Page 21 - Mercian Eagle 2014

SUPPORT WEAPONS CADRE – A PRIVATE’S VIEW Pte Dwyer – 1 MERCIAN FSG
After returning from Afghanistan in May 2013 and taking our POTL, we all thought the Battalion would have a quiet finish to 2013 and slowly ease into training in 2014. As it happened, I ended up being deployed on 4 overseas exercises in 4 months!
After POTL I was offered the chance to move to the Battalion’s Fire Support Group; a chance I jumped at. After a couple of months with the Platoon, the time came for us to complete a heavy weapons cardre, which was designed to train the new members
of the Platoon on the use of GPMG(LR), GPMG(SF), HMG, GMG and Javelin.
Week one began with Javelin training. We spent long hours in the classroom, being taught all the aspects of using
the Command Launch Unit and the characteristics of the weapon system. We got hands on the CLU, perfecting our
skills and drills before moving on to the
last phase of the course; the IDT. This is
a system where the CLU and missile are connected up to a computer to simulate scenarios in which an accurate Javelin strike is needed. After a few late nights getting everyone through the shoots, we moved onto GPMG(LR) and GPMG(SF); the Platoon’s bread and butter.
We first spent a week of re-learning the GPMG in light role, then moved onto a two week phase that taught us how to employ the weapon in the Sustained Fire role. Firstly the characteristics, gun line drills and gun runs were taught, followed by a week’s live firing in Otterburn perfecting our gun line drills and doing obscuration shoots. These are specialised shoots in which you cannot actually see the target and rely on accurate manual adjustments to the gun and tripod
in order to deliver an effective burst onto the target.
During the final phase of the cadre, we were taught how to use the HMG and GMG. Again, we were subjected to, I mean ‘enjoyed’, a week in Otterburn, being taught skills and drills and doing weapon handling tests. This was followed by a week’s live firing in Warcop. During this week the Platoon fired more .50 cal rounds and 40mm GMG rounds than had probably ever previously been fired by a Platoon in one range week!
Shortly after, we were made aware we would be deployed on exercise in Cyprus and Kenya, then France followed by two months on the Falklands Islands. All in all, a busy period that allowed us to practice the drills and skills we have spent the previous months learning!
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
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