Page 10 - Mercian Eagle 2014

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to Chester has fundamentally changed the Company. For a start, we are now A Grenadier Company, the Mountain Goat has officially retired and we know talk more about BUFs and TUFs things that the majority would never have heard of 3 months ago. However the old A Company spirit is still alive and we are now facing up to the challenge of Armoured Infantry Conversion and BATUS in 2015.
and well deserved promotions. CSgt Dickinson, the rock of A Coy’s G4 prior to HERRICK 17 has handed over the reins to CSgt Timperley. CSgt
have returned to A Company. LCpl Dorney passed SCBC and has returned and we expect big things from LCpl Davis and Cpl
Timperley, fresh from
RMAS has quickly
settled into the chair
supported by Cpl
Cooper and LCpl
Thursfield. ‘Skinny’ Hill
has returned as WSM,
with CSgt Dugmore
shoring up the CQMS
Tech team. Lt Phil
Anderson has left for Anti – Tank Platoon, Sgt McCabe has moved to B Coy being replaced by Sgt Hill and Sgt Street as the Pl Sgts. Of particular note and worthy of praise has been the promotion of the following
Pte solders: Grice, Whitehurst, Dunne, Matthews, Drew, Watson, Luvuwaqa and Bush on the JNCO Cadres of 2013/14. All
Davis both who are on Juniors now in Sep 14. Maj CJ Somers and CSM Vezza are hanging on, trying to control the mad goat!
The future is bright for A (Grenadier) Company 1 MERCIAN. A challenging training and conversion year
awaits; the development and then fine tuning of these skills into the best Armd INF Company in the Bn is the aim which we all aspire to. The healthy competition with B and C Coy abounds, it thankfully has never gone away as does the desire of the soldiers of A Company to do their best, whatever the task.
The Armd Inf driver, commander and gunner courses started immediately upon return from summer leave. Capt S Broadhurst (the Coy 2IC)’s brain and spreadsheet powers having been being stretched to the limit with the mother of data entry tasks, is just about surviving. As ever, the future shines brightly and everybody’s focus is on seizing every training opportunity between now and next summer. The summer of 2014 has seen a number of personality changes
OP FIRIC By Lt CJA Parry
The summer of 2014 has seen a number of personality changes and well deserved promotions.
all
Early this year, A Company were tasked to become the Roulement Infantry Company (RIC) for the Falkland Islands, known as Op FIRIC. This was an 8 week posting which included patrols, LFTT and providing the island’s Infantry QRF, as well as being able to conduct a CT2 Company level live firing exercise in one of the British Army’s most demanding and arduous training areas;
the Onion ranges. The Company arrived at the Falklands (with 2 Typhoon escorts on landing) and quickly regrouped to start the RIC rotation. Patrols provided an excellent opportunity for Section Commanders to test their skills and leadership. After being dropped off at a remote corner of the Islands by helicopter with nothing but their bergens, rifle and ammunition the sections
CSgt Dickinson and his crew (CQMS)
THE MERCIAN EAGLE