Page 33 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

A (Grenadier) Company
Maj HJ Russell-Blackburn
It has now been just over four weeks since
I assumed command of A (Grenadier) Company and what an honour it is to now be a part of it. First, I must pay a tribute to my two predecessors, Majors Mike Brigham and Dave Triandafilou; the Company has
a fine reputation across the Army, and it
is down to their leadership over the past two years that has brought it to where it
is today. It has been great to return to Regimental Duty and see that not much has changed from when I was last a part of a rifle company. I have seen LFTT, Platoon exercises and deployed on a Company Collective Training level two exercise – and that is just the first three weeks!
Of course, this has not been the easiest of years for anybody, indeed my arrival here was delayed from April to September and I know that leave has been scarce for everybody. As I type this the Company are conducting post exercise admin before two weeks leave off island and I hope this will energise the team. The delayed Unit move back to the UK has been a blow
Ring from C Company. We have also said farewell to some: Sgt Rafferty is posted to the Infantry Training Centre, Sgt Uluikabara has gone to the Army Foundation College in Harrogate, and Cpl Jennision and LCpl
temperature in Cyprus forced us to operate at night, and we should continue to do so in the UK; the best own the night!
At the end of our first week of deployment the Company took part in
Ex FALLEN GRENADIER, the opportunity for new Grenadiers to earn their flash, which makes us stand out from the rest of the Battalion. The night event was a showcase of basic Infantry skills and it culminated with a service from the Padre where the names of fallen Grenadiers in Iraq and Afghanistan were recalled. It was an honour to receive my own flash but more so to present 13 new Grenadiers with theirs. The Company ethos is strong, and its resilience will be called for over the next 18 months as we prepare to unit move, deploy to Kenya, conduct individual and collective mission specific training and finally deploy to Afghanistan.
to both soldiers and families but the level
of professionalism surrounding the news has been outstanding. We are now only weeks away from finally moving home where we will
only have a short time to settle prior to a year of preparation for an operational deployment.
The temperature in Cyprus forced us to operate at night, and we should continue to do so in the UK; the best own the night!
Gregory Hughes have decided to leave
the Army for a new challenge in life – the door is always open
if they wish to return.
To all those that have left, you leave with our thanks and best wishes.
It has been great to see our team in its natural
The Company has welcomed some new faces recently: Capt Ed Ireland, our second in command, re-joined the Army after a couple of years working in the Civil Service, 2Lts Blake and Park from RMAS, and Sgt
environment, ranges and exercise. The ranges have provided time to hone Infantry core skills and the exercise weeks were a good opportunity to shake out into basic Company operations. The
Company Orders on Ex AETOS FURY 5
Ex FALLEN GRENADIER flash presentation
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