40 SIGNAL SQUADRON TROOPS SWEEP THE BOARD

Saturday 16th May saw the launch of the 2015 Army Reserve Force Troops Command Operational Shooting Competition (OSC) in Pirbright.  32 Signal Regiment had already demonstrated what they were capable of the week before at the 51X OSC in Barry Buddon, Scotland.  This year Pirbright Ranges accommodated over 250 troops from the Royal Army Medical Corps, Royal Artillery, Royal Corps of Signals, Royal Logistics Corps, Military Intelligence Corps and Royal Engineers.
 
The team began with both phases of The Urban Contact Assessment on Nelson Range with Sgt Gordon scoring a massive 185/200, a new personal best in the Rifle phase and Cpl Colgan winning the Pistol phase.  No.2 Gallery Range hosted the Short Range Rural Contact Match with Sig Swann scoring highest of the Corps B Class competitors and LCpl Martin winning the match, a lead which he held on to for the rest of the day. Despite timings slipping somewhat, the team made their way to No. 4 ETR Range to begin The Defence Assessment followed by The Machine Gun Match.  Sig Phillips shot a competitive 227 with the LSW topping the Machine Gun Scoreboard, a score that the Range Staff commended in comparison to some Regular teams the week before. The final match of the day was The Advance to Contact Match (aka The Whitehead). 32 SR maintained a fantastic average score throughout the day and this was truly reflected when the B Team stepped up to the Falling Plates Prelims. The team were victorious in the Corps knockout, defeating both 39 & 37 SRs to gain the honour of representing the Royal Signals in the Inter-Corps Falling Plates Finals, held the following day. At close of play 32 SR had five of the team in the Top 6.
 
On Sunday morning, the top 6 competitors from each Corps would shoot against each other for the Metheun Cup, and to determine the Champion Shot from each of the six Corps.  The six members of the Royal Signals team representing the Corps won the FTC Metheun Cup by quite a hefty margin. The competition concluded with the infamous Inter-Corps Falling Plates final involving the top fire teams from each Corps. The 32 SR team consisting of Cpl Colgan, Cpl Dawson, LCpl Martin and Sig Phillips, went on to beat the Royal Artillery after a photo finish to be named the Inter-Corps Falling Plates Champions, much to the delight of the Commanding Officer . 
 
Overall, 32 SR proved themselves as the ‘Team to Beat’ for next year.  After finishing runner up last year LCpl Lloyd Martin kept his cool to win the Champion Rifle and a well earned seat on the Corps Champions Chair, with Sgt Gordon finishing runner up.  Sig Swann won the Champion At Arms trophy with Sig Phillips nipping at his heels throughout the competition.
  
40 Signal Squadron are based at Clonaver Park ARC off the Holywood Road in East Belfast.  The recruiting office number is 02890 670006.