Page 56 - Mercian Eagle 2014

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Even the Baileys chocolate Easter egg presented to HRH herself was well received.
The Unit move is almost complete with everyone settled by mid August. Moving 108 families from Catterick, Germany and Belfast has been
of Mrs Joanne Hewitt, 2 MERCIAN UWO Welfare Clerk in Belfast. I am sure all the families will miss all the help and support she has shown over the years including that over two operational tours and countless
overseas exercises. I myself will miss the wit and banter plus the guidance she showed to me during my first few days on taking over as the UWO.
The Battalion also had an invitation for Soldiers that were on
the WISMIS list to attend the Golf Open Championship at Liverpool on a ‘Grand Day Out’. The day started with a meet and greet from all the organisers from the R and A, including HRH Prince Andrew, international rugby player Jonathan Evans and tennis star Tim Henman. We were also invited
into the BBC studio to see the staff and presenters that cover the event throughout
the event. I even managed to get a ‘selfy’ with Hazel Irvine! The day was packed with surprise after surprise and really made the boys feel special and appreciated for their commitment to the Armed Forces.
The future holds a deployment on OP TOSCA to the UN line in Cyprus but this operational tour will allow families to visit, which is a first, and so the problems of missing loved ones will not be as hard as during the deployment to Afghanistan. The tour begins following summer leave and will include the Christmas period, concluding in March 2015. Prior to this, the Battalion will host a carnival on Wednesday, 31 July with various stalls, activities and competitions throughout the day including a ‘Tough Mudder’ race involving all the Companies along with a wives team. So, with some luck the sun will shine on Chester that day to allow the families and Soldiers of the new 2 MERCIAN an enjoyable time to relax before the pace of life speeds up again.
where the players will be crossing from green to next tee. It was such an amazing experience to be “inside the ropes” and walking the fairways of the course the players will be playing on in a few days time. I turned up at the player’s putting practice area and I couldn’t believe my eyes;
players such as Adam Scott, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood and Ernie Els were all out practicing. These are players I had watched on TV growing up as a kid and now were only 5 feet away from me which for me was a totally surreal experience. There was all so much to soak up but I knew I must remain professional and not be like the general public who were taking pictures and asking for autographs, all the time, deep down inside, I wanted to do the same.
Days 2 and 3 were practice rounds for the players and their caddies to learn the course inside out. It was also our first practice run at being Army Marshalls and the first 3 ball
I picked up was Jim Furyk, Jason Day and Justin Leonard. Nerves started to kick in as the players approached us at the first tee.
I was a bit star struck being responsible
for three big names in the golfing world.
Our team of four Marshalls did a rotation
of six holes ‘fall of shot ball spotting’ on
the fairways and six holes securing the tee for when the players teed off, which I was looking forward to the most as you would stand four to five feet from the players on the tee, then walk behind the last player down the fairway; which to any golf fan is an incredible opportunity. Throughout the day I kept thinking to myself how have I managed to end up doing this unbelievable job. After 18 holes had been completed the players
challenging at times
but the unified UWOs
of the Regiment
working together has
made this process
run as smoothly as it
possibly could. Chester
is all about ‘Location,
Location, Location’
and the tears that we first had because of the size of houses have now gone, with everyone enjoying being back on home ground in the UK. I think it’s only right to thank all the families for being patient and dealing with all the problems that come from following a Soldier around the world. It is also important to say that the move would not have happened without the help
The Unit move is almost complete with everyone settled by mid August.
Sport and Adventure Training
Opportunity of a Lifetime – Cpl Mark Simpson
“Might have you the opportunity of a lifetime youth” is what the very first text message read.
When I first received the text message from the RSWO WO2 Carl Pointon I was with friends having leaving drinks as my two year posting at ITC Catterick had come to an end. Knowing I was starting back in the Battalion (2 MERCIAN) the following Monday, I replied cautiously. Next came
a phone call; “You are not going back to Battalion on Monday, how would you like
to be an Army Marshal on the 2014 British Open at Hoylake, Royal Liverpool? We get kitted out by Ralph Lauren, free entry all week Sunday to Sunday, you walk round with the players keeping the crowds off them and the cameras etc. Do you fancy it?”
I was prepared and looking forward
to getting back to Battalion life so never expected such an amazing experience
like this to arise. Being a huge golf fan
and player since I was seven years old,
I couldn’t believe my luck. This was an opportunity of a lifetime that I couldn’t turn down. Obviously I said “yes” with a smile on my face from ear to ear!
I immediately rang my wife (who thought I was having her on) and my Father, who
is also a massive golf fan. After letting
this information sink in (and bragging to
my friends!!) I rang Alistair Duncan (AGA Marshalls Organiser) for further details. I was instructed to be at the Conservative Club next door to Royal Liverpool Golf Club for 14:30 Sunday 13th June to be fitted out with my marshalling uniform.
Another day had passed and I had told everyone possible of my amazing
2 MERCIAN Marshalls: WO2 (RQMS) Cooke, Maj Spencer, WO2 (RSWO) Pointon, Cpl Simpson, WO2 Yates
opportunity and to start looking out for me on TV. Doubt started to cloud my mind and l was thinking, “what if it was a massive wind up?” I would have been devastated. I am a big believer in if something is too good to be true then it probably is. Well it wasn’t the case this time, I really had the opportunity
of a lifetime and it was happening to me, Corporal Mark Simpson.
I drove to Hoylake where I first saw
the Royal Liverpool’s Clubhouse and the course with all the grandstands set up:
it was simply stunning. I went into the Conservative Club to be greeted by the Ralph Lauren tailors and stylists. It was all
a bit of a blur, with 6 or 7 stylists and tailors taking my clothes off and dressing me in my new uniform, making sure everything was perfect for the big event ahead.
Day 1 was to familiarise myself with the course; learn the layout of the holes; where the entry and exit points were and
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