Issue 12: July 2015 The Mercian Family 2 Newsletter The Heart of England’s Infantry Regimental News ANNUAL PILGRIMAGE TO CRICH MEMORIAL - Soldiers and their families from all three Battalions of The Mercian Regiment attended the Crich Pilgrimage at The Mercian Regiment Memorial on the first Sunday of July. Despite testing conditions during the service, spirits weren't dampened and the Colours of all three Battalions were on parade. The event was attended by local dignitaries, cadets and the wider regimental family. The Crich memorial is dedicated to the soldiers of The Mercian Regiment, The Worcester and Sherwood Foresters and The Sherwood Foresters who have been killed in action since the Great War. MERCIAN SOLDIERS INVOLVED IN TESTING NEW COMBAT KIT FOR INFANTRY TROOPS - The new personal armour, known as Virtus, uses the latest materials and offers the same protection as the Osprey system but it is significantly lighter, moves with the body more easily and produces a slimmer profile. The Virtus system has been tested by soldiers from The Mercian Regiment, with troops providing feedback on all design elements. The experiences of troops who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have also helped to design the new armour. MERCIAN TEAMS IN COLTMAN VC STRETCHER RACE - Soldiers from 1, 2, 4 MERCIAN and The Mercian Regimental Support Team converged on Malvern in June for the annual Coltman Stretcher race. Competition was fierce, with 14 teams from across the armed forces taking part in the gruelling ten-mile race. It involved climbing the major peaks of Malvern Hills to raise money for the Royal British Legion and 2 MERCIAN performed brilliantly to finish first. The race was in honour of Lance Corporal William Harold Coltman, a stretcher bearer from the Great War who won the Victoria Cross and was the most decorated other rank of World War 1, despite not firing a single shot. Coltman had close historic ties with The Mercian Regiment, as he was from 1/6th Battalion, The North Staffordshire Regiment. 1 MERCIAN News THE TOM SEPHTON MEMORIAL TROPHY 2015 - The Tom Sephton Trophy took place on 27 June at Crosfields Amateur Rugby League Football Club (ARLFC) and commemorated the death of local soldier Tom Sephton. Since he was killed in action, 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment and 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment have played a rugby league fixture every year in his memory. Private Sephton was killed during Operation HERRICK 12 whilst serving with C Company, 1 MERCIAN. Ahead of the fixture, the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment had two weeks off to prepare a team and boasted a team which contained six army capped players and nine infantry capped. The 1 MERCIAN squad contained one army player in Lieutenant Stewart and three infantry players, Corporal Ross, Lance Corporal Lander and Private Gulliver. Eight of the team had never played rugby league before. The final score on the day ended 12-42 in favour of 1 LANCS. The competition next year will take place on Saturday 25 June. EXERCISE EAGLE STORM 3 – Soldiers from C (Kohima) Company, 1 MERCIAN have continued preparations for deployment to Canada in August, by deploying to Copehill Down Village on Salisbury Plain. They took part in an urban raid with footage available via the hyperlink above. A full write up will be provided in the August newsletter. ADVENTUROUS TRAINING IN SCOTLAND - Soldiers spent a week in Scotland last month learning climbing techniques as part of an adventurous training (AT) package. AT is designed to push soldiers out of their comfort zones away from a military context and is an excellent opportunity to develop team skills and leadership, as well as to have some fun. 1 MERCIAN ATTEND ARMY SURFING CHAMPIONSHIPS - Members of the 1 MERCIAN Surf Team went to North Devon in June to compete in the British Army Inter-Unit Surfing Championships and although the surf was fairly poor, spirits were high and Craftsman Billingham and Capt Fulford proved that the best surfer really is the ‘one having the most fun out there.’ The 1 MERCIAN surfing team is going from strength to strength with plans in the pipeline to keep competing throughout the summer and into the colder winter months! 2 MERCIAN News SOLDIERS CONDUCT URBAN WARFARE TRAINING - Soldiers and officers from B (Malta) Company, 2nd Battalion, The Mercian Regiment recently took part in Exercise Urban Ram 3 at the Whinny Hill Urban War Fighting Facility, Catterick. The exercise was to maintain a high level of skill and familiarity in fighting in built up areas (FIBUA). This is key, due to the ever changing face of conflict and an expected future increase in urban warfare. During the week long exercise, soldiers deployed from Lynx helicopters and fought their way to the village through rubble and ruins against a simulated enemy. They then cleared their way through the village, dealing with casualties and capturing 'enemies' along the way. 2 MERCIAN CONTINUE PREPARATIONS FOR KENYA - B (Malta) Company, 2 MERCIAN deployed to Otterburn Training Area for a live firing tactical training package in early July. The purpose of the training was to ensure the company are prepared ahead of deployment to Kenya later this year on Exercise Askari Storm. During the fortnight long exercise, soldiers conducted training in a variety of tactical warfare scenarios. This was in order to develop and integrate their skills as an individual into section, platoon and company attacks, ensuring they are prepared for any situation that may arise when deployed on operations. In Kenya, 2 MERCIAN will conduct a full range of military tasks. They will deploy at battlegroup level, utilising the full range of capabilities that a modern infantry Battalion in the British Army has as its disposal. This includes support from mortars, anti- tanks, snipers, reconnaissance, artillery, engineers and aviation assets. C (Kohima) Company also deployed to Otterburn to conduct a range of packages, including night firing, with support from D (Dragon) Company provided throughout the two week course. 4 MERCIAN News UNIVERSITY STUDENT JOINS MERCIAN REGIMENT RESERVES - A university student from Devon has joined C (Kohima) Company, 4 MERCIAN in Nottinghamshire. Second Lieutenant Nat Newman, aged 20, is currently studying mechanical engineering at the University of Nottingham and was previously a member of the East Midlands Officer Training Corps (OTC). Nat transferred to C Company in May this year, in order to further develop his military training skills whilst he completes his final year at university. Nat hopes to go on to become a full time regular soldier as soon as he can. SOLDIERS TRAIN FOR URBAN WARFARE - Soldiers and officers from 4 MERCIAN recently took part in a training weekend at Catterick, as they continue preparations for deployment to Croatia. A full write up will be available in next month’s newsletter. RHQ News MERCIAN SOLDIER IN ROYAL NAVY FIELD GUN FINAL TEAM - A soldier serving with the Regimental Support Team took part in the world famous Royal Navy Field Gun competition at HMS Collingwood on 6th June. Private Twineboa, who served with 3 MERCIAN and now 1 MERCIAN volunteered for the team. The DMS team came second in the competition, not a small achievement as sailors and Royal Marines are often given up to six months full time training to complete the event. MERCIAN REGIMENTAL MASCOT LEADS NOTTINGHAM CELEBRATIONS – At the end of June, Mercian Regiment mascot, Private Derby XXX led a parade through Nottingham, United Kingdom. The event was to celebrate the lives and achievements of the city's most famous sons and daughters, including Salvation Army founder William Booth. Accompanying Private Derby XXX was Ram Major, Corporal 'Trish' Thornton and stand in Ram Orderly, Private Max Taylor. Following the parade, Private Derby stopped for photographs and interviews with local press and media Band Of The Mercian Regiment News ARMED FORCES DAY - The Band of the Mercian Regiment played with The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals at Birmingham Centenary Square to celebrate Armed Forces Day. The following weekend, the Bandmaster of The Band of the Mercian Regiment, WO1 Anthony Hodgetts, conducted the band in a rather unusual festival taking place in Pershore, titled ‘The Pershore Midsummer Brass Festival.’ Cadets News WEEKEND IN TRENCHES - D Company, Staffordshire & West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force, spent a weekend at Staffordshire Regiment Museum during early July to experience what life would have been like in the trenches. Over the coming months, further Company’s will head to Staffordshire Regiment Museum to experience a weekend in the trenches too. DERBYSHIRE ARMY CADET FORCE COMPLETES EXPEDITION EXERCISE – In early July, 65 cadets from Derbyshire ACF completed an expedition exercise in Matlock. It combined learning first aid, field craft and skills at arms. They were also given the opportunity to begin their Duke of Edinburgh bronze awards. Expeditions are an integral part of Army Cadet Force life, and often cadets find themselves spending a few nights camping locally, regionally, nationally and internationally. Some of the more recent cadet expeditions to locations as diverse as the Himalayas, Bavaria, Peru and Kenya have been combined with local community project. While the exerci se provided an opportunity for cadets to experience the natural environment in a sustainable manner, the weekend also developed their independence, self-reliance, team-work, communication and practical skills of travelling from A to B without technology. Other News Regimental Crockery. The remainder of the regimental crockery will be sold at a private auction on 25 and 26 August. A catalogue of items and further details will be released on this site, one week before the auction. Staffordshire Regiment Museum Letters Request.