Page 20 - Mercian Eagle 2017

Dragon (Earl of Chester’s) Coy
2017 has been a busy, at times frantic year for Dragon Company. The highlight for most has been the opportunity to deploy to BATUS in Canada as either range
safety staff or as part of the OPFOR BG within the Recce Coy or the independent Javelin Platoon. Dragon Company has been involved in just about every activity which 1 MERCIAN has conducted. With two 3-month periods of SSET (formerly known as RAAT), one in support of the RTR early in the year and the other as part of the 1 MERCIAN commitment,
we have had the opportunity to trial new equipment, conduct mortar live firing, practise urban operations training, represent the Army at the UK Defence & Security Exhibition and much more. Members
of the Company have taken part in the public duties task with C Coy over the summer, held the home front as part of ROG throughout the battalion’s deployment to BATUS and covered Op TEMPERER, UK Standby Battalion over the Christmas and New Year period. We have delivered
a patrols competition, Urban Operations Concentration for the battalions and carried the 1 MERCIAN standard around the Brecon Beacons with a fantastic gold winning performance by the Recce Pl team led by Capt Elliot. This makes no mention of the persistent and enduring
task of training crews, specialist weapons operators or drummers & buglers which forms the steady drumbeat of a healthy Fire Support Company.
Even with Recce eyes and sniper stalks you’d be hard pushed to spot the white space in the Dragon Coy Forecast of Events over the last 12 months. Of course for those who supply and support the company, who maintain a hand in every single activity, this period has been nothing short of relentless and their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
The deployment to BATUS presented the opportunity to operate as an aggressive, light and fast reconnaissance force which seriously challenged and blunted the exercising BG Recce. We cut our teeth on the Royal Welsh but seriously cut into the YORKS, who failed to win a single urban battle and on more than one occasion fell prey to a Javelin Platoon whose hunting instincts were well honed. Both Prairie Storm exercises proved excellent testing grounds for Battlecraft and Maskirovka
in equal measure. Cpl Alexis’ snipers wreaked havoc on unsuspecting BG HQ locations; operating in depth, their quads proved unfamiliar to a BG used to the noise and signature of armour. Sgt Lawrence championed the fight light mantra and won the quotable quote of the year with his
response to a question about the availability of HCDR terminals ‘...I haven’t even got a windscreen...’ With a 2 week window to explore North America (or the Caribbean, Hawaii or Central America, in some cases) the trip was an unforgettable experience.
Towards the last quarter of 2017 it
was the Dragon Company Boxers who stole the show. With 5 of 6 MERCIAN fighters in the Brigade Boxing finals, Dragon Company were at the leading edge of a cohort of boxers who took on the Army boxing champions – the Fusiliers. All those who stepped up to ring did so with courage, discipline and humility and have proved themselves to be legends within the Company. Notably Pte Hunt put in an effortless performance to open the boxing night and Pte Shepherd won best boxer of the evening, no mean feat given the quality of boxing on display.
As we look towards 2018,
Dragon Company has once again caught the selector’s eye with preparations underway to provide the lion’s share of the KRH BG during their deployment to BATUS on PS 1 in May. This time though, we will be exercising troops with the training focus on our side, and with the real possibility of a deployment to Eastern Europe as the final outcome.
OC Maj Andy Snell CSM WO2 Dickinson CQMS(M) CSgt Robinson CQMS(T) CSgt Brookes
18
Assault Pioneer Platoon
Sgt Lavelle
2017 has been another action packed year for the Battalion’s work horses. Wherever the battalion has been deployed, the Assault Pioneer Platoon has been there
to support them either as the Battalion’s explosive and construction specialists or as the Battalion’s ceremonial band.
In January the Platoon had the opportunity to work on our warfighting capability by training alongside a field section from 22 Armoured Engineer Squadron. The platoon, led by Corporal Andrews and Corporal Williams. conducted training in Copehill Down Village and was able to practice the use of mouse hole charges and other methods of breaching.
In March the platoon was part of the experimentation team trying out new equipment and giving recommendations about how to make kit more effective. The platoon had the opportunity to test out the new infantry ladder, assault bridge and quad bike.
In May some of the platoon deployed
to Canada as part of the enemy forces battle group testing the exercising troops. The rest of the platoon headed to London with the public duties company who were parading in front of Buckingham Palace and in other parts of London. Drummer Peacock was the drummer and Bugler for the Ceremonial Company and was joined by Pte McGlone as soon as he passed his Drummer Class 2 course at the Infantry Training Centre, Catterick.
Meanwhile, out in Canada, Drummers Lum and Sweeney were also putting their talents to good use but in slightly less ceremonial circumstances. Whenever Finder Company had a field church service Drummers Sweeney and Lum would use upturned oil barrels as drums to provide a beat when the Company flag was marched onto the parade.
After summer leave Privates McGlone and Douglas completed their class 1 music course which means that they are now qualified to teach music lessons to the rest of the Platoon.
At the tail end of the year Assault Pioneers once again had an opportunity to show off their fighting capability and their talents for ceremonial occasions. Drummer Sweeney and Drummer Peacock added
to the sense of occasion at the Brigade Boxing competition by drumming each boxer into the ring. Private Shepherd was on the other side of the ropes. His three months of strenuous training paid off and he was awarded the ‘Best Boxer’ award in the Brigade.
2018 is going to be just as busy for the lads. The platoon is currently training on Castlemartin ranges in order to prepare to deploy to Canada with the King’s Royal Hussars Battle Group in April.
THE MERCIAN EAGLE