Page 19 - Mercian Eagle 2014

9 Platoon Lt N Hudson
With the Regimental REORG now complete 9 Pl is in full swing with a strong frontage of 41 soldiers. The last 12 months have been a demanding period for the lads from all three MERCIAN Battalions. To give an idea of the scope of experience gained in the past year,
Pte O’Reilly, originally 1 MERCIAN deployed to Cyprus on Ex LION SUN, where he participated in demanding dismounted platoon tactics in a conventional setting. While Pte Smith 22 originally from 2 MERCIAN, deployed to Kenya and a myriad of other light role exercises. Pte Nicklin, ex 3 MERCIAN completed HERRICK 19, working mostly with the KLT (Kandak Liaison Team) and being employed as a Foxhound driver.
So the scene was set for the 1st Sept, our first aiming mark. The Regimental Day and this year it initiated the start to
the various Armoured Infantry courses, with the Platoon already is setting a high benchmark for armoured qualifications and crew/dismount flexibility. Since then we have been away as a company on
Ex ARMOURED KOHIMA 1 in South Wales, a good chance to shake off the cobwebs, carryout some low level training and generally get to know each other. Star jumps in the sea at Tenby is always
a refreshing start to any day and LCpl Williams showed the rest of the Platoon how to get around the navigation exercise in good time.
Upcoming events include Ex CAMBRIAN PATROL which Pte’s Toth and Macmillan are looking forward to and EX ARMOURED KOHIMA 2 in November where we will continue our journey to full operating capability as an Armoured Infantry Platoon. Congratulations to; Pte’s Davies 32,
Dismounted patrol skills
Pte Wilson 98 and Pte Baskerville on successfully passing a PJNCO cadre and LCpl Barton on his success on SCBC and good luck to LCpl Heaton who is currently away on SCBC.
Pl Comd Pl Sgt WR Sgt
Lt N Hudson
Sgt B Cornbill A/Sgt D Kolodynski
EX LION SUN 1 – CYPRUS 16 Nov – 22 Dec 13 Capt Steve Pope, C Company 2IC
Many Reservists would recognise this exercise as EX LION STAR however this version is four weeks rather than two and aimed at regular units. This is where my
job as Company Second in Command got a little bit difficult as there were no post exercise reports to consult as no one had written one before. I had to create a month long sub-unit exercise in a foreign country from scratch. After a few weeks planning and cold calling Cypriots, I successfully managed to accelerate my receding
hairline and formulate a workable plan-ish.
I then made things harder for myself by
not attending the recce due to a wedding. When the recce party returned they confirmed that Cyprus was a country, it was hot, there was a training area and some ranges which we could use and also that beer was available. My planning in the dark continued.
I boarded the flight at Brize Norton
as part of the Advance Party on the 16 December clutching my MTP NIREX, which contained my whole plan, feeling slightly nervous that things weren’t going to go my way. However, I was
pleasantly surprised
when we emerged from
RAF Akrotiri that there
were cars waiting for
us to drive, rooms for
us to sleep in and food
for us to eat. Things
were looking up! I was
fortunate to have CSgt
Done as my CQMS
who quickly built a strong relationship
with key figures in Cyprus and took over our resources and set up the Company in Dhekalia on the eastern side of the island. It was a good feeling when the OC, Maj Ed Gaffney arrived with the main body and the
coaches were lined up with a Police Escort to get the Company and weapons over to the eastern side of the island and he asked if ‘I had done all this?’
It was a small but demanding range area with a boat sentry and an ice cream van...
days of RSOI
the Company conducted a four day range package at DHEKELIA and then
six days of LFTT at
the PYLA complex.
The Company conducted up to platoon attack by day, platoon ambush at night and fire team attack at
After an initial two
night. It was a small but demanding range area with a boat sentry and an ice cream van which made a killing on 5 Euro Mr Whippys.
After a company smoker we moved over to the western side of the island and we entered the dry training phase which
Casevac the hard way
Best 10 euros I’ve spent
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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