Page 32 - MERCIAN Eagle 2021

OC Maj Wayne Roberts CSM WO2 Dave Lennon CQMS CSgt Daniel Lawrence
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HQ (Eagle) Company
Once again HQ Company delivered in abundance in what turned out to be a busy, demanding, and educational year for all ranks in all departments. After conducting our build up training for Op CABRIT 8 in Germany and having a well- deserved Christmas leave, we returned to the continent to conduct Mission Ready Training (MRT) in preparation for our deployment to Estonia. This saw
the Company, now not only supporting the Battalion, but also being tested in doing so within the Battlegroup HQ, A1, A2 and the numerous Equipment Control Points (ECPs) in the harshest of conditions of the -17-degree temperatures of the German winter. On completion of MRT there was no time to rest; the fleet had to be handed back to the Land Training Fleet (Germany), the equipment moving forward to Estonia needed to be manifested into its shipping containers and movement controlled,
and the real-life support of the Battalion still needed to be conducted to ensure a smooth return to the UK. The transition from MRT to Op CABRIT was not made easy due to COVID and saw the Battalion return to Sennelager once again to isolate prior to bouncing on to Estonia. This saw the Rear Operations Group (ROG) having
to step up a team headed by Maj Rob Mears (QM) to forward base to ensure that all the G1 and G4 was captured, enabling those deploying to Estonia to concentrate on the mission in hand.
within the ROG back in Bulford worked to support the troops forward and how important they were to the Operation overall. When the Battlegroup returned to camp after a well-deserved Post Operational Tour Leave, the ROG, after over a year of supporting the Battalion, finally stood down. The first week back saw the QM’s department receiving the new A3 rifles, preparation for the Land Equipment Assurance visit, the LAD dealing with the hand-over of vehicles, and the RAO’s department preparing
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
As expected, HQ Company were first to bounce through Sennelager to Estonia with some troops only having a few days with family before their six months away. Op CABRIT saw a diverse, multi-national battlegroup expand to well over 1000 personnel at stages during the tour which pushed the G1 and G4 to the limits at times, highlighting
the hard work and
professionalism of
the troops within
HQ Company. There
were numerous
exercises where
the MRT proved its
worth, and lots of
lessons were learned
in all departments,
especially from working
with the French
company in the Battlegroup and the other Estonian units, through an Estonian Bde HQ.
Each department within the Company will rightly give their piece on what they have done and how well they have done it throughout the tour, but what does need to be highlighted is how hard those
for a G1 inspection. All this did not stop the Company from putting in a sterling performance and coming 2nd in the Platoon Patrols competition, which consisted of a 2-mile Gun Run, a number of fieldcraft stands and a 31⁄2 mile run back to camp.
A lot of hard work throughout the year has seen lots of lessons learned by the Company on MRT and CABRIT but the main one learned by the rest of the Battalion is: “Never underestimate the knowledge and determination of those within HQ (EAGLE) Company”.
What does need to be highlighted is how hard those within the ROG back in Bulford worked to support the troops
A typical HQ Coy O Gp