Page 49 - Mercian Eagle 2014

7 Platoon Commander – Lt Dave Bell
7 Platoon C (Skirmish) Company falls-in-line after another very busy year. With a change
in the Platoon Sergeant, to Sgt Cotterill and the new draft of youth, the focus changed from OP HERRICK to EX ASKARI THUNDER. Pre-training began early with the emphasis on dynamic command and the use of the ‘fight light’ policy within the company. The location and rumours that surrounded the exercise and test phase added to the tension amongst the men before deployment.
After long days and nights preparing the platoon, they arrived good to go for the three phases over the two month period. Initially the first phase was a company level shake out, testing basic navigation and
also the transition to the live firing phase. The scenery was breath taking and the proximity to wildlife could never be bought as a civilian, but this quickly wore off with
the numerous insertion TABs and close encounters. The most prominent of which was when 7 Platoon marked the FUP for a company attack. After positioning characters such as Pte Bentley and Pte Sampford out as protection, the only issue was the bull elephant and its family standing less than
a stone throw away. Platoon commanders are known for their controlled and relaxed approach when faced with problems on
the battle field but in this case three trained soldiers with blank rounds may have lost the fight against this four tonne youth. Therefore, the withdrawal was less than controlled. The other two phases tested the companies, then the full battle group up to CT level four. The one lasting memory that I will take away is during the BG defensive phase. Two days of hard digging and laying barbed wire paid dividends against the approaching company of Royal Welsh. Five hours of constant fighting saw not one trench taken from C (Skirmish) Company’s position and thanks should be shown to Cpl Chamberlain, Cpl Sheppard and Cpl Forbes for their slick
drills and will to succeed in holding those positions. I can honestly say that 7 Platoon smashed it. So far this has been the best experience I have taken from the British Army, being left alone with a radio, rations and the men to fight various scenarios cannot be summed up in words, but it is what we join for.
Upon the return the platoon organised
an afternoon of five a-side to remember the loss of a fellow soldier from 7 Platoon, Pte Matthew Haseldin, killed on the 3rd November 2011 whilst on patrol in Helmand Province. After an introduction and some words from Pte Hawksley, they battled through the group
stages competing for the Haseldin Cup with the final finishing 5-4 on penalties, thanks to Pte Yeoman’s efforts. After a strong turnout from 7 Platoon, both old and new, the event was a success in memory of this individual. Gone, but never forgotten.
Early January saw the Company travel
to Kinlochleven on Adventurous Training. A round robin of events from basic navigation through the mountains, to ice climbing and a high ropes confidence course. Never before have I seen an individual so happy that
high up with Pte Broomhall loving life as he pranced from one obstacle to another as the majority of the platoon held on for dear life. A well earned break from the busy schedule of Company life refreshing the bond and ethos ready for the next Company task.
Unfortunately, the other main event
in 7 Platoon’s calendar was the move
to Chester and merge to form the new
2 MERCIAN, with myself moving to Machine Guns B Company. All the camaraderie and brotherhood will be separated throughout both the North and South of England, and new characters made in their new platoons. Gentlemen it’s been emotional, Stand Firm Strike Hard.
D (Dragon) Company
Pl Comd Lt Dave Bell Pl Sgt Sgt Cotterill
OC CSM CQMS Recce Pl
Maj R Johnson WO2 Malone CSgt L Varley Capt T Fisher CSgt R Zecca CSgt Edwards
Sniper Pl
Assault Pioneer Pl Sgt Chadbourne Anti-Tank Pl Capt D Maddock
CSgt D Lennon Mortar Pl Capt P Marriott
WO2 Hollingworth
The last 12 months have once again seen DRAGON Company move at an extremely fast pace. The Company has once again, acquitted itself extremely well maintaining its professionalism, sense of humour and distinct ethos whilst enduring numerous re-orbats and changes of personnel through the merger. The Company
has though, excelled in the sporting
arena and now sports the extra title of CHAMPION Company, a success for the JNCOs and Pte soldiers who worked hard to gain the honour.
DRAGON Company is the Senior and largest Company in the Battalion, as the Battalion relies upon the Company to Find the enemy, Fix the enemy with intimate and integral Fire support, in order to enable the Rifle Companies to close with the enemy. Contingency Operations and Expeditionary warfare have required a change to the mind set and how the individual, Platoon and Company will deploy and work. Exercise ASKARI STORM 3 tested all elements of the Company fully and have enabled each Platoon to be confident in their own abilities and that of the Platoons and Companies around them.
Training to enable the Company to effectively utilise its integral assets began
during a four week cadre on Salisbury Plain Training Area. The Company set about the task of training and honing those skills that are required to enable Rifle Companies to close with an enemy force. Recce, Snipers, FSG and Mortars all built themselves
up from the minimum standards at the beginning of the cadre with four weeks
of live firing, fitness and battlefield skills culminating with D Companies contribution to a live BG attack.
The Company deployed to Kenya and had the privilege of 9 days training at Archers Post uninterrupted. Those 9 days allowed the Company to acclimatise fully to the 5th hottest place on earth, whilst also utilising the large training estate to full effect. Even with the continued distraction of terrorist Sieges in Nairobi, cattle rustlers from Somalia and movement of indigenous people through the Range Danger Area, all of the Platoons were confident and at their best for the final 2 phases of the exercise and acquitted themselves well. All of the Platoons earned praise from Commander BATUK for their professionalism and skill sets during the Bn exercise.
DRAGON Company is like the remainder of the Regiment reformed. The fully formed DRAGON Company is finding its feet and
looks forward to a Weapons cadre and KAPE Tour. The focus being on, once again, setting the conditions for a successful ASKARI STORM in 2015. The lessons learnt during the last year will be brought forward and developed during this high intensity exercise.
Every year brings a change in key personnel and this has been no exception; the Company says goodbye to Capt Vause who has moved to Adjutant and looks forward to watching his Recce Platoon flourish and we wish him every success and good luck in his new post. CSM Pugsley has moved to FSG Div in Warminster as the DSM and has set up the new Anti-Tank course; CSM Roberts has moved on after a number of successful years in the FSG Platoon and finally as CSM to the 4th Battalion. We wish them both every success.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
47