Page 43 - Mind, Body and Spirit 2016/17

41
1GG CO PT
1GG BATUK Safaricom Marathon
Upon our return from Kenya we welcomed the Battalion Families Day, which was well attended by past and present Grenadiers, a number of stands, ranging from locally produced Cider from the Bristol Grenadier Guards Members Branch (most popular stand), re brigade, Support Company demonstrations etc. In the main arena there were Inter Company Competitions; Assault Course and Tug of War. Heavily involved with the organisation of the two competitions I was also able to be a member of the Headquarter Company Tug of War Team who nished winners of the competition. We received our winner’s medals from the VVIP Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.
After a well-deserved Summer Leave we returned to start preparation for the Battalion’s New Role as the Lead Battalion of Voluntary Joint Task Force (VJTF) which we of cially took over from 1 MERCIAN on 01 Jan 17. This involved new development of physical training programmes as different Company’s were assigned various tasks within the VJTF Deployment Plan.
In Nov 16 we deployed yet again on another overseas exercise, Ex SILVER ARROW, Latvia, to work with our Dutch, Latvian and Albanian counterparts, with the USMC providing enemy for the exercise. My role for this exercise was to work with the Sergeant Major’s Rover Group and provide Casualty Evacuations Extractions and Ammunition Re-Supply tasks. A very cold exercise but very bene cial for the Battalion to see how our counterparts operate within the eld.
Since Apr 16 the Battalion have deployed on many exercises both within the UK and abroad namely exercise’s to Kenya, Albania, Germany and Latvia in preparation for our VJTF role.