Page 93 - MERCIAN Eagle 2021

Activities
Ex SAXON LANCE
Maj Nigel Bradley QGM (Bn 2IC)
For Army Reservists to achieve a Certificate of Efficiency for the training year, they
must complete MATTS, attend a number
of assured training events and complete
a period of Annual Continuous Training (ACT) included in a minimum attendance commitment of 27 Reserve Service Days. This year, the ACT was due to be Exercise SAVA STAR, which would have seen a
light role coy training exercise take place
in Croatia during September. COVID-19 travel restrictions scuppered this Overseas Training Exercise plan so, as a contingency, 4 MERCIAN deployed to Warcop in Cumbria to complete 16 days of continuous training focussing on Specialist Weapons Cadres, namely 81mm Mortar, Javelin Anti- Tanks, GPMG (Light Role and Sustained Fire) and the Sharpshooter Rifle.
The QM’s Advance Party arrived to take over accommodation and stores in Warcop prior to the main body arrival on Sat 9 Oct. The exception being the Machine Gun Platoon who completed the early days of their training based out of their Army Reserve Centre in Burton where they were able to complete weapon handling tests and build team spirit and cohesion prior to joining the rest of the Bn later in the first week where they quickly transitioned to live firing ranges.
By the end of the first week, it was
clear that our Reservist’s individual skills, drills and confidence had improved in line with an increase in tempo and intensity
of the training. We also received a visit
from Commander 20th Armoured Brigade Combat Team, Brigadier Boswell, who took time out of his busy schedule to meet our Reservists as they conducted field training.
With Covid-19 transmission still on the increase nationally, we were determined to protect our workforce, therefore a
strict Lateral Flow Testing regime was in place which tested every three days to minimise the risk of an outbreak. After the first week and with all tests negative, we were confident that a ‘covid bubble’ had been formed and therefore a curry supper together with two cans of beers was held with the main aim being to allow the CO
to promote in front of the Bn those who
had been successful at recent boards. Our congratulations go to the newly promoted LCpls Challah, Cox and Watts (B Coy), LCpl Robinson (D Coy), LCpl Cooling, Cpl Harley (HQ Coy), Sgt Tristan (D Coy) CSgt Bolas (HQ Coy) and CSgt Edwards-Jones (D Coy).
Other visitors to our training were Col Sutherland, Colonel Infantry (Reserves), and Lt Col Nathan, the King’s Division Lieutenant Colonel, who both enjoyed
a day in the field with our Reservists. A cameraman from BFBS also visited our training and produced an excellent piece which was shown on Forces TV and can be viewed via link: https://www.forces.net/ news?videoId=6279025930001
During the exercise, it was confirmed that 4 MERCIAN has been allocated Exercise IRON WOLF, which will take place in June 2022. This will see 140 Reservists deploy to Lithuania in a Light Role Infantry Company ORBAT and form part of a multi-national
Battlegroup as part of a larger NATO exercise.
Before releasing those who attended the ATE, the CO had the pleasure of presenting some of our people with Volunteer Reserve Service Medals, Op TORAL medals
and his CO’s Coin. The 16-day exercise allowed for some welcome unit cohesion as well as demonstrating the utility of Army Reserves in the Specialist Weapons role. Concurrently, and as part of the Army’s Exercise AGILE STANCE, 4 MERCIAN carried out a capability audit and face
to face (f2f) muster of all AR personnel designed to verify individual capability and readiness.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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