Page 43 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

A (Grenadier) Company
Maj Mike J Brigham MBE
Over the last twelve months, A (Grenadier) Company has been employed on Op TIMBERN, protecting some of the UK’s most vital national infrastructure, alongside its routine duties of AT, sports, training and life in Cyprus. Although not the sexiest, Cyprus operations is quite possible the single most important task the solders of A (Grenadier) Company will ever conduct and during our time has enabled operational and strategic success for the UK and its partners.
Op TIMBERN is the routine security
of the key strategic sites in Cyprus. The soldiers of A (Grenadier) Company were the first from 2 MERCIAN to take on this task and set about operationalising what was previously routine guard and duties. Within weeks the company had improved and reinvigorated the operation, ensuring the routine patrols were effects based, targeted and varied. This enabled the company to maintain its soldiering
skills whilst deployed on
Op TIMBERN alongside
adding purpose to the
mundane. The soldiers
performed their duties
over the two eight-
week blocks beyond
what could have been
expected. They are without a doubt the finest credit to our nation. Most notably, the first rotation of Op TIMBERN saw 13 AFC Harrogate graduates arrive to battalion from the Infantry Training Centre.
The 13 soldiers had a fantastic introduction to the Army, commencing with Op TIMBERN, immediately followed by CT2 training on Ex AETOS FURY (conventional force training), Ex EAGLES UNREST
(public order training) and a ceremonial
and public engagement tour that visited aspects from all our antecedent regiments finishing with the Crich Pilgrimage and the National Arboretum, prior to summer leave.
The 13 soldiers performed above and beyond what was expected. Pte Hallsworth demonstrated relentless professionalism and exemplary conduct, resulting in him being awarded the Alma award and
(Grenadier) Company, has full integrated and will be deploying with the company
on security operations to RAF Akortori,
Ex OLIVE GROVE to Jordan in the new year of 2020 and finally on a Lead Company Group deployment to Bahrain in April of 2020. It has been a privilege and honour
to command the LIONS alongside our EAGLES. The most notable benefit and joy to watch is the healthy competition that it encourages.
Finally, it has been an unbelievable privilege to command A (Grenadier) Company of 2 MERCIAN. It is unquestionably the best job I’ve ever had. At times it is the most frustrating, but without doubt the most rewarding. Our soldiers are an unbelievable credit to this fine Regiment and our great nation. I look forward to seeing their continued success and progression under their next company commander.
represented Pte Keenan by trooping the Colour on the Alma parade.
Outside of company training, the platoons have been busy with AT, the Cambrian patrol and a myriad of other activities available in
Cyprus, including kite surfing, kayaking, go- karting, paragliding, accelerated freefall and scuba-diving. The platoon commanders will expand on some of these.
In addition to the new recruits from ITC and Harrogate, A (Grenadier) Company has had the privilege of an attached platoon of Lancashire Lions to fill the gap of its third platoon. The LANCS platoon, now 3 Pl A
The 13 soldiers performed above and beyond what was expected
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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