Page 68 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Battalion Headquarters
CO: Lt Col T H Bewick OBE
Bn 2IC: Maj S M Davies
RSM: WO1 (RSM) Hyde MC
Adjt: Capt C E R Winstanley
Ops Offr: Capt D B Brown
RCMO: Capt D O Evans
RSO: Capt E A Hassard
IO: Capt M G Elliott / Capt S J A Kennon Training Officer: Capt J L Rowntree Padre: Revd H D Evans RAChD
Headquarters Company
OC HQ Coy: Maj S D Burkill
CSM HQ Coy: WO2 (CSM) Clarke
QM: Maj M J Aveston
QM(T): Capt A Pemberton MBE
UWO: Capt G A Robinson
MTO: Capt L Roberts
RMO: Maj A J Dickinson RAMC
RAO: Capt G L MacNeill AGC (SPS) Det Comd: Capt P J Brown AGC (SPS)
A Company
OC A Coy: Maj G T Sawyer MBE
CSM A Coy: WO2 (CSM) McCutcheon 2IC: Capt A M Norton
OC 1 Pl: Lt S A E Wilson
OC 2 Pl: Lt T J Legge
OC 3 Pl: Lt A L I Barron
B Company
OC B Coy: Maj G R Brocklehurst MC SCOTS
CSM B Coy: WO2 (CSM) Parsons / WO2 (CSM) Crossley
2IC: Capt C J Barrett
OC 5 Pl: 2Lt T I Jamison
OC 6 Pl: 2Lt T G Joyce
OC 7 Pl: 2Lt D R Coombs
R Company
OC R Coy: Maj R W F Bassett CSM R Coy: WO2 (CSM) Turner 2IC: Lt D J B Stirling
OC 9 Pl: 2Lt J W Miers
OC 10 Pl: Lt T C Foster
OC 11 Pl: 2Lt M J O’Connor
Support Company
OC S Coy: Maj A J West
2IC: Capt R A M Buchanan CSM S Coy: WO2 (CSM) Ridler OC Mors: Capt A I G Perry
OC Recce: Capt M McFarlane OC Javelin: Capt S A Sharpe
CO’s foreword
The Battalion returned to Bulford from Afghanistan in October 2013 after an especially positive tour that saw Riflemen deployed across the entire Task Force.
The improvements both in the level of security across Helmand as a whole and the capability of the Afghan Army and Police were very clear to everyone with experience of earlier deployments, and thankfully there were no significant 4 RIFLES casualties. The Battalion closed the Afghanistan chapter with a sense of pride and achievement that has helped to place previous losses into some perspective.
Since returning home we have re- focused on preparing ourselves for the
next series of challenges, re-establishing the foundations of conventional soldiering across the Battalion. Riflemen have enjoyed a degree of success in operational shooting competitions, particularly the Sniper Platoon, while overseas deployments to Canada, Sierra Leone and Kenya have complimented local training on Salisbury Plain which culminated in July with the Tarleton Trophy, the Battalion’s annual inter-platoon patrols competition, this year down on Dartmoor. We have also run the full complement of Support Company
and Junior Non-Commissioned Officer cadres to re-build core competencies. The dismounted training progression culminates later in the year for the majority of the Battalion on Exercise PRAIRIE STORM in Canada, while R Company are committed to a bi-lateral mechanized experimentation
programme alongside the French army. Sport has flourished, with a particular
focus on boxing given our Regimental
lead in the sport, and the several
overseas adventurous training expeditions complemented plenty of UK-based activity. A team of freefall skydivers found themselves camped next to the Swedish team for
two weeks in California. We sent over 150 novice skiers to the Alps while those with more experience competed in the Army skiing competitions. There was also time
to squeeze in a battlefield study, retracing the steps through Spain and Portugal of our forebears in the Peninsular War.
Looking ahead, 2015 will be dominated by the two significant events that will shape the Battalion’s long term future; conversion back to the Mechanized Infantry role and the move to New Normandy Barracks in Aldershot. The fleet of mechanized vehicles is already arriving and the bulk of the conversion programme will take place in Ward Barracks prior to the move to Aldershot in August. Preparations for our move are in full swing and we are very much looking forward to welcoming 5 RIFLES to Bulford as we leave and establish ourselves in our new home.
As for the immediate future, virtually all the senior appointments within the Battalion will change over the course of this summer. The Adjutant, Operations Officer and Regimental Serjeant Major will again find themselves running the show as the new command team take charge.
Lt Col T H Bewick OBE, CO
FOURTH
BATTALION
66 FOURTH BATTALION