253 (NI) MEDICAL REGIMENT LOOK BACK ON A BUSY 2018

253 Shooting Team Back to Winning Ways
The 253 (NI) Med Regt Shooting Team got back to their winning ways by posting record scores to retain the Unit Championships at the AR Combat Pistol Championships.  In addition Pte McClure won the Individual Pistol Championships and Sgt Moore came 2nd.  The other two members of the team finished 7th (Cpl Alexander) and 11th (Cpl Rowan) respectively. Cpl Alexander finished 2nd in the Army Target Pistol Championships and then went on to represent NI for the first time as a pistol shooter in Commonwealth Shooting Federation (European Division) Championships. In November DCFA Maj Gen O’Leary announced The British Army Reserve Operational Shooting Team 2019 (BAROST 19) to include Sgt Moore, Cpl Alexander, Cpl Rowan, Cpl Wilson and Pte McClure, five of the twenty coming from 253, representing the Army Reserve in both domestic and international competitions.

253 Med Regt Shooting Star!
LCpl Heather Mearns was selected into the Army Reserve Women’s Football Squad. LCpl Mearns is a Class 3 CMT with 3 years’ service in 253 (NI) Med Regt and says:

“It was an honour to be selected for the Army Women’s Football Squad for the 100th anniversary of the Armistice Remembrance Games. It was a fantastic experience to play in front of 1000s of people at the oldest football team in the world (Notts County) ground, definitely the biggest and loudest crowd I ever played in front of.

“It topped off an amazing year for me personally on the football front. Football has been a massive part of my life since I joined my club Crusaders Strikers at 13, and it has always offered me the best of opportunities. My football career has taken me to play in countries such as Sweden, and Croatia, in the women’s Champions League, Spain numerous times for tournaments and also to coach in America.

“This year I also represented Northern Ireland for the first time at senior level in futsal, at the inaugural women’s European Qualifiers, against Holland, Belgium and Sweden, it was really special for me to score Northern Ireland’s first ever goal in the competition. I have also represented the Army Reserve squad and AMS corps team in games since joining 253 Med Regt.

“As I have got older I have started developing a passion for coaching, and I have recently completed my UEFA B licence, the third rung on the coaching ladder, and I am heavily involved in my club’s academy, particularly with our U12 squad.

“When I am not doing football (or my full time job) I am at work with 253, and I believe many of the skills acquired through football have really helped me in my army career so far; I always excel working as part of a team, it has helped me stay on top of my fitness and it has ingrained a determination to succeed from a very young age. I hope my high level of fitness allows me to go on playing for as long as I possibly can.”

Muddy Runners!
A big well done to Maj McKinney and all those from 253 Med Regt who got ‘Down and Dirty’ at the 38X Mud Run 2018 in Newtownards. This year’s event saw well over 100 people compete as individuals or as part of a team completing over seven miles of undulating terrain. This involved running through lakes, jumping over 4ft walls, climbing 7ft A-Frames and leopard crawling through muddy streams and much more; a demanding yet very rewarding event enjoyed by all fitness standards. For the second year in a row, 253 (NI) Med Regt were one of the best represented Units and it was great to see seven personnel from 64 Sqn make the journey over from Chorley! Pte Callen very ably provided Med cover for the event.

Remembrance
253 (NI) Medical Regiment joined the country in carrying out the act of remembering those servicemen and servicewomen who made the ultimate sacrifice or have been injured as a result of service to the Crown, either in war, in conflicts or during training exercises. Marking the centenary of Armistice Day, 253 Belfast-based personnel formed up at Hillsborough, Co Down with a meaningful service at the War Memorial followed by remembrance at St Malachy’s Church. There followed a splendid lunch at The Warrant Officers’ and Sergeants’ Mess, Pantridge Army Reserve Centre, Belfast. Our outlying Squadrons performed their own acts of remembrance at their local services. The photo shows the Commanding Officer Lt Col Stuart Irvine and our Honorary Colonel, Professor Hugh McKenna CBE, at the Hillsborough War Memorial. 

Unit Summary
253 (NI) Medical Regiment is the only Reserve Medical Regiment in Northern Ireland. The Unit specialises in providing the very highest standards of emergency medicine and health care for soldiers on Operations wherever the British Army operates in the World. The Regimental Headquarters is situated in Pantridge Army Reserve Centre (PARC), Sunnyside Street, Belfast along with 107, 109 and 110 Squadrons. This has been a busy year for 253 Med who have been affected by Army restructuring measures and we now have 108 Sqn located at Limavady ARC and 64 Sqn at Chorley, Lancashire but will shortly lose 109 Squadron in Belfast.  We also now have formalised Detachment locations in Enniskillen, Carlisle and the Isle of Man and we will be seeking to engage with local organisation to attract potential new Reservists.  These measures are to enable us to deliver medical capability more effectively where required. 2019 will also be busy as we are scheduled to conduct our Annual Camp in Gibraltar in Apr/May, conduct another two week exercise in Staffordshire in September, conduct a Battlefield Study to Sicily in Oct, and I am sure there will be lots more to keep us busy!  If you like the sound of this, do get in touch!