Page 55 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

HQ (Eagle) Company
2Lt Hugh Murdoch
2020 has been an incredibly busy year for members of HQ Company. While lockdown saw normal life grind to a halt, HQ Coy was able to deploy as part of the COVID Support Force (CSF) on Op RESCRIPT to assist
in national effort in fighting the pandemic. Members of HQ Coy have also deployed to Estonia with the 5 RIFLES Battlegroup as part of Op CABRIT. Despite the Coronavirus outbreak, training has been able to continue with social distancing measures in place.
For the Anti-Tank Platoon, the first few months of 2020 were a busy period, with the platoon focussed on switching from BCS and light role infantry to concentrating on their specialist anti-tank role. PSI CSgt Carr writes:
‘The switch was to be a hard undertaking due to the MATTS, logistics and training requirements needed for live fire Javelin
and NLAW. The Javelin cadre started mid- January 2020 breaking down the lessons required over a two month period before
Ex WARHAMMER 20 and our live firing began.’
Javelin drills (Pte Vicky Wild, Pte Simon Kendrick)
HQ Coy deploy to Otterburn for a live fire package. CSgt Perryman writes:
‘During Ex WARHAMMER, 5 troops from the anti-tank cadre completed their training which included an observation post urban
Firing a sharpshooter on Ex Viking Slayer
received orders to send troops to conduct Mobile Testing Unit (MTU) training at Grantham. Following this we deployed our first MTU to Carlisle to conduct COVID tests in isolated regions of Cumbria. By
the end of Op RESCRIPT the 4 MERCIAN CSF had 5 MTU teams operating at any one time in Cumbria and Lancashire. After picking up test kits at the Regional Testing Centre (RTC) the MTUs would deploy to a small town or city around the North West of England. There they would set up the MTU site. The basic layout of the MTUs was a tent where members of the public would drive past and be handed a test kit, before pulling into a parking bay to conduct the test themselves. Members of the MTU would walk around and assist the public
if they had any problems conducting the test. Then at another tent the test kits would be collected. The CSF also deployed a Regional Care Home Response (RCR) team, which involved a minivan picking up test kits and delivering them to care homes
During drill nights, troops prepared for
Ex WARHAMMER 20 with progressive lessons on night vision equipment, weapons training and Javelin. In
February members of
HQ Coy went to Israel
to conduct a battlefield
study, travelling from
the North to South
across the country.
The trip started in the
Golan Heights with
discussions about the
threats Israel faces from
non-state actors in
Lebanon and Syria. Troops then travelled to Jerusalem where they were free to explore the city and learn about its significant past. The trip also involved a visit to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Masada, the Ramleh Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery and a leisurely dip in the Dead Sea.
HQ Coy also said goodbye to OC, Major Nigel Bradley QGM, who took over as Battalion 2IC. Major Ian Nellins QGM BEM took over from him as OC HQ (Eagle) Coy.
During March I was lucky enough to deploy to Sweden for a winter warfare course run by the Swedish Army Reserves. The course saw Reservists from the UK, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania deploy to Camp Ann near Ostersund. Training involved learning how to survive in a winter climate, cross country skiing, building snow shelters and smoke signals and the ice breaking drills. A particular highlight is being left alone in the woods overnight to put into practice everything I had learnt.
phase and further training on the Javelin and NLAW weapon systems. They put this training into practice
on the last 2 days of the exercise where
they fired four Javelin missiles and six NLAWs between them, all achieving K-Kill’.
Following on from Ex WARHAMMER the UK went into a
national lockdown. In preparation for mobilisation, the Battalion completed
a 10-day training package at Altcar,
Ex RESILIENT EAGLE, designed to deliver pre-mobilisation RSOI. HQ Coy completed a MATTs package as well as conducting mission specific training
The switch was to be a hard undertaking due to the MATTS, logistics and training requirements needed for live fire Javelin and NLAW
Ex Warhammer 20 saw members of
for Op RESCRIPT.
This training included
conducting vehicle and
personnel searches,
team medic cadre,
ACMT, RFT and Op
TEMPERER briefs. A
week into the exercise,
the Battalion received
orders to take over
Halton Training Camp
(HTC) in Lancaster for Op RESCRIPT taskings. Capt Christopher Bermingham took over as OC of the newly formed
4 MERCIAN CSF, with me employed as the 2IC.
Not long after our takeover of HTC we
for the residents to conduct tests, before picking them up the next day. Members of the Band of the Mercian Regiment accompanied the RCR team to care homes to put on a small performance to cheer up the residents. Members of the CSF were also trained to
become MTU instructors, meaning we could train our MTU teams internally, and to conduct invasive tests. Over the 3-month period the CSF was deployed on Op RESCRIPT we conducted over 17,000 tests in Cumbria and Lancashire.
Over the 3-month period the CSF was deployed on Op RESCRIPT we conducted over 17,000 tests in Cumbria and Lancashire
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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