Page 88 - Mercian Eagle 2014

86
THE MERCIAN EAGLE
Introduction Captain Peter Shergold – Regimental Adjutant
The last year has been one of constant change within Regimental Headquarters. The biggest change being the departure of our Regimental Secretary, Richard Spiby, who has moved to be Director of Operations at Welbeck College. We wish him all the best in his new position and I
am sure he will drive the college to new levels of excellence, as he has done with RHQ over the last few years.
The Regimental re-organisation, dominated the last year, with the 3rd Battalion being removed from the order of battle and 1st and 2nd being moved to Bulford and Chester respectively. The expansion of the Army Reserve has also led to an increased liaison with 4th Battalion, joint Operation and Training between 2nd and 4th Battalions and a huge recruiting drive by both the regular and reserve Regimental Support Teams.
RST
The movement of chattels has seen the headquarters having to delve in to details, that I, as a DE Officer was rather scared of doing. But now the Battalions are in a position where they all reflect antecedent history equally.
Huge gains have been made in the realms of social media and media engagement. Our new full time Communications Officer has made a huge difference to the passage of information from RHQ to the Regimental Family and the wider world.
It is this Regimental Family which RHQ is here to support; whether Cadet, UOTC, Reserve, Regular, Veteran, Association Member, Volunteer, Civil Servant, a relative of a soldier or those who wish to raise money for the charity. We are here to help co-ordinate activity, pass information and support in any way possible. The articles that follow outline the ways in which we do this.
Stand Firm – Strike Hard
Sergeant Nick Watts – Regimental Recruiting Sergeant
The RST has always carried a reputation for doing very little and enjoying a slow pace of life, so after an extremely busy period on ROG with
3 MERCIAN I was looking forward to kicking back and enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle.
Sadly this wasn’t the case, and soon after arriving I realised the RST was much busier than expected. They were flooded with representative tasking all over the Regimental area with wreath laying for the 100 years celebrations for World War 1, charity events accepting cheques for the Mercian Benevolence Fund, normal recruiting events in cities and towns, and school visits giving children the chance to try command tasks and military fitness. The RST also had the responsibility of all the Regimental silver which was sent to RHQ to be re-housed or repaired, which took up a vast amount of work hours with some days running into the early hours of the morning. No small job by any means but after a few weeks it was all sent out to its new homes.
My start at RHQ therefore had not been what I expected, and after taking over the reins from Lt Bermingham, I have shifted the RST in a new direction. We are still busy, but with tasks which benefit our main effort which is recruitment. We will now refocus on our main effort, and towns and cities all across our recruitment map will now be invaded more often by the recruitment
teams which have had a boost of new kit and equipment. This was procured by Pte Dean who did an exceptional job in researching all the new equipment and liaising direct with the company’s to get it ordered. The new kit and equipment will now give the RST a much needed makeover and put us in a better position when located against other recruitment teams.
Pte Derby has now moved to RHQ Lichfield, with his new home constructed by Sgt Holland who was kept extremely busy for hours out in the sun preparing the ground for the construction teams to move in and take over.
I’m not the only new face here. Sgt Spilsbury has spent many weeks trying to take over accounts from Sgt Holland but remains as happy as always, Ptes Jones, Seager and Sideway have all now started their posting to the RST, with Pte Seager picking up the role of Ram Orderly. Ptes Roberts, Pearce and Brookes have now either returned to unit or ended their service, and we wish them well as they move into the civilian way of life.
The year has ended with a focus on Gheluvelt and KAPE tours for 2 MERCIAN, and we are now busy planning for the remainder of the parades in the New Year.
RHQMercian