Page 33 - MERCIAN Eagle 2021

Quartermaster’s Department
QM QM(T) RQMS RQMS(T) EE SNCO USA
1LO Team
Ammo
MSA Barrack Mgr USA 2IC
Maj Rob Mears
Capt George Long WOII Ben Umney
WOII James Timperley CSgt Tomlinson
Sgt Lambert
SSgt Ampadu,
Cpl Gurung, LCpl Matafonau, Pte Thiga Cpl Murray
Cpl Freeman
Pte Peake
Pte Henaghan
After a short Christmas leave period the Battlegroup’s (BG) G4 elements deployed as an advance party back to Germany in early January 21 in order to take over and prepare the armoured fleet for Ex TALLINN DAWN (Ex TD). This comprised of sub-unit echelons and 80% of our Quarter Master’s (QM’s) department, leaving a small team holding the fort back in Bulford. Being
the first BG QMs department to conduct Mission Ready Training (MRT) in Germany threw up a vast number of challenges and constraints and if you include BREXIT and the COVID restrictions that were placed upon us, you may start to appreciate some of the issues that the department had.
To point out two main issues: first, we would have to
try to navigate the
complicated new
the biggest issue we faced was COVID, with 5 RIFLES having a very high number of positive and contact traces in isolation, so trying to accommodate and feed the outgoing and incoming BGs was difficult, as well as trying to conduct the hand over. Without the hard work and dedication of the sub-unit G4 teams, this would not have worked as well as it did.
Once the exercises and deployed training serials started with the Estonian Defence Force, the QM’s department supported
the BG in the normal A2 function as well
as supporting B ECHELON, which was challenging, because at one point we had 400 Service personnel in isolation who
Fiji Cultural day – QM Tech – LCpl Tav – RQMS M – Pte Thiga
supporting A Company as they continued to train. Fleet preparation for a 12 Brigade exercise was the focus for almost 4
months for a small team from the Battalion supported by the LAD. The planned 8-month ‘life cycle’ and refurbishment of the QM’s department began in February
21. We gained partial occupancy back into the building in early November and as the Battalion returned from POTL activity we were focused on a Command Assurance Muster, LEA and hand over of QMs. The department is now back together after 13 months of separation and looking forward to Christmas. The department said a fond farewell to WO2 Davies (on promotion to Captain and assumption of the role of BGO 1 MERCIAN) and welcomed WO2 Ben Umney as RQMS(M). We also waved off WO2 Timperley on promotion to WO1 and the prestigious role of RSM Old College at RMAS. We would like to welcome WO2 Lee Fowles as RQMS(T). We would like to thank both former RQs for their hard work over the past year.
It has been an outstanding year for the QM’s department providing support to operations, overseas deployments, training and infrastructure changes. All of it has been conducted in a COVID environment requiring the small team to remain focused, motivated and extremely flexible. The team is looking forward to the challenges of 2022.
Adazi A2 Flooded
customs procedures
that came with BREXIT
and trying to get
essential stores and
spares delivered to
Germany; and second,
trying to operate and
feed the amount of
Service personnel that
we had in isolation due
to COVID contact traces. However, with the great help and support that we received from the Land Training Fleet (Sennelager) (LTF(S)) team, we executed a successful hand-over, take-over of a large BG fleet, and then a very successful rehabilitation and hand back of all vehicles and infrastructure at the end of the MRT period. The QM then led a small team of key people from across the Bn to establish and run a bespoke isolation facility in Germany to enable the deployment from the UK via Germany and onwards to Estonia.
Op CABRIT 8
After a short isolation period in Germany in mid-Mar 21, the QM’s department deployed forward as the Advance Party, where we
hit the ground running. Op CABRIT 8 saw the largest BG deployment in Estonia so
far, with 1200 Service personnel deployed and circa 500 vehicle platforms that needed to be taken over in good order. On arrival
department started
normally, which saw the QM Tech and A2 deploy to Adazi Ranges in Latvia to support the BG’s live firing camp. The live firing
was a success, however the two days of torrential rain did test the soldiers’ wet/dry drills, as A2 was nearly washed away and had to move location.
The live firing was a success, however the two days of torrential rain did test the soldiers’ wet/dry drills
had tested positive
for COVID or were a contact trace. This
was mainly due to the accommodation setup, as 95% of the BG were accommodated in 10-person rooms. Once we got through April and all troops started
to receive vaccinations, things started to
calm down and the
to be able to function
Overall, the deployment from a G4 perspective was great training opportunity and a success. When it came to the assurance regimes (LSAI and LEA) the BG excelled and the Relief in Place with the RTR BG went as well as it could. The 1 MERCIAN Battlegroup rehabilitated and returned home with no real issues.
ROG
Once the BG had deployed the QM and his team collapsed the isolation facility in Germany and recovered back to the UK to resume ROG business which continued as usual in the ‘firm base’ of Bulford,
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
31