people in the right places for future development. We congratulate the following: Lt Wignall to Capt, 2Lt Roberts to Lt, Sgt Ward to CSgt, Cpl Harrison to Sgt (MFC), LCpl Wood to Cpl, LCpl Bird to Cpl, LCpl Mason to Cpl, Pte Wilson to LCpl, Pte Sleeman to LCpl. We congratulate WO2 Johnson and WO2 Jones on the award of the QVRSM. All who deployed on Op Herrick 10 received their campaign medals: Cpl Bird, Cpl Mason, LCpl Wilson, Pte Appleton, Pte Boughton, Pte Gale, Pte Lewis, Pte Morrin, Pte Myers, Pte Rodgers, Pte Savage and Pte Wright
Conclusion
The Company will move forward in 2010 with its main aims being Recruitment and Retention. We will recruit strongly and focus on getting all of our recruits through selection training and on to pass CIC as quickly and efficiently as possible. We will retain our trained soldiers through WTS and close the gap on GCM by quality training, ensuring that everyone understands what we are trying to achieve in order to deploy our soldiers on Op Herrick 14 and Op Herrick 17.
C Company
by Maj Spiers OC:
2ic: CSM:
OC RRTT: PSAO: SPSI:
Maj K Spiers
Capt C Bowman WO2 Hancock CSgt Leighton Capt K Seddon WO2 Barnett
It has been an unusual year for C Company, people coming and going, a large proportion of the JNCOs and soldiers on operations and all within the current budget restrictions.
First, we start with a welcome to WO2 “Barney” Barnett from 2 MERCIAN as the new SPSI; he settled in quickly and soon made it onto CSgt Chris “Fergy” Leighton’s football team, although only as a sub - but there’s time yet! Two new subalterns arrived in the form of 2Lts Jamie Oarton and Peter Cornell, both working hard and being educated by their Platoon Sgts. Our warmest welcome however, is to the 19 soldiers and NCOs on their safe return from Afghanistan. Welcoming a new SPSI means inevitably that we say farewell to WO2 “Al” Powell who left not only C Company but also the Army as he finished after his second tour at Mansfield. His quick wit, regular banter with young officers and guiding hand for SNCOs will be missed and we wish him all the very best for his future in civilian street. The Company said goodbye, also, to a legend rather than a person as the PSAO, Capt (or, as it is now, Lt Col (Retd)) Seddon; he packed his box for the final time, leaving the building and giving up his army number. He hasn’t left our large regimental family because he’s moved down the road to Chilwell to become an Assistant Regimental Secretary, a job he enjoys and which will still bring him into regular contact with the soldiers he looked after so well at Mansfield.
During the deployment of so many soldiers from the Company, the focus changed to recruiting. The Company sent fifteen into the summer CIC and, after a couple of injuries
80 October 2010 C Coy 4 MERCIAN WO2 Hancock providing topcover
and one compassionate case, twelve passed out and joined the Company. CSgt Leighton has re-taken the helm of recruit training after standing in for CSM “Micky” Hancock during his deployment - a rôle carried out very well although the Company is keen to know how he’ll get his lectern into his webbing, as it went everywhere with him as Acting CSM! The Company enjoyed a very good adventure training weekend in the Peak District, taking part in climbing, abseiling and caving. The abseiling became quite innovative as the need for thrills included a tandem night abseil which was carried out during the day with the use of the empty haverbags. Pte Sutcliffe discovered that the caving guide could be somewhat lenient with the truth when he said “The water isn’t that deep; you should be fine”. Apparently, the River Trent isn’t that deep either!
Capt “Doctor” Chris Bowman finally took over officially as the Company 2ic achieving his third pip, planning excellent training on drill nights to keep soldiers interested
throughout the reduced training, with mini exercises and an inventive use for the under- croft below the TA Centre. His imagination and pioneering skills excelled as he developed it into a CQB training area. It’s amazing what can be achieved with rusty old wire, bits of hessian and a doctor wielding a pair of pliers! Cpl Hill came back from his successful tour as acting Sgt and, at the time of writing, is recovering from Brecon and waiting for his report. That said, he’s working hard as one of the Platoon Sgts and his enthusiasm for fitness hasn’t dwindled: he now leads on all the fitness for the Company. In addition, as a CQB instructor, he finds himself constantly in demand in the 2ic’s new arena bringing experience with his qualification in reining the next generation for operations.
The enthusiasm of Capt Bowman, the CSM and Cpl Hill for fitness, combined with the skilful shooting of the OC (Maj Keith Spiers), Cpl Charles, Pte Buckley and PO Watts meant that C Company won the Champion Company shield at Warcop after
The Mercian Eagle
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