Fusilier News
INTRODUCTION
I had hoped to say that 2010 should be a comparatively quiet year for the Regiment now that both Regular Battalions are back in the UK and that all the TA Fusiliers contributed significantly to operations in 2009. You will see in this Newsletter, however, that the Regiment is again supporting operations in Afghanistan with deployments from our TA Battalion and Coys. We wish them good luck and a safe return. Most, if not all of you should also have received the 2009 Journal. Can I please have constructive comment on the Journal in terms of content and what you would like to see included or indeed removed? I ask the same for the Newsletter.
1 RRF
December 09 saw activity on Salisbury Plain slightly reduced prior to Christmas leave. X, Y and W Coys deployed to harass 1 R IRISH BG prior to their deployment to Afghanistan. The Fusilier insurgent forces certainly kept 16 Air Asslt Bde on their toes with plenty of IED, RPG and small arms attacks throughout the area. The Mortar Platoon, as ever, carried out live firing pretty much right up to the last day before leave, and provided much needed safety staff to ensure other units could gain valuable experience before deploying to Helmand Province.
2 RRF
On return from OP HERRICK 10, the Battalion conducted a number of Homecoming Parades, received the freedom of a new borough, celebrated Christmas, trained a crew to take part in some very arduous adventure training sailing and started preparing for a return to Public Duties. Parades. On the Battalions return from Afghanistan all of the Regimental Areas wanted to welcome home the Second Fusiliers and show their appreciation. The Battalion conducted homecoming parades in Warwick, Ashington, Morpeth, Newcastle, Bury, Salford, Rochdale and Hounslow. Everywhere the Battalion went people turned out in their thousands waving union flags, cheering and shouting their appreciation. In Morpeth the tables were turned when Alan Shearer, The Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Newcastle turned up to support the Battalion and not the other way round! The individual local Councils arranged terrific receptions, with a ready supply of beer and food for all. School choirs, groups of saxophonists, brewers, public speakers and even the Blues Brothers turned up across the country to entertain the Fusiliers.
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5 RRF
The main training event of the period was the traditional Battalion weekend at Warcop Training Camp. This included an orienteering competition around the frosty Cumbrian hills to blow the cobwebs away before the junior ranks sat down for their Christmas dinner served by the Senior Ranks and Officers. The Battalions Catering Platoon, lead by WO2 Middlemiss, delivered an excellent traditional feast with all of the trimmings, very much maintaining the good food the Battalion had become accustomed to in the field when in Kenya a month previously. Col Catesbury (Rifles Hon Col for Durham) took this opportunity to present 8 members of the battalion with their Volunteer and Reserve Service Medals (VRSM) for 10 years of loyal and unbroken service with the TA. This was followed by a joint Officers and Sergeants Mess function allowing for a few drinks and the chance to finish off what was left of the Christmas Dinner.
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C (City of London Fusiliers) Company The London Regiment
The Coy has been concentrating on operational commitments during the last 3 months. Maj Richard Celm has been deployed to Afghanistan as OC NCOTT (NCO Trg Team), Lt Richard Kelly and seven ORs have also deployed to Afghanistan working in various roles from NCOTT, to Force Protection RE IED teams, to Force Protection in general. They are expected to return in Oct 2010. The London Regt is also providing a Platoon + for Herrick 13 and C Coy is expecting to provide 6-8 NCOs and Fusiliers for this Tour. Training for all of these soldiers has begun already and they will mobilise in June 2010. Altogether a very busy time operationally for the LONDONS and C Coy. These deployments will amount to 5 Op Tours in 5 years for Coy and Pl size groupings from the Regiment.