Page 35 - MERCIAN Eagle 2021

Motor Transport Platoon
MTO
MTWO MT SNCO
Capt Steve Mactavish
WO2 Scott Bartlett Sgt Richard Grey
Since the last edition of the MERCIAN Eagle, the MT Platoon has had a large churn of soldiers. Sgt Grey has moved over to the Unit Welfare Office as the Welfare Sgt, swapping with Sgt Barratt who has taken over as the MT Sgt. Cpl Nash has moved onto the CIS Platoon, and Cpl Gurung and has left the Army. Coming back from Op CABRIT Post Tour Leave we have gained some excellent soldiers in LCpl’s Gurung and Whitehead and Pte’s Smith, Miamba and Otter; this has allowed us to improve our operational deployability.
The majority of the last year has
seen two thirds of the MT deployed to Germany supporting Battalion training and Ex Tallinn Dawn, with a short period of leave before deploying to Estonia as the eFP BG MT platoon, backfilled by members of 3 RHA.
Op CABRIT proved an excellent training opportunity for the MT to practice Battlegroup resupply to UK and NATO allies, giving confidence in the interoperability our equipment. The
platoon organised and conducted long road marches to Latvia, operated at reach and concentrated on our core soldiering. Lots of valuable experience was gained by all, especially at the JNCO and Pte soldier level; the confidence gained by this cannot be underestimated. This was all conducted whilst maintaining real life support
to the Enhanced Forward Presence Battlegroup with transport provided for Adventure Training, R&R, welfare tasks and Defence Engagement throughout too.
Those of the MT who did not deploy were very busy maintaining and servicing vehicles, providing driver training, and working with the ROG
in barracks. They also supported the
A1 Ech BG resupply in Estonia
UK-side of Op CABRIT, ensuring R&R transport met our soldiers and provided welfare transport as required.
The whole of the 1 MERCIAN MT platoon contributed to making Op CABRIT the success it was, and a huge thanks and congratulations is duly given to the team for their efforts. Sgt Grey was formally recognised for his effort on Op CABRIT and deservedly awarded a GOC 3 Div Commendation.
Whilst we have now returned from leave, the focus has switched straight back to readiness and we are back
to concentrating on delivering driver training, with a focus on qualifying UST operators for next year’s training and readiness.
Cpl Kaucha in a familiar position, working hard in Latvia
RAO Department
The advance party of the Adjutant General’s Corps arrived in Tapa Camp, Estonia, on
12 March 21 to begin their 6-month tour
of Op CABRIT 8, with the remainder of
the Detachment arriving in the following weeks to carry out their various roles and responsibilities. In total the ‘SPS team forward’ consisted of 12 individuals made up from: 1 MERCIAN; 3 Royal Horse Artillery; 30 Armoured Engineer Squadron, and the Royal Tank Regiment. This team was responsible for catering to the J1 needs of the enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) Battlegroup (BG) of over 1000 personnel.
During the first month the team arrived and administered personnel from the various units making up the Battlegroup on a weekly basis, with each flight having over 100 personnel. All SPS members worked diligently to continue to deliver the SPS Branch mission – ‘To deliver effective personnel administration to the Army in barracks and on operations in order to support the maintenance of capable and motivated personnel’. Displaying one of the Branch ethos pillars of ‘Soldier First’,
all the detachment found themselves on the training area, experiencing life from
the other side of the desk, on live firing packages, driving some of the vehicles the Battalion holds, or as dismounted soldiers and radio operators in the ops room.
Detachment members deployed on various exercises, in conjunction with their sub-units and alongside infantry soldiers on Ex BOLD EAGLE and Ex SPRING STORM, for the build-up to the final
Vitna Lake Trail Walk
integration interoperability exercise between the Estonians, French and other NATO countries. This was eye opening for many, who had not experienced exercises on this scale or multinational level before.
With the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the entire BG, over half the detachment were forced to isolate at various times. However, the level of J1 support did not falter and
the team were still able to maintain the high standards required in line with the SPS
RAO
Det Comd RAWO
Maj Kelly Wilson Capt Michelle Walton WO2 Luke Slucock
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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