Journal 2008 - The Journal Royal Highland Fusiliers - The Royal ...

A Coy celebrating at the ‘Last Social’ before dispersal, Nov 07.In a busy programme time was found for EX NORTHERNSEAWARD; a Company lead sailing expedition. Although theexercise was enjoyed by all and it presented the Jocks with anumber of challenges (including sea sickness), it was certainly notas arduous as had been hoped. A distinct lack of wind ensuredthat most of the week was spent pleasantly sailing around thesouth coast: better winds next time!It was now late September and once again the operations plot wasshifting. 2 SCOTS had been transferred on to 16 Brigade’s ORBATand would be deploying on OP HERRICK 8. September drifted intoOctober which ended with Pre-deployment Training (PDT). Thedeployment was, unfortunately, only scaled for two companies andwithout a role for BULLDOG in Afghanistan it was with sad heartthat A Company had to disperse and backfill B and C companies.A Company HQ was to remain with the role of training the AfghanNational Army as part of the United Kingdom Leadership andTraining Team (UKLTT). (See also the Colour Section.)B COMPANYOC: Maj T H C de R Channer 2IC: Lt G MuirCSM: WO2 M McNally CQMS: CSgt C Trousdale4 Pl Comd: 2Lt M D Oladjins 4 Pl Sgt: Sgt J Fraser5 Pl Comd: 2Lt B Davey 5 Pl Sgt: Sgt P Gordon6 Pl Comd: 2Lt A Lassoued 6 Pl Sgt: Sgt S DevlinThe last few months in B Company have been as hectic as ever.(So hectic that the only B Coy photographs are in the Colour Section.)Before going on summer leave, the Company had been planningon an Iraq tour in 2008. On return, we were soon informed thatthe Battalion would no longer be going on Telic. It was notuntil late October that 2 SCOTS were told that they would begoing to Afghanistan. This news managed to sweep away thedisappointment of the preceding months and gave renewedimpetus to B Company. The remaining period has been focusedon training for OP HERRICK, with the Company workingextremely hard to gain the necessary qualifications to fulfil its roleas Mastiff Company in the Helmand Province.The Company continues to be under the command of MajorChanner with WO2 McNally as CSM. The JNCO Cadredominated the first six weeks after leave, as B Company sponsoredthe whole cadre. Based in Barry-Buddon Camp, those notinvolved in the cadre itself (with B Company contributing thehighest number of potential Lance Corporals) were acting asenemy or helping out generally with all the daily administrationrequirements. After the initial training, the Company andCadre moved to Otterburn for the test week. The exercise itselfwent well, but paled into insignificance in comparison to theFrance v Scotland game which everyone desperately wanted tosee – although using Land-Rovers to drive up the surroundinghills to get ’phone reception to check scores was probably notwhy they were brought on exercise. The Cadre itself turnedinto a significant success for B Company and Fusiliers Boyle,Cokanasiga, McDonald, Mclaren and Philipson all passed. LCplAndrews finished top of the Cadre and was awarded his stripe onthe parade square in front of the Battalion.Due to the continually changing plans, the proposed exerciseto Poland was cancelled and instead B Company spread itselfacross the United Kingdom and even to Germany in order togain qualifications on various weapon systems as well as theTHE ROYAL HIGHLAND FUSILIERS 39