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3 MERCIAN Mortar Platoon by Capt Ryan


OC: 2ic:


Capt A C Ryan. CSgt P Dukes


It has been a busy time for the Mortar Platoon in the LWC Rôle. The A and B MFCs are constantly deployed on Barrel safety tasks for Mortar Div so it is left to the LCpls to carry out the majority of low level training in the mean time. It has proved a good opportunity to practise live firing, with a number of shoots fired for Recce Division, enabling the Platoon to utilise a greater quantity of ammunition than we would otherwise have been allocated. The Platoon has maintained its conventional skills and has learnt some new ones and it awaits eagerly the move to Germany and the chance to use them for real.


In the latter half of 2008, the Platoon held a Number and Executive cadre which was required due to the large number of new soldiers and NCOs who have joined the Platoon. All the basic weapon handling skills and firing procedures were practised and the finale was a week long exercise in a tactical setting on SPTA. This proved to be good preparation for supporting the Battalion LFTT in January and ensured that the three NCOs sent on the Standard Course were ready for the challenges which awaited them. The Bn LFTT was held in Brecon and gave the mortar lines and MFCs the chance to live fire in direct support of soldiers for the first time since BATUS 06. This was a good experience for all and a number of lessons were learnt, most notably by the new riflemen


who were unused to 81mm bombs exploding at close quarters.


When not employed on live firing tasks, the Platoon has been able to deploy in support of the BG on numerous exercises providing OPFOR for Units about to deploy on operations. These can vary considerably in scope, ranging from MRXs designed to mimic the Contemporary Operating Environment to Ex Wessex Warrior where we deploy as a conventional 1, 2 BG using a Tactical Engagement System (TES) which uses lasers to record if personnel or vehicles would have been injured or killed. This keeps a number of skill sets active and gives us a good insight into the lessons learnt on Operations from recently returned units. Additionally, it has given the troops the opportunity to practise their impersonations of the Afghan/Iraqi population – a valuable skill indeed. With TES in use on the majority of the major exercises, they frequently turn into a friendly competition between Mortars and Javelin to see who can destroy the greatest number of high value assets with the fewest friendly losses. Needless to say, we usually win, although the creative use of TES helps to boost the ratios as does having a few friends in the butts (namely the Westdown Camp control room!).


The Platoon has welcomed back CSgt Dukes (recently selected for promotion to WO2) who has taken over the mantle of chief planner in the FPC. Sgt Sharples has completed his Mortar Platoon 2ic course and is now the Tech Rep prior to swapping with Sgt Woolley in the Wolverhampton Army Careers Information Office. Sgt Ellis has returned from Bassingbourne and is refreshed and ready for the challenges awaiting him. Sgt Cross recently


3 MERCIAN Close Reconnaissance Platoon - Four Man Contact Drills: 3 - 7 November 2008 by Captain M R H Paul


In November 2008, Recce Platoon deployed to Sennybridge to conduct live firing as part of our training package. As there was no BATUS or any other large live firing exercise on the horizon, we were not constrained by having to reach a certain live firing level. Because of this, we decided that we would concentrate on four man contact drills and spend the whole week becoming proficient at this.


On Monday morning we left Tidworth at some ungodly hour to make the trek along the M4 to the Brecon Hills. At B range, we lost no time in setting up and starting the package. B range has a particularly good Close Quarter Battle lane which we used on the first day to conduct fire and manoeuvre in pairs. Each pair went down twice to give them the opportunity to improve - which they duly did. On Tuesday and Wednesday we were located on the other side of the impact area. This range is not great for tactical manoeuvre but is very good as a piece of practice ground. The Section Commanders were given free rein to train their four man teams the way they wanted. Over the two days,


The Mercian Eagle


the teams rehearsed live contact drills to the front, rear and flanks, which was felt to be one of the best training opportunities that Section Commanders have had for a few years.


On Thursday we moved to C Range for High Explosive Grenade throwing which has not been conducted by the Battalion in recent times and which certainly got the adrenaline flowing in us all - not something you want to go wrong. This is a piece of training that I cannot commend more: the High Explosive Grenade is a weapon that requires handling with confidence and the soldiers do not use them enough to be truly confident with them. Following this, we conducted our first Battle Exercise. This took the form of an insertion patrol that was compromised with the patrol having to withdraw 700m in contact with the added bonus of a minefield in the middle of the withdrawal route. Fortunately, there was a half-filled culvert running under the minefield which allowed the patrol to extract without losing momentum, if only a little wet!


One of the many streams in Sennybridge, all visited by Recce Platoon


That evening, the patrols conducted further contact drills at night before starting the final Battle Exercise. After a set of Quick Battle Orders, each patrol set off on a 10 kilometre insertion tab to put in an overnight Observation Post screen on B Range. This was manned by midnight and, in the morning, radio orders were sent to the effect that the screen had been compromised and that the patrols could expect an enemy attack. This soon materialised and the patrols went into action. This time, there was an added dimension in that the patrols had all their equipment with them and were no longer in light scales. When watching the patrols giving covering fire for each other, all that was missing was a bit of Phil Collins and “In the Air Tonight!”. As the week concluded, all were left exhausted but with an overwhelming feeling that we had enjoyed some high quality training which was tailored to the Platoon’s requirements.


October 2009 69


picked up his third tape and is settling into the Mess nicely. Congratulations to LCpl Davis on his promotion and, also, to Pte Ward on his successful completion of a JNCO cadre.


Pte Cooper and LCpl Franks on the Mortar Line preparing to fire


Mortars firing 81mm Illuminating rounds from AFV 432 in support of the Bn LFTT


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