
Sgt Pearson
Sgt Pratt
Bdr Constable
Bdr Cooper
Bdr Ditoka
Bdr Drummond Bdr Hodgkinson Bdr Rowlands
Bdr Heslington
Bdr Mccann Bdr Pearcy Bdr Wilkinson Bdr Barnard Cpl Collister Cpl Gibson LBdr Jackson LBdr Mcenroe LBdr Wakefield LBdr Williams LBdr Stoker LCpl Barker LCpl Wardman LCpl Worrall Gnr Cross
Gnr Davies
Gnr Gillespie Gnr Mayes Gnr Grant Gnr Reeve Gnr Turnbull Gnr Bonnett SAC Ward Tpr Burns Tpr Williams
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