Signals Platoon
by Capt M A Odell Over the last year, Signals Platoon has been extremely busy with a complete manpower reshuffle from the bottom to the top. Also, the Platoon deployed elements on every Land Warfare Centre tasking (better out of the way really) as the handover of the RSWOs (a complete contrast between Mr Carl “everything has its own place” Shepherd to a Kev “never deploying, ever” Rushton) was well underway, although he had a hard job keeping the stores in order as well as the Platoon.
With the handover of the Platoon Flag seeming a distant memory, no challenge was too great for Sgt Powell. Supervising the set up of BG Main on various Ex Lions Strike and Wessex Warrior in a complete grid square can be quite a task. The Company Detachments worked tirelessly to ensure that every task was completed to maintain the Battalion’s reputation. Signals Platoon completed successfully the handover of the LWC role to 1 RRF in Tidworth as elements of the G4 chain filtered over to Germany to take over the next challenge. They hit the ground running on arrival in Germany. Work started as soon as the Detachment Commanders arrived: they went to train the Battalion in the new BCIP 5 uplift, the remainder of the Platoon all starting the BCIP 5 training and sorting out the stores. The Signals Platoon is now completely BCIP 5 trained and we are now anxiously waiting for the next challenge. Our main effort switches from training everyone else in the British Army to be ready for operational tours to training our own Battalion ready for our operational commitment. We are getting new qualifications in all areas to make the Platoon more efficient.
We would like to give a warm welcome to CSgt Michael Clarke who takes on the responsibility of the Platoon Quartermaster Sergeant and the job of repairing all the broken Bowman equipment from the handover. We hope that your stay with the Platoon is a long and prosperous one. A warm welcome back from Sandhurst to CSgt Voice, the new BSM. Sgt Powell has never been so happy to see another man before. Farewells and good luck with everything they do in the future to the following: WO2 Carl Shepherd (RSWO), Sgt Michael “Taff” Ricketts, Ptes Allen O’Brian and James Wright. Congratulations on promotion to the following: A/CSgt to CSgt Rushton, Sgt to CSgt Voice, Cpl to Sgt Sweeting and LCpl to Cpl Shaw. Finally, congratulations to the following on the birth of their respective children: Sgts Ricketts and Sweeting, Cpls Hulme, Pritchard and Shaw, LCpls Pratt and Lockington and Ptes Duffy, Lathbury, Lock and Okyere.
74 October 2010
Motor Transport Platoon by WO2 53 Warburton
MTO: Capt J Stewart MTWO: WO2 J Warburton
(Maj John Stevens, if you read this, yes, it stuck…)
Well, here we are back in good old Fallingbostel!!
“Where do we start?” was the question everyone was asking on arrival, having just handed over to the Fusiliers back in Tidworth; it felt like we were starting all over again. We were trying to familiarise ourselves with the various locations and the change in
When Ross Kemp came to visit. Sorry, I mean ...
His trusty sidekick, Pte Shady Grey, will ensure that the tradition will be kept alive for a little longer.
Pte Fitzpatrick, probably wishing he hadn’t
traffic regulations as well as getting all our BFG Matrix and left hand drive conversions done so we can actually get about doing the rest of the job.
As busy as it was, the weather was scorching so it quickly became normal to finish work and meet up with the families at Fally outdoor swimming pool to cool off with a nice swim; it’s good to be back!! Except for Cpl Woody Woodward who was busy working hard or so he’d like you all to think. We also had Cpl Martin Robinson who stayed behind from the Fusiliers to help with the transition. He was the driving force behind our familiarisation as he knows everything there is to know about driving in Germany; Robbo, we welcome you to our family.
With all the blokes running around keeping busy, Sgt Chris Dawson was running around keeping them in check and generally being “mother”. Some more than others needed this as, seeing Germany for the first time was something of an eye opener or should I say closer after staying in the nightclubs until closing time. Cpl Steve Banks was also keeping a watchful eye over the flock. We are now making progress and, hopefully, the lads are starting to reap the rewards of the hard work they have put in. Keep it up fellas. Cpl Anthony Gomez-Smith is still the trusted guardian of the POL keys. I didn’t realise how long you could actually keep someone from another unit waiting for his 5 Litres of fuel but he seems to constantly break the record.
Once we arrived in Germany, three of the lads, Pte Shaun Frith, Pte Shady Grey, and Pte Mark Ridley were sent on the JNCO cadre selection. Two of the three were selected and the other, Pte Shaun Frith, decided it wasn’t actually what he wanted to do but, being the good lad that he is, he volunteered to stay with administrative staff as a GD man!! What a guy. Ptes Ridley and Grey completed the package and will hopefully promote soon. Over the past 12 months, we have had a few new arrivals in the family with Cpl Woodward and wife having a little boy, naming him Benjamin Jack. LCpl Steve Huyton and his wife, Cheryl, also had a boy, Stephen Alan Michael. Congratulations to you all and may you have many sleepless nights. I don’t envy you.
Other new additions included Pte Christopher Fitzpatrick from Javelin Platoon, LCpl Eric Motteram who has gained another stamp on his Battalion passport after leaving the QM’s Dept, Pte James Rice who has joined us from B Company and, finally, we have Capt Jim Stewart who has just taken over as MTO. After being the Welfare Officer and overseeing the Unit move and settling in period, this should be a doddle! A very warm welcome to you all.
Light Aid Detachment by Capt A Platt
On the back of Op Telic 12, the 3 MERCIAN Light Aid Detachment REME (was 1 RRF LAD until Arms Plot in August 2009) went into a period of recuperation and reorganisation from January – July 2009. With the Arms Plot of 1 RRF/3 MERCIAN imminent and the LAD realising that they would remain in situ in Fallingbostel, planning began to centralise key trade groups in order to run a series of production lines in preparation for the handover of the A and B vehicle fleet. Also compressed into this recuperation period were a series of ranges on the re-formation of Support Weapons Company, ECI, LSI, LSTI and TECHEVAL inspections, drawdown to UH, and a gradual decrease in LAD manpower due to Campaign Form. I think it safe to say that there was definitely no respite for the LAD over this period. Not known for enjoying periods of inactivity, we continued to offer our
The Mercian Eagle
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