Page 51 - Mercian Eagle 2014

Mortar Platoon
A busy period for the Mortar Platoon this year starting with the deployment onto
Ex Askari Storm 3 in late 2013 where the platoon set about a process of getting back to grips with the basics of conventional warfare. The austere environment that Kenya presents challenged all members of the platoon with the mortar numbers getting
to grips with adaptive ground preparation techniques and dealing with the challenges of close country. The junior Mortar Fire Controllers (MFC) where presented with a variety of panoramic ranges to challenge both the geographical aspects of mortaring and also evolve their problem target procedures. All MFCs where given the invaluable opportunity to work closely with Royal Artillery Fire Support Teams which developed both pragmatic battle procedure and detailed and robust fire planning abilities. By far the biggest challenge throughout the exercise was BOWMAN and the guys on the ground quickly came to realise that communications are far from guaranteed in this environment and should be actively fought for at all costs. The end state to the exercise was that the Mortar Platoon had transitioned successfully from being very “Herrick minded” to being a very versatile beast which was experienced, current and ready to deploy in support
of the fighting companies on the next operation we face.
The remainder of the year has been
very much focused on the unit merger, which initially saw a vast amount of
the platoon manpower move over to
1 MERCIAN in June and the remnants of the old platoon welcoming manpower from 1 MERCIAN, 3 MERCIAN, Postings and
Reconnaissance Platoon, 2 MERCIAN
“Boldness be my friend, arm me audacity, from head to foot” – Cymbeline, Shakespeare
also ITC. The merger has gone well from a platoon perspective and we have the right manpower in the right appointments. However, this has come to the detriment of experience with guys of all different backgrounds and roles within the infantry coming together.
The platoon wishes a fond farewell to all those that have left as part of the Merger, but in particular to:
Sgt Herbert – To 1 MERCIAN Sgt Ridgway – To 1 MERCIAN Cpl Jones 96 – To 1 MERCIAN Cpl Prassad – To 1 MERCIAN Cpl Price – To 1 MERCIAN
Cpl Atkinson – To 1 MERCIAN
Cpl Appleby – To 1 MERCIAN
The current focus now is getting down
to Sailsbury Plain Training Area in October to run the Mortar cadre and gel the platoon with a focused package of training and challenging ranges to cement the start point for the future 2 MERCIAN Mortar Platoon.
was thoroughly tested on all of the rural Recce tasks covered on the Light Recce Commander’s Course, focussing on CTRs, OPs and marking and guiding. The Platoon also ran a Light Recce Patrolman’s Cadre split between the UK and Kenya for the majority of the Platoon’s manpower. This article focuses on the Coy and BG phases and looks to highlight some of the key issues that with hindsight I would have appreciated prior to deployment.
Risk.
We were constantly balancing risk vs. reward throughout the entire exercise.
It is a proud moment to write this article as the first Platoon Commander to do so on behalf of the Reconnaissance Platoon of the newly formed 2 MERCIAN. At the time of writing moment the platoon has only just received the final incoming members from the 3rd Battalion and initial signs, I must say, are very positive with what appears to be a very fine selection of individuals from across the three former battalions having been posted into the platoon. The focus
of the platoon is very much on the cadre which will be run at the end of the year which will provide an excellent opportunity for the platoon to bond and cement platoon Standard Operational Procedures.
The 2 MERCIAN (Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters) Reconnaissance Platoon entered 2014 with the regimental merger very much on the horizon, but before this could become the focus of activity the platoon would have its work cut out for it on exercise in Kenya. What follows are the lessons learned during this arduous overseas exercise that were fed back into Reconnaissance fraternity through the
Light Reconnaissance Wing within RATD in Warminster.
Ex ASKARI STORM (Ex AS) is comprised of 5 phases and works up from basic
skills up to a Battle Group level final exercise. During the exercise the Platoon
Recon Platoon
The ground provides many small crevices and holes which troops can hide in for short halts or longer with good cover from the sides. 45 mins work can provide decent overhead cover from the limited enemy air threat.
Pl Comd Pl 2ic
Pl Sgt
Pl Sgt
Pl Sgt Pl Sgt Pl Sgt Pl Sgt
Capt Marriott WO2 Hollingworth Sgt Bolger
Sgt Jones
Sgt Hornsby
Sgt Lightfoot
Sgt Thomas
Sgt Woodley
Pl Comd Pl 2iC
Pl Sgt
Capt Fisher CSgt Zecca Sgt Kauleta
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
49