Page 77 - Mercian Eagle 2014

In a rare break from
the rain, Pte Plackett covers his Arcs, Warcop training area, Feb 2014
in the Peak District. All who took part were enthused by the utility of moving away from a familiar training area and stepping out into the real and very wet and windy world. Fortunately there were no effects of the weather that couldn’t be subsequently cured with a hot meal and a cold beer!
The Company’s commitment to training support has continued apace. In addition to twice sending
individuals as part
the training event itself as plans were written and rewritten to contend with a mix of gale force winds, zero visibility and torrential
rain. At least the wind on the Company-run ACMT weekend in Wathgill was blowing straight down the range; any harder and it would have stopped the shots fired at 400m from reaching the target – although for some that wouldn’t have mattered much!
Throughout the year the Mortars Platoon has focused its training on preparing to fire
its ACMT in April on Salisbury Plain training area. CSgt Woolley has secured seemingly vast amounts of both 81mm ammunition and in a hugely successful
of the Short Term
Training Team (STTT)
to Uganda, we have
also been involved
in providing training
support to a number
of other local units –
providing the Infantry
glue and keeping the cap badge held
high with support to consolidated ATU training packages. As providers of Battalion training support we have become adept
at booking frankly rubbish weather. The writing was on the wall for the Offensive Ops package planned for Warcop training area in February when the recce had to be curtailed through inclement weather. Sure enough, flexibility became the watchword of
The Company’s commitment to training support has continued apace.
bacon; both factors
ACMT weekend which saw the platoon firing all natures of ammunition by day and night. There was even enough time for the OC to fulfil a lifetime ambition and become mortars No 2. He was very pleased to have hit the target (the ground anywhere but where he was standing) although
some experienced members of
the platoon were heard to remark
B Coy Mortars, ACMT Salisbury Plain, March 2014
Pte Platt leads the assault in the new Skills House, Widnes, November 2013
THE MERCIAN EAG
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