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n posting to the Engineer Training and Advisory conversion Course, in the main everyone we spoke to were
Team (ETAT) in Sennelager, one of my first very positive about how T2 had improved and the future for
tasks from the OC, Maj Tommy Henderson was to attend an Armd Engrs in the Corps.
Armd update at the RE Wing, Armoured Centre, Bovington. By far the best day of the week for me was Wednesday
Along with WO1 (SMI) Jase Till and Johno Johnson we when we received updates about the FV 432 Mk 3 (Bulldog),
arrived at the wing to be briefed by the OC, Maj Keith Panther CLV, Viking and gunnery from the SMEs. On the
Beddoe. An impressive programme of events was planned visit to see Panther we were given an excellent intro by the
that would update us on T2, introduce us to new equipments, BAE staff and able to see the vehicle at first hand, what it
speak to students attending Armd Engr training and get our was capable of and the Overhead Weapon System (OWS).
hands on to experience the level of skill required by opera- Clearly Panther will be a formidable vehicle when it arrives
tors. After abusing WO2 (QMSI) Matt Irish in the offices, in service and could be utilised to great effect by the Corps
WO2 (WSM) Taff Bamsey took us out on the area to see T2 in so many different scenarios. The Viking update was given
in action. The course was practising recovery of a No 12 by Cpl Crick, an NCO from the Corps working for Fleet
CSB with the Titan AVLB when we arrived and Taff talked with the Royal Marines in Bovington. Again an excellent
us through the sequence of events and some of the problems update showing how the vehicle might have utility for the
experienced with the earlier batches of Titan. This was fol- Corps given its proven track record with the Royals
lowed by a walk around the real estate which included a Marines on Op Herrick.
quick look at over the impressive new Terrier training facility. The final day of the week saw a “hands on” introduc-
Later that morning WO2 (QMSI) Steve Cahill updated us on tion to the AVRE (Trojan). After an introduction to the
Terrier, more info on the new “all singing, all dancing” multi switches, levers and the like we each had a lesson on the
million pound training facility and the current state of affairs excavator under the watchful eye of SSgt “Nobby”
with the Terrier project itself. Newbrook. We then remained in the operators’ seat for a
The next morning we visited RETDU where we were trip around the area. The AVRE was fitted with a Full
updated on T2 by WO2 (QMSI) Phil Kappellar. What really Width Mine Plough (FWMP) in order to show us how it
struck me from that visit was the changes and improve- affects the X-country capability but we nevertheless still
ments that had been made to T2 as each batch moved managed to negotiate the circuit in good time. After the
through production. Currently Batch 4 is under trial sport- final wash up it was back to sunny Sennelager with the
ing considerable improvements over Batches 2 and 3 which knowledge that the RE Wing is clearly producing the
are being used by field units. The end result should be a goods back in Bovington. A great week was had by all
much improved, bug free Batch 5 with all of the teething three SMIs from ETAT and our thanks go out to the wing
problems experienced on earlier exercises remedied. It was for a professional programme of events.
interesting to chat with the trials NCOs and visit a T2 C
ton?
AVLB (Titan) in full swing on the tank park
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