132 Aviation Supply Squadron Royal Logistic Corps

132 Squadron continues to sustain 1 Aviation Brigade Combat Team (BCT) as part of the BSG, whilst supporting the transition of Apache Helicopter (AH) E model and sustaining the legacy AH D model with aviation spares. Although the Sqn has been busy with support to AH within Wattisham Flying station and in the deployed space, it has been extremely busy with a number of other tasks including support to Ex CERBERUS 22 which saw both the OC and 2IC deploy for several weeks supporting the BCT validation.

London Poppy Day 22

Charity work is something 132 Sqn always embraces, this time participating in London Poppy Day 22 (LPD). A team of 25 personnel from Wattisham Flying station, headed up by SSgt Chokotho, set off from Stowmarket at 0500hrs and headed into London. By around 0700hrs the volunteers had arrived at Farringdon Station and were stood buckets at the ready to begin collecting.

Although it was a long day for the volunteers, everyone seemed to enjoy engaging with people and talking to them about different things to do with Service life. At 1900hrs the collecting stopped, all the money was collected by RBL staff and the team packed up. A huge thanks to all the personnel that volunteered their own time to help collect on the day. A staggering £11,868.15 was raised in just 12 hours, beating the previous totals.

Battlefield Study

Some members of the Sqn took some time to visit Arnhem and Oosterbeek, Netherlands, the area of Operation Market Garden. It was time to relive the battle that was fought by 1st British Airborne Division, the US 101 Airborne Division and the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade against the German forces.

The troops had an enlightening experience and learned many lessons on this BFS, however as logisticians, the main lesson to take away was prior planning and preparation with good intel on the ground is critical to supply troops on the ground. Security on the ground to ensure clear supply routes both land and air is essential to avoid the enemy intercepting resupplies.

Ex KNEES BEND 22

Looking back at all the exercises that the Sqn has taken part in this year; this was on a different scale however with the same challenges. A group of novice skiers, lead by Cpl Parkins, headed to Norway to complete in the RLC Ski Championships (Alpine). The team would have to drive through Europe before making it to Hemsedal Ski Resort, located in Hallingdal, Norway. Over a period of three weeks the team would learn many different disciplines the make-up Alpine ski racing.

The team of utter novices started from walking on snow with ski boots on up and down a hill, to stopping, turning, control, falling and getting up, body placement and positioning and with each new day came a different slope and challenge. The team was awarded a CO’s Coin for persevering and never giving up, having started every race towards the back of the field with 126 other individuals taking part. Well done team!