To A-Company (Royal Scots), the unit I was joining in Scotland
19ish March
Hello again
I've got some more spare time just now as there's a fair sand storm blowing and we're all cowering in our vehicles, feet up, blueys or books out and bursting into flames.
Am now use to carrying the rezzie around everywhere ("does my bum look big in this?") and have been formally ramped up to dress cat 1. So also have to cart around IPE. I'm sure this is just a ruse by 16 Road Assault to carry more stuff. Just had our ammo issued too so the apepper vest is pretty loaded, and not having had any exercise over the last few weeks (and being weak and weedy as nature intended me) I do feel I am getting too old for this. Maybe I should join an infantry unit where I get to carry more stuff...?
I'm still chief (ie, only) signaller in the OC's wagon for our little decon troop attached to 16AA scary people. I've also got a GPMG in the back, but I doubt we'll be using it - given our location in the current plan, our main enemy is going to be heat exhaustion, dehydration and being run over by a runaway bus.
However the paras are obviously not satisfied with their part in the plan, and want to take on a task that reminds me of garden markets and bridges too far away. Hopefully we won't be involved as helicoptering in a fully loaded DROPs could be tricky.
Our regular (JNBCR) colleagues have been watching us train over the last few days and now seem more than satisfied with us. In fact their NCOs have been getting a grip on their admin since we got here - in good RAC fashion we're bombed up, sleeping kit away, ready to go etc an hour or so after reveille, whereas they've been relaxing a bit. So we're not entirely Mr Popular...
Food here is as dull as dishwater - in fact I think the evening meal is, but I have some spicy stuff to keep me happy. Still in greens though and it just doesn't go with the scenery. They took our body armour inserts away yesterday to give to some Brits attached to the Americans. We're expecting the SQMS to come around tomorrow and take our 5 rounds away too, as well as our berets so they can be swapped for desert boots with the Americans.
Anyway ta ta for now, and I am looking forward to humping a pack around the deliciously cool Pentland Hills, assuming it's all over by Christmas.
Cheers,
Martin
[A few hours later we had crossed the main supply route and were formed up waiting to go over the border]