Page 75 - RADC 2017

MILITARY MATTERS
Northern Region MATTs Week
Major Henry Walker, RADC
The first week in September saw the Northern Region’s RADC personnel scrabbling to find webbing, comfy boots and their compasses before driving to ITC Catterick for a MATTs week organised by Col McDonald’s PDO Department. Inevitably, no one managed to find their rifle sling and combi tool which we all handed back at the end of phase 1 training, never to be issued again.
Monday morning’s lessons provided a sharp reminder of the military knowledge
we are expected to know, with the weapon handling test being the main event. Kindly ITC staff guided us patiently through and the tests went without a hitch, luckily, meaning we were all safe and confident (?) to progress to Wednesday’s range package.
Later that day, the PFA provided its usual dread as we all over analysed our tactics on how to pass the event. The ITC route provided a stern test with its hills and rough terrain, however, spurred on by the crowds of on looking sheep, the majority passed.
Tuesday provided some fresh challenges in the form of CBRN training. In previous years MATTs this had been a slightly overlooked lesson so there were some pale faces when the instructor said: “check your respirators carefully before we all enter the gas chamber”. Majors Brown and Bartlett provided some inspiration when they returned with bright red eyes and streaming noses, and Major Bartlett was overheard
in the chamber asking, “should I be able to smell and taste CS gas?” whilst wearing her respirator. Cpl Clarke showed how to pull of the CBRN suit, even if it is 10 sizes too big
for you.
The range package provided a welcome
day in the fresh air at Wathgill Camp. The day began with some zeroing drills to adjust our sights and familiarise ourselves with
the SA80. As everyone’s fingers started
to chill and hunger levels increased, the timely Salvation Army burger van arrived and provided a welcome alternative to the cheese savoury horror bag sandwiches
and the sausage rolls with four-year use
by dates. At the end of the day everyone successfully passed without needing any
re shoots. Possibly the range staff chose to overlook that two people shared the same target for half a shoot or that some people
handed back a lot of unfired rounds!
The weather was kind and provided blue sky and sunshine for the NavEx. Individuals
set off around the Catterick training area having plotted their route cards with grid references, distances and bearings. Three hours later all personnel were returned safely having gathered the required location codes. The location code placed in the middle of a swamp seemed a little unfair!
Everyone reported enjoying the week and being taken out of their dental comfort zone whilst catching up with friends and colleagues.
SPORT
AMS Swimming
LCpl Weedall, RADC
The AMS swimming and water polo competition took place on the 3rd and 4th of October. Major King, SSgt Beckett, LCpl Burgess and I took part, along with 2 medics from the Grenadier Guards, a medic from Blandford and a nurse from Colchester, within a DPHC team. We could enter as many races as we wanted but could
only score for three. We had people competing in the majority
of events and entered a team into the relays. On the second
day there was a water polo competition, we teamed up with the Military Working Dogs and DMG (N) due to lack of team members. All team members bar one had never played before and so it
was a massive eye opener into the tactics and rules of the game. Overall the ladies came 2nd, the men came 5th and overall as a team we came 5th. It was a thoroughly enjoyable two days.
RADC BULLETIN 2017 73