Page 42 - Journal Compilation

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
B Squadron
– The Guards
Apart from completing our conversion to JACKAL, conduct- ing CT1 training on Thetford, supporting both LD and RL Battlegroups on CAST in Sennelager, completing a month in Thetford and Salisbury Plain on Ex WESSEX STORM, parading through Dereham, executing the unit move to Catterick, passing an Equipment Care Inspection, spending a month in Spain on Ex TRIDENT JUNCTURE, helping C Sqn guard the British Army Training Unit in Kenya and supporting local residents in ood- damaged West Yorkshire on Op SHAKU, 2015 has been a quiet year for B Sqn. Not a lot to report on, I’ll have to be imaginative with my piece this year...
The year kicked off with a chilly week of CT1 training in Thetford to prepare us for WESSEX STORM. One particularly cold night Sgt Short had the forethought to run an impromptu troop-level recovery serial, bogging in his entire troop in a small stream. Fortunately SHQ were on hand to get him out of trouble. SHQ saving the day would become a recurrent theme of 2015, but we won’t dwell on that too many more times throughout this article.
The rst big event of the year was an even chillier WESSEX STORM, although the cold was very much kept at bay the enthu- siasm with which the Squadron approached the challenge; it was easy to motivate the Squadron when the enemy was A and C Sqns! Highlights included calling in re support on what turned out to be the C Sqn ambulance exchange point, wiping out most of their SHQ in the process, although we also had enormous fun working with them and A Sqn to defeat an infantry sniper platoon sent to upset our convoy escort task, proving that all the best teams have a competitive edge within themselves. SSgt Field and his team worked tirelessly throughout the exercise to ensure B Sqn maintained the most reliable vehicle eet throughout the exer- cise, much to the frustration of Lt Tibbitts, who was, as always, thrilled by any opportunity to dismount. Overall though it is dif- cult to measure how grateful one can be at ENDEX when their PANTHER makes it all the way from Larkhill to Swanton Morley without breaking down – a true achievement.
The second best crew on ranges turned out to be a B Sqn team, lead by the SSM with Cpl Gwatkin (the Squadron bricklayer) as the gunner and Tpr Sygrove (the Squadron owl enthusiast) as the driver. All counted a combined age of 76 and of cially the oldest crew on the area, showing that experience really does pay. Ranges were also the scene of an ‘off the chain’ freestyle rap duel
B Sqn Ldr
B Sqn 2IC
B Sqn SSM
between Capt Barkes and Tpr Sewell, which is not something I thought I would be typing this time last year. Upon departing Thetford Cpl Oldham proved it was indeed possible to drive a JACKAL in February along a motorway wearing just a T-shirt. This useful experiment will enable us to write to the RAC capabil- ity development team to switch off any purchases of dew liners or vehicle cabs – apparently all that’s needed is the promise of a free Happy Meal at the other end. What a saving! I feel an MBE in the pipeline...
On arrival at Westdown Camp Sgt Short performed an incredible magic trick, making his 11 tonne COYOTE completely disappear with just half a roll of sniper tape and some of the QM(T)’s favour- ite camou age net. It turned out to be a counter intelligence trick, enticing A Sqn to follow suit with their entire vehicle eet, invest- ing an afternoon improving on Sgt Short’s sorcery by cunningly adding a few smears of cam cream to a bright yellow vehicle. The result was predictably amazing – many members of B Sqn were heard to remark that it was so effective A Sqn crews appeared to be oating! At least I think that’s how it went, memory’s getting hazy. A Sqn looked proud anyway. Finally, the sterling efforts
OC’s Tac Group on the move
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