Page 27 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

in deployment from Op TORAL to Op CABRIT meant that we had to re-orientate ourselves after summer leave and, as you would expect, the whole of the MT took
it in their stride. LCpl
Vaqewa in the driver
training cell has been
excellent and worked
tirelessly to ensure our
soldiers were trained on
our platforms with the
various conversion and
general service courses
conducted in quick
succession. Pte Dutton
has been instrumental
in ensuring our white
fleet requirements met
the demand. Due to COVID-19, Cpl Kaucha was attached to Leconfield for four months to assist them in delivering driver training
to Phase 2 and 3 students, and being the
Pte Ingbedion conducting B fleet maintenance
seasoned JNCO he is, I am sure they learnt a lot from his instructional ability which will hold them in good stead for their future.
OP CABRIT is now our main focus and we are busy preparing
LCpl Vaqewa in the driver training cell has been excellent and worked tirelessly to ensure our soldiers were trained on our platforms
for it. The MT have been in Germany supporting the Battalion gunnery camp; it has been an extremely useful experience and
a good run-out to test our skills in and out of camp in advance of our validation and then operational deployment next year. We are all now looking forward to
a well-earned period of leave at Christmas and our upcoming deployment to Estonia in late spring 2021.
Pte Dutton commanding a vehicle onto a trailer
CIS Platoon
Company Overview:
Pl Comd: Captain Yaxley 2IC: CSgt Edge
2020 has seen the CIS Platoon go from strength to strength, with an influx of keen young soldiers from ITC Catterick seeing us fully manned and in a fantastic place to deploy on Operation CABRIT in Estonia. We said farewell to WO2 Sweeting who, after completing three years as the RSWO, has moved onto 4 MERCIAN as an SPSI. WO2 Barringham will take up the reins in December 2020 ready to deploy on Mission Ready Training in January 2021. Also moving out of the CIS Platoon is Capt Johl, teaching the future generations of Infantry leaders as a Junior Division Instructor in the Infantry Battle School Brecon, with Capt Yaxley taking over as RSO, after finishing his time as Regimental Adjutant in RHQ.
During 2020 the CIS Platoon has provided its normal high level of support to the Battalion as well as deploying under 20 Brigade on a deployed Combined Arms Staff Training exercise. CIS also took over all the uplift radios for OP TEMPERER, for which members of the Platoon remained on extremely high readiness in order to deploy the Battalion at short notice. This operation was extended by three months before being handed over to the QRH. While this was happening, the Platoon was hard at work, with most of the new arrivals from Catterick earning some sort of new driving qualification, making sure that whether on wheels or tracks the Platoon is self-sustaining and ready to keep up with the battle.
After the news that we would switch from Op TORAL to Op CABRIT, CIS quickly switched its full attention
to getting the Battalion ready to
deploy to Sennelager in Germany for training. While deployed in Germany
all members of the CIS Platoon completed their light role ranges, never compromising on our core Infantry skills so that we are always ready to fight
for comms at the front of the battle. After the live firing had concluded,
CIS moved into the Combined Arms Tactical Trainer and Combined Arms Staff Trainer buildings to start preparing the Battle Group Headquarters for simulated training and staff planning. The Platoon also conducted training on HF skywave, managing to communicate from Sennelager back
to Salisbury Plain, Lossiemouth, and Kinloss. The training finished by using the TASCOM listening station to patch the signal onto the civilian phone network and call the Adjutant’s mobile phone!
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
25