Page 13 - The Bugle 2018

A Company
A Coy has been very busy this year with a fixture list covering numerous exercises, events and overseas deployments.
The Company has distinguished itself performing highly during Battalion led competitions; most notably A Coy secured four of the top ten places on Ex CHOSEN MAN 17 including 1st place for A Coy’s Rfn Mankee (now LCpl). On Ex H Jones, an inter- platoon competition, A Coy continued to demon- strate its quality with both 2 & 1 Platoon coming both 2nd and 3rd respectively, as well as four A Coy Riflemen securing places in the Battalion Shooting team, which came 4th at this year’s 1 Div Opera- tional Shooting Competition.
During this year A Coy has with sadness had to say goodbye to Major Jono Mills MBE who left the company in April and has moved on to other things in MoD Main Building. At the same time the company has the pleasure of welcoming Major James McCarthy, who took command in May this year.
After A Coy completed Ex Sharpe’s Reach - a yearly exercise held by the company which invar- iably ends in an arduous inter-platoon march up Pen-Y-Fan, the company deployed to Bosnia on an operational rehearsal as part of the readiness commitment towards Op ELGIN.
For two weeks the company took part in an exercise managed by the multinational EUFOR headquarters which has a permanent presence in Sarajevo. A Company enjoyed the cultural experience of visiting the diverse city which only 20 years ago was subject to the longest ever siege in contemporary military history. The Company was fortunate enough to exploit the opportunities offered by the Blackhawks from the Austrian Army which inserted 2 Platoon on the final public order exercise. The Riflemen enjoyed the public order component of the exercises gleefully striking hardcore hooligans seeking to prevent A Coy from clearing the riot from the area.
On return and with little respite A Coy began pre-deployment training for Ex ASKARI STORM in earnest. During this busy period where the Company was continually deployed on exercises A Coy received several new Riflemen. On return from New Year 2018 the Company alongside the Battalion deployed to Kenya. A Coy lived up to its high standards doing well during all phases of the exercise which included live-fire tactical training at company level with 105mm artillery as well. On completion A Coy took a well-earned rest engaging in some of the best adventure training Kenya can offer which included white water rafting as well as an expedition to climb Mt Kenya led by Lt Welch.
In early June, a Platoon from A Coy deployed to Serbia alongside troops from Serbia, USA, Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Bosnia Herze- govina and the UAE. This is the second time British soldiers have deployed to the country since 1999, this time to partake in a multinational peacekeeping training exercise - Ex PLATINUM WOLF. The intent was to build positive relations with Serbia and other armed forces whilst demonstrating the profession- alism of UK Land Forces, thereby enhancing the UK’s reputation and influence in Serbia.
The platoon conducted a variety of combined
peace support training with the Serbian Special Forces; The Sokolovi (Falcons) their Counter Terrorism Battalion. Specific highlights were Helicopter Assault Force drills using Gazelle and Mi17 platforms and CQB work in the urban environment. A great relationship was built between the two units, with the Serbs being highly comple- mentary of the professionalism and tactical profi- ciency of the Riflemen – who refused to confirm or deny that The Rifles are in fact Special Forces...
Despite all the business of the past year A Coy has been resilient and consistent in its high performance; this standard has been a result of the cumulative and unending efforts of the Riflemen who contribute to the character and quality of A Company. I anticipate that this year will be as promising and successful as last year.
Lt Tom Newman A Coy 2IC
I ANTICIPATE THAT THIS YEAR WILL BE AS PROMISING AND SUCCESSFUL AS LAST YEAR
Completing a PO serial
THE RIFLES
FIRST BATTALION 19
A Coy secure an objective during Op ELGIN rehearsal exercise
A Coy prepare to deploy in Blackhawks