Page 35 - RAPTC Number 102 2018/19

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as force protection on a deployment. Every year the Nepalese celebrate the ‘Dashain’ this is the longest and the most auspicious festival in the Nepalese annual calendar, every October this colourful festival is celebrated by our ever-increasing populace of Gurkha’s and their family’s within Imjin Station.
Sport as with most Battalions is high on the priority list, from an administration and command position we are controlled by 1 Sig Bde which is also co-located in the Barracks. So as a minor unit, we support all the Royal Signal competitions and events, Race the Sun, Lanyard Trophy, Trail Walker, Morrison Cup as well as RLC Athletics / X-Country and the RLC Ski Nordic and Alpine Championships. The biggest sporting success of the year was to enter and win the 1 Sig Bde Boxing night in Stafford, where we fought two of the biggest Royal Signal Regiments in the Army and came out as victorious.
Two years ago, the Commanding Officer tasked me with organising a High Risk & Remote Adventurous Training (AT) Exped. Due to restrictions of AT outside of Europe we decided on an Alpine / Winter Mountaineering Exped to Eastern Greenland. The composition of the Exped will include several first tour Pte soldiers who have received numerous AT packages ranging from Type 2 multi activity to Type 3 Distributed Training courses. In addition, it has provided an excellent opportunity to develop individuals into potential instructors of the future and to enable them to start the JSAT instructor scheme.
The pace of life is always hectic however, Imjin Barracks is always a fascinating, interesting and multi-cultural place to work and enjoy life.
WO2 (QMSI) Bynorth & WO2 (QMSI) Mclellan on WML Training
COMMANDO TRAINING CENTRE ROYAL MARINES (CTCRM)
Sgt (SI) R Blake RAPTC
This year at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines (CTCRM) has seen a number of changes due to the impending introduction of women in Close Combat rolls. It’s been a pleasure to help and advise the RM PT Branch where possible regarding the specifics of training female recruits, and CTCRM are keen to adjust and have welcomed the change. CTCRM is a unique training establishment where Officer Cadets and Recruits conduct training in the same place. Trade, Junior, Senior and Advanced Command courses are also some of the courses run from CTCRM, so as you’d imagine it’s an extremely busy place.
CTCRM has seen a variety of visitors over the past year which included the SW SO3 PD (Capt Murdoch) and SO2 3XX (Maj
Williams), who attended the Royal Marines V United States Marine Corps boxing event as VIPs on 5 May 18 at CTCRM; this was not only a great success but, considering the Marine footprint this was organised by Sgt (SI) Blake RAPTC and deemed an enormous success. The Royal Marines won 5-4 on the night and the re-match will be held in Virginia in April 2019 as part of the blue-ribbon event, where 265 personnel across 16 sports deploy on a two-week sports tour to compete against the United States Marine Corps on Exercise Virginia Gauntlet 2.
The RM PT Branch was also visited by Olympic Swimming Champion and world record holder Adam Peaty MBE and Commonwealth Swimming Champion James Wilby to discuss human performance and how to gain a phycological edge. They
RM V USMC Boxing
Adam Peaty and James Wilby