Page 21 - 4RA Regimental Journal 2019-2020

4th Regiment Royal Artillery
It has become the norm for military per- sonnel to remark that they have been exceptionally busy across a wide range
of outputs; the last two years have cer- tainly been as such for the ‘Rednecks’ of 88 (Arracan) Battery. This period has seen members of the Battery deployed to Cyprus en masse, travelling to the Middle East and Africa on Short Term Training Teams (STTT), supporting com- bined arms collective training in Louisi- ana, exchanged with Allies in Australia, planning with the Royal Anglians in Germany, exercising in Otterburn, inter- preting for NATO allies in France and conducting COVID-19 testing across the northeast. The ease with which the Battery has adapted to these varied roles while still maintaining its core gun- nery skills is testament to the quality, patience, initiative and commitment of its remarkable soldiers.
The Bombardier Gilbert Award is pre- sented annually to the top gunner in the
Battery. 2020 was poignant as it marked the tenth anniversary of Bombardier Ste- phen Gilbert’s death following wounds sustained in Afghanistan. As always, the task of singling out just one soldier for this prestigious award was difficult. Gnr Palmer received this accolade for 2019; Gnr Masi for 2020. Both soldiers have embodied the values of hard work, dis- cipline, enthusiasm, intelligence and ini- tiative. The Battery has also seen much success with promotions. Sgts Kenny and Arthur were promoted to SSgt and selected for the Gunnery Career Course; Bdrs Hird, Patterson, Munthali and Silau picked up Sgt; a plethora of deserving individuals promoted to both LBdr and Bdr; and numerous quality individuals posted into the Battery on-promotion.
2021 promises to be another eventful year. The Rednecks have been aligned to the 2nd Battalion the Mercian Regiment for JEF Light Brigade readiness and should be deploying with them to Kenya
for Exercise ASKARI STORM (COVID- dependent!). Despite the interruption of the pandemic 88 (Arracan) Battery has been at the forefront of champi- oning light role close support artillery innovation. It is the first battery in recent memory to live fire in full CBRN condi- tions, it has pushed for the use of tacti- cal gun positions on live exercises and has demanded tactical pressures when gaining live currency for its FSTs. In 2021 the Battery will focus on L118 gunline survivability and manoeuvre, with ambi- tious aspirations to train dispersed posi- tions, pistol guns, alternate positions and Artillery Manoeuvre Areas - live - both in Africa and on future Regimental exer- cises. The Battery is also the first in the Regiment to trial Digital Fires from the FSTs in an effort to speed response and reduce electro-magnetic signatures; continued development in this field will be another focus for 2021.
Battery Commander’s Foreword
88 (Arracan) Battery, reinforced by members from other batteries, formed the core of the Sector 2 Oper-
ations Company during Operation TOSCA 30 in Cyprus. Bringing a team together at short notice with limited opportunity to train was a challenge that every member of the Battery rose to commendably. Key to forging a strong ethos and identity was the Public Order training completed as part of the pre-deployment training in the UK. Accepting that teams bond quickly during shared misery, the welts, cuts and bruises experienced by all members of the Operations Company served to bring them closer and understand they could rely and trust one another.
It was not long before Operations Com- pany deployed and took over from The Right Flank, 1st Battalion Scots Guards. The Company would soon learn that the landscape and problems they faced would be radically different from life back in Top- cliffe. The seasons (and wet weather in particular) rendered parts of the Buffer Zone utterly inaccessible; equally activi- ties such as hunting and farming are tied to the seasons and the impact of the dam- age inflicted by the worst winter in mem- ory in Cyprus would be felt by the Opera- tions Company from an early stage.
In addition to the operationally imperative tasks of patrolling and providing a Quick Reaction Force, the soldiers and officers of the Company took advantage of every
Operation TOSCA
opportunity Cyprus had to offer. Sport, fitness and adventurous training were at record high levels and the NCOs led the way in coordinating charitable and team- building events; the Bombardier Gilbert Strongman Event being a particular high- light. Nevertheless, the levels of profes- sionalism and commitment to their core task was unrelenting from the soldiers of the Company, who played their fullest part in delivering their mission of protecting the integrity of the Buffer Zone and avoiding a deterioration in the relationships between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots.
On patrol as UN Peacekeepers
Sector 2 Operations Company pictured during Operation TOSCA
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