OC Maj Chris Carter, IO Capt John Lam, Ops Offr Capt Adam Commery, CSM Paul Lewis, CSgt Penney as CQMS and CSgt Kavaz as a Platoon Commander - quite a commitment from a Company only 68 strong.
Despite so many being mobilised, the Company is still managing to parade large numbers on drill nights and training weekends; total manning is currently running at 92 soldiers and recruiting is going well. On the Tuesday before the majority of Normandy Company deployed, 15 of those mobilised attended A Company and we saw a total of 60 soldiers on parade including new recruits. As OC, it was very pleasing to take a parade with that number of troops stood in front of me. With another 16 mobilised and not at Sheldon, we had 76 on duty on a Tuesday Drill night. Running the Company as acting OC in my absence is Capt Tim
Carpenter who has returned to the Company after a stint in sunny Afghanistan followed by a stint in less sunny Wolverhampton. Among the new recruits, we have two new 2Lts who have joined us from Birmingham UOTC, Teraka Middleton and Rob Whittle. The relationships with both Birmingham UOTC and the local ACF are ones which we are working to improve, along with the wider Birmingham and Warwickshire community. The OTC have come away with us on the Battalion range weekend in Warcop and there are plans afoot to arrange some training with the ACF. Tentative links have also been made with local community leaders including the MP, Council Leaders and the Lord Lieutenant. Where these new associations will take us is not clear yet but they should hopefully cement our position in the heart of the community.
B Company
by Maj Dufley OC:
PSAO: 2ic:
SPSI:
CSM (V): QPSI:
Maj D Dufley Capt D McEvoy Capt A Wignall WO2 Burgess
WO2 K Johnson CSgt D Clapperton
PL Comd 4 Platoon 2Lt J Roberts 5 Platoon OCdt Quellyn-Roberts Pl Sgt
Sgt L Gregory Sgt P Maher
Another year in the life of B Company 4 MERCIAN has passed by and not, as usual, without incident. Since last year, 14 members of the Company have mobilised for Op Herrick 10 and Ptes Wilson and Atkinson are currently on FTRS for two years with 2 MERCIAN. WO2 Jones, WO2 Mathews, Sgt Maher, and Cpl Harrison have all spent two weeks in the Falkland Islands with 1 MERCIAN where they were providing Mortar Line safety.
Company Personalities
The Company has had two new additions: one is myself, Maj Dave Dufley as Company Commander and the other is Capt Des McEvoy, the PSAO; he is assisted by Vicky, the Company Admin Officer. The Company 2ic is Capt Andy Wignall who joined us from The Kings and Cheshire Regiment. Our CSM is WO2 Johnson, ex Mortar 2ic, who is learning his trade under the watchful eye of our “Grown Up” who is WO2 Burgess (Budgie) the SPSI (also ex-CHESHIRE
The Mercian Eagle
like myself) who has been with us for two years now, which is long enough for any TA unit. However, the system must think that
we have not had enough of him as he has recently been extended for another year. The Mortar PSI is CSgt Crump who has given good service to the Platoon and is currently deployed in a support rôle to Canada. WO2 Mathews currently commands the Mortar Platoon, however we have just recruited a potential officer who should be ready to take full control of the Platoon by the end of the year. The Mortar 2ic is WO2 Jones who has recently been presented with the 1st Clasp to his VRSM which marks 15 years in the TA. WO2 Jones is responsible for maintaining the training of the Platoon and for planning future live firing events. Lt Roberts, who has
Under the management of WO2 Smith, the Senior Permanent Staff Instructor, our football team has become 5 Div champions: the fact that some opponents pulled out of matches and therefore forfeited them is a minor detail. Mr Smith is looking to arrange some friendly matches with local teams in the near future to keep the team in practice to push on to the next level next season. Amongst other achievements, LCpl Clowes was recently honoured by Birmingham Council with an award for saving the life of a child whilst at work. He works as the manager of a sports centre and, having just returned from his CMT 2 First Aid qualification, a four year old boy was pulled face down from the swimming pool; using techniques which he had learnt with the TA, LCpl Clowes resuscitated him and saved his life.
Lt Bowman applies his surgical precision to the GMG October 2009 87
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