Page 129 - The Rifles Bugle Autumn 2019

C Company
C Company was born on 14th December 2018 delivering 14 Platoon from HQ Company in Reading with full manning alongside a company’s scale of officers. This has freed up the OC HQ Company to focus on the delivery of CSS and CIS specialisations whilst providing the scope for Battalion to expand its coverage in Berkshire, both East towards Slough, Maidenhead and Windsor and West towards Newbury.
Deft G1 management is a vital component of today’s Army Reserve. Our permanent staff officer WO1 Rob Soutter does not spare the rod in ensuring that C Company’s Riflemen are administra- tively ready for deployment. Five Riflemen attended Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1, with others following later in the series and many others heading to Spain for Ex IBERIAN STAR in Galicia, northern Spain. Down to his G1 team’s efforts our Riflemen continue to enjoy the opportunities which reserve service offers all over the world.
Though 14 Platoon is the oldest platoon within C Company it is newer than ever with an almost complete change in command and soldiers in the last 6 months. Training has been successful with our most recent additions to the platoon excelling. The recruit training team has performed a fantastic job in generating phase one trained soldiers with over 6 joining the platoon in the last 6 months. This trajectory bodes well for 14 Platoon’s prospects in the future and aides us in bolstering the rest of the company.
15 Platoon led by 2Lt Ben Scott Hyde is the new infantry platoon created in Berkshire. To thrive this platoon needs to be weaned away from Reading to find an Army Reserve Centre (ARC) elsewhere in Berkshire. Regrettably, we have failed to breach an entry into a suitable ARC but the search goes on. Ben has used his considerable powers of organi- sation to deliver valuable exercises, extra-curricular training events on the 5th Tuesday of each month and C Company’s inaugural dinner in the Officers’ Mess on 18th May at which the Mayor Reading, Counsellor Debs Edwards, was our principal guest. Given the nearby kitchen is ‘hors de combat’ delivery of this event was a significant achievement enjoyed
by many of the company’s founding members. Assault Pioneer courses are being re-validated with the new syllabus being conducted by the Royal School of Military Engineering at Minley. A continuous flow of Riflemen have attended and have experienced this different dimension of infantry capability. The pairing with 5 RIFLES, Bugle Platoon allows pioneers to conduct continuous training, to
provide an extra capability for both battalions.
Lt Kelvin Tse and Rfn Brad Turner have both deployed to Ex PRAIRIE STORM 1 in Canada along with B Coy, 5 RIFLES. Their knowledge and skills on working within an armoured infantry company were further developed from Ex JAEGER WARRIOR
in 2018.
March 2019 saw C and HQ Company’s continuing
commitment to charity events, as we provided a team of Rifleman runners to raise money, attend and complete the Bath Half 2019. The charity we were running for was Team Jackie, a Pancreatic Cancer Trust partner which has ties to Capt Craig Hassan, a 7 RIFLES ex-PSI. This year’s race saw 7 Rifleman successfully completing the cheeky course and returning with medals in hand.
C Company has much talent in its ranks but LCpl Andy Ferguson has had a stellar 12 months. Promoting to Lance Corporal alongside James Hygate and Davy Tilston he was a prize winner at both the Battalion Skill at Arms Meeting in August and registered in the top 50 shots in the Army Reserve at Bisley at the end of June. It is fitting then that he was also awarded the Reservist of the Year in October 2018 by the Lord Lieutenant of Berkshire.
Six months on C Company has seen early growth and impressively over 85% of
our Riflemen are prepared
to mobilise in support of Op
TOSCA to Cyprus in 2020 demonstrating the effect this new company has on
its wider unit’s effec- tiveness.
Maj Joe English OC C Coy 7 RIFLES
C COMPANY HAS MUCH TALENT IN ITS RANKS BUT LCPL ANDY FERGUSON HAS HAD A STELLAR 12 MONTHS
Former Rfn Victor Gregg RB speaking to Capt English and 2Lt Scott Hyde
Bath Half Marathon (Left
to Right) 2Lt Martin, Rfn Wilkinson, LCpl Hygate, Major English, Rfn Linnehan, LCpl Price, CSjt Wheeler
Rfn Adnrew Ferguson, Berkshire Reserve of the year
THE RIFLES
SEVENTH BATTALION 127