New Recruits Diary Week 9
Sun 29 Oct:After a well enjoyed long weekend, the Troop returned to HMS Nelson to pack our Bergens in preparation for our third field exercise - Hunter’s moon. The weather on Sunday night did not instil much confidence among us, with 90 mph winds and horizontal rain it looked as if it was going to be a hard, unenjoyable week. Just as the training team like it!
Mon 30 Oct: We arrived at RMSM at 0715 hrs, the elements were still beating down on HMS Nelson. None of us could quite believe it when CSgt Basford told us that Hunter’s moon (or Hunter’s Gloom as it is known among the Troop) would be postponed due to dangerous weather.The morning was instead filled with the lectures that the team had planned to give in the field. These were target indication, judging distances and fire control orders. When we finally boarded our rather comfortable coach, we all prepared to get our heads down (fall asleep) for the 45 minutes it takes to get to Longmoor - However, Sgt Smith ordered us to de-bus - because the coach’s gear box had broken (disaster number one). We boarded our second coach, however, we managed to get lost on route to the training area as the driver of the new coach was not sure of the area (disaster number two). When we arrived at the training area, the Troop assembled the team base. The weather was still very bad, and too dangerous for us to sleep under our ponchos (disaster number three, but not for us!) so we had to sleep in a huge tent! With three disasters in one day the Troop felt as if someone was trying to tell us something!
Tue 31 Oct: - Halloween It was Halloween, we were out in the field, what could the training team have up their sleeves for us? We started the day with practical lectures to follow on what we had learnt the previous day. We tried (and many failed) to judge the distance of certain members of our team from our position. It sounds easy but is surprisingly difficult! The day followed on with more practical lectures, until the team moved us into our harbour area for the night, and we set up camp. That evening we had a night Navex (Night Navigational Exercise). We walked around the check points in our pairs, half expecting members of the team to spring out from bushes. Special mention goes out to Bugler Vyse and Musician Walker. They went out as group number 12 and beat everyone back - well done! Once all had arrived back safely we started our working routine. This includes Sentry duty, which is no fun, especially at 4 o’clock in the morning.
Wed 1 Nov: Today was a marker for our Troop - one month to go until passout day! After completing our morning routine, we were split into our sections for fire and manoeuvre drills. These were good fun but hard work. These are the drills used to attack or evacuate an area. We then went patrolling, learning new formations and hand signals. Sgt Baldwin then took us for a lecture on the different types of pyrotechnics available to us, which includes thunder flashes, flares, tripwires and para-illumes. All very interesting, especially to Musn Dolby who perhaps gets a little too excited about it all, he needs to get out more! That night was a most interesting and frustrating experience by the Troop. Whilst on Sentry duty, a figure came into my arc. I challenged him - an answer to which was several shots from his rifle. This was our first attack. It is the duty of the Sentry to shout ‘Stand to’ when there is any incoming fire. The Troop then react by forming an all round defence of the harbour area. As most of the Troop are in their sleeping bags it is most amusing (although not at the time) to watch them struggling with the slugs (sleeping bags) in a battle to get out! After two attacks, the team let us continue with our routines.
Thu 2 Nov: The heavens opened just for us! Due to the weather our scheduled kit inspection had to be cancelled, which the whole Troop had worked hard towards that morning. Unfortunately throughout the week, members of both the Troop and team had gone back to HMS Nelson sick. With the numbers of people becoming sick increasing, the team became very concerned and decided to return us home a day early, just to be safe. It turned out just to be a stomach bug. When we returned back home to HMS Nelson, we unloaded stores, cleaned and returned our weapons and went back to our grots (rooms) to start cleaning our filthy, smelly kit.
Fri 3 Nov: We were allowed to wear gash PT rig today which to us is a treat. This was so we could clean the tents and other stores we used in the field without damaging our good clothing. After we had cleaned and tidied away the stores, we received our new jumpers (with the Royal Marines Band Service flashes) and barrack dress trousers. A lecture on how to maintain, iron and clean the trousers by Sgt Smith followed. The rest of the day was spent cleaning our field kit, again. It really is that smelly!
Sat 4 Nov: After an early breakfast it was up for PT. We practised for our fast approaching table two PT passout. Sgt Griffin tweaked the areas in which we are poor to improve our appearance and hopefully our grade. We are aiming for a superior pass this time. After PT was an NBC (Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare) lecture by Sgt Griffin. We learnt about different types of decontamination procedures. That evening the Troop went their separate ways only to be joined again in celebration of Musn Andy McKinnon winning £185,000 on the National Lottery! No-one could quite believe how lucky he was; until Sunday. A really good night was had by all.
Sun 5 Nov: It was a Bite (Scam)! Andy didn’t win on the lottery, and we all fell for it. The day was spent preparing for rounds, which was to be conducted on Monday. We all quite enjoyed Hunters Gloom in a strange way but it is safe to say that it didn’t equal how hard we all found Twosome. Now we are to thirds of the way through, and with the gas chamber to look forward to next week, the Troop are all a little apprehensive, apparently its not that bad, lets see!
Bugler Clark
