9 minute read
1 CS Bn: A Turbulent Year
A Turbulent Year
2020 was a turbulent year for the world. However, despite a global pandemic, the need to provide ES support to 1(UK) Division resulted in yet another busy year for 1 CS Battalion REME. Quickly adjusting to the new way of life, the unit managed to conduct multiple challenging exercises, continued to support overseas operations and even found time to run some excellent Adventurous Training.
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Ex WESSEX STORM
for the members of 4 CS Coy. Taking into account the adverse conditions and maintaining such a high availability shows they epitomised what it is to be a REME Soldier.
On 27 January 2020, thirteen personnel from 4 CS Company deployed to Salisbury Plain Training Area to bolster 2 R ANGLIAN LAD in aid of Wessex Storm 1/20. The team established themselves in a small workshop in Knook Camp and began work on Foxhounds, Jackals and Coyotes in the lead up to the first tactical phase. For some, it was their first time working with Protected Mobility vehicles, which provided an excellent opportunity to familiarise themselves with new equipment.
The difficult terrain, paired with Storm Ciara, proved to be a problem and caused issues for vehicles that resulted in some interesting jobs for the Recovery Mechanics. Jobs varying from broken convoy lights to full engine changes kept everyone busy and helped some of the junior Craftsmen tick off the majority of their Class 3 to 2 books.
After a few late nights (and a lot of brews) the LAD managed to achieve 93% availability in preparation for Exercise Archer, the Commanding Officer’s two day run out. On 17 January, seven of the thirteen tradesmen pushed forward to The Rookery to establish an Equipment Collection Point, with the remainder moving to A2 to help 2 Bn REME in Barton Stacey.
With a new location came another storm. The ground was deteriorating and the problem became less about repairing the vehicles and more about how they would get to the vehicles in the first place. When spares weren’t available, other ways of repair had to be quickly thought of. For instance, the use of green string in place of a wiper motor to ensure a vital piece of equipment was back in the battle as quick as possible.
Overall, this was an extremely successful exercise
Ex SCORPION STING
As part of Exercise SCORPION STING, members from 4 Company took part in an AT package prior to deploying to Cottesmore on a four-day BCS exercise. As was a common theme throughout much of the year, COVID-19 tried its utmost to throw a spanner in the works, with a
Coy REHAB Orders
Coy HQ
plethora of last-minute changes being made to the AT. None more so than the change of venue from Capel Curig to Catterick Garrison. Luckily, having the Yorkshire Dales on our doorstep allowed the Company to still conduct two days of beneficial and challenging AT, consisting of hill walking and mountain biking.
From the picturesque village of Clapham in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, groups departed into the surrounding countryside either on foot or by bike. The destination for the hill walkers was the summit of Ingleborough, which makes up one of the Yorkshire Three Peaks. The 10-mile loop featured some of the best scenery the Yorkshire Dales has to offer, passing over limestone
Fwd Pl ECCP
A Class 6 carcass
A rolling replen lesson during Ex SCORPIONS STING
pavements, gills, caves, sink holes and scars. At the summit of Ingleborough, groups were met with an uninspiring view over the Dales as, in true Northern fashion, inclement weather brought with it a thick layer of cloud. The mountain biking was arguably a less arduous affair, consisting of a 15-mile route that included a scheduled stop for a pub lunch. The two days of AT, which all members of the Company took part in, served as a great shake out for everyone after a long period where much of the Company was dispersed due to COVID-19.
LR recovery
Mountain biking AT during Ex SCORPIONS STING
Section attack during the Ex SCORPIONS ATTACK BCS phase
1 CS Bn REME has also been busy implementing the new LCpl ‘Army Leadership and Development Programme (ALDP)’, which is replacing the ‘Command, Leadership and Management (CLM)’ promotion courses. This programme is designed to develop Junior NCOs so that they can execute effective command, leadership and management of small teams. It is a two-week course, with the first week based in camp and consisting of various lectures on topics such as leadership, mental fitness, discipline and defence studies. These give the Junior NCOs the theory they need to know to become effective junior leaders. The first week also contained a day of command tasks. This tested the trainees on their ability to manage their team whilst extracting and conveying important information so that they could complete the task. The week rounded off with the trainees delivering a five-minute presentation on a leader of their choice. This gave the trainees a chance to study their chosen leader and recognise the leadership qualities they possessed that made them an effective leader. They then had to present their findings in front of the other trainees on the course, testing their public speaking skills.
After a weekend off, the trainees moved to the exercise phase of the course. This began by receiving a set of deployment orders, before setting off and patrolling into the harbour location. After an afternoon of reminding and revising the six section battle drills, the trainees were ready to take charge of a fire team as a Section 2IC. The day’s activities consisted of a ‘round robin’ of section attacks on the wet and hilly Catterick Training Area, where each trainee took turns being tested as the Section 2IC in a section attack. The trainees were marked on their problem-solving skills, as well as their ability to act and communicate under pressure.
As always, COVID-19 measures were put in place to reduce the spread of the virus between trainees and staff. These added a layer of complexity to the delivery of the course and included measures such as splitting the course in two during week one and reducing shell scrapes to one per person during the exercise phase. These measures, along with the well ingrained ‘hands, face, space’ mantra, helped to control and reduce the spread among the course when a confirmed case did unfortunately arise.
1 Bn Tours and Trawls
Despite COVID-19, many members of 1 Battalion REME have still deployed on vital overseas operations and exercises.
LCpl Adeyemo and Cfn Yarnell Scott deployed to Poland on OP CABRIT in support of The Light Dragoons; who were forming NATO’s multinational enhanced Forward Presence in the region.
LCpl Armstrong and LCpl Kyle are currently preparing to deploy with The Light Dragoons as part of the 250 strong peacekeeping force that has been deployed to Mali in support of MINUSMA.
Cpl Craddock and LCpl Rodgers have been deployed to Afghanistan with 4 SCOTS on OP TORAL. They have been part of the 1000 strong contingent of UK troops who are aiming to increase the capability of the Afghanistan Defence and Security Forces.
LCpl Bevan, LCpl Bolton, LCpl Betham, LCpl Smith and Cfn Enderbury have been deployed to the Falklands as part of the British Army’s longstanding commitment to defend the island and provide support for the 3,521 inhabitants of the islands. Other notable mentions are the Battalion’s continual support for BATUK, Exercise Wessex Storm, Op Rescript and Winter Planning 2020.
Echelon Company
Taking part in the LCpl ALDP
During 2020, the Company has adapted to the requirements of the Battalion; providing RLS to the many BHQ and Company exercises, developing a conceptual understanding of the Log ES Mat in the event of an LBSG deployment, and adapting to the possibility of deploying on operations for the first time since Op HERRICK 17. It is safe to say that all personnel have contributed superbly throughout; a testing yet inspirational performance from all personnel, which has seen its integration with the Battalion’s cognitive cell – the BHQ. In addition to its working schedule, personnel have
Remy Pl on AT during Ex SCORPIONS STING
Regardless of the challenges that COVID-19 has presented, 1 Battalion has still managed to complete numerous exercises, Adventurous Training and continually provide ES Support to the wider Army. Our Soldiers proved they are flexible, adaptable and able to operate in a myriad of environments. 2021 will provide its own challenges. We look forward to 4 CS Coy deploying to Kenya in preparation for their Readiness year and the remainder of the Battalion conducting vital training for whatever is around the corner. Well done for all your hard work this year and best of luck for the next 12 months!
enjoyed the opportunity of AT where a number of Soldiers hiked the Yorkshire Dales on an autumn afternoon.
In the summer, personnel worked tirelessly to progressively train its personnel from BCS (Back-to-Basics) to a standard allowing a successful technical deployment. Most impressively, the multitude of trades within the Company had adapted its normal way of life to best integrate with the BHQ; something which hadn’t been done in many years. The concurrent training activity saw its Logistic Supply Specialists learn to provide critical ES Material, the Chefs deliver an excellent food service to BHQ and the Comms Department execute a complex communications plan across multiple detachments. The BHQ and Ech Coy training programme has culminated to revised SOIs, a well-integrated Echelon and a strong foothold for which the Battalion can progress into LBSG readiness.
The Company’s success in delivering a magnitude of roles throughout the Battalion has been due to the hard work of all within the Company. This fresh change has provided a fresh attitude towards EMPOWERMENT that will see the Battalion move from strength-to-strength.
SV engine change while on exercise
Ech Coy on AT
