Craftsman Magazine - November 2021

THE CRAFTSMAN

Magazine of the Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

November 2021

The importance of Professional Registration in the Armed Forces By incoming IET President, Air Marshal Sir Julian Young KBE CB FREng CEng FIET Professional Registration is increasingly important in the Armed Forces and plays a significant part in creating a competent and skilled work force across the UK. Qualifications and associated Continued Professional Development should help bridge the gap between military and civilian trades. Although simply being registered doesn’t guarantee ex-military engineers a job, it could level the playing field and get someone an interview.

After a 40-year career in the Royal Air Force (RAF), I’ve always supported people developing themselves further through additional qualifications. The route often is through distance learning, which is hard work in a busy job. However, when you’re dipping into academia and then back into the workplace, the first time you answer a question or write an essay, you are better in your role because you are instantly applying that new knowledge and thinking.

I led the team with the MOD and HM Treasury that helped the roll out of the Defence Engineer Registration Scheme (DERS) across different branches within the Armed Forces; the scheme demonstrates clear value in people. The streamlined application process is excellent, and the Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) that step forward and take on the work to translate military skills and experience into qualifications will benefit greatly from doing so. I’m proud to be a member of the IET, because when I started campaigning on professionalisation within the RAF some 15 years ago, it was the first PEI to offer a streamlined route to Chartered Engineer (CEng). The IET for me was the RAF’s PEI of choice. Anything that can help streamline both the route of people into a PEI and the payment of fees is a positive.

As well as the DERS agreements, the IET is working hard to implement Central Payment Schemes in the Armed Forces. Having been successful with the RAF, with over 1,000 members Professionally Registered, we should be looking to roll Central Payment Schemes out for the other Services as widely as we can, including more companies in industry that already have had a lot of success with it. The IET welcomes engineers and technicians from all backgrounds; if you care about engineering in any or multiple sectors, the IET can be your professional home and has a unique position to fill. We need to be engaging with seniors and Fellows in all engineering organisations to promote the value in their people being Professionally Registered.

I’m looking forward to my term as IET President (2021-2022) and follow in the successful steps of all past Presidents. My specific area of focus will be to champion technicians and seek to facilitate the continued growth in their membership. I believe the majority of the ‘missing 3 million’ mentioned in Professor Uff ’s 2017 review of our engineering profession are technicians. We need to understand better what technicians are, what it means to be a technician and then offer them more through membership of the IET.

Find out more about becoming professionally registered by attending our latest webinar: What you will learn: – Benefits of membership and professional registration – Professional registration categories and application process – Our guidance and support

Register here:

theiet.org/craftsman-magazine The Institution of Engineering and Technology is registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No. 211014) and Scotland (No. SC038698).

The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Michael Faraday House, Six Hills Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2AY, United Kingdom.

Eat, sleep, engineer, repeat Julian’s President’s Address will be broadcast live on 14 October 2021 at 1pm BST

Sign up to watch at:

theiet.org/presidents-address

Corps Formation: 1 October 1942 Corps Motto: Arte et Marte Corps Patron Saint: St Eligius (Celebrated 1st Sunday in December)

NOVEMBER 2021

Contents Volume 77 No. 11

FEATURES 9 Regiment RLC LAD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Editor: Capt Luke Langley + Corporate Communications Officer RHQ REME, The Prince Philip Barracks, Lyneham, CHIPPENHAM, SN15 4XX  craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk (preferred method)  subscriptions@reme-rhq.org.uk (for changes of address) ( Mil: 95481 4529 Civ: 01249 894529

The General and the World Cup Referee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 Ex Barbury Sun . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17 Ex Caribbean Rehab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18 Ex Heavy Anvil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 Remembrance and the Royal British Legion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Op Cabrit in pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Op Cabrit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Op Makara . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 28 Engineer Regiment LAD 3 Peaks Challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 Ex Pembroke Craftsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 REME Association Lunch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 1 Yorks LAD - PARAs 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37 Ex Tiger Duce Tartan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38

REGULARS Guest Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Ask the ASM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Year in the Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Screwjack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41 From the Museum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .42 Corps Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 Corps Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47

SUBMITTING ARTICLES TEXT: should be submitted in MS Word and name saved as per the article. No formatting, columns, power point etc. Articles to be cleared by CO/OC/EME or appropriate REME CoC, or nominated substitute and should be submitted as soon as possible.

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TIMINGS: The latest submission date is the first day of the month prior to publication. This does not guarantee the article will be published in that specific edition.

Births, Engagements, Marriages and Deaths: These will be inserted free to all past and present members of the Corps.

Contents: The contents of The Craftsman are strictly copyright and all rights are expressly reserved. The views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy and views, official or otherwise, of the Editor, the Corps or the MOD, therefore no responsibility for these will be accepted. Whilst including an advertisement we are not necessarily endorsing the product and as a result, the publisher and its agents do not accept responsibility for any transaction between the reader and the advertiser.

Whilst we take all precautions with regard to advertising, readers are advised to take professional advice before entering into any commitments.

Letters concerning reproduction, contributions or any other matter should be addressed to the Editor. © Published by RHQ REME. Funded by The REME Charity. www.remecharity.org.

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Front cover: LRRG LAD recovering a stuck JACKAL on Op MAKARA, Mali

General Handling: This publication contains official information and should be treated with discretion.

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Guest Editorial

Colonel Dave Harris – Colonel REME Reserves REME – A Whole Force?

D

uring November, I tend to reflect on the sacrifice of others and remember our fallen or injured comrades. As part of that act of remembrance, I find myself reading military history, often surprised to realise the different types of people that have given everything to the service of their country, whether military or civilian. This tells me that it’s not just us in the military that will stand up and serve our nation.

Due to this, I’ve decided to base this article on the Whole Force, but firstly, what do I mean by this?

Well back in 2011, the UK Government (UKG) commissioned an independent Defence Reform Review chaired by Lord Levene where, among others, he recommended the development across defence of a Whole Force Concept (WFC), consisting of Regulars, Reserves, Civil Servants and contractors, which would then create a more cost effective and balanced work force from which to deliver defence outputs.

This concept or force construct model is nothing new, looking back in history, we can see that part time soldiers, civilians and contractors have supported the British Army throughout many of its operations, examples include the Peninsula war in the early 1800s and the Crimean war later in 1853. Similarly, UK industry supported the war effort during World Wars 1 and 2, alongside Regulars, Reserves and civilians. More recently, a Whole Force was also represented on Ops TELIC & HERRICK.

So why raise the WFC now?

When the UKG delivered its latest Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) in 2021, commonly known as the Integrated Review (IR), the MOD responded with Defence in a Competitive Age (DCA), reaffirming its intent to transform defence’s workforce, this time through a Whole Force Approach (WFA).

The British Army’s response in turn to DCA is Future

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Soldier, where it states its intention to operate as a more integrated Whole Force, aiming to do this by transforming the Army Reserve (AR) and by resetting its relationship with industry, through the Land Industry Strategy. A Whole Force by Design, it will integrate the AR into Regular structures, operating as one force and aiming to foster collaboration with industries leading in cutting edge technologies and delivering our platforms of the future. This could also potentially include the provision of subject matter experts through the further development of the Sponsored Reserve (SR), whereby selected industry partners provide capability on a contractual basis. Examples within our Corps already include the Power Pack repair SR platoon provided by Babcock DSG.

So how can we in the REME ensure that the WFA within Future Soldier is a success?

As with any transformational process, there will be critical factors that influence how quickly or effectively change can occur, for the REME, I believe these to be; leadership, organisational culture and employee engagement.

Leadership is key and forms the foundation from which the other two factors can be addressed. As a result of Future Soldier, we now have a clear direction and strategy for that change,

supported by values-based leadership at every level of command (LCpls and above).

From a Corps perspective, the REME Strategy, championed by the Corps Council provides us with an ideal structure from which to set our own direction for WFA, in lock step with the rest of the Army.

In terms of organisational culture, I would argue that the Army already has a very flexible and innovative culture, especially when deployed on operations. However, change can take a long time if the culture itself is not conducive to the acceptance of different employment types, i.e. supporting inclusivity. That same culture may perceive professionalism as a direct link to the level of commitment that an individual shows, for example, from a Regular perspective, how can a Reservist be committed and therefore professional if they are not in the military fulltime? Future Soldier aims to address elements of this by closely integrating the AR into force structures and developing the Reservist as a more assured and predictable capability. The REME already has established pairing between Regular and Reserve units, easing that integration.

We clearly all have our part to play in developing positive cultural behaviours by actively promoting integration, this could involve encouraging your workshop civilian staff to join in at Friday coffee or reaching out to a contractor ahead of a major rehabilitation programme to help personalise the working relationship, or simply Regular and Reserve messes inviting their paired counterparts to social functions.

Once we have set the culture, we then need to continually engage with our people, keeping them updated on progress and successes to date or on areas where things haven’t gone so well, in an honest and open manner. We already have a head start in this area. The MOD, surveys its workforce annually through various Continuous

UK MOD © Crown copyright 2021

Attitude Surveys (CAS), providing us with a valuable insight as to what our people think, feel and importantly, their levels of engagement. This has captured all Regular, Reservist and civilian (less contractors for now) employment types. For the engineering leaders amongst you, I recommend that you download these reports via the gov.uk website, as these will help you understand how your people think and notably, how they perceive their leaders. From a military capability development viewpoint, it’s all about the people and the team.

Looking back at my original question, ‘REME – A Whole Force?’, I believe that as a Corps, we are much further down the track of true integration than some cap badges, but perhaps not as far as others.

So more to do. Given the likely complexity of equipment that we will be required to repair and maintain for the British Army of the future, a REME WFA should be viewed as a force multiplier, with force mix decisions based on capability and levels of required readiness.

Our REME Strategy provides us with the vehicle to deliver on this and as we stare down the outcomes of Future Soldier, it seems right to reflect on what our Master General stated when the IR was announced earlier this year, “change always creates some uncertainty but as a Corps we are well placed and motivated as individuals, units and as an institution to help design, and then deliver, this change to ensure REME continues to keep the punch in the Army’s fist”.

Only the bold will embrace change, so I urge you all to work with me and grab the Whole Force nettle to deliver even greater ES capability to our Army.

8 Parachute Field Company REME alongside the FOXHOUND Project Team from General Dynamic Arte et Marte! working to find a more efficient method of adding the public order modifications to the vehicle.

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ASK THE ASM WO1 (CASM) Daniel McNeill Each month the Corps ASM answers your most pertinant questions from Twitter.

“Sir, I had the privilege of speaking with His Royal Highness Prince Phillip a few years ago when he visited MoD Lyeham. He was a really affable man and someone clearly passionate about engineering and our Corps. I was just hoping that you could shed some light on who may succeed him as our new Colonel in Chief?”

As I write this on 15 Oct 21, we are patiently awaiting confirmation from the Palace about who may succeed His Royal Highness Prince Philip as our Colonel in Chief. HRH held many roles across our Armed Forces and careful consideration is ongoing to ensure that the all of his responsibilities are shared and allocated to the right individual. We know nothing more at the moment other than to state that this is an on-going process. We hope that the Palace may identify a successor soon and this will lead to some opportunities for engagements and visits across the Corps.

“Sir, I’m a re-trade from the RLC who came across to the REME in 2018 and became a Technician. I have dyslexia. I’d be interested to know how the REME is going to use modern technology to help its Soldiers learn and find information during training rather than just making them memorise the training objectives for a test. My Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) affects my memory.”

The Army, like our sister services, takes guidance on supporting our Soldiers with SpLDs from JSP 898; Defence Direction and Guidance on Training, Education and Skills. SpLD is not a medical condition and we don’t treat it as such. Our training objectives are not amended at all for those with SpLDs. 8 Training Battalion do support Soldiers however by making sure that they cater for those neuro-diversities that manifest as learning difficulties. As an example, the Battalion is providing recorded exams for some and also providing the facility to have answers dictated.

Defence Direction seeks to ensure that SpLD is recognised as being an issue that is principally and proactively managed by you, the individual.

As a Tech Elec CEG, I know that the majority of the practical sessions during the military phase of the Tech Elec Basic Course are moving/have moved to open book. This is partly to introduce you to Army Equipment Support Publications early in your career. This should help ensure that when the time comes - you have the tools to find the information you need as opposed to memorising everything. If you think we could do more, it would be really good to get you down to Lyneham to speak with the SpLD Rep. Please pick up the phone and engage with me.

The funeral of His Royal Highness Prince Phillip

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“Sir, Any news on Exercise Supreme Glacier this year? I’m absolutely hanging out to get away after a pretty miserable year. Thanks in advance” I am delighted to confirm that the Army Sports Control Board (ASCB) and Army Winter Sports Association (AWSA) have now approved our 2021/22 Winter Sports season after a reassessment of the COVID situation within both the UK and across mainland Europe. Your unit can now commit finances and plan for the exercise with confidence, albeit the AWSA have capped numbers. Ex Supreme Glacier will take place in the Stubaital valley (Austria), albeit over a shorter season than usual running from 13 Nov until the 11 Dec 2021. The REME Winter Sports Championships has also been confirmed and will take place between 6 Feb and 12 Feb 2022. Some good news for you by the sounds of it. I really hope you and the LAD can get away. Remember, there is funding available via my REME Adventurous and Enterprising Activities Fund. Apply via the AT Tab on REME Connect.

“Sir, As a proven leader, how important has sport been in your development?”

I short, it has been hugely important. I have never been the best sportsman but those that know me, will be aware that I love my football and I was always hugely honoured to represent the REME Corps Football Team. I was not the best player on the park, not the most technically gifted. I was however (I hope) always a good team player and I learned from the rank of Craftsman how much this was appreciated early on. This helped teach me that the team always comes before the individual and that as a leader, we should always come last. The Army Leadership Code consists of seven leadership behaviours. Leading by example, encouraging thinking, applying reward and discipline, demanding high performance, encouraging confidence in the team, recognising individual strengths and weaknesses and everybody striving towards the same goal. You can apply those tenets to any GOOD team that’s performing well across our ORBAT. Think of every GOOD Captain that you’ve ever had on the sports field/court/ring and I’d like to think these are all traits of his or hers? I hope that goes some way towards indicating the importance that I place upon sport in the Army. As an addendum, you will see that in my final six months as Corps ASM, that I plan to launch something called Project ELIGIUS. This is an RHQ drive to get Young Officers’ and SNCO’s back to being involved in running and managing sports teams. There has been a steady decline in the amount of teams entering our Craftsman Cup Competitions for some time now. We have some units who do not have a Football, Rugby, Cricket or Cross Country Team and I believe we could do a good bit better.

More to follow.

“Sir, I hope you are well and it was great to meet you when you visited my LAD a few months ago. I was moving some equipment to another barracks last week and I noticed a TAC sign for a Ranger Cadre being run there. Can I ask if you know anything about the new RANGER Regiments and if REME Soldiers will be able to serve with them please? If the Selection is already taking place, I’m gutted I wasn’t aware.”

I know that on 31 Aug this year, what we all understood to be the Specialised Infantry Group was re-designated as the Army Special Operations Brigade. The new Ranger Regiments will sit underneath this Brigade. The four new units should be at Initial Operating Capability (IOC) by 1 Dec 2021. In Soldier speak, this means that they should be able to have some capability by then and be equipped, trained and supported towards their new role. CGS said early on that the units ‘will be open to anybody in the Armed Forces’. The Integrated Review is designing what the supporting elements will look like at the moment and this will inform what REME opportunities to serve in supporting LAD’s, or in a general role, will look like. Numbers and structures are yet to be confirmed. You will hear about these in the coming weeks and months. I’ve organised for you to have a chat with the Command Sergeant Major in the interim so please engage.

“Sir, Is it always an Artificer who becomes our Corps Senior Soldier? If so, why? I’m a Recovery Mechanic. We have some phenomenal leaders and if you look at what we did in Iraq and Afghanistan, they’ve done some inspirational things and would seem like the perfect people for any REME Soldier, regardless of trade, to aspire to be and to look up to?”

Great question. Firstly, I have witnessed people from across all of our trade groups do exceptional things on operations. The short answer to your question is that any CEG can be appointed as Corps ASM and this has been the case for some time now. To address the nomenclature issue and the premise that many believe it is just the Artificer stream trades, the current Corps Artificer Sergeant Major (CASM) appointment will be changed to the title of Corps Sergeant Major when I hand over to my successor (but please note, we will not go back to Corps RSM). Hopefully, this will drive home from day one of a REME Soldiers career that every man and woman – regardless of CEG – has the opportunity to become our Senior Soldier. The change is also in line with some of the changes that other Corps have made with respect to the title outlined in the Corps/Command SM Terms and Conditions of Service (TACOS). As an aside, were you aware that our Senior REME Reserve Soldier from 2018 until May 2021 was a Recy Mech? Hopefully a decent combat indicator that the Corps doesn’t only appoint VM’s, Techs and Armrs into these roles.

Ask the ASM on Twitter

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REME Life

9 Regiment RLC LAD Foreword: SSgt Gore-Rowe (Art Veh)

A

s the Logistic Supply Regiment for the Theatre Enabling Group, 9 Regt RLC are held at constant high readiness. This has seen the LAD involved in many activities including events such as Ex DEFENDER 20 Europe, Op CATTALO (Oman) and Op WINTER PREPARDENESS. We have all experienced a turbulent past 12 months and 9 Regt LAD is no different. Operating with a reduced workforce during the first lockdown meant that small teams worked in shift “bubbles” to reduce the infection impact whilst also still being able to maintain the Readiness fleet. Adopting a “learning to live with COVID” mentality has seen us develop new ways of working in barracks and deployed. We have been able to deploy on CT exercise WOLF REFRESH, support NHS Ambulance Trusts in Sussex and Wales and continue routine support to other commitments such as Phase 2 driver training courses. The working tempo appears to be back on track with imminent deployment to the Balkans on Ex DEFENDER 21 and various training events throughout 2021, we have had an interesting and busy year.

Cfn Singh hard at work

our ability to drive to a high standard as SECAMB had to be sure that we were not a risk on the road. Once my training was complete, I received my shift pattern and was assigned to my crew.

The MATT 3 training that we receive as members of the Armed Forces was of only slight benefit, as BCD would have not been appropriate in a care home. Under direct supervision of my Paramedic guardian angel, I was thrown into the fray. I was both nervous and excited, but ready to get stuck in. The calls we attended during the operation were unpredictable and varied; the excitement of not knowing what you’re going to be involved in kept my adrenaline pumping and the desire to learn high. The vast number of COVID-19 positive patients I visited confirm to myself that the danger was real.

Cpl Vaughan supervising Cfn Harrison changing the front axle on a 9T SV

Op WINTER PREPARDENESS – South East Ambulance Trust (SECAMB) Scribe: Cpl Swithenbank (Rec Mech 1)

I

n support of the COVID-19 pandemic, members of 9 Regt RLC LAD deployed on Op WINTER PREPAREDNESS. The Military Assistance to the Civilian Authorities (MACA) task was to support the South East Coast Ambulance Service. My role within this operation was to drive and crew ambulances alongside a qualified paramedic.

The training package provided by SECAMB was delivered over a highly intensive two days. Day one consisted of theoretical and practical assessments, ensuring that we were both confident and competent at BLS, manual handling, infection control, and trauma management. The second day was orientated around the familiarisation and driving of an ambulance. We were assessed on

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Cpl Swithenbank looking dapper geared up working on the ambulances

I have had my eyes opened to the total professionalism and dedication to those in need that the NHS provides. My level of appreciation and respect for these heroes is unmeasurable, I am both honoured and privileged to have had the chance to work alongside the Ambulance Service. I found this to be an invaluable life experience, and feel that I have given my contribution towards helping during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Op CATTALO Scribe: Cpl Rai (VM 1) Op CATTALO is an operation to execute the redeployment of UK forces from Afghanistan in anticipation of a draw down to zero. This is part of a wider departure of all Coalition forces by May 2021. Our HQ was based in Duqm, which is a port town on the Arabian Sea in Al Wusta in central-eastern Oman. The average temperatures ranged from 24 degrees to 33 degrees throughout the deployment. The port in Oman has previously been used for TEG activities for both SS3 in 2018 and subsequent UK exercises with logistic activities.

I was deployed on Op CATTALO between September 20 and February 21. Throughout the deployment, REME personnel contributed and completed several tasks in an unfamiliar environment IOT facilitate the redeployment of equipment back to the UK. It is testament to the flexibility and ‘can do’ attitude from all REME personnel that were able to deliver challenging Ops whilst adhering to the Covid-19 safety measures.

As the main person responsible for maintaining the Rough Terrain Container Handler (RTCH), I occasionally worked alongside 7 other VM’s from 5 Bn REME repairing various platforms including RTCH, Foxhounds and various other B vehicles. I learnt a tremendous amount in the austere conditions, enabling me to broaden my knowledge and expertise.

Some of the issues that arose during my time in theatre was mainly due to the constant changing of equipment standard levels.

Availability had to remain high due to all equipment being in constant use with little or no redundancy, including there being only one RTCH which required regular maintenance to stay taskworthy for critical tasks. We managed to keep the equipment well

Cpl Rai always finds time to work on his catalogue pose maintained which enabled all freight movement to meet deadlines.

My time spent in Oman was a great experience and was different to all previous operations and deployments. I feel that the REME made a huge impact in enabling logistics to run smoothly which hopefully helped in the bigger picture of this redeployment effort.

Share your global stories with the REME Family The Craftsman Magazine showcases the activities of the Corps all over the world in our monthly Global Reach feature. Whether you’re involved in an Exercise, an Operation, or participating in Sport, this is your opportunity to share your international experiences with the REME Family.

To be featured, simply send a few sentences (and some photos) telling us where you are, why you are there, and what you are doing.

Send to the Craftsman Editor at: craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk Please ensure all Global Reach submissions have been cleared by the CoC. We cannot accept anything that is Of昀cial-Sensitive (OS) or higher AND it must have been cleared for public knowledge.

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Year in the Life

A Year in 2 PARA Light Aid Detachment

Kabul Airport

Foreword Scribe: WO2 (AQMS) Si Rose

H

aving spent many years within 16X and at various states of readiness, it seemed rather routine when 2 PARA would again take the lead for Air Manoeuvre Battle Group (AMBG).

However, the last 12 months have been anything but. With an extremely busy run in to assuming AMBG lead at the end of May 2021, Ex WESSEX STORM on SPTA would be used to validate the battlegroup in winter of 2020, trying to deliver Ex WS5/20 during COVID presented extra complications together with various vehicle safety notices causing unforeseen extra work. Upon return to Colchester and a thoroughly well-earned Christmas break it was soon back to ‘knees to chest’ maintaining the c.260 ground effect platforms the LAD must continually manage and the impending AMBG HOTO with 3 PARA at the start of June 21. Concurrently to managing the aged fleet and ensuring ‘proof of good order’ at HOTO date, the LAD also supplied tradesmen to two further OTX’s; Ex AFRICAN LION (Italy into Morocco) and Ex SWIFT RESPONSE (America into Estonia). Both of which were based around the Lead Company Group (LCG) with a parachute decent into both host countries.

Having now assumed AMBG lead, June would see the Lead Company Group (LCG) encompassing 3 LAD tradesmen and the wider Lead Assault Force (LAF) deployed to Cyprus in an overt capability display to our adversaries on Op FORTIS. Here, the LAF would use the resources of the islands already well-established infrastructure as a Forward Mounting Base (FMB). Working mainly out of Radio Sonde and Episkopi Garrison, the LAF set the conditions for a successful forceable entry in the North of Jordan, culminating in a joint assault on a village complex with the Jordanian SF. For the eagle-eyed readers, this operation was also a small part of wider carrier strike group activity providing the LAF with simulated fighter jet air cover whilst it covered off its own TO’s.

With defence focussed on the Middle East as we inserted into Jordan, the humanitarian crisis was unfolding as the Taliban re-took large swaths of Afghanistan. It soon became apparent that evacuation of many thousands from the war-ravaged country was soon to be required. Step forward 2 PARA Battle-Group once more, with very little planning time force packages from across the Brigade were generated and stood by to move to Kabul to carry out the NEO. Further planning took place followed by the receipt of various CAV’s (Armoured Land Cruisers) for use in country which resulted in the ES 10 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

elements to become part of the force package. This resulted in 4 individuals from the LAD (the only REME elements to get into country) deploying on Op PITTING. Following on from the visceral onslaught of Op PITTING the lads returned to some much-needed rest before picking up the pace for an EC reset and the run up to a further AMBG deployment.

Looking back, it has been an extremely busy period for the Brigade; we wouldn’t have it any other way and I’m extremely proud to be at the helm of a particularly inspiring group of individuals, their thoughts of the previous deployments follow on. We now look forward to Ex FALCONS AMARANTE in the Toulouse area of France, where we will conduct interoperability training with our allies and try to mend some relationships after AUKUS.

Ex AFRICAN LION Scribe: LCpl Dean, Class 2 VM Ex AFRICAN LION was my first exercise as part of 2 PARA and 16 Brigade. During this exercise we worked closely with our American counterparts and it was good to see the similarities in how we both operated. Before deploying to Morocco where the main exercise was taking place we stopped short in Italy for some low level training before the real fun began.

While working with the 173rd Airborne, I was impressed with how well we managed to work together and how quickly we adapted to their way of operating whilst on exercise. As the lone VM, I had the responsibility of ensuring all the quads were kept on the road. A demanding task as the quads were being constantly used and did not like the heat in Morocco. Being apart of the RAL was an experience I will never forget and I had to quickly adapt to the different terrain and heat I was use to back in England, which wasn’t as easy as I had thought.

So far, compared to all the other nations I have worked with, the 173rd Airborne have been the best. The skills and knowledge I have taken away from working with them will stay will me throughout my career and I will use them to further myself. On the return via Italy again, we managed to squeeze in some R&R and had the chance to travel some of the country. Florence was by far the most rememberable place we visited, as it was truly a beautiful place.

Moments like these are the reasons I joined the army and I am looking forward to the future exercises and operations within 16X, working with different nations and seeing more of the world.

Ex SWIFT RESPONSE Scribe: Cpl Broom, Class 1 Armourer Ex SWIFT RESPONSE 21 begun with a flight into North Carolina – Fort Bragg, the home of the 82nd Airborne Division. Greeted by our US Airborne counterparts, we started the initial week with an intense ground training package which followed the similar structure to the British. This included how to fit equipment, exit drills, flight swing lessons and flight tower practice. The following week: ‘Jump week’ involved x3 descents at 1000ft from a C-17 onto Holland drop zone within Fort Bragg. The jumps were successful with no major injuries, despite a handful of Paratroopers landing in the surrounding trees on the DZ. During quiet periods I would head to the armouries and repair any faults the US had on their weapons, focusing on the Company’s we were deploying with and building relations within the Platoons. I integrated closely with the 1-508 Sniper/Patrol Platoon and helped repair most of their equipment. Subsequently, I was offered to take part in the day shooting with them. 6 hours, 100 rounds and plenty of dits later resulted in 1st of 4 classic American Company smokers.

We finished our time in North Carolina with an 8-mile US led march and shoot, partnering up with an American for the competition. It is safe to say myself and many others from 2 PARA carried our partners around for the entirety of the course. At the end I was presented with the US Airborne certificate and blood wings.

Next stop was preparing for our joint force insertion into Estonia.

We emplaned onto x9 C-17s with over 600 Paratroopers from 16X and began a 13-hour flight to Estonia. Stand up fit equipment was called 2 hours before P hour. This is where we conducted a round

In front of the Duomo, Florence robin for all para kit. First pass was at 1900 hours resulting in a 20+ man sim stick night insertion, landing and deploying straight into a Joint Force Exercise. This consisted of joint Section attacks, building clearances and elements of both nations providing Support Company fire suppression. The exercise concluded a few days later with the remaining days before departure spent conducting partnered live fire range packages. A thoroughly enjoyable deployment which provided an excellent base for B Coy’s further training serials in the run up to AMBG take over.

Op FORTIS Scribe: Cfn Thapa, Class 2 VM During Op FORTISs I was attached to Support Company as the Vehicle Mechanic. Having already been attached with the Sp Coy in the past on Ex WESSEX STORM, I was fully aware of my responsibilities and the problems that could arise. As the lone VM within Sp Coy I was embedded into Anti tanks (AtKs) but was still on call to repair and assist Machine Guns (MMGs) and Patrols RWMIKs when required.

Op FORTIS was held in Jordan and the operation was led by A Company while Sp Coy provided fire support for the Coy before heading to Jordan, we flew to Cyprus where we stayed for two weeks. During my time in Cyprus, A and Sp Coy’s carried out various Rehearsal Of Concept (ROC) drills in order to get ready for Jordan

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Camp TITTIN, a USMC camp. Again, overheating issues were the order of the day, resulting in another head gasket failure. This time it was one of the BFA’s supporting the aid post. Once we arrived at our destination it became clear we were not going to receive a replacement engine in a timeline that would work for us. With this in mind we chose to replace the cylinder head gasket, something we don’t ever do, even in camp. It was intriguing to see what can be done with some experience and a ‘can do’ attitude and is clearly the sort of repairs that are completed as part of an AMBG deployment.

This was a new learning curve for me since I had never carried out this type of task before, made even more difficult by the searing heat, but a thoroughly enjoyable job.

Being embedded within Sp Coy on Op FORTIS was a huge learning curve made so much more enjoyable being emersed by the Fire Support Group (FSG) as one of their own and I couldn’t recommend it highly enough to any VM wanting to experience a new challenge at trade given the opportunity.

Op PITTING - 13-28 August 2021 Readiness Scribe: Sgt J Besperat, VM Prod Sgt Having been on readiness since May, it was essential prior to taking over we were ready and fully prepared for any eventuality that could come our way. This meant various kit checks were carried until everyone in the LAD had their bergens packed ready to go. With everyone ready, it would all depend on the skill sets required as to who were the lucky ones to deploy. We also had to ensure we had achieved and could maintain an R1 fleet consisting of 52 vehicles and an R2 fleet consisting of 118 which needed to be kept at 100% and 90% availability respectively. A demanding task for any 0 + 16 LAD consisting of an AQMS, x4 Armourers and x12 VMs. Fortunately, we are also supported by 8 Para Fd Coy with the help of BDSG IBES and 128Fd Coy, from 103Bn REME. and within the first few days I had my first big job; a clutch change. Fortunately, my boss WO2 (AQMS) Rose was deployed with me and instead of sending the vehicle back for 2nd line work we carried out the clutch change ourselves. With the vehicle breaking down out on the area it was towed back to the camp where we had a bit of hard standing. Having done a few clutches already, I was confident in getting it done but knew it was going to be long and gruelling experience as we needed to repair the clutch throughout the night into the early hours of the morning. With resources in scant supply and the usual methods of clutch replacement not an option it was an excellent opportunity to carry out a repair in a very different way.

The next phase was split into A Coy, SP Coy and Atts and Dets who were CR trained and parachuted into Jordan and the remainder including myself arrived in a Hercules aircraft on a Rapid Air Landing (RAL). Once the tactical action had finished the BG moved to a camp in the North of the country where we stayed for a few days conducting some equipment repairs in preparation for the 300 km move South to a battle camp named QA2.

Due to limitations on internal air load, 2 PARA’s RWMIK’s were left behind in Cyprus which meant Sp Coy would be required to loan some RWMIK’s from 3 PARA (conducting Ex OLIVE GROVE). Shortly after leaving on route to our second home in Jordan with our tired old fleet the problems started.

In the heat of the day, sometimes in the mid 40’s the RWMIK’s just couldn’t take the heat. With two overheating RWMIK’s it was decided to cannibalise to make a good one with the other requiring a head gasket change and subsequent recovery.

It was early dawn when we departed the QA2 camp and deployed out onto the training area with AtKs where we spent several days and nights carrying out various drills including close recce and cover for A Coy. After working through the kinks, the vehicles were surprisingly reliable, and I had no real issues continually managing them through their various stages of the exercises.

After the exercise phase was complete, we drove down to 12 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

Usually, only one Company Group is stood up at any one time as part of the Air Manoeuvre Battle Group (AMBG) which is part of the Lead Assault Force (LAF) within 16X. However, with the current situation in Afghanistan it was apparent we would need as many soldiers as possible from 16X to deploy at very short notice, as this would be a deployment like no other.

With 2 PARA taking the lead and with a view to deploy CAV’s; Cpl Broom, LCpl Higgins and LCpl Fay and myself were the lucky chosen few to support this Operation from the LAD. Fully prepared but not really knowing what we were walking in to, we received the call and was ready to deploy within 48hrs NTM. Over the two-week period, it was an experience like no other and in that short period of time so much good was achieved in recovering over 15,000 Entitled Personnel (EPs) including members of the British Embassy through to Afghan woman and children.

VM Support Scribe: LCpl S Higgins, Class 1 VM In the weeks leading up to Op PITTING we had heard rumours about a potential deployment abroad with the possibility of working on Foxhounds and Civilian Armoured Vehicles (CAV). So, we started preparing our own equipment like tools, STTE and vehicle spares.

The closer it got to summer leave the more apparent it became we could very well be deploying to Afghanistan due to the withdrawal of the US Forces. At this point, I still didn’t know if we would actually be going or who would be going but we were prepared just in case.

When the time finally came and the code word was used to call us back into work, even though we were fully prepared it was extremely quick before we were on that coach from Colchester to South Cerny.

When we arrived in Dubai and before the flight into Hamid Karzai International Airport (HKIA) we still had no real idea what we were walking into. All we knew was what we were seeing on social media and that the Taliban were starting to take over Kabul city. Once we landed it was apparent to me it wasn’t going to be anything like the Op TORAL that I had done the year before with 2 PARA. The accommodation was tent city, no LAD workshop, no spare tools, no spare parts, and no confirmed fleet of vehicles to maintain. All the tools and vehicle’s that we prepared weren’t coming anytime soon

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and we only had a limited number of CAV’s in HKIA that were ours to use but we needed more for many different tasks. This meant we had to ‘acquire’ vehicles and tools around HKIA via other means.

During the first few days I found an old, abandoned maintenance vehicle that had a toolbox full of old tools which we could make use of for small VM tasks. Vehicle’s that we had found left abandoned behind by people fleeing Afghanistan, we would then take for ourselves by either hotwiring or removing the barrel locks from the ignition as the keys were missing.

Acquiring these vehicles was very important as they were used to supply water and rations, cleaning and medical supplies forward to the different various locations. The vehicles that had more than 5 seats were used to carry the civilians who were trying to flee to safety. They would be initially processed from the Baron hotel which was just outside the airport and brought to various different holding areas before flying to safety.

Every day we were set different tasks and with the fleet in good order most of the tasks had nothing to do with trade, so I had to use all the skills and experience I’ve learned throughout my career to help me complete them. Some days I could be transporting entitled personnel from one location to the next and then the next day I could be denying weapons, vehicles and various other pieces of equipment.

Op PITTING was definitely an experience I will never forget, and I don’t think I’ll do anything like it again in my career. However, I am extremely proud of the small but significant part that I played in the operation.

CAV Driver / VM Support Scribe: LCpl J Fay, Class 2 VM Before deploying on Op PITTING, I was sent to DST Leconfield to get familiarised on the Civilian Armoured Vehicle (CAV). A Toyota Land Cruiser by design but heavily modified, with different variants of it but with the main purpose of it being armoured so they can withstand various blasts and ballistics. My main role in HKIA was to drive supplies such as rations and water, medical supplies, and baby food to the Afghan people. This was to ensure we were doing our best to supply them with what they needed from the moment they first arrived at the Baron Hotel to the various holding areas until they were processed and eventually on a flight out of Afghanistan. The CAVs proved to be a great piece of equipment with rarely any issues to keep them moving throughout the two-week deployment and they served a great purpose transporting those in need and supplying the essentials needed to survive.

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Friendship

The General and the World Cup Referee – Major General (Retired) John Boyne CB MBE and the late Pat Partridge BEM From Col (Retd) Mike Crabbe

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s a former Chairman of the Army Football Association Referees Committee, I have recently had sight of the brochure commemorating 100 years of Army FA Referees in 2020. It brought back some great memories of my time as a referee, as a player with Army Crusaders and also Vice Chairman of REME Football. Not only have REME teams won the Army Cup 15 times but REME have provided the referee 11 times, plus for one replay, and have provided 22 members of the Referees Committee including 6 Chairmen. I thought that one story would be of interest to the readers of The Craftsman.

A Barrack Room inspection of a National Service recruit by a REME Lieutenant in Malvern in 1955 led to a lifelong friendship between two football fans.

One went on to referee the FA Cup Final in 1975 and officiate in the World Cup Finals in Argentina in 1978 and the other to became Chairman of the Army Football Association in 1984 and Director General of REME in 1985.

Pat Partridge’s story: FIFA Referee Pat Partridge retired in 1981 after a distinguished referee career that included refereeing the 1975 FA Cup Final between West Ham United and Fulham. He also took charge of the 1978 League Cup Final and officiated at the 1978 World Cup Finals in Argentina where he was Linesman in the opening match of the competition where the hosts beat Hungary, and the 1980 European Championships in Italy. He was a Football League official from 1965 to 1981. However, Partridge, who was awarded the BEM in 2014 (the year he sadly passed away), was open and proud about the role that the Army FA played in his refereeing career. In the Winter 1982 edition of the “Army Referee” he said, “I am never short in my praise of the Army FA for giving me a lot of encouragement and assistance at the beginning of my career which was a help to me when I began to climb that sometimes difficult ladder to the top. I am grateful for the opportunity to thank the Army FA who accepted my Junior Certificate and made me a Class 3 Referee in 1954 as this was the start of my National Service”.

Pat was enlisted into REME and was posted (as a skilled tradesman) to a trade training unit in Malvern in Worcestershire to undertake a conversion course where he commenced a lifelong friendship with a future Army FA Chairman.

He continues, “At the same time I was in Malvern, there was also a Lieutenant named John Boyne, who was a keen footballer and a regular “wing half” in the unit team. Our first meeting was when “Sir” was doing a routine barrack room inspection. Hanging behind my locker was a Referee’s

Maj Gen J Boyne CB MBE uniform proudly displaying a Referees Association badge which had “Durham County” embroidered on it. Lt Boyne enquired from which part of County Durham I came from and it turned out we were born a mile apart in Billingham, but our paths had never crossed until that day. This was to be the start of a very long-lasting and continuing friendship”.

“To my mind the experience gained in a very short time was due entirely to the Army. From leaving Malvern I had volunteered and

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requested an overseas appointment and the place I wanted to go to was the place where I was sentHong Kong. Whilst I was on the island, I was able to referee three and sometimes four games over a weekend and of course midweek games too. It was whilst I was in Hong Kong that I was promoted to Class 2 and the season I returned to Durham County I was promoted to Class 1.

“I was fortunate in doing National Service and this is why I consider the Army FA did me proud.”

Major General (Retired) John Boyne CB MBE remembers Pat Partridge as a referee and a friend.

Over the years he was invited to matches as a guest of Pat who was appointed as the referee. As a player and as Army FA Chairman Maj Gen Boyne had an excellent opportunity to watch football at the highest level and at the “grass roots” of Army football and he writes, One of the highlights of my last few years (of 36+) in the Army was being Chairman of the Army Football Association. I confess that, having retired from military service over 33 years ago, I was unaware that the Army Referees celebrated their centenary in 2020; but I remain keenly aware of the major contribution that Army Referees have made and continue to make to the “good health” of the Soldiers’ Primary Sport.

As for coincidences involved in my initial 1955 meeting with Pat Partridge and the friendship that ensued, I regard myself fortunate to have had Pat as a close friend. Pat’s subsequent refereeing career outlined above clearly went from strength to strength and was indeed “distinguished”. In all of this his success was, in my view, due largely to his unfussy approach to his duties and his ability to deal firmly and fairly with the 22 players.

Pat Partridge BEM

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20/01/2021 20:26:45

Overseas Exercise

Ex BARBURY SUN 21, Gibraltar OC – Captain Lewis Sandoe. CSM – WO2 Steven Draper All the members who deployed on Ex BARBURY SUN 21

General

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n the 4th August 2021, 2 Field Company of 5 (Force Support) Battalion REME deployed on Exercise BARBURY SUN 21, flying from RAF BRIZE NORTON to Gibraltar International Airport. A total of 68 personnel took part in the exercise, with 2 Platoons deploying, Instructors for military activities and a variety of roles providing real life support such as Chefs, Medics and a G4 element.

Despite COVID-19 providing a significant challenge to the world as well as a significant portion of 2 Field Company being deployed on Ex DEFENDER 21 until July 2021, the Company was still able to continue with overseas training. The training proved to be challenging yet rewarding with adventurous training elements involved at the end of the exercising phase.

Training Utilising the skills learnt from the preconditioning exercises of Exercise CASTLE FORTIFY and Exercise CASTLE TUNNEL, the Platoons were deployed to Buffadero Training Area at the South of the Peninsula. Here, they conducted an initial close quarter marksmanship range package in order to prepare them for the military training taking place in the complex FIBUA village as well as the tunnels of Gibraltar’s famous rock.

As well as undertaking a vast amount of military training, the Company also learnt about the history of Gibraltar as part of the cultural phase of the exercise, understanding the importance of the Peninsula geographically from a strategic point of view. Furthermore, they also completed some adventurous training in the form of coasteering to push mental boundaries and strengthen bonds throughout the Battalion.

Operating in a COVID-19 Environment The deployment to Gibraltar provided great difficulties due to the impact that COVID-19 has had on the world. The disease presented

Patrolling through the streets of Gibraltar

Recovery Platoon setting off prior to their night attack on the FIBUA village constraints in planning and initial deployment, allowing us to show the flexibility and positive mentality that 5 Bn REME has in order to complete the training in Gibraltar; whilst adhering to the Force Health Protection measures. All Military Personnel on the exercise were required to conduct two PCR tests and three lateral flow tests to ensure that they were able to complete their jobs whilst staying safe from COVID-19.

Summary Exercise BARBURY SUN has been an excellent opportunity for 2 Field Company to participate in close combat training in an unfamiliar environment. The deployment enabled an excellent opportunity to develop cohesion within the Company following an extremely busy period of personnel being deployed on numerous different exercises and prepared us to be stronger for future deployments.

Looking over the Bay of Gibraltar as part of the cultural element of the exercise.

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Overseas Exercise

Exercise Caribbean Rehab 2021

OC: Maj John Tucker

Scribes: Lt Morris and Cfn Williams

On the 2nd July 2021 Soldiers from 101 and 5 Battalion REME deployed from their respective company headquarters and mustered at Heathrow Airport to conduct Exercise Caribbean Rehab 21 (Ex CR 21) in Belize.

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re-deployment involved the usual medical check-ups, vaccinations, and ensuring all MATTs and relevant documentation were up to date. COVID 19 added an extra hurdle prior to deployment with every soldier requiring a negative COVID test 3 days prior to departure. The outward journey included a layover in Newark, New Jersey before the final flight into Belize City. British Army Training Support Unit Belize (BATSUB) camp is located less than 10 minutes from the airport, so we arrived before we knew it.

Upon arrival all pax received a COVID lateral flow test.

Unfortunately, one of the deploying troops tested positive and in line with the rigorous COVID policies that BATSUB adhere to, resulted in the majority of the Command Team isolating along with some of the VMs. This threw up a whole new set of challenges to overcome, but in the usual REME fashion of improvise, adapt, and overcome the Comd Team put over a year of virtual training into

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practice and conducted briefings, PP&C meetings, and one-to-one conversations between the junior ranks and the OC via Microsoft Teams.

Despite initially having reduced manning on the shopfloor, the workload remained the same, which required extra effort by the Regular and Reserve craftsmen under the command of Reserve junior and senior NCOs. Despite not having met each other until the check-in queues at Heathrow, there was a high sense of camaraderie and a desire to push on to get the job done by working together to hit the daily production targets.

Land Rover and MAN SV are the workhorses of the BATSUB fleet and a combination of high humidity and muddy jungle roads can really take its toll on suspension components; which resulted in more than 30 Land Rovers requiring rear A frame ball joint replacements and a similar amount of Panhard rod replacements.

The output requirement naturally led to the implementation of LEAN working techniques to ensure an efficient and effective throughput of work.

On top of the suspension repairs, several vehicles required 2 yearly servicing, and other emergent repairs, including one transfer box replacement using very limited number of resources.

The MAN SVs required 2 yearly servicing and other emergent repairs.

There were several class 3 VMs deployed, some straight from Phase 2 training, and Ex CR 21 was an ideal opportunity to get hands on with vehicles to really hone their trade. For some this was their first overseas

deployment. It was a fantastic opportunity for Reservists to work alongside their Regular counterparts, learn from each other and test the Regular/Reservist partnership. Reservists were able to bring experience from their civilian employment into the military workplace identifying where efficiencies could be made and then implementing to great effect.

With the last-minute change to the exercise and part of the team having to isolate, Lt Morris was set a task of generating a training schedule for those in Isolation. Lt Morris took the troops through an exciting Oil Pricing Exercise which involved setting prices against the other group to make the most profit. Trust, communication, and collaboration were the key to success in this exercise.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t much of that on display and double crossing became the standard, resulting in both groups making the lowest amount. After a discussion on values and in BATSUB utilising the swimming pool. This provided a welcome respite from the hot and humid conditions, whether it was to take in a few lengths of the pool, conduct a military swim test, partake in pool games or just to simply unwind, the troops made the most it. We were fortunate to be able to have BBQ’s where the chefs did a sterling job!

During the exercise we also had the delight of Euro 2020. For most, this will be particularly memorable as it was the first time, they will have seen England reach a final. We were fortunate enough to be able to watch the matches via BFBS if production targets were met. Naturally this spurred the shopfloor along to ensure they were able to watch the matches!

Overall Ex CARIBBEAN REHAB 21 was a fantastic example of Regular and Reserve soldiers working towards a common goal; whilst strengthening the links between 101Bn REME and its paired Regular Battalion 5Bn REME. Everyone went away with a sense of pride for a job well done, in very challenging circumstances. The exercise pushed us to come up with innovative ways of working, which were demonstrated in both the command and production spaces.

At the end of production Ex CR 21 had completed 66 of the 74 jobs allocated, with the remaining 8 awaiting spares. 61 hours of L1 tasks and 213 hours of L2 production had been delivered, for a total of 274 hours, and this ensured BATSUB could conduct their next training cycle at maximum efficiency. standards the importance of trust, and good communication the group’s mentality changed, and both groups profited. JNCO were put in charge of the teams and experienced the difficulties of commanding a group and making decisions on behalf of a group without unanimous agreement.

In true REME fashion the soldiers gave technical presentations and worked through the desktop elements of the trade development books. Each junior soldier was also tasked with giving a presentation on their civilian employment. Whilst the Comd Team carried on with Coy business, in pairs the juniors were set a Tiffy Dilemma. This was the first time they had been set such a task, but the results were very good. Under questioning from the OC and PC, they could answer questions, and justified some assumptions they made. No answer was perfect, but they rarely are in a Tiffy Dilemma.

Due to the COVID restrictions in place, personnel were unable to explore Belize, however we made the most of our short time

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UK Exercise

Exercise HEAVY ANVIL Scribe: 2Lt Hannah Glaister

Daytime Navigation and Convoy Practise

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n 15 March 21, 3 Armoured Company, 6 Armoured Close Support Battalion, deployed on Exercise HEAVY ANVIL to the Salisbury Plain Training Area. The initial deployment consisted of three packets, all heading to Old Carter Barracks: Fwd X led by Lt J Oliver, Fwd Y led by 2Lt H Glaister, and finally HQ. This move allowed for the initial navigation and C2 testing to see where the Company sat before moving onto the training phase of the Exercise.

Once each packet had arrived at Old Carter Barracks and was set up in Platoon and HQ locations, the Reception, Staging, Onward Movement and Integration (RSOI) section of the Exercise began. The RSOI package allowed the Company to slowly build up their knowledge of several integral parts of deployment while keeping inline with the new CSS BCS CTOs that the Company was lucky enough to trial. These consisted of the use of night sights while both on foot and while vehicle based, the role of a Command Post (CP) in a

SV Gearbox Replacement

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Platoon and a Company location, convoy drills, rolling replens and vehicle navigation. Both the rolling replenishment and the vehicle navigation were conducted during the day to allow the soldiers to understand how they worked, and then at night to show a more realistic scenario.

Once the RSOI package was complete, the two Platoons moved into ECCPs where they were immediately put to the test of defending their locations as enemy sightings and attacks were a constant threat. This allowed for communication at all levels to be tested, as each attack needed all individuals within the Platoon to understand what was happening, and where. That information was then passed to the Platoon CPs and then finally to Company HQ. The final attack of this phase saw several enemy assault one of the Platoon locations. While there were enough soldiers to hold and defend the position, there were not enough to strike an effective counter attack, therefore a QRF team was called for from the other Platoon and within just a few short minutes the fire fight was won.

The next phase of the Exercise was held at Beaches Barn and was a rehab and maintenance day which allowed everyone to catch up on some muchneeded sleep! This maintenance day gave Company Ops the ability to scrutinise the previous layouts of the CP and come up with future options to trial in the upcoming days. Once mission maintenance on all the vehicles was complete and everyone was back to a fully functional state, the validation section of the exercise began.

This phase started with a fully tactical move to an urban environment (Baden Down Farm) using a step up and Company main to control and oversee the movement. Once the Company had moved into location and established Platoon and HQ areas, the first set of ES serials began. The tasking, which came

Working through the night from our role in supporting 1X Units, was the renewal of two CVR(T) final drives for the RDG. This is where the soldiers came into their own and showed how they would adapt their work to complete the tasks in the field.

However, it was not as straight forward as just working on the vehicles; the soldiers also had to work around enemy serials of IDF attacks and assaults on the perimeter and main entry points.

The final scenario of the Exercise was a planned 30 hr Battle Group Rehabilitation. This saw everyone being given a set of Company orders by the OC using a large-scale model to depict all of the locations that would be relevant to the move and rehab. A ROC drill then Getting set up for the rehab and maintenance day followed the orders to ensure that everyone had correctly understood how the plan was to be completed. chipper as the end was finally in sight!

The rehab opened at 1000 hrs on 23 Mar and everyone then All that was left to do now was to recover back to Tidworth and focused on the tasks which needed completed within 30 hrs. An ensure all kit was there and in working order. Everyone worked example of such a task was the complete change of an SV gearbox. A together to get everything in order as the kit was the only thing further example was six Land Rovers, each with multiple damage, standing between the Company and a well-deserved long weekend. which needed welding. A particular task, which was completed Exercise HEAVY ANVIL saw a wide range of skills being tested and successfully, was the final layout of Company Ops. put the Company through challenges that the majority of personnel Throughout this rehab the Company SOIs were examined to see had not faced in years - or at all! how well they coincided with each of the training serials and to see how fit for purpose they were. A scribe was asked to take notes on the best way to improve the SOIs. Initially, everyone was happy with the time allowed. However, as the hours ticked by it became apparent to everyone that 30 hrs was nowhere near as much time as was initially thought. Despite this, everyone managed to complete all tasks within the rehab time and were even able to put on a fantastic visitors’ day to personnel from 6 Bn to show what the Company had achieved over the 10 day Exercise period, including achieving ALPHA, BRAVA and CHARLIE level on the new CTOs. The rehab closed at 1400 hrs on 24 Mar and No rest for the wicked! everyone suddenly became a bit more Before submitting an article you are requested to read the guidelines on the inside front cover 21

Charity

REMEMBRANCE AND THE ROYAL BRITISH LEGION Scribe: Steve Colling – Corps Historian

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his year marks the Centenary of the Royal British Legion and in September the Legion ran its twenty-fifty Pedal to Paris (P2P).

It’s not a race but an opportunity for enthusiastic cyclists to cover the 460 km from London to the centre of Paris in just four days while supporting the charitable work of the RBL. We assembled at Eltham Palace on Thursday 1st September 2021.

It was the home of the Royal Army Educational Corps from 1948 but is now managed as a visitor attraction by English Heritage. Of about three hundred that signed-up about half withdrew or deferred to 2022 when France was placed on the Covid Amber List. On the day about 130 crossed the start line all sporting the latest RBL Cycling Jersey.

Getting to the start was in itself a challenge. The 2020 P2P was cancelled. For 2021 the RBL planned a Covid safe event. We all had to have both jabs and test negative using a lateral flow kit the night before the start. In addition we had to pre-book a test which would take place in France prior to our return and a Day 2 test to be taken after our return. We also had to download and activate the French Covid App. Fundraising required some lateral thinking! By comparison training was straight forward as cycling was something that could be done throughout the lockdown!

Day 1 – Eltham Palace to Dover Up at 5.30am for the short walk from a convenient hotel (no sign of Lenny Henry) to Eltham Palace to collect registration paperwork, drop baggage and grab a bacon roll before the obligatory team photo. Then through Sidcup and out of London as a large peloton guided by experienced team captains. It was a bit chaotic but the early morning traffic was sympathetic and supportive. Breakfast was taken at the RBL Village at Aylesford. Once outside the M25 Ring cyclist were allowed to free run to Dover.

I stopped briefly at Lenham where a number of REME servicemen were buried following an incident at Charing when a V1 Flying bomb hit 6 Guards Tank Brigade Workshop in 1944 a few days before the unit was to embark for Normandy. The hill outside Folkestone was the first big physical challenge. 97m up a 10% gradient and opportunity to seek out the very low gears. Cyclists arrived midafternoon at Dover. One managed to dislocate a shoulder somewhere enroute and was evacuated to hospital. All paperwork was scrutinised and, for the first time in about 40 years, I had my passport stamped at Dover. Once ashore it was just a short ride to one of Calais’s historic forts where the bikes were secured overnight.

The fort saw action in 1940 and later when elements of 79 Armoured Division supported 2 Canadian Corps in the assault at the end of September 1944.

Final preparations at Eltham Palace

Deuxième Journée – Calais à Abbeville After speeches, cyclists headed out in three pelotons escorted by motorcycle outriders. For the next three days we ignored red traffic lights. All food and accommodation was pre-booked by the Legion and was mostly to a very good standard. Dan, the historian, gave several interesting talks about the Great War and highlighted the relevance to the route we were using. En route there was opportunity to talk to fellow cyclists despite travelling at speeds of up to 30km/h (a bit faster on the downhills). I met Paul and Alex

Paul Harding carrying the Standard for the Royal British Legion. He has ridden 24 of the 25 annual P2P events

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The Ride Captains were distinguished by their red jerseys both of whom had served in the Corps. Next stop Crecy and then Abbeville. It was liberated by the Allies in late August 1944. Not many cyclists took opportunity to seek out the nightlife!

Troisième Journée – Abbeville à Beauvais Probably the most challenging day riding through the Somme; bodies were beginning to ache! We stopped briefly stopped at Auchy la Montagne where the village provided refreshments. It was liberated by 8 Armoured Brigade in 1944 and the village has not forgotten. They have looked after RBL cyclists for many years. The President of the RBL Lt Gen Bashall (Retd) (who has ridden the last two P2P with wife Sarah) was presented with a silver cup to mark the 25th P2P Ride. The Legion are looking for a red phone box to give to the village and a carrier to get it there – please email me at the REME Museum if you can help. We were photographed throughout the event by an official photographer occasionally seen lurking in the

Victory! grass at the side of the road. Late afternoon we arrived at Beauvais where another official ceremony of remembrance took place. The real challenge of the day was the Covid test which had to be witnessed online via an app! However, despite a few glitches everyone returned a negative and got the code necessary to allow their return to England.

Quatrième Journée – Beauvais à Paris In 1944-45 Beauvais was on Club Route – the 30 Corps route from the Normandy Beaches to beyond Bremen. Last Day of cycling just a couple of hills, a challenging decent to the R Seine then along les routes into Paris (which isn’t flat). The weather was glorious for the final assent over cobbles to the Arc de Triomphe. The Champs Elysee and Etoile are closed off for two cycling events, one of which is the P2P. Beers and medals all round then to the Eternal Flame for the final ceremony. Another privilege afforded the Legion. A quick change then a superb supper to mark the end of a superb event.

Repatriation

Alex Thompson just happened to have a REME flag in his jersey pocket

Four coaches returned to London via the Eurotunnel; more paperwork checks (problems for those with no charge on their mobile phone) and another stamp in my passport.

The ride was managed by the RBL, supported by medics and maintainers (forgot to ask if they were REME trained) and a small team of RBL employees to sort the food and accommodation. With the training, Covid paperwork and sponsorship sorted, cyclists could enjoy the event – everyone did.

The Legion does some tremendous work. Not only does it look after ex-servicemen but also it has, in the past, looked after those serving on operations. I remember getting my small parcel from them during the first Gulf War including a phone card and Frisbee! The gesture was much appreciated and demonstrated support for the troops at Christmas. They are also looking after refugees from Afghanistan who served with the British Army. Please give what you can this November.

There are still a few vacancies available for next year’s event!

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Operations

Op CABRIT in Pictures Pictures from the soldiers of 2 Royal Anglian LAD showing their time on Op CABRIT Poland ROTO 9.

Cpl Hall assisting the American Engineers with an engine change on a STRIKER

American soldiers joining their counterparts from 2 Royal Anglian LAD after their multinational days together

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Cpl Gillen leading an engine change on a BFA in theatre

LCpl Providence teaching our American counterparts how the SVR can be used to recover their equipment

The LAD competition team, after hauling tyres, GPMG’s, ammo tins, and even pushing a HMTV Jackal 2 100m

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Operations

Op CABRIT ROTO 8 – Poland

CASSINO Tp LAD

Reserve led Hybrid ES Success in Poland Scribe WO1 (ASM) West

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he journey on Op CABRIT started in Nov 19, with a meeting at 1XX ES Branch in York which set the groundwork for what would be an outstanding achievement for 103 Bn REME. It was agreed that the Bn would supply the bulk of the REME tradesmen, mobilise in May 20 and later be joined by Armourers from 1 and 2 Royal Anglian LADs and Tech Elects from 5 Bn REME to deploy on Op CABRIT and provide Equipment Support to the UK’s Light Cavalry Squadron in Poland, 148 Div Sp Coy had spent most of the training year preparing for Ex IRON HORSE in BATUS. Our skill set firmly established in the divisional support space, but I was confident the SP selected to mobilise in May would relish the opportunity to up skill to complex platforms such as JACKAL and PANTHER. Whilst the UK was mostly locked down, training started in Apr with JACKAL driver and commander courses being run by the Royal Yeomanry DMI’s, which led to mobilisation at MTMC(I) in May. This was the first mobilisation for the most and the two-day package to was intense but set the scene for the next 12 months. JACKAL Maintainer course and spending time gaining essential competencies at RY’s D Sqn in Telford proved time well spent as PDT was about to start in Bovington.

The Hybrid Sqn was made up from The Royal Yeomanry and B Sqn

QDG at Bovington, which formed early Jun. There was plenty of work waiting for us, this was the start of an exceptionally busy, but very rewarding pre deployment training. Following the Sqn around the country, we supported their training whist developing our own skills with a range package in Warcop, FTX held in STANTA, before back to Bovington and finally a successful MRX on SPTA out of Westdown camp before some well-earned leave in Aug. Rotation 8 began in Sep with a two week isolation period, ensuring the time wasn’t wasted, trade presentations, JAMES training and with the LAD beating the Sqn in a challenge to run and row the distance to Monte Cassino, set the tone for the future achievements over this tour.

The tour has seen significant challenges for the team, from increased Force Health Protection measures for COVID including the removal of R&R, BREXIT delaying getting spares shipped out of the UK and working out the marquee in -20+ degrees, the team produced some fantastic results. Completed two great career courses, such as various range Quals, LCpl ADLP, DTTT and an excellent Cold Weather Operators Course (Baltics) (CWOC(B)) it puts the soldiers in an excellent position to develop their careers on return to the UK. Looking back over the past 6 months I would have liked to have demonstrated more interoperability with our NATO Partner nations and get the team out to explore the eFP area, but unfortunately this was not the case. Towards the later stages we did manage to shoehorn some great events, exploring other nations recovery equipment and Ex SOBIESKI, an excellent multi nation live fire exercise.

This was the first time a Reserve led Hybrid deployment has taken place and it has been a excellent opportunity to showcase the diverse skills REME Reserve offer, but it has been a true REME team effort irrespective of Regular or Reserve. It has been an exceptional journey and one I will look back on for many years and I’m proud of what team have achieved.

Vehicle Mechanics Scribe Cfn Croucher

ASM (not) enjoying the Snow on Ex 26 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

On the last drill night before Christmas 19, a group from my unit and I were taken to one side by our ASM and were selected for mobilising and deploying on Op CABRIT. This for me and many of my colleagues was our first deployment with the Army Reserve.

The build-up training started in May 20 where we mobilised through the MTMC(I) Chilwell. We moved down to Bovington to meet with The Royal Yeomanry, to whom we would be attached for the next year. The first

challenge that mobilisation presented me with was the sheer volume of courses and work that was required to take me from a Reservist to operation ready. Although difficult to fit all the training into a short space of time, I found the journey to be enjoyable as well as challenging. I was able to get my HGV licence CAT C and go on further to complete a JACKAL driver course.

My colleagues and I also completed a JACKAL maintainers course preparing us with the skills needed to maintain the fleet of JACKAL that the Yeomanry were using to complete our build up training. Our remaining time at Bovington gave us the chance to get some real hands on experience with the platforms completing some major repairs including several gearbox replacements and a couple of differentials.

As the Yeomanry reached their testing phase we moved to West Down camp and faced our next big challenge, working in the Mounted Range during the Platform Weapons Operators Course field and using essentially a car park as a make do workshop. We were able to overcome the challenges that much of the Tp were actually Reservists, many of whom had come this presented and maintain the fleet to support the Sqn in being from some very well paid and high level jobs to deploy on tour. signed off as ready to deploy.

Despite what you might hear about Reservists I was impressed by We arrived in Poland at the end of Sep, due to COVID-19 our first the level of commitment and professionalism that they displayed. two weeks were spent in isolation. During this time, we had a busy On arriving in Poland and taking over from the Light Dragoons the schedule of daily PT sessions, lessons and even a few interfirst few weeks of the tour proved to be very busy with a most of the department competitions, which the REME contingent thrived in equipment, namely JACKAL 2, COYOTE and Panther, needing a lot of winning the CASSINO Tp competition. Once out of isolation we had a work. Every job was a learning experience and some repairs required busy week taking over the fleet from the Light Dragoons and I had the application of some interesting temporary engineering solutions my first experience of being responsible for a vehicle and all the until a spare could be demanded and a more permanent fix applied. monthly checks that come with it.

When not repairing electrical faults, both Richie and myself would Our work in Poland was mainly preventative maintenance as the help the Vehicle Mechanics where we could; especially when COVIDfleet was in a much better state than what we had in the UK with 19 forced several members of the LAD to isolate once more. only one major repair to complete, a rear differential. Just before As we finally settled into a routine the opportunity to get on Christmas I completed a cold weather operators’ course, this exercises and courses presented themselves. Some of the exercises, involved learning survival skills, how to stay warm and operate in such as Ex MERCURY RISING, allowed us to work alongside our allies sub-zero temperatures and all finished off with a cold dip in a frozen from America, Poland, Croatia and Romania giving us a glimpse into lake. how our allies operated and where we fit into the Battle-Group. The We soon put these skills into practice on an Army Leadership courses offered, such as the Platform Weapon Operators course or Development Programme for Lance Corporal, which involved me the Cold Weather Operator Course, were chances to expand our spending ten days out in the field learning leadership skills in knee horizons and do things that we would normally not do. You do not deep snow while temperatures dropped as low as -11. Despite all the know what you are capable of until you have to survive for 24 hours COVID-19 restrictions we were still able to enjoy some operational in sub-zero temperatures and firing a HMG from the back of a stand down with a trip to Krakow and a guided tour around JACKAL 2 certainly was a lot of fun despite the cold temperature.

Auschwitz.

Whilst we did work hard we also got to play hard. Despite the Being part of Op CABRIT has progressed my career massively, it would have taken several years as a Reservist to achieve the training and experience that I have had. It has also shown me that my future belongs in the Army and have recently applied to transfer to Regular service with the REME as a Vehicle Mechanic. I would recommend deploying on any operational tour with any Regular or Reserve unit as it is a great opportunity to learn new skills and enhance already gained skills.

Electronics Technicians Scribe - Sgt Pacitti As an Electronics Technician my time with CASSINO Tp LAD on Op CABRIT has certainly been a learning experience and one that certainly had its fair share of ups and downs.

When I was first told that I would be one of two Techs deploying to Poland I did not know what to expect; especially considering how short the amount of time was before myself and LCpl Lewton (Richie), the other Tech, would be flying out.

Joining CASSINO Tp during their PDT in Westdown enabled me to get a good idea of the equipment that I would be working on and allowed me to meet the other members of the LAD. Both myself and Richie were surprised to find that the majority of the LAD and indeed

Hamper Off, Hamper On!

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interoperability to see how we could assist should the need arise. The SVR proved a hit with the other nations and its versatility meant we were able to lift everything we tested it with.

Armourers Scribe – Cpl Ball

Star Wars equipped REME JACKAL limitations imposed on us by COVID-19 we got the opportunity to get out of camp and see some of Poland during an Operational Stand-Down period. During this time the majority of the Tp managed to go skiing whilst others got to stay at a 5-star hotel in Krakow for a few days.

As we come to the end of the tour and look back at our time here both Richie and myself can say that this tour proved to be an interesting, but worthwhile, experience. I can say that anyone offered a chance to get on Op CABRIT should consider it as it offers a lot of opportunity to develop yourself. But now we are looking forward to returning to the UK for some much-needed leave alongside friends and family.

Recovery Section Scribe – Sgt Edis It has been a challenging deployment for the three Recovery Mechanics where we have gone from a Recovery Company, surrounded by our own tradesman, to having sole responsibility for recovery, recovery training and LRE and we’ve had multiple successes during the tour.

PDT started steady but the tempo ramped up considerably once we started work with the RY in Bovington with a mix of roadside and heath jobs including three Land Rovers at once. We believe they stopped at three as they had run out of Land Rovers to get stuck!

This led the ASM to introduce a recovery training day to educate the RY in how to avoid these situations also the services we could provide as they had no experience of working with a level two recovery asset.

We spent a lot of time assisting the VM’s in lifting operations as the ageing JACKAL 1 fleet they had for PDT was struggling to keep pace with the demands placed on it. This gave birth to the tag line for our time at Bovvy – “Hamper Off, Hamper On!” During this time we also followed the RY around the country on their PDT, first to Warcop for a range package and then to STANTA for a field exercise where LCpl Chisholm came to the attention of the RY CO for his outstanding actions to date and was awarded the CO’s coin. From here we moved to West Down Camp where training continued, a steady stream of broken vehicles but this time all work was done on the dust bowl…. Fortunately, the weather was kind, mostly…

At the end of Sep we bid farewell to the UK and flew to Poland. We were all looking forward to starting work once Isolation was complete and quickly familiarised ourselves with all aspects of the location and the work we were tasked with. The daily work routine was a mix of vehicle maintenance, standby recovery support, LRE checks and assisting the VM’s with manpower and crane tasks. Some elements required some rapid ‘on-the-job’ training but we quickly had a firm grip on it all which allowed us to send RM’s on a wide variety of courses put on by CASSINO Tp such as Jackal driver, Platform Weapons Operator, DTTT, Team Medic and the Cold Weather Operators Course – which came in very handy when the temperatures plummeted to below minus 20!

For most of the tour COVID-19 restrictions meant working with the other nations was not an option but as this eased towards the end of our time we were able to spend a week with the Americans, Romanians and Croatians working on each other’s kit and testing

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The armourer’s department on Op CABRIT (P) have been hard at work to ensure high (and sometimes correct) rates of fire have been maintained throughout ROTO 8. Since our boots hit the ground, we have kept good pace with production. This is mostly down to the fact that I actively hunt down all forms of free phys…much to LCpl Golding’s delight.

The Armourers have covered a multitude of range packages and exercises during the sixmonth deployment. From grouping and zeroing all the way up to multi-national life fire exercises like Ex SOBIESKI, there was no task too big or small. On the small amounts of down time we did have we often liked to partake in winter sports like going ice skating outside the block; although this was never voluntary. Working around COVID-19 has certainly been interesting. Add in working with four different nations and even going to scoff turns in to an up-hill battle.

Luckily everyone in the LAD fully embraced the situation with a positive mental attitude and that classic REME willingness to get the job done. Eventually the restrictions were relaxed slightly after a surge of COVID-19 sweeping across the squadron.

Outside of repairing and maintaining the Squadrons weapon systems LCpl Golding and myself have managed to throw ourselves at some new experiences. One such experience being the Cold Weather Operators Course (CWOC(B)) which consisted of a back to basics on how to live in the field at below freezing temperatures followed by a night of survival. The survival phase will definitely be remembered by everyone in the Squadron as the time they were starved, left in the middle of a woodblock and told to get on with it (Obviously with all of the required training prior). After a lovely night under the stars in our homemade shelters, we were then offered what the head instructor described as a warm bath. It turned out the bath was a lake and the warmth was non-existent. All in all, the CWOC course was genuinely really enjoyable and something that you certainly wouldn’t have exposure to in the UK.

Recovery Mechanics recovering Landrover

Operations

LRRG LAD on Op MAKARA Op MAKARA forms part of ongoing British Operations in Mali.

Op MAKARA

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ollowing Op ELWIN 5, the LAD would have 10 days to turn around the fleet of 72 prime movers in preparation for Op MAKARA 1. The rehab included 28 day inspections of all platforms, numerous second line repairs and a multitude of other repairs, maintenance and formal inspections. The team worked tirelessly to ensure all equipment was prepared, even the EME and ASM would dust off their coveralls and assist with several FOXHOUND pack lifts and engine changes. The target was met and the LRRG deployed with all required vehicle platforms for the operation.

Op MAKARA was a Mobile Task Group (TG) led operation to reduce violence in remote areas of Sector East. Op MAKARA 1 saw the LRRG deliver a persistent presence in the important town of Tin Hama and understand Terrorist Armed Group (TAG) activity in the highly trafficked villages of Tassiga and Lelehoy. The ground was a mixture of dense vegetation, wadi networks and hard rocky plains which proved testing on all platforms. The A1 Echelon would establish a Leaguer location which both sub-units would then operate out of, conducting patrols in Tin Hama and Tahagla. Later phases of the operation would see the TG operate from the UN camp in Ansongo where patrols to Tassiga and Lelehoy would be

conducted. Throughout, sub-units would have organic Fitter Sections providing in and inter mission ES effect.

Overall, the initial road move proved to be a success. The TG deployed in earnest to avoid the heat of the day, this saw us cover 70 Km, following the MSR to Ansongo camp. The FOXHOUND fleet proved to be difficult, however, the LAD was able to rectify all but one fault during the move to Ansongo. As the temperature increased (peaking to 42 degrees by 1400hrs), this caused additional issues with other platforms. The SV fleet experienced brake hub issues, largely down to the excessive temperatures and increased braking due to travelling through a multitude of small settlements, villages and markets. The daily HABOOB (dust storm) also proved to be a hindrance, coming from nowhere the TG was hit with visibility of 1-5 metres and winds of up to 50 knots. By the end of the road move, both hooks had casualty wagons and the EME looked like an umpa lumpa due to being hit with a dust storm in the 4th seat of a COYOTE. Not a good look.

‘Momentum is everything’ these were the chosen words of one of the commanders who would lead elements of the move to the TG Leaguer location. The route saw the TG follow the MSR south before breaking off cross country. After only 3Km cross country, the TG

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grounded to a halt, with one MASTIFF simply not playing the game and a FOXHOUND insisting on cutting out and not starting again, the LAD sprung to action. Fast forward 30 minutes, we had a severely damaged MASTIFF suspension system due to the terrain and a FOXHOUND requiring a starter motor. The decision was made to re-group as towing vehicles this early in the move would likely cause additional issues.

Once in a Leaguer location, the FOXHOUND was repaired with a replacement starter motor and the MASTIFF returned to Ansongo camp to allow for metalsmith work later in the operation.

Take 2 started again in earnest, the TG now had 2 free hooks, following the repair and recovery of other vehicles. This time round ‘Momentum was everything’, the TG completed a 25Km route across extremely rough terrain. The Cav Sqn led the way, identifying appropriate routes, they were followed by A1 Ech and lastly the LMI Coy. The route was completed within 2 hours and saw the TG complete in Leaguer Aluminium with all vehicles available for future Ops.

A Coy Prospective LCpl Kev Bacon After a short but busy rehab period following Op ELWIN 5 (our HOTO patrol), it was time to deploy on Op MAKARA 1, the first long range patrol of the Task Groups deployment. The Op would see the TG move into towns and villages to the East of Ansongo in an effort to reduce the violence and theft caused by VEO’s and Bandits. This would be done by providing a constant presence in and around the settlements, in the form of dismounted foot patrols and Sub-Unit Leaguers so that we could gain an understanding of how the terrorist groups operated and how best to stop them and protect the civilian population. But as an Armourer I didn’t expect to be getting involved too much in that side of the Op, my focus was on ensuring the various weapon systems and mounts used by the TG were in good order.

I was a member of the 3-man Fitter Section embedded within A Coy, 2 R Anglian. Working from a Coyote, our primary job was to keep the vehicles 30 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

moving, not an easy job given the extreme heat, frequent sandstorms and undulating terrain. And with the first phase of the Op being a 70Km move to a UN Camp in Ansongo, we were expecting a busy day. But much to the surprise of everybody, the Foxhounds managed to make it with only a few minor issues, the majority of which were rectified by my 2 VM crew members, Cpl Si Coakley and LCpl Mac Mckernan.

The start of the next day saw us begin our move to a TG Leaguer some 50Km to the East, half of which was off-road. Due to 2 vehicles needing to be recovered back to Ansongo, it took us a day longer than expected to reach our intended Leaguer location, and once the Leaguer was set, we got to work repairing any faults that had been reported. From here the TG split into Sub-Units to conduct their relevant activities, with A Coy including ourselves moving on to a town called Tin Hama to conduct patrols and engage with the locals to build the intelligence picture. Once we arrived at Tin Hama I was informed that I would be dismounting to conduct foot patrols along with Coy HQ, not something I ever expected to be doing as an Armourer but I love a challenge and I was eager to get started. After a short period, we dismounted the vehicles and began our foot patrol through the town. With each man carrying close to 50Kg of kit in temperatures pushing 45 degrees, it was pretty slow going, but good phys. 2 hours later, after chatting with the locals and dishing sweets out to the kids we returned to the vehicles and shortly after returned to our Leaguer location where we began the evening ritual of repairing any faults that had occurred during the day. Being on a peacekeeping tour I didn’t expect to be that busy repairing weapons, but the Infantry always seem to find a way to keep the REME busy.

That evening we got our first taste of the upcoming Mali wet season, a thunderstorm and an hour-long downpour which left us soaked and revealed the one downside to being in a Coyote; no roof.

After a poor sleep on a wet camp cot, we departed again for Tin Hama with the already soft sand now absolutely saturated by the rain. We were expecting a day of digging, and we weren’t wrong.

After 8 hours and over 20 vehicle bog-ins later, we’d only managed to travel around 6Km. With the Foxhounds defeated by the soft wet

sand, the decision was made to call it a day and head back to the Leaguer.

Fortunately, we didn’t get any more downpours for the duration of the Op and so we were able to carry on as planned. The next couple of days would see us continue to have a persistent presence in the town of Tin Hama, conducting foot patrols daily to reassure the locals and deter any VEO activity. It was around this time that the Foxhounds really started to struggle in the extreme temperatures, seeming to develop problems every 5 minutes during the heat of the day, but thanks to the tireless efforts of Si and Mac, the Foxhounds were never out for long and before we knew it the first phase of the Op was over and we were making our way back to Ansongo to rehab the fleet and get ready for the next phase of the Op.

behind with his small crack team of 2x VMs and 2x Tech Elecs. Cpl Ryan Davey has been instrumental in cracking the whip, running the day to day business of the LAD and making sure LCpl ‘Kwik Fit’ Cocksey maintained the working stock of wheel assemblies using the Portable Tyre Repair Facility (PTRF). Cpl ‘Pistol Pete’ Vilkhau made sure the TG medical equipment remained serviceable as did LCpl ‘RC Airplane’ Malla on the TG unmanned aerial vehicles. One of the critical tasks of the ASM included the receipting of essential ES MAT into Th to then be deployed fwd in time for an inter-mission REHAB in Ansongo. The interoperability between the DEU and SWE ES counterparts has also been key to the LAD’s ES output. The DEU continue to provide the sole RBT capability in Th and even changed an SV clutch for us! The SWE themselves have been key in providing much needed welding capability for our newly arrived metalsmith Sgt Matty Hazel while our own equipment continues to arrive.

In summary. Op MAKARA 1 highlighted the best bits of what an effective LAD can provide on operations. Sub-unit Fitter Sections worked tirelessly when deployed to ensure vehicles remained on the ground and in the hands of users. The A1 Ech team reinforced the Fitter Sections on their return to the Leaguers and/or Ansongo camp, conducting inter-mission ES effect. The team left at Camp BAGNOLD, worked hard to turn-around the problem children vehicles left behind and were also instrumental in pushing both ES Mat and ES capability forward which undoubtedly maximised vehicle availability throughout. The TG returned from the 18 day Op in an orderly fashion with availability at 98%. Success.

C Sqn Prospective Cpl Rachel Gwilliam Op MAKARA 1 saw us head out as normal, until hitting our first storm just before we reached Ansongo, not a great start. After a short stop in Ansongo our Ftr Sect pushed out with C Squadron towards Tin Hama, the routes proved to be difficult due to the storms; many of our vehicles either started to overheat or get stuck in the wet soft sand. After a few days of being in and around Tin Hama we headed back to Ansongo to rehab the vehicles ready for the next phase. The second phase would turn out to be more of an issue for the vehicles and route selection, one minute we would be crossing hills with large rocks, the next we would be trying to cross wadies. Many airbags were blown, suspension parts damaged and tyres blown, we also experienced many faults we have never come across before. Phase two also gave the team and I a chance to get out and conduct patrols within Tassiga, speaking to locals on market day, this proved to be helpful to the mission as I could talk to females. After spending several days conducting patrols in Tessiga it was time to return to Bagnold, the return journey didn’t get off to a great start, one vehicle decided to snap a drive shaft, the team was quick into action as it was on the main road, in the hottest part of the day. We were back in ready for the long drive back, driving through many villages where children would run towards the road to wave. Seeing the way of life out here has made me more appreciative of everything I have and how privileged we are in the UK

ASM Prospective WO1 ‘Fergie’ Ferguson Working in the National Support Element (NSE) and supporting the Task Group Headquarters (TGHQ) while the EME deployed forward to tan it up, kept the ASM extremely busy! As the constant presence in CAMP BAGNOLD with the TG deployed, the ASM ensured that the level 2 - 4 repairs continued on the equipment left

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Charity

28 Engineer Regiment (C-CBRN) LAD 3 Peaks Challenge Scribe: Cfn Binnington

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n the 4th September, members of 28 Engr Regt (C-CBRN) LAD took part in the 3 peaks challenge. 2 members of the LAD (Cfn Binnington and Cpl Downham) along with 2 Sappers and 1 LCpl were joined by my stepdad and his colleagues too. Over the course of the weekend, we covered 882 miles in the minibus, 23 miles (37km) on foot and a total ascent of 3064 metres (10,052ft).

We decided to do this challenge for the charity Help for Heroes. We felt that this charity was the closest to all of us, it was also the first charity which came to mind.

We raised a total of £800 for Help for Heroes which is a significant amount and will help so many people in many ways!

All our preparation came down to these 24 hours and we were ready. We stepped off Ben Nevis car park at 1030 and took on the first peak as well as the highest point in the United Kingdom. The ascent was by far the worst out of the three, as it kept going on and didn’t seem to be getting any closer. The views were unreal, we’d often stop and take everything in for a short amount of time, as you could see for miles over Fort William. As we got to the summit, we quickly took pictures as there was a queue to get up to the point where everyone wanted to be. With us being under pressure, we quickly set off for the bottom. The descent was probably worse than the ascent, as the mountain took its toll on our legs, especially our knees. It appears everyone was out on Ben Nevis that day, as we kept getting stuck behind people, or having to let

Ready to ascend Snowdon

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A the top of Scafell Pike people past on their way up. But we eventually got to the bottom in a time of 4 hours, 42 minutes and 3 seconds.

Next was Scafell Pike. We set off and reached the car park at around 2230hrs, which wasn’t ideal because the journey took much longer than expected! So, we prepped ourselves, before eventually stepping off the base just before 2300hrs. With it being pitch black, we couldn’t take anything in other than the blinding head torches of other people coming down. We’d gotten just over halfway of the ascent; my stepdad had gathered the few in front of me up and got a little cupcake out and waited a few minutes to wish me a happy birthday!

After I quickly ate the cake and got more energy, we set off on our way to the top, where we would then take pictures and quickly took on some much-needed water.

We quickly descended as we were behind our predicted time and reached the bottom with a total time of 3 hours, 14 minutes and 23 seconds.

Finally, we set off for Mount Snowdon.

With us all being exhausted, we tried to get in some sleep, but this seemed impossible as we struggled to get comfy on the minibus. We arrived in North Wales at just before 0800hrs, and with us having to wait for other members to go to the toilet, we eventually stepped off for the summit at 0824hrs, which put us under pressure as we had to get up and down the 1085m mountain in 2 and a bit hours.

During the ascent, we once again admired the surrounding views and took them all

in. The weather was perfect, however it made it difficult to climb as it was warming up. We scrambled up the mountain on the miner’s path, which resulted in going on all fours and bringing our knees up towards chest height at some points! With the peak being in sight for most of the ascent, we finally reached a more suitable gradient and pushed for the final 10 minutes. Just like Ben Nevis, there was a queue at the top. We reached the top in just under 24 hours, but the rules of the challenge are that you must include the descent and stop the time when you reach the bottom of the third mountain! The view was amazing, I didn’t want to leave. But we had to get to the bottom, we wanted to do this as quickly as possible. Our legs seemed broken; we were physically drained. We reached the bottom giving us a total time of 3 hours, 27 minutes and 42 seconds.

Overall, the time took for the overall challenge was a total of 25 hours, 50 minutes and 13 seconds. This wasn’t ideal but we gave it our all with great times on the mountains, but unfortunately, we lost time during the travelling. We had a wellearned pint at a pub just down the road and we felt free. The gruelling challenge had finally come to an end, with every one of us congratulating each other and talking about how rough it was! We weren’t happy with failing to do the challenge within the 24 hours, but we are eager to complete this again, in a smaller group and to smash the time!

At the top of Snowdon, the final peak!

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Adventurous Training

Ex PEMBROKE CRAFTSMAN – Multi Activity Adventurous Training at Castlemartin – 12 Regt RA Wksp Scribe: LCpl Dave Williams

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n Monday 12th July, 15 members of 12 Regt RA Wksp were due to go on a multi activity training package to Castlemartin, Wales. However, the trip did not initially begin well! An hour before we were due to meet, we all received a message to wait out, as one of the members of the trip had tested positive for COVID-19! We were all worried that the trip would be cancelled and sat waiting nervously until a decision was made. Fortunately, only two people that were due to go on the trip had been in contact with the person that had tested positive so we were relieved to find out that the trip could go ahead, albeit now down to 12 people.

We departed Sunday morning (just) from sunny Thorney Island for (hopefully sunny) Wales, luckily due to unavailability of accommodation at Castlemartin we were put up at a place called Llanion Cove where we were given a house to stay in for the week. We were provided Breakfast, Dinner and a packed lunch for whilst conducting the days activities.

On the Sunday evening we settled in and managed to get a projector up in the living room for the England vs Italy Euro final. The result of the game was disappointing for the majority of us, we were still very much looking forward to

The picturesque house we stayed in at Llanion Cove the activities ahead with it having been a significant amount of time since any of us had done any AT. Monday morning arrived and we got stuck into our breakfast before travelling down to Castlemartin to get the initial mandatory briefs out the way. Although we were supposed to be Kayaking, there was no instructor available, so we got to go mountain biking twice instead! At the stores we were given all the kit that we needed for the activities, all issued bikes, then we set off with our instructors for a day of mountain biking.

We rode for about three miles out of camp to a nearby trail called Stackpole, here we did an activity which involved going down a set of stairs to build up our confidence and get us out of our comfort zone. We had a very enthusiastic instructor that we referred to as Cash, he absolutely loved all things Mountain

LCpl Keens enjoying some rock climbing

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Pausing for a quick photo at the top!

biking and his upbeat attitude rubbed off on the rest of us. We then set off to a trail in a nearby forest, there were loads of fast downhill bits, it had been raining quite a lot the week prior which lead to the ground being soft and slippery. I was lucky enough to not fall off myself although the highlight of the day was seeing LCpl Doncaster come off the trail and go flying over his handlebars, fortunately there were no injuries other than a few superficial scratches.

On day three we drove to a location known as Lions Rock, which suggested our day wouldn’t be easy. After arriving and setting out our kit, the instructor gave all of us a thorough walk through the various knots and safety measures we would be using that day.

Itching to get climbing, it wasn’t long before we were attempting our first climbs up the face. A few of the group had some hairy moments on the rock face before the inevitable drop off to be slowly lowered to the ground. As the day went on we all grew in confidence and it wasn’t long before we had all scaled Lions Rock and abseiled back down. A great day for building confidence, especially as a number of the group had never previously climbed before.

Wednesday was by far the best day of the week, although we had already done mountain biking on Monday, we were really excited to do it again. We headed to an outdoor mountain biking centre which was about an hour’s drive away. Although cycling to the top of the trails was exhausting, it really paid off coming downhill, we had progressed from earlier in the week and we were much more confident this time around. There were Green, Blue and Black trails, varying in difficulty Green being easy, Blue being medium and Black being hard.

Thursday had hillwalking in store for us at a place called Dale, we were able to practice some navigational skills surrounded by brilliant views of the Welsh coastline. Later that evening we huddled round for a BBQ and a few drinks before prepping to depart back for Thorney Island the following day. All in all, this had rounded off what had been a superb week and I would thoroughly recommend units applying to book a week of multi activity AT in Castlemartin.

Views from the Welsh coastline at Dale.

Chief Aircraft Engineer (Army) – 2021 REME Aviation Retention Survey This year REME Avn are being focussed on in a wider Army Retention study, to which we have added some REME Avn specific questions.

Please have your say and let the chain of command know how we can improve your career as a REME aviation specialist.

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REME Association

REME in Scotland Lunch Friday 17th September 2021 Scribe: Tom Hardie, Secretary, REME Association Scotland Branch

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n Friday 17th September 2021 the REME In Scotland Lunch (RISL) was held at The Scots Guards Club in Haymarket, Edinburgh. This was the first gathering of the REME Family in Scotland since the start of the pandemic and saw 50 of our Regular, Reserve, Resettled and Retired community come together. Attendees varied from Scotland Branch Member 85-year-old John Haggerty to a young 19-year-old Craftsman.

The RISL is a semi-formal lunch and gathering for all members of the REME Family in Scotland. It is normally held twice a year and previous locations have varied from The Castle Club in Edinburgh Castle, The Scots Guards Club and an Army Reserve Centre in Glasgow.

The day started early for many with some attendees of the RISL travelling to Edinburgh from as far as Aberdeen, Glasgow, Leuchars, the West Coast and special guests from Lyneham which included the Colonel REME Reserve, Colonel Dave Harris and Corps ASM, WO1 (ASM) Danny McNeill.

Others chose to start early in the local public house with a liquid brunch being the order of the day!

Colonel Mat addressing the troops

Left to right Mr Tom Hardie (Secretary Scotland Branch), Lt Col Jamie McMeechan and LCpl Jake Armstrong, 2 Scots LAD. This was the first time Tom and Jamie had met since 1991 after joining the Corps together in 1989 At 1300hrs sharp the RISL got underway with members being greeted in the Scots Guards Club with a complimentary drink to kick start the afternoons activities. This was a great opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones as everyone arrived. This also gave members of The REME Association Scotland Branch the opportunity to finally meet our new President, Commanding Officer, 2 (Close Support) Battalion REME, Lieutenant Colonel Mat Davis. Due to the pandemic, it had been impossible to meet Colonel Mat who has been in post well over a year.

The beer flowed and everyone was having a great time. Colonel Mat gave a speech welcoming everyone to the RISL and updated all on the future of REME within Scotland and what lay ahead; especially for his Battalion. This was followed by a curry lunch and even more beer!

As the afternoon wore on the younger members of the Corps were mixing with the older members and stories were shared, lamps were swung and many more beers were consumed. The RISL was brought to a close late afternoon with many opting to carry on and make full use of the hospitality industry within Edinburgh.

To all that made the RISL a resounding success by attending and making full use of the day may I thank you all and look forward to our next event which will hopefully be held early in 2022.

Pre-RISL Brunch at a local pub

Lunch being enjoyed 36 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

Left to right Lt Col Mat Davis (President Scotland Branch), Mr Tom Hardie (Secretary Scotland Branch) and Corps ASM, WO1 ASM Danny McNeill outside of The Scots Guards Club, Edinburgh

Charity

PARAs 10 – 1 YORKS LAD SSgt Paul Hellens writes about his experience at the PARAs 10 on the weekend of the 4th September.

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yself and SSgt ‘Dinger’ Bell decided for a ‘laugh’ that we would enter the PARAs 10 charity tab. Whilst registering we realised that teams of four could be entered. We recruited Cpl Jackson and Cfn Gardner and there we had it, a team to not only represent the LAD or Helmand Coy but the Regiment as a whole.

We decided off the cuff to try a raise a couple of quid for a worthy charity with ‘Scotty’s Little Soldiers’, being highlighted by Dinger. The charity is dedicated to supporting children & young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces. We thought if we could raise £100, for something we were doing for a laugh would be better than nothing and help a worthy cause along the way.

With the Battalion BCS Exercise and summer leave, this did not allow us time to train as a team. Training was mostly individual with the odd collaboration with other team members but again this wasn’t ideal, especially as we didn’t know the route (route not released until the morning of the event).

Race day finally came on Saturday 4th September 2021. The team was prepared as best as it could be, it was touch and go whether Cpl Jackson would compete as he was nursing a bad back (not ideal when carrying 37lbs of weight). With 300 people entering the TAB and several hundred more running without weight or with their dogs, there was even a pair carrying 37lb plus a log, the race then began. All 4 of us started ahead of the pacemaker for the ‘P’ Coy 1 hour 50 min pass time, HAPPY DAYS! From the start it was evident to see that hills were going to be the theme of the race. At times myself and Dinger questioned our idea of having a laugh with our old bodies being put out through their paces. Cfn Gardner on the other hand shot off like a whippet. He finished first setting the team up with an excellent start with a 9th place overall finish (not bad considering he had COVID before summer leave). Next it was the battle of the old boys with me and Dinger neck and neck with each other. I finished second for the team with Dinger seconds behind, both of us coming in with almost 5 mins to spare on the P Coy pass time. Finally, Cpl Jackson put in a valiant effort and battled through the pain barrier to finish just over 2 hours with his back causing all sorts of problems but, he managed to see the task out until the very end.

With 15 teams having entered, our makeshift team (to have a laugh and raise a couple of quid) finished 2nd overall with an individual in the top 10, £300 raised for charity and memories gained all round. We have set the bar now and WE will be looking to do better for next year’s PARAS’10.

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Sport

REME Arms School EX TIGER DUCE TARTAN (28 AUG – 5 SEP 21) Scribe – Sgt Stevie Houlton SI ALDP Team

‘Welcome to the good ship Petrel’ exclaimed our Skipper, Maj Fergus Sullivan MBE as we arrived at in Oban harbour in Scotland for 7 days sailing. With all the detailed planning behind us and after a lovely drive up North from Lyneham it was time to don the life vests, apply the sun cream, raise the sails and set off to some of the most exhilarating sights the Inner Hebrides has to offer. With three shipmates requiring Comp Crew the week ahead was a real mixture of testing conditions combined with the fun and relaxation sailing has to offer.

DAY 1

(Sun 29 Aug)

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fter a comfortable night’s sleep in a local hotel and with the yacht loaded with plenty of food for the voyage, all six of us headed off from Dunstaffnage Marina, Oban, up the Sound of Mull and into Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. With the wind a light breeze of 3-5Knots it gave us time to listen to the Skipper’s instructions with the First Mate, Martin Westwood decoding the new terminology allowing us to quickly learn the art of sailing.

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The Barometer showing high pressure above us it gave the crew great visibility, clear Blue skies and the mountains slowly exposing themselves to the sunshine teasing us with at this early stage with picture postcard scenery. Sailing into the Tobermory marina after 5 hours at sea really got the hairs on the back of the neck standing up. The colourful buildings combined with the calm waters was something to behold. Cfn Kieron McCullough was delighted to get back into a WiFi zone (and even more delighted when he recognised it as Balamory) and we all enjoyed a run ashore to the showers and refreshments.

DAY 2

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(Mon 30 Aug)

he first night on the boat was cosy with us all mucking in around the galley first thing in the morning producing a healthy breakfast, combined with belt feeding the skipper endless cups of tea. Now taking turns at the helm, with close supervision and the ‘L Plates’ still stuck to the hull, Sgt Matt Stokes steered us North towards Mallaig on the West coast mainland for our final stopover before heading out around the islands. Tacking and turning Petrel into the wind raised the blood pressure for the new crew as we all learned the new words fast.

‘Raise the mainsail halyard’… pause… “Martin, what’s the mainsail halyard”…’just grab this rope and pull it – quick!’.

Knot tying continued in the background with those less experienced making use of any lulls to create bowlines, reef, figure of 8s etc. At the initial briefings the Skipper promised that we would see dolphins, seals, whales and other wildlife. Nobody believed him; however we were all shocked and amazed as families of dolphins swam around Petrel before jumping out of the water.

As we sailed into Mallaig we were met by a huge seal to whom we lost a game of chicken to (he stayed where he was whilst we turned to avoid hitting him).

DAY 3

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(Tues 31 Aug)

ur next exciting stage was for most of us the anticipated main sail around the eastern side of the Isle of Skye and up to Portree. Sgt Stevie Houlton now with a firm hand on the tiller took control of the boat and slowly meandered through the narrow slip of water around Loch Alsh until we looked over the bow to be greeted with the jawdropping sight of the bridge over to Skye. Under the calm sailing conditions we were given the opportunity to take some photographs of the coastline and admire the clear water, now noticing and spotting lots of different sea and land birds. After a safe, controlled mooring in the busy Portree marina it was time for a bit of personal admin, mail our post cards and see the sights.

Using the small 4 person rib, we all took turns rowing it and also controlling the engine taking two trips to ferry the team onto dry land. Whilst enjoying a light refreshment in a very old traditional Scottish drinking hole we were accosted by what could only be described as a wise old sailor asking us where we were heading off to tomorrow. After telling him we intend on travelling North around the tip of Skye and then East, he leaned over, brushed his long Gard and raised an eyebrow stating we need to work with the tide as we’ll not get through if we set off in the morning. Feeling cocky with this new information we took great delight in telling the Skipper when we returned only to find out that both Martin and Fergus, being experienced sailors, had already worked this out! ‘It’s okay, we’ll hang around Portree and set sail in the afternoon’ we were told. ‘Hang on, we said, Portree is a nice place, but I think we’ve seen enough already, why don’t we catch the earlier tide?’ Another long pause… ‘Okay said the Skipper and First Mate, you do realise that means leaving Portree at 0100 hours i.e. in a few hours’ time. After a fair bit of bad language combined with bad breath, it was decided that this was an opportunity not to be missed, to conduct a night sail and get around the tip of the island avoiding any unwanted tides. A stag system was set up, we worked in teams of three sailing through the night under the stars whilst being educated on the cardinal

marks/lights and navigational aids such as the different lateral marks and their different flashings. The information given to the crew was relentless but all absorbed well - we learned fast, soaking everything up. It was a tough night, there’s no two doubts about it, however it’s Adventure Training and meant to be challenging but we need to point out, motoring along around

the North coast of Skye at 0300 hours, looking up to the clear stars above, combined with the craggy outline of the beautiful coast, really was a magical moment which will stay with us all for a very long time. Just when you thought it couldn’t get better the sun rose its head slowly over the starboard side’s smooth waters, the sea birds came to life and we spotted dolphins and seals. Life is tough at times, but you’ve got to sail through the troubled waters and get to this magical moment where you appreciate the opportunity the Army and REME sailing offer by sitting back and absorbing the moment – as our senior member of the crew, Martin kept saying ‘isn’t this simply splendid’ He’s right you know, it really was.

DAY 4

(Wed 1 Sep)

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leary eyed, but absolutely buzzing with excitement we sailed to Loch Harport into Carbost and the home of the Talisker Distillery. The coffee shop beckoned, WiFi connected and after a welcome shower we visited the local community shop (for local people) to replen the galley. Sadly the distillery was closed but that didn’t stop Martin sneaking in a ‘quick nip’ of whiskey having quite rightly appreciated the long journey to Talisker and the need to not miss the opportunity to test their product.

Again, it was another magical occasion where we took on board the surrounding view, discussing all we had learned over a nutritious meal in the local pub. With a plan for our journey South the next day there was an element of doubt on exactly which of the three islands we should sail to next. On route back to the boat, spotting a fellow seafarer, Fergus questioned him asking for his recommendations on which island we should visit. ‘Canna’ he replied without any hesitation, so with a quick look at the guide and much chart planning, we rested well.

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of crew who need to remain connected). The hardest part of this visit was leaving the island, having met some very hospitable locals and other sea dogs. It really was another pinch-yourself moment.

DAY 6

(Fri 3 Sep)

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hey do say that always believe that something wonderful is going to happen and at this stage of the exercise we had seen quite a few dolphins reasonable near to the yacht, but the majority were spotted some distance away. The Canna back to Tobermory sail changed this with a loud shout from Kieron “Dolphins over the bow – everyone come and see”. What we witnessed was absolutely stunning, seeing many dolphins jumping and swimming right beside the boat for quite some time, before they slowly disappeared off to the port side. Again, collecting these precious moments really was just as important as learning to sail. Once we reached Tobermory we administered the boat and ourselves and explored the town, started fishing, had another massive on-board crew meal and went out to explore the harbour side bars.

DAY 7

(Sat 4 Sep)

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n our last day we sailed back to Dunstaffnage via Loch Spelve (on Mull). Now that the crew were trained it was a much easier sail without the need for shouting and the words made sense. The entrance to Loch Spelve was very narrow and strewn with rocks. It required a lot of concentration and a steady nerve. We were glad to be doing it in daylight as there were no lights to help us in or to find our way. Once in the loch we moored up for a lunch break (cooking up everything that we could) surrounded by mussel farms. In the afternoon we sailed back to Dunstaffnage for our final night. After cleaning up the boat we went for a fish supper in Oban and to mingle with the locals whilst watching football in a pub.

Summary DAY 5

(Thu 2 Sep)

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he high pressure system remained unchanged giving us another superb sail, taking it in turns at the helm heading South whilst dealing with the likes of man over board drills and now completely understanding all the words of command reacting in a much more relaxed fashion. If someone ever asks you where they should sail to on the West coast of Scotland, tell them to head for the Isle of Canna. Mooring up alongside a good few yachts who had followed a similar route to us and knowing that the island had a population of 16, we did not expect to find the most welcoming café and community shop well stocked with delicious local food products (and Wifi for the younger members

40 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

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on’t count the days, make the days count and do more of what makes you happy and joyful. Ex TDT did all this and more. We have the facilities, we have the equipment, we just need you to participate in these superb sailing exercises. If you’ve never been sailing before and wish to obtain Competent Crew award I strongly recommend you speak to rearcommodore.offshore@remesailingclub.com.

The Screwjack Letters – No. 23 Exploring Hong Kong

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got back to the ship around midnight. Next morning an embarrassed officer told me that the Master at Arms had reported me for failing to salute the quarterdeck as I came aboard. This requirement was news to me. In the Army we only salute wearing a full uniform including headdress, but now I learnt that any serviceman has to salute in the direction of the stern when boarding a Royal Navy ship, even, for example, if he happens to be in pyjamas.

I thought: People with these odd traditions sank the Bismarck, so I can’t object. I was then careful to salute the empty space on my right whenever I came aboard again. To be respectful to my hosts, I even adopted their eyeshade salute for it.

Hong Kong tailor Chan Tuck arrived on board with pattern samples for suits. I decided to abandon the near-universal charcoal Grey of those days and choose something I can only describe as a subdued, fine check. I expect Saville Row know the proper name. The only decision now was turn-ups or not on the trousers. Men’s fashion in UK was only just beginning to eliminate turn-ups. I thought of Major Fergusson who caused such merriment with turn-ups on his battledress trousers at Sandhurst, and decided to have none on my suit. Chan Tuck said he would return next morning for a pinned trial fitting, then would be back the following day with the finished suit, including the waistcoat. He was as good as his word, and at a very reasonable price.

Jeremy Sadler, an old pal at Sandhurst, was in Hong Kong learning Mandarin. We arranged to meet that afternoon. He had been commissioned into the RASC but was now in the Intelligence Corps.

He had a problem. He was living with a Chinese family of which a member or friend had been killed in a road accident by a vehicle driven by a British serviceman. The British authorities had transferred the serviceman out of Hong Kong and Jeremy had become involved

on behalf of the local people by protesting in a Hong Kong newspaper.

Sadly, I think he was sent home too.

That evening I decided to explore the night club scene in the Wan Chai area.

The clubs or bars seemed to consist of large areas with small tables and chairs where customers could order drinks from Waitresses who could join the table for the inflated price of their drink of coloured water.

Recorded music for dancing was always played and The Beatles music was popular. Some of the bars sold dance tickets and you could then ask any of the girls for a dance. Otherwise you got the dance for the price of your Waitress’s drink, if she agreed. I think this also entailed buying her another glass of coloured water. I ordered a drink from one girl called Ah Tan and I asked who was the elderly Chinese lady sitting at one side. “She is our Mama San.” said Ah Tan, “It means Honoured Mother”. It all seemed very civilised, - charming, even. Some Americans in uniform with white helmets marked “SP” came in. Ah Tan said: “They Shore Patrol, and send Americans back to ship before midnight “. The SP left me alone. I was wearing a suit and tie, my head had some hair, and I didn’t look American.

I decided that The World of Suzi Wong was the best club for me the next night. I sat at a table, ordered a drink and declined the Waitress’s offer to join me. I wanted to take in the scene. As you do. I worked out who was the Mama San and I introduced myself. I asked if she would like a drink. Mama San declined and sent a girl off on an errand. I talked to her about my trip and she invited me to have tea with her. After a few minutes we were joined by a girl a bit taller than most. I discovered later that she was of Thai/Malay parents in Malacca. She had wide almond eyes, a dazzling smile and black hair tied up in a Roman style. She wore a long, dark Red patterned cheongsam with a high Mandarin collar. Mama San said “This is Elizabeth” and I took her to my table. After a few drinks she said she was hungry. I asked what she would like. She said “Lychees”. I had never heard of Lye Cheese but I ordered some for both of us. I was pleasantly surprised by what arrived. Elizabeth said “Tomorrow I got two days off.” I asked if we could meet next day and she could show me around Hong Kong. She agreed. She said “You like to dance now?“ I had heard somewhere that officers of the British Army should seldom dance, but if they do, they should dance badly. Luckily, this came naturally to me.

Despite this, she met me and we toured Hong Kong for the next two days after my Chan Tuck appointments. On the first day we went up to The Peak on a funicular railway and on the second we went on a sampan to the floating restaurant at Aberdeen Village. As we looked at the fleet of sampans I asked if I could take her photograph with my camera. Unfortunately, she only said “No, I take you” so here is her photo of me.

Screwjack

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Museum

4 Base Workshop R

EME is perhaps most associated with repair but their role in keeping the punch in the Army’s fist often leads to ingenuity on unexpected fronts. You might think of course of the new designs, the improvisation (or bodging), or the UORs, but at the start of the war in the desert, REME proved their reliability and support capabilities simply by producing spares.

4 Base Workshop was originally an RAOC Base Ordnance Workshop (BOW). Formed June 1940 in Abbassia, it was indeed the very first BOW in the Middle East and became the base camp and mobilising unit of most workshop establishments formed thereafter, including for example the famous 7th Armoured Division Workshop. Although it started with a single factory, it soon grew alongside demand and took over nearby premises, some of which maintained their original form whilst others had to be converted. In 1942, 4 BOW comprised 74 officers, 1,599 OR and approximately 13,000 civilians but as this was considered slightly unwieldy, the decision was made to split the workshop into two.

The split coincided roughly with the formation of REME and so 4 BOW became 4 Base Workshop, responsible for all manufacturing, whilst repair and maintenance went to 533 Base Workshop. 4 Base Workshop continued to grow however and in 1944 it had 39 officers, 740 ORs and 8,040 civilians with 14 sub-workshops.

4 Base Workshop produced everything from tank parts (both British and American) and gun gauges to cushions and “crates

(various)”. From Jan 42 to Dec 43, they produced 242,462 miscellaneous MT spares, 103,560 ammo boxes, 195,843 trestles, and 179,650 “various items in leather and canvas” - truly a remarkable spread and quantity of items. As well as these standard items, it was also involved with creating new pattern equipment such as those involved in deception and in mine detection.

It should be noted that these numbers, approximately 2,473,000 items in total, may in fact be lower than the actual production figures. For starters, there’s very little mention of electrical equipment despite the fact that 15 Sub-workshop employed 381 people on electrical items from 3hp motors to electrical ovens.

Furthermore, 533 Base Workshop who, as we know, were focused on maintenance and repair, manufactured over 2,000,000 items themselves - whilst these are admittedly likely to have only been small components such as nuts and bolts, it still suggests a disparity between the recorded and expected output of 4 Base Workshop.

Manufacturing on this scale was required for several reasons. The main one is that equipment simply hadn’t been scaled sufficiently (in the British case) or at all (mostly with regards American equipment), which then combined with a lack of shipping space for spares - before the fall of France, troops there had priority for demands, and afterwards all space was devoted to men and equipment for the continued push, rather than spares there or

Machine Shop in No 9 Sub Workshop 42 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

elsewhere. The desert conditions also played a part as equipment faced greater strain than expected but, without spare parts, was forced to continue, or rather be kept going, long after it would normally be profitable to do so, and so, 4 Base Workshop was called upon to create these spares. Many Fordson trucks, for example, broke their axles soon after arriving in the desert due to the fitting of desert tyres and new ones had to be made from various half-shafts.

Although there was of course overlap between the sub-workshops, they each had specialities and some were significantly more specialised than others.

No 1 Sub-workshop, for example, was a general engineering shop capable of producing almost any article in large quantities as it had a machine shop, blacksmiths, a foundry, fitters, welders, and woodworkers. Over 200 25 pounder gun barrels were machined, screwed, and fitted with muzzle brakes by this subworkshop; a job requiring extreme accuracy and normally therefore only undertaken by an armament machine shop, but they also created moulds for Map of 4 Base Workshop

Sports kit and other textile offerings from No 10 Sub Workshop

submarine components, crankcases and sumps, and even machinery for other factories.

On the other end of the spectrum, 5 Sub-Workshop housed within it the metallurgical laboratory which was started in 1941 by a former Skoda staff member (showcasing REME’s continued cooperation with car manufacturers) to counteract the difficulties faced in both analysing the material used in spare parts the workshops were asked to copy, and in analysing the raw material they had to work with - particularly the large quantities of scrap metal used for casting. Despite their struggle to acquire the necessary equipment and chemicals for testing, their work was invaluable in preventing the production of sub-standard spares which would only lead to future failures, as well as developing refining methods to get the most useable material out of what was available to the workshops at the time.

In addition to the actual manufacturing workshops, there was also HQ 4 Base Workshop which handled the standard

regimental and administrative matters but also contained the Technical Branch who were responsible for handling and assigning the requests that came in, as well as translating said requests. Common issues for design included being given a vague description of an aim for a piece of equipment, without any great idea of exactly how that was to be achieved, or being given a sketch or mock up to develop, whereas issues in manufacture usually required them to rethink an existing item to facilitate production either in terms of speed, i.e. adjusting them to be made by casting rather than fabricating, or in terms of material.

4 Base Workshop was eventually handed over to the Egyptian Army in March 1947. After a rough beginning with 12 months cut off from G1098 supplies and therefore much desperate improvisation, its ongoing output and diversification, matching the needs of the Army as required over the years, means that its contribution to the war effort was invaluable or, in the words of Brigadier Wright CBE, “unparalleled in the history of the Army”.

Information in this article was taken from 4 Base Workshop REME: History and Organisation and 4 Base Workshop REME: Notes extracted from War History for presentation to REME Officers’ School SMC.

The Metallurgical Laboratory

Before submitting an article you are requested to read the guidelines on the inside front cover 43

Obituaries Margaret Purves, born 25 November 1934, died 12 September 2021 MARGARET PURVES, GC, who has died aged 86, was one of the youngest recipients of the Albert Medal, later translated to the George Cross, awarded when she was 14 for her bravery after she plunged into the sea to save two boys from drowning. She was relaxing with some friends visiting Sully Island near Barry, South Wales, on Saturday May 28 1949 when she noticed that a party of Scouts from Cardiff, aged between 11 and 15, had become cut off from the causeway which led to the mainland by the swiftly rising tide. Most got across safely, but two of the boys were forced off the causeway by the strong tide. The leader of the Scout party, Tony Rees, 18, returned to help the elder boy, Richard Wiggins, 13, but in the struggle, he too became exhausted. Watching from the beach, Margaret Vaughan (as she then was) saw the difficulties they were in. Although earlier she had found the water too chilly for a swim herself, she undressed and struck out towards them, covering some 30 yards in cold, rough water and against strong currents running on a rising tide. She towed the boy to the shore while he supported himself by clinging to the straps of her costume and Tony Rees’s coat. At about 10 feet from the shore a lifebelt was thrown in which the boy was placed by the other two, and the three reached the shore safely. According to the citation in the London Gazette, Margaret Vaughan’s action probably saved the life of the Scout leader as well as that of the elder boy Wiggins.

Margaret Purves at the 75th anniversary of the George Cross medical centre at Minden garrison. She also worked at Cheltenham General Hospital as night sister in charge of the intensive care unit.

After 29 service moves, in 1983 Margaret Purves and her husband settled at Bradford on Avon in Wiltshire, where she became chairman of the local Conservative Association and served on the town and county councils until 1989.

Margaret Purves’s husband, John Purves, died in 2007. Her son and two daughters survive her.

Lt Col (Retired) Michael Charles Smith, born 7 March 1938, died 6 January 2021 Scribe: By Col Geoffrey Simpson

Margaret Purves and her husband John Purves In 1957 she was commissioned into the Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps as a lieutenant and posted to the Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot, before further postings to Mauritius, Kenya, Catterick and finally Hanover in Germany, where she met Capt John Purves of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).

They married at Llandaff Cathedral, Cardiff, in 1961, six months to the day after their first meeting. As Margaret Purves, she held various jobs – nursing in Singapore, card-punching for the Inland Revenue in Ottawa, serving as deputy editor of the REME house magazine, The Craftsman.

An extract from Margaret’s memoirs from 1976 – Eventually we received a posting back to Arborfield, and had to leave the Headquarters (24 Airportable Brigade) and the close family we had made there. I was eager to get back to work, and managed to get a job as assistant editor of the Craftsman magazine – the REME house magazine produced monthly. For this I had to become a clerical officer in the Civil Service. The office was about 250 yards from the house, and the working conditions were good, a small organisation with a retired Brigadier as Editor, and another young wife as my assistant. Life was good, the children were all happy at their schools, and came home frequently for weekends and holidays. As Arborfield was the home of REME in the UK, we were always getting visitors from our past, and there was always a lot going on.

Returning to Germany in 1977, she became sister in charge of the

44 craftsmaneditor@reme-rhq.org.uk

It is with great sadness that I have to report the death of “Mike” Smith who I had known well since 1962 when we first met in Singapore.

About three years ago, he was diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma which is a not too serious blood cancer. He was checked regularly, but in January 2020 it had developed into Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma, a much more serious cancer but one that can often be successfully treated. The chemotherapy was shrinking the cancer but the drugs conflicted with his heart treatment and sadly, the cancer won.

Mike although born and bred in Portsmouth, was educated at the Royal Hospital School in Ipswich after which he trained as a Mechanical engineer with de Havilland’s. After graduating from Portsmouth University, as one of the last intake of National Servicemen, he Commissioned into the Corps. Later, as a “regular” in 1962 he was posted to Singapore to 10 Infantry Workshop where I happened to be serving too.

Initially he picked up what is often a poisoned chalice in that he was appointed as the MTO, but we served very successfully together in the 10 Infantry Workshop detachment during the conflict in Brunei in 1963 and we became firm friends for over 59 years. Whilst in Singapore, we both started to sail dinghies and we crewed very well together in many races including the Singapore to Changi race which consisted of a fourteen mile beat into the over 25 knot monsoon winds in a 12 foot long Firefly dinghy.

He later served on an airfield project in Thailand before going to BAOR as EME to the Royal Fusiliers in Osnabruck – a soccer

playing regiment, when he, as a rugby player with The London Wasps 2nd and 3rd teams and a future captain of the Berkshire County rugby team, he might have been better posted next door to the D u k e o f We l l i n g t o n ’ s Re g i m e n t w h o we r e t h e Army champions at the time.

His last posting was as CO of 18 Command Workshop in B ov i n g t o n a n d a f t e r h e retired from REME in 1980 he took up the post of Engineering Director for a Lloyds Broker before setting up his own business which sadly collapsed when he had his heart attack during the recession. After that he was appointed CEO of Thatcham Research until he Lt Col (Retired) finally retired in 2002.

Michael Charles Smith We also sailed together in the Corp’s regattas at Seaview in the Mermaid keelboats with more than a little success. He later owned and sailed his own offshore yacht including taking part in The Fastnet Race and in 1992 he and his son Adam joined my late wife and I on my own yacht in Scotland for a leg of the Round Britain Rally. I was honoured to be asked by his widow, Trish, to deliver the eulogy at his funeral and interment at West Overton, Wiltshire on 19th January earlier this year during which I described him as: “The original gentle giant – unless you met him in a rugby scrum.”

He will be missed by his widow Trish, his extended family, myself and his many friends.

Death Notices GRIFFITHS BARNARD – Former LCpl Anthony Percival Griffiths Barnard passed away on 08 September 2021 aged 92. Dates of service 1947-1949.

SHEPPARD – Former WO1(ASM) Graham Leslie Sheppard passed away on 08 September 2021 aged 83. Dates of service 19541979.

WOOLSTENCROFT – Former WO1(ASM) Barry Woolstencroft (Baz) BEM passed away on 02 August 2021 aged 78. Dates of service 1959-1983.

Death Notice Requirements In order to publish a death notice we require the following information: Surname, first name, rank, full date of death, ages and dates of service. An obituary with additional career and life information is welcome. To inform us of the death, please contact Ms Bev Bate, Corps Welfare Manager on ( 01249 894523 or  benevolence@reme-rhq.org.uk

Officer Assignments NAME ASSIGNED TO Lieutenant Colonel LEACH MR 102 BN REME – CO ROBERTSON JN 3 ARMD CS BN REME – CO SMITH DJ ARMY RM ABW – ARMY RM OSP PGMO SNR REQ MGR Major BROWN AJ ATR WINCHESTER – OC C SQN WOODS CJ BRITFOR – OP SHADER – DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF

DATE 01 Nov 21 22 Nov 21 13 Nov 21 08 Nov 21 20 Nov 21

Extracts from the London Gazette 14 SEPTEMBER 2021 REGULAR ARMY Intermediate Regular Commissions (Late Entry) Warrant Officer Class 1 Stuart John DUNCAN 25068077 to be Captain 4 May 2021 Warrant Officer Class 1 Robert Howell John PURSER 25063451 to be Captain 5 July 2021 Warrant Officer Class 1 Jonathan Lee GRIFFITHS 24930279 to be Captain 12 July 2021 ARMY RESERVE Group A Officer Cadet Rheana Krishna PARMAR 30305588 to be Second Lieutenant 17 July 2021

28 SEPTEMBER 2021 REGULAR ARMY Short Service Commissions Officer Cadet George Kennaway ARBUTHNOT 30339680 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Jake Alexander Turpin BARRETT-CHAPMAN 30266604 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Ben Bryan BLORE 30266843 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Ryan James BOXALL 30283059 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Alexandre Benoit Pierre CHAMPAGNE 30282738 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Benjamin Paul CHANDLER 30282735 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Oliver John CLARKE 30224883 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Amy Niamh DRYSDALE 30246742 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Oliver Peter GRIMES 30266886 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Charlie Jon HOWE 30282773 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Isabella Maisie INGLIS 30282762 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Samuel Mark JACKSON 30266962 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Jonathan David LAUNDON 30343201 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Nicholas James LEE 30266833 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Eliott Thomas MCMILLAN 30282788 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Karan MERWAHA 30267839 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Jack Peter MORRELL 30266827 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Harriet Lillian Margaret PEARSALL 30282785

Before submitting an article you are requested to read the guidelines on the inside front cover 45

from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Maxwell Gibson PIERCE 30288808 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 with seniority 11 July 2021 Officer Cadet Rory Sotherton TALBOTT 30340814 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Nathan Samuel TURNER 30205277 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet Jack Richard WHITAKER 30282859 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021 Officer Cadet William Charles Henry WILSON 30282802 from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to be Second Lieutenant 7 August 2021

05 OCTOBER The following have been awarded the 1st Clasp to the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Military) CAPT, J. DALEY, REME, 25052558 WO2, S. I. H. DAVEY, REME, 25038321 SGT, M. J. KENDALL, REME, 25050949 WO2, G. A. THIRSK, REME, 24927520 The following have been awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Military) WO2, C. J. BROOKS, REME, 25087572 SSGT, C. P. CARTWRIGHT, REME, 25165081 WO2, W. B. COMERY-LANG, REME, 24946122 SSGT, K. HALL, REME, 25223204 SGT, D. M. HOOK, REME, 25217106 SSGT, G. D. J. LEWIS, REME, 25106453 SGT, M. S. NAMISI, REME, 25220904 SGT, G. R. PERKES, REME, 25136863 The following have been awarded the 3rd Clasp to the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal CPL, G. W. HUMPHREYS, REME, 24629872 CAPT, P. R. TURNER, REME, 24638589 The following have been awarded the 1st Clasp to the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal CPL, J. H. DAVIES, REME, 24934969 The following have been awarded the Volunteer Reserves Service Medal CFN, J. R. GIBBONS, REME, 30054403

The REME Charity The Trustees of The REME Charity acknowledge with sincere thanks the donations received during the month of SEPTEMBER 2021. They also wish to acknowledge the regular subscriptions received from the Officers and Soldiers of the Corps and retired members of the REME Institution:

Donations 03/09/2021 03/09/2021 03/09/2021 10/09/2021 17/09/2021 17/09/2021 17/09/2021

From . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amount Swim The Lakes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£704.00 Southern Venture 7Rgt RLC LAD . . . . . . . . . . . . .£20.00 Hayley Costanzo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£15.00 Southern Venture 7 Regt RLC LAD . . . . . . . . . . .£35.00 Southern Venture 7 Regt RLC LAD . . . . . . . . . . .£47.50 Sam Melvin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£5.24 IMO Paul Maslin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£15.00

Date sent to Craftsman . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30/09/2021 Total Donations (Sept) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£841.74 Total £’s paid in Grants (Sept) . . . . . . . . . . . .£18,653.01 No. Grants (Sept) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31 Average Grant (Sept) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .£601.71

If you would like to see how your money is spent, we welcome one or two observers at The REME Charity meetings. The meetings are held midweek, approximately every three weeks. If you would like to observe a meeting, please contact The REME Charity Secretary on ( Mil: 95481 4527 or Civ: 01249 894527 in the first instance.

The REME Charity is here for both veterans and serving personnel in times of hardship or need. Contact via SSAFA ( 0800 731 4880 www.ssafa.org.uk or The Royal British Legion ( 0808 802 8080  www.britishlegion.org.uk or your Unit Welfare if serving. All enquiries and information is dealt with in the strictest confidence. If you wish to discuss any benevolence need you can contact us on ( 01249 894523.

Anyone wishing to leave a legacy to The REME Charity, which is exempt from inheritance tax, can add a codicil to their will. Our registered charity number is 1165868

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Fill in the puzzle so that every row across, every column down and every 9 by 9 box contains the numbers 1 to 9.

Corps Diary Dates 2021 All events listed are subject to Covid-19 restrictions

N OV E M B E R 2 0 2 1 4

Corps Warrant Officers and Sergeants Mess Dinner Night

11

Corps council Meeting

18

MARCH 2022 10

Colonels Commandant Night

APRIL 2022 21

Spring Guest Dinner Night

23

REME Reserves Management Board. (Lyneham)

23

Broxhead Dinner and AGM

Corps Dinner Night cancelled

JANUARY 2022 19

Commanding Officers CABAL & dinner night

20

Corps dinner night

22

REME Reserves Management Board (Teams)

M AY 2 0 2 2 19

Corps dinner night

J U LY 2 0 2 2

FEBRUARY 2022

20-21

REME Festival of Sport

25

21

REME Sports Awards Dinner

Regimental Guest Night