Since the last edition of the White Rose, B Company has gained a new OC and changed its ORBAT many times, in fact the theme for the year may well be that of managing change and coping with new challenges.

The period began with the Coy taking its turn as part of the UK Standby Battalion. Whilst we were ready to deploy anywhere in the UK at 24 hours notice to move, nobody actually called us and the careful plans made by the CQMS and the recall procedures that had been put in place were put back in the filing cabinet marked 'for future reference'. The failure to be called out did allow the Coy to complete its summer leave in peace and therefore nobody was that worried by not receiving the call to action.

Following leave, the ORBAT was dissected in order to allow training to commence for the Battalion's tour to Sierra Leone, eventually titled Op SILKMAN. B Company did not catch the selectors eye to deploy, however a fully manned platoon, commanded by Lt Manwaring, ably supported by Sgt Eastwood was loaned to C Coy for security tasks. The Coy 2IC, Capt Powers also deserted the Company taking the remainder of the range qualified NCOs with him to form part of the Training Company whose role was to train members of the Sierra Leone Army. There will be a plethora of war stories elsewhere that will more than do justice to the excellent work done by members of the Company on Op SILKMAN, therefore this article will cover the activities of those less fortunate members of the Company who had to keep the home fires burning.

Having taken under command the elements of C and Sp Companies that had not deployed, B Company set about attempting to conduct some interesting and useful low level training in between the bouts of guard duties. Thanks to the imagination of WOII Hunter and CSgt Nockels in particular, this was achieved and mandatory ITD training, range work and fitness routines were maintained despite a high proportion of new recruits and a distinct lack of JNCOs. Following the deployment of 'Hunter Force', an additional security detachment, commanded by WOII (CSM) Hunter and sent to provide 1 Mechanised Brigade Commander with a warm fuzzy feeling in his HQ in Freetown, B Coy also took command of those elements of A Company who had not deployed. Maj Lockwood had departed with 'Hunter Force' in search of glory as the Liaison Officer to HQ 1 Mech Bde. Thus the year ended with the OC commanding the largest Company the Battalion has had for some time, with no CSM, A CQMS on his education and very few NCOs. At this stage mention should be made of CSgt Williamson, who in his last years service provided sterling work as the acting CSM, having moved across from the QMs department to step into the breach. Cpl Perry, on return from ITC Catterick, also coped admirably in the stores during the absence of the CQMS.

It was the 3rd week in January before the post Operational leave and administration had worked itself out and all the companies reformed in their original ORBATS. There was little time to rest on our laurels as soldiers were required for COP training and to backfill C Coy's ORBAT for their Overseas Training Exercise in the Oman, Ex ROCKY LANCE. Eight soldiers from the Company were eventually selected to become part of the COP and we wish them well with their tour. Sgt Eastwood headed up just less than a platoons worth of soldiers that were given the opportunity to exercise in the Oman with C Company, again other articles will describe the exercise in all its glory.

B Company was due to sponsor the Battalion Leadership Cadre to be held in February/March and at the same time get away to conduct some training of its own, unfortunately on day one of the cadre we were notified by HQ LAND that all training areas were out of bounds due to the developing Foot and Mouth crisis; as this also included our back door training area, all our carefully laid plans were scuppered and a new training programme had to be quickly organised. This proved to be impossible and the cadre ran on a shortened 2-week programme, which was completed in June.

In the meantime, the Battalion was warned to support the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in dealing with the foot and mouth outbreak. The CO dispatched OC B Coy, along with WOII Nockels, CSgt Burton, Sgts Brotherton, Dennison and Farmery and Cpl (Local Sgt) Hehir to recce the requirement in Cumbria. After some excellent TV opportunities in the car park of Carlisle Castle, we received a brief from COS 42 (NW) Bde and then spent the night in the hotel that time forgot, somewhere outside Carlisle, before the 6 newly appointed Military Liaison Officers began their task of co-ordinating the identification, slaughter and disposal of animals with any connection to the disease. Over the next few weeks the scale of the task grew and the resources deployed by the Battalion grew with it, ensuring that several soldiers from the Company were deployed in Cumbria for varying periods of time. Highlights were provided by Cpl (local Sgt) Perry who displayed perhaps the best interview technique, which got him a double page spread in the Daily Mail and Cpl (local Sgt) Lane who got a little too close to a very large pyre and had to resort to wearing dark glasses.

Throughout the period of the foot and mouth crisis, with training areas closed and many NCOs away on duty in Cumbria, the remainder of the Company was left to try and amuse itself in Camp. This was no easy task, but was helped by the arrival of 2Lts Grieve and Smith, bursting with ideas having had their Platoon Commanders Course cut short by the closure of the training areas. As a reward for their endeavour, they were sent to Jamaica on Ex RED STRIPE with A Company to get a little practise for when they returned to complete the course.

June and July proved to be the best months of the year for B Company. With training areas gradually re-opening the Tactics Phase of the Leadership cadre was swiftly recce'd and moved to Gaerlochhead, a welcome return for those members of the Company who had experienced its hills almost 10 months previously on Ex HIGHLAND STALLION. With B Company again sponsoring the cadre there was the opportunity to get composite company training together for the first time in the year. The first week consisted of field training using the Gaerlochhead camp as a base. During this period Sergeant Major Hunter was able to conduct some stage 5 shooting at fire team level for those new recruits who had not field fired in training due to the foot and mouth crisis. It was also the first field firing that the company had conducted for over a year.

Before deploying into the field for the final exercise, the CQMS organised a superb company smoker. True to form in Scotland, the barbeque had to be eaten indoors due to inclement weather, but the entertainment was exceptional, with the highlight being an exhibition Sumo match between LCpl Muscroft and Pte Brady that few who saw it will forget quickly.

The midges bit and the hills were as steep as ever, but the B Company training platoon and the leadership cadre platoon made it to the final attack and successfully defeated a cunningly constructed enemy position as part of a coordinated deliberate company attack. It was all over in time for tea and medals and in this case the plaudits went to Pte Roughley who came top of the Leadership Cadre and was promoted to Lance Corporal along with Pte Sparke who had finished in the top 5. Both were then duly presented with their LCpl Stripes, by the Colonel of The Regiment on his final visit to the Battalion to coincide with Imphal Day.

Having lost our overseas exercise to Italy due to problems with the Italian MoD wanting an Airborne Company and B Company sensibly refusing to get out of a perfectly serviceable aircraft, the month of July was looking fairly empty in the diary. That was until a conversation between the OC and the CO launched the idea of a battlefield tour. Funding from 42 (NW) Bde made the idea a reality and the 1st week in July saw B Company and some supporters from the other companies set off south for the Channel ports and a battlefield tour to study Op MARKET GARDEN. The tour was a great success with the visit to Oosterbeek cemetery, where there are several East Yorkshire Regiment graves being the most poignant moment. On a lighter side, the B Company formation cycle display team will be remembered in Nijmegen for some time.

The Northern Ireland ORBAT was announced and duly formed up on 9 Jul 01. For the first time in a year, B Company has an ORBAT that has a full command structure in the correct rank and it was this group that went forward to contest the Battalion Skill at Arms competition in the first week back after summer leave. With HQ Coy providing the permanent range teams, the way was clear for the Company to sweep the board of all prizes under the watchful eye of the New OC, Maj Newson who had arrived to start his handover. Congratulations to LCpl Salter who won the individual prize for best shot and to the winning teams in the falling plate and fire team assessment competitions. As you read this, the Company will be deploying for its residential tour to Omagh, having completed a hectic training period both in camp and with OPTAG, the new name for NITAT. The theme of change has now hopefully stabilised and the company can look forward to training for and deployment to Northern Ireland, buoyed by its success at the skill at Arms meet.

There have been too many changes to name all those who have arrived and departed the company, but congratulation go to Ptes Sparke, Gilbody, Roughley and Smith 68 on their promotions. We also congratulate CSgt Nockels on his move to A Coy as CSM and welcome CSgt Burton from ATR Glencorse as CQMS. Sgts Brotherton and Arthur have arrived to steady the new platoon commanders and we wish Capt Powers and WOII Hunter well in their new postings at Warminster and York respectively. Finally Maj Crowley departs to the puzzle palace that is the Staff Course to be replaced by Maj Newson who has just completed his 2 year stint there.