Page 93 - Bugle Autumn 2014

Rear Operations Group
The ROG has been in place now since Jan 14 to allow the remainder of the unit to be taken off duties and complete their MST. It is made up of 66 core positions as part of the HERRICK mounting instruction to enable it to look after the home front including the families as well as guard and sustain the barracks.
who is keen to spend time with the ROG. We have also hosted a number of units, in particular we supported the annual summer camp of the Northumbrian University Officer Training Corps which included a day’s visit to the unit made up of various stands and a physical training session
well rehearsed Countess of Wessex team moved back to UK to defend the Countess of Wessex’s Cup, an annual event that has teams from HMS Daring, RAF Wittering
and 5 RIFLES compete for the prestigious trophy that is presented by HRH. This year it was the turn of HMS Daring to host the event which involved a physical challenge over obstacles and an assault course. The team under WO2 Beresford was extremely confident having trained for a number of weeks. Unfortunately the 5 RIFLES team, who posted by far the quickest time fell
foul of the very draconian penalty system set up by the Navy which saw it receive time penalties for the use of bad language (normally termed robust encouragement
by the Infantry) and saw the team drop to second. On the plus side HMS Daring didn’t cope too well with the penalty process either and they ended up third. Throughout the team was very well hosted which also included a visit to HMS Daring as well as HMS Victory. So well done to RAF Wittering
As I write this article the
ROG is pretty much half
way through its tour
and currently sits at 288
individuals on paper,
the majority of which
are here in Alanbrooke
Barracks but also
includes individuals on
attachments, long term career courses and black economy posts. The Commanding Officer had given direction in terms of what the ROG had to achieve including running gunnery and driving cadres to assist
with meeting our crew to vehicle ratios, attending Brigade and local community events, and participating in Army and Regimental events.
From the outset the ROG has been operating at quite a pace. We have received a number of high profile visits which have included the Colonel Commandant and
the Brigade Commander who having
been briefed spent time with Riflemen of
A Coy as well as members of the ROG.
As we waved goodbye to the Colonel Commandant, the next visit, in the form of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body, was turning up outside Battalion Headquarters and we spent the rest of the day
giving briefs and providing
personnel for discussion
groups. Our next visitor
is already in the diary in
the form of the new
Brigade Commander
and the opportunity
to meet some of the Riflemen. We are currently supporting the Shropshire Army Cadet Force for a
week which has seen them introduced to the Warrior Fighting Vehicle and seeing some of the
local German highlights around Paderborn. The visit will end with an exercise that takes place on Sennelager Training Area.
We were hoping to disguise a number of the Quartermaster’s Department to make up the netball team...
On the sporting front the ROG with the support of A Coy, has managed to place
a team in all but one of the 12 events that have made up the Divisional Commander’s Competition. We
were hoping to
disguise a number of
the Quartermaster’s
Department to make
up the netball team, but
sadly could not find the
skirts big enough! Overall the ROG finished a credible 10th across the whole Division. We are currently preparing ourselves for the Rugby 7’s again with the support of A Coy and I was frankly surprised how many Fijians were on the ROG once the request for players was put out by the CSM.
Earlier this year in June the highly motivated
and
and we look forward to getting our trophy back next year and thank you to HMS Daring
for producing a great couple of days for the Riflemen.
Earlier in July the ROG had provided
a guard of 30 men to take part in the Redesignation Parade of the 1st UK Armoured Division. This parade took
place in front of 10 ex General Officers Commanding of the Division as well as CGS and politicians of the German Federal Government. This was the culmination
of four weeks of drill rehearsals under the watchful eye of the ROG CSM WO2
Risdale and ensuring
...but sadly could not find the skirts big enough!
A Company haven’t got the hang of reindeer costumes
THE RIFLES
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