Corps News

Ugandan Founder Member meets the UK Defence Adviser

The UK Defence Adviser, Lt Col Matthew Edwards, met* Ugandan WWII Veterans and families, including a Founder Member of the Corps complete in his battledress jacket with campaign medals and East Africa EME ‘mud guards’. He was fascinated to see The Craftsman Magazine and how the work of today’s Corps is portrayed in print.

(*Pre-Covid-19)

REME Units Win the Equipment Care Cup 2020

1 R WELSH LAD and 4 ACS Bn REME jointly won the annual Equipment Care Cup in 2020, recognising the first class ES they provide across 3 (UK) Div.

Scribes: 2Lt Adam Tomlin (4 Bn REME) and Cpl Kimberly Chambers (1 R WELSH)

4 ACS Bn REME and 1 R WELSH LAD jointly received the EC Cup in recognition of first class ES they provide at home and on deployment

The Equipment Care competition is an annual competition administered by HQ Field Army and sponsored by Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL) to promote equipment care for all Army units, major and minor across Defence. 1st Battalion the Royal Welsh Regiment and 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion REME have been recognised for their achievements, ethos and commitment to Equipment Care, recently being declared as joint winners of the Equipment Care Cup 2020.

As part of 1 R WELSH, the LAD plays a key role in Equipment Care and it is an ethos that spans the entire workforce and applies in all the unit undertakes. As an underlying principle, it provides an opportunity to develop working practices, the competence of junior engineers and is an essential component of how they operate job to job, day to day, exercise to deployment. 4 ACS Bn REME operate under an overarching goal; to always strive to demonstrate Leadership, Professionalism and Readiness. This is a mentality that spans all ranks and working practices utilised in delivering the Bn’s key function of providing ES to 3 (UK) Div. As the only UK Division held at continuous operational readiness, excelling in Equipment Care is essential to the Battalion as it provides a crucial component in maintaining capability at all levels, from individual soldier to a fleet of AFVs.

Both 1 R WELSH and 4 ACS Bn REME understand and appreciate that high quality EC contributes to an increase in efficiency, directly correlating to a higher production output for the same workforce investment. This in turn works to drive up the availability to meet training commitments and increases the SQEP held within these Units, bolstering the Readiness of the entire force. Cpl Kimberley Chambers (1 R WELSH LAD) remarked,

“This is what the LAD thrive on and it puts a smile on our faces, seeing an AFV roll out of our hanger because we’ve fixed it, and done so in a way that we believe to be more than just opening our toolbox is what delivering ES with a strong EC ethos is all about”.

We all have a responsibility for EC and its encompassing elements. This includes identifying best practice, areas for improvement and for opportunities to train and develop the workforce. It is an iterative process that will continue to output tangible benefits if the appropriate mindset is adopted and encouraged at all levels. Throughout 2020, 1 R WELSH LAD and 4 ACS Bn REME have delivered several EC training packages, adapting to the current environment by utilising videos on Defence Connect and following them up with a Microsoft Teams Form to ensure that the message had landed with the audience. From entering a fault on JAMES to the correct method of slave starting a MAN SV, these units have worked tirelessly in the pursuit of Equipment Care excellence and are now reaping the benefits in the delivery of their respective capabilities.

This mindset and belief directly contribute to the success within these establishments. The Royal Welsh soldiers invest in their equipment to meet the demanding FOE asked of them and the LAD are always at hand to support when required. “We continue to work hard as a LAD for the Battalion and we will continue to deliver the highest levels of Equipment Support and Equipment Care”.

Similarly, 4 ACS Bn REME maintains a stalwart attitude towards Readiness, underpinned by an approach to EC that can be seen in both the working systems utilised and the mindset of every individual within the Bn. It is because of this that they continue to provide first class ES across 3 (UK) Div both from their home base at Tidworth Garrison and overseas. Both units aim to keep this title for the oncoming years and are incredibly grateful for the acknowledgment of this award.