Page 18 - A4 Journal 2020

Our Military Affiliations

In addition to the military training that the Company provided there was an additional drive and adaption of the additional
training elements that the Company provided. The Duke of Edinburgh Award was amended with additional support being
given to the cadets to be able to continue to complete their courses while in lockdown. The vocational qualifications which
the ACF offer (the Btec Level 2 Teamwork and Personal Development and Btec Level 2 Music) continued during the lockdown
again with the use of modern technology and video calls, email communications and the use of virtual workbooks. A number
of cadets passed elements and even the full awards during the lockdown. More recently the new academic year has seen a
big engagement piece of work across the Company around the DofE and Btec Level 2 Teamwork and Personal Development,
with cadets spending time on video meetings to register themselves onto the awards for the coming academic year.
Additionally, cadets from 148 detachment and staff from across the Company took part in the Royal Signals 100 challenge.
It's not all been training during the lock down. There has also been a social element. As a Company we have been running
virtual quizzes for the cadets and staff to take part in, and utilizing some of the funding that the Worshipful Company have
supplied, the Company was able to purchase a years Kahoot licence, thus allowing us to run bespoke quizzes and
engagement events for the cadets. This licence will also allow an expansion away from the quizzes and allow remote
engagement across the company to help support and reinforce the training once we are back to a more normal training
environment. We have also been supporting the adult staff as well with video pub quiz events being run to allow the staff to
connect socially and exercise the little grey cells.
We are now well on the way to looking at restarting training in Oct. The Govt has announced the rule of 6 and the MOD have
confirmed that the ACF is considered as an essential service, so the rule of 6 does not impact us, but the training still has to be
COVID safe and COVID risk assessed. September has been handed over to Staff upskilling. Given the length of time we had
been closed a lot of our qualifications which usually last for only a 12 or 6 month period have expired so there are a number
of training events in September to requalify the staff. In addition to the requalification there is also new specialist mandated
MOD return to COVID training that we have all had to take to ensure that as a Company we are as set as possible.”
June 2020 marked the centenary of the formation of the Royal Signals. Major Burtenshaw has told us that cadets from 148
Detachment based in Old Coulsdon joined in the #100for100 challenge where, despite the many challenges of Covid-19 they
walked, ran or cycled 100km throughout the month of June to celebrate the centenary.

101 REGIMENT (City of London) RE
The Regiment has regularly been in touch with us during the year, and not surprisingly, staff have moved
on during the year. In July Captain Ruth Breslin wrote “The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted every
organisation. For 101 Engr Regt (EOD&S), a Reserve Army unit, the implications were significant. On
announcement of the lock-down Regimental headquarters followed Government and MOD direction and
all permanent and civil service personnel were ordered to work from home as much as possible. Only
essential business has since been conducted on Regimental premises and many meetings are happening
via Skype or group telephone calls. Training events were postponed or, where possible, are being
delivered via remote means. The weekly Tuesday evening training nights are now all virtual, with over
120 people joining each week, proving the Regiment has the ability and enthusiasm to continue its business despite social
distancing.
Many of our soldiers have public sector occupations and they have been vital in valiantly helping to keep the nation
running. Many of those who do not have key worker status many have volunteered their time to help the NHS and charitable
organisations to give the more vulnerable members of society a helping hand, delivering groceries to neighbours, distributing
PPE, and assisting Team Rubicon with Op RE:ACT. So the members of the Regiment have certainly kept busy and although we
all miss the opportunity to physically meet each other, the Regiment has remained in a good place to respond to the
pandemic as it has developed. Over 130 personnel volunteered to be mobilised in support of the Military Response and
although the Regiment has not yet been mobilised, we do provide a credible and useful option for our higher headquarters to
call upon if required.
Unrelated to the pandemic, the Regiment has still been a force generating soldiers for overseas operations. There is currently
1 person serving overseas and a further 3 preparing to deploy in support of ongoing Operations. As restrictions have eased
we are also managing to keep our Search training pipeline open, with 28 people qualifying in this trade.
The Regiment hopes that all members of the Worshipful Company of Constructors remain fit and healthy and is looking
forward to future endeavours once restrictions have lifted.”
Captain Breslin has now been posted and her position as Adjutant has been taken by Captain James Lethbridge, who has
written to us with the following update:
“Several personalities in RHQ have changed, with WO1 Darrell Ball taking up the position of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM)
and myself, Capt James Lethbridge taking up post as Adjutant. The Commanding Officer is also due to change over shortly,
which will see Lt Col Alan Brown hand over the Regiment to Lt Col Mark Bennett at the end of September 2020.
The Regiment was due to deploy to Germany for its Annual Deployment Exercise (ADE) this summer but was unable to due to

Page 18 | The Journal of the Worshipful Company of Constructors | Autumn 2020