Page 57 - MERCIAN Eagle 2020

Quartermaster’s Department
Maj Pete Lewis QM
The start of 2020 saw us preparing for Ex WARHAMMER, our annual LFTT exercise in March, with the whole department working flat out preparing stores and vehicles to facilitate the exercise in Warcop Training Area. In the background, the country was entering into the initial stages of COVID-19 and a national lockdown.
The Battalion was already deployed on exercise when the whole country was placed into lockdown with the COVID-19 pandemic reaching critical stages. CSgt Steve Banks was stuck in Warcop to facilitate the movement of troops to and from ranges and around the area for various training activities, when he had to prepare for an ever- changing situation
to conduct the various familiarisation training on all white fleet platforms. CSgt Banks, our MTWO (R), sorted out associated documentation and liaison with the Op RESCRIPT CoC to ensure that the numbers going through the training were accurate and accounted for. What seemed like a mammoth task went very smoothly and identified a lot of individuals that were holding license quals that had not been acknowledged earlier, with over 100 soldiers gaining at least one new driving qual.
In the background to this preparation for mobilisation, the QM’s Department was still working tirelessly to ensure that the Battalion had everything required
to ensure readiness and its ability to
from sanitising
vehicles after
every use to then
reducing capacity
due to social
distancing travel
recommendations,
making a difficult
task all the more so. Whilst the exercise continued, the QM’s Department
was starting to feel the impact of the COVID-19 situation and with very
few people in work, it was proving difficult to conduct routine business, impacting on our output, however we still managed to source all stores and equipment to continue training and supporting Ex WARHAMMER.
It was at this point that we got the word that all civilian employees were to be sent home where possible. This was put to our two civilian staff members
Mr and Mrs Lewis (yes married) that they could go home and wait for further direction to be given; however, both chose to stay in work and assist the remainder of the Department, which led us all to confirm what we already knew, that these pair were not just civilian employees but indeed very much part of the 4 MERCIAN family.
As the end of Ex WARHAMMER
was approaching, the Battalion had been warned off for mobilisation on Op RESCRIPT. The Battalion returned from Warcop on the Friday and deployed
on Ex RESILIENT EAGLE, the RSOI training package on the following Tuesday. Whilst at Altcar, there were
a number of training objectives, one
of which was white fleet familiarisation training which involved the MTWO and all the QPSIs going up to Altcar daily
switch straight
into mobilisation from LFTT with no issues at all. From driving around all locations collecting and delivering personal baggage and equipment,
this task was given to SSgt Risker and Mr Ade Lewis who put some miles in ensuring that those mobilised had all their personal effects. Also collecting vehicles from 42X in preparation of the new taskings which involved a complex movement matrix, but with the newly qualified drivers this was not an issue and by the end of OP RESCRIPT the Bn had driven over 112,000 miles.
COVID-19 had certainly had an impact on us all and as a department we became a closer and tight knit team with the addition of RQMS(R) WO2 Kev Pratt and CSgt Steve Banks bringing with them their hard-working ethos and good-humoured nature it only improved what was already a
good environment
to work in. it was
a sad day when it
came to an end with
the demobilisation
of OP RESCRPT
troops.
What seemed like a mammoth task went very smoothly...
Maj Pete Lewis QM
department to ensure a good set of accounts and first rate handover to the incoming QM Maj Pete Lewis. This was to be Maj Travis’s last tasking before moving on to become OC
HQ Company with 1 LANCS in Chester,
we thank him for all
the hard work and commitment over the past 2 years and wish him luck in his new post.
We would
like to take this opportunity to welcome the incoming QM, Maj Pete Lewis, who has come from
SO2 Programme Management Office, Armed Forces Recruiting programme and is a former RSM of 2 MERCIAN and Command Sergeant Major on Op HERRICK 15. We wish him a successful time in post.
It remains full on
in the department
with the preparation
for the board of officers in anticipation of a changeover of QM and CO,
with kit still all over the place from
Op RESCRIPT, it has proved to be a logistical challenge but one that Maj ‘Trapper’ Travis relished as he always does, getting dirty with the rest of the
COVID-19 had certainly had an impact on us all and as a department we became a closer and tight knit team
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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