01/12 ROYAL ANGLIAN NEWS JAN 12

COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT

1. General Sir John McColl, will now handover as Colonel of the Regiment to Maj Gen Phil Jones on 7 Sep 12 and not in May 12 as had been previously promulgated.

SELECTED FOR PROMOTION TO LT COL

2. The Regiment congratulates the following officers on being selected for promotion to Lt Col:

• Lt Col CD Davies MBE
• Maj PS Leslie

3. 1^ST BATTALION

The Vikings returned from Christmas leave to embark on the final lap, if not quite the final straight, of Mission Specific Training (MST). Within the MST programme January marks the transition from a previously individual skills based focus to collective training exercises incorporating all elements of the Combined Force. Our run in to operations has been slightly squeezed at each end with the Unit Move in December and Combined Force Nad-e-Ali being the first to deploy in mid March. This month has therefore seen a rapid progression from the OPTAG Confirmatory Exercise (CFX) to the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX) and then onwards next month to the final field training exercise on Salisbury Plain. Although no doubt busy and demanding, this compressed progression has been extremely valuable in maintaining the training momentum and focussing the Battalion firmly on the task in hand.

The OPTAG CFX in Thetford Forest involved a very welcome if short lived return to our Home Counties. The irony of training for operations in a fully kitted out Afghan village complete with well over a hundred role playing Afghans and yet, for many, being merely a stone’s throw from home, was not lost. The week’s training went exceptionally well and the companies all learnt some very useful lessons which will be applied to our subsequent training. It was also very nice to see the Regimental Secretary back in the field escorting Mr Nick Lyle on a short visit.

With only a week’s interval the Battalion next deployed to a wind swept Castlemartin for the CALFEX package. This would see the companies progressing over four days from section level live firing exercises up to a full company live firing battle run within a counter-insurgency context, complete with indirect fire, air support and live firing attack helicopters. Notwithstanding some of the frictions in the exercise scenario, this was an excellent opportunity to practise live skills before deployment. We were fortunate during this period to host a visit from our Colonel-in-Chief, who, despite the reliably inclement weather on the ranges, enjoyed the opportunity to meet many young Vikings and fire the array of weapon systems on offer.

As we look forward February and early March will be split between the final preparatory exercise (FTX) on Salisbury Plain and two weeks of pre-tour leave. The Battalion is in good shape and, though some final ironing out will be required, we are well placed for the mission ahead.

4. 2^ND BATTALION

The Poachers returned to full manning after a very welcome Christmas and New Year break with the last company returning from leave in the second week of January. Although B and D companies have not had as much opportunity to get their soldiers away due to Cyprus Security Duties, the slower pace of life has been overwhelmingly appreciated by the whole Battalion.

Headquarter Company led the way in keeping the recreational opportunities alive, with a week long scuba-diving expedition to the Red Sea organised by the QM Tech. A diving vessel was hired and used to advance a number of Battalion divers onto the next level of their proficiency.

A Company is now on Public Order Readiness Duty and was called out to assist the SBA Police deal with a protest outside RAF Akrotiri. Although the event turned out to be peaceful and contained by the civilian police, it nevertheless gave A Company a productive run out to rehearse their ability to react to public order emergencies.

B Company have gratefully handed over their security duties at Troodos and Akrotiri to D Company and are now enjoying a period of well deserved leave to make up for their work over Christmas. They will return to duty next month, but their time away has also been used by some enthusiastic officers and soldiers to represent the Battalion in the Army’s Orienteering Championships, held in the UK this month.

C Company have welcomed their new OC, Major Ben Hawes, and started the New Year with a comprehensive training package. The training started at the lowest level and will set the foundations for their build up towards Kenya over the coming months.

D Company has finished the majority of their support weapons cadres and has welcomed a number of new soldiers to their ranks as a result. They are now providing the guard at a number of sites around the Island. The snow and ice at the top of Mount Olympus will provide them with a taste of what can be expected on their deployment to the Falkland Islands in March.

Finally, Battalion sporting enthusiasm has been given a big boost when players from Bourne Rugby Club arrived for a weekend to play for the annual Joseva Lewaicei & Adam Morris Memorial Trophy. This trophy, named after the two Poachers who were killed in Iraq in 2006, is played for every year between the Battalion and Bourne Rugby Club. This year it was won by the Poachers.

5. 3^RD BATTALION

Well rested, after a festive season full of cheer, the 3^rd Battalion returned to work at least a week before the remainder of the Army on the 3^rd of January. 

The unseasonably early start reflected the new level of tempo and commitments that 2012 has presented the Bn. We can now lay claim to supplying in excess of a Company to Op TOSCA, a Platoon to HERRICK 16 and have been tasked to provide large numbers of troops for both one and three month mobilisations in support of the Olympics. There are few Bns, Regular or Reserve, who can claim to have provided such a high level of support to so many diverse tasks. All of this, of course, while still conducting normal unit business. 

In order to support our growing role and in line with the future structure of the Army Reserve, the Bn has undertaken an invigorated recruiting campaign with the endstate being recruited to 130% by the end of the next financial year. Hand in glove with this we have seen an increase in the allotted recruiting target by 100% for 2012/13 and will exceed our 2011/12 target with ease. 

The New Year has also bought a number of changes to the face of BHQ, most notably the departure of Maj Richard Pattison after 29 years of loyal service to The Regiment and Army. I am sure I speak for all when I thank him for his unstinting commitment and wish him all the very best for the future. Linking neatly to this I would like to welcome Maj Phil Birch to the Bn, having recently returned from secondment with the Bermuda Regiment. 

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate RSM Main on his performance in the Infantry Orienteering Championships; his ‘cunning running’ saw him win the M40 category with a combined time that many of the younger competitors would be very jealous of.

Training Update: As a Battalion the Steelbacks are currently enjoying something of a purple patch with regard to our ability to generate both quality training and high calibre recruits. We have seen a steady improvement in the pass rate and position of our nominations on the Combat Infantryman’s Course (CIC); the majority of our soldiers are ‘top third’ and, on the most recent course, Pte Shaw won the coveted ‘best recruit’ slot. This level of performance is directly attributed to the hard work of the companies in ensuring that each and every man who attends the course is as well prepared as possible. 

Bn level training continues apace with the preparation for both the ADX (Ex Leopard Star in Sennelager, Germany) and the first major training event of the year, Ex Steelback Horizon. Our collective training has been tailored to provide a construct in which each rank and role will be trained, revised and tested in the job they should fulfil; and as I write this coy comds are busy revising / learning their estimate process……..    

HERRICK 16 Update: While the majority of the world was sleeping off the excesses of New Year, the Bn was still busy mobilising its second cohort of troops through RTMC Chilwell. A 0845 hrs PFT on the 2^nd Jan was the reward for the final volunteers for HERRICK 16, who due to the high level of pre-training they have received, were able to condense the normal two week course into five days. Having impressed all at the Mobilisation Centre, the group then moved to join the 1^st Bn on their CFX, via Bulford.

More soon.

**Project Director    Appointment Available**

IWRI is a small charity acting as a catalyst bringing together representatives of Government, Industry. Commerce & Academe to examine and promote action in the issues raised by the global water crisis and the huge growth of developing townships in the Emerging Economies.

A project director is now required to co-ordinate and administer a small but top level workshop due to be held on 25 April at The Army & Navy Club in London.

The work involved will include

Arrange finance with sponsors of the Workshop
Co-ordinate the programme with speakers and Government Departments

Issue invitations to attend the workshop to selected companies (50)

Register acceptances and compile delegates lists
Co-ordinate in advance arrangements at the Army & Navy Club
Supervise administration on the day of the Workshop
Compile a report on the proceedings.

Notes

The work can be carried out from a home base
Finance to be discussed

For further details please contact Walter Drysdale – walter@iwri.org.uk

The Rugby History Society – Edgar Mobbs

The afternoon should be very good and an ideal place to take the Children.

Tickets are priced at £20 – Serving and retired members of the Armed Forces and their partners £15 – for those you know might wish to attend; and particularly to those who live in the Leicester area.

Click image for more info. . .

As always, its that time again when the New Years Honours list comes out. And I know you will all join us at the VVA in congratulating Lt Col Simon Etherington for his award of an OBE; and Capt (Retd) Ray Hazan, President of St Dunstan’s, for service to Blind Ex-Service Men and Women. Ray receives an OBE (Ray was seriously injured and blinded by a parcel bomb whilst serving with the Poachers in Londonderry in 1973); and finally Capt (Retd) Bob Allen, Chairman of The Royal Tigers’ Association, awarded an MBE for service to Ex-Service Men and Women in Leicestershire and Rutland and to the community in Belton-in-Rutland.

Excellent news and a great start to the New Year.

Info source: Kevin. Lt Col (Retd) K Hodgson OBE Regimental Secretary The Royal Anglian Regiment

11/11 ROYAL ANGLIAN NEWS NOV 11

POSTINGS

1. Regimental Headquarters has been informed of the following postings:

· Col SW Carver DSO from Comd BATUS to Col Trg RMAS wef Aug 12

· Lt Col STH Andrews from SO1 Plans Land JFC HQ Lisbon to MA to Comd NRDC HQ Turkey Istanbul wef Aug 12

· A/Lt Col (for Lt Col 12) OCC Brown from ACSC Student to MA to COMARRC wef Jul 12

· Maj (A/Lt Col) PS Leslie from Dep Ch Pol and Plans HQ EUFOR to Chief JIOC HQ EUFOR Sarajevo wef Nov 11

· WO2 David to be RSM 2 R ANGLIAN

· WO2 Dyson to be RSM Cambridge UOTC

· WO2 Hopkins to be RSM 3 R ANGLIAN

· WO2 Vazquez to be RSM 3 PWRR

2. 1^ST BATTALION

‘Busy’ is an often used term in these reports, but having conducted a unit move to Bulford, concurrent to the ongoing Mission Specific Training (MST) for OP HERRICK 16, the Vikings have a fair claim to say November and December have been a busytime.

November saw the end of ‘cascade’ training with the commanders of the Battalion instructing the soldiers on theatre-specific drills and tactics. The culmination of this training was a 36 hour CO’s exercise in Longmoor. For this the companies, operating out of the patrol bases, were put through their paces in a variety of patrolling scenarios and targeted strike operations. Based on the lessons learned from this period, the companies set about putting the finishing touches to their cascade training. In comparison to the equivalent stage in the build up to Ops HERRICK 6 and 11, the companies are at a far more advanced level of training, as would be expected from the much developed MST programme, which bodes well as we move into the New Year’s collective MST exercises.

In the last week of November, having temporarily downed our operational tools, the time came to execute the unit move. After almost eight years of being told the Battalion was moving to Bulford, we were indeed finally moving. Notwithstanding a significant short-notice delay in the roll-out of the new Canadian Estate, which has caused no small amount of frustration, the vast majority of the single soldiers and families have now moved into their new accommodation. The response to the new facilities on offer has been overwhelmingly positive and our soldiers and, most importantly, our families, are happy in their new homes.

The programme for the New Year sees the Battalion on exercise for a total of four weeks in the first two months on Stanford, Castle Martin and Salisbury Plain training areas. This fast paced run in to operations, combined with some pre-deployment leave, will set the conditions for deployment which looks set for mid March.

3. 2^ND BATTALION

The Battalion started the month welcoming the new Commanding Officer, Lt Col Nigel Johnson, who took over command just as the Battalion was transitioning from its Theatre Reserve role to delivering security duties around Cyprus.

C Company have provided the first rotation of men to this task of safeguarding the vital communication sites across the island and have been exemplary in their determination to ensure that the Poachers deliver this responsibility to the highest standards. Similarly, B Company has been no less vigilant in their task of remaining at 24 hours notice to move ready to support the Sovereign Base Police should they be needed.

This does not mean that training has taken a back seat. B Company pioneered the Battalion’s first ‘Escape and Evasion’ exercise for their men which had them navigating in small teams throughout the night to reach a secure rendezvous, assisted by secret collaborators en route and evading a determined hunter force armed with tracker dogs and helicopters. One team successfully evaded capture throughout the entire exercise but had a close call when picked up in a helicopter’s searchlight before managing to lose their pursuers once more in the dark.

Meanwhile, D Company has begun its long-awaited series of tough and arduous training courses to select the next generation of support weapon soldiers from the Battalion. The soldiers and NCOs have been testing soldiers hopeful to join their Company in the rigours of working as a sniper, mortar man, reconnaissance soldier, machine-gunner or anti-tank operator. With the Company deploying on exercise to the Falkland Islands in March next year, those young soldiers selected will have plenty of opportunity to practice their new skills.

The Battalion’s standing within the British Forces in Cyprus has been enshrined after our triumphant victory against stiff competition in the Commander British Forces’ Sports Competition. In a single week, the men of the Battalion played against their counterparts in the other units across the island in football, hockey, rugby, cross-country running, orienteering, tug of war, tennis, golf, volleyball, squash and swimming. In the closest of finales, with a tie-breaker hinging on Capt Chris Hughes’ tug of war team, the Battalion was announced the winner and came back with an exceptionally sized trophy which now has pride of place in the new CO’s office.

But the single event which has caused the biggest burst of excitement across the Battalion has been the much anticipated confirmation that we shall be moving into RAF Cottesmore after our time in Cyprus has come to an end. With other possible locations being rumoured to span from Pirbright to Scotland, the announcement that we will be coming to a place so close to the homes of so many of our soldiers has been met with satisfaction and eagerness by the whole Battalion. Public reaction to the news has been equally buoyant and the people of Cottesmore and Rutland have voiced a warm welcome to the Battalion.

With the Christmas period fast approaching, the men are making their own and collective preparation to spend it either here or back home with their families. But whether they are on duty or back in the UK, the soldiers of the Poachers are as determined as ever to enjoy their second Christmas and New Year in Cyprus.

4. 3^RD BATTALION

The month of November has seen the 3^rdBattalion continue in its core mission of providing support to operations, while raising the Regimental profile in the local community.

Those who had spent the summer months on Op TOSCA have now finished their POTL and returned to the normal, hectic, routine of a Battalion supporting Op HERRICK 16. Spearheading the first of two tranches that total 37, 17 volunteers left for RTMC in late November and will be with our sister Battalion by the start of December. They are to be followed shortly by a set of dedicated individuals for whom the post-tour leave from TOSCA will be their only break from operations in over 12 months. For some, this mobilisation has opened some unexpected doors in the form of opportunity and variety that has included the re-roling of some of our people onto the UK main effort – that of training and mentoring the Afghan Army. When else would a Reservist SNCO get the chance to shape the next generation of Afghan Army leaders as an instructor at the Afghan Officer Academy?

Far away from Afghanistan, preparations for the Army’s support to the Olympics (imaginatively called Op OLYMPICS…) continued with a week long Brigade-level contingency planning exercise providing useful insight to both likely roles and responses for the Battalion. The end of the month also provided an opportunity for the OCs to attend an excellent session with DCLF, Maj Gen The Duke of Westminster, detailing the positive impact and very real responsibilities for Reservist personnel under Future Army 2020.

As is only right and fitting, the Battalion played a large part in the yearly Festivals and Services of Remembrance, with each of the companies representing The Regiment throughout East Anglia and beyond as well as at the Regimental Service at Duxford. In recognition of the outstanding contribution of the Lord Mayor and the City of Leicester to our Regimental Benevolent Charity, the CO was honoured with an invitation by the Lord Mayor of Leicester to the City ceremony and to take the salute at the march past.

As part of our ongoing community engagement activity, the Battalion briefed Suffolk employers on the changes in the Army and the role of Reservists on Op TOSCA over breakfast at the Athenaeum in Bury St Edmunds. It was a highly successful morning with over 35 employers tucking in to a Full English while (hopefully) listening to what we got up to in Cyprus. We have been busy socially too with the Warrant Officers and Sergeants’ Mess holding their winter function in Norwich along with a series of Op TOSCA welcome-back events at the company locations.

5. DIARY DATES 2012 (Amendment)

Diary Dates 2012, circulated with the last edition of Royal Anglian News, contained an error. Both the Regimental Council Meeting and Officers’ Dinner at the Army and Navy Club, London, are on 2 Nov 12 and not 4 Nov 12. Diary Dates 2012 should be amended accordingly.

If you are planning on coming down you can get some good deals digs wise if you book in advance.
Should you need anything you can get me on this address, facebook or call/txt me on 07714148333.

Hoping that you and your families are all fit & well.

Regards,
Brian F (aka Freebee).

1110 Oct_11_Newsletter

Diary Dates 2012

Have a read of the attached which has been emailed by Malcolm Dawe.

Aden and Radfan Re Union