Page 43 - Journal Compilation

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
C Squadron – The Legion
2015 de nitely felt like three separate school terms. The rst was dominated by the major training event of the year; the sec- ond was a disjointed mix of the unit move combined with sizeable RAAT commitments and the third by getting ourselves estab- lished in Catterick.
The year got off to a pretty manic start getting kit ready for Ex WESSEX STORM, and we were the lucky Squadron that didn’t have to receipt in a new vehicle eet. After a bit of camming the wagons with scrim and cut up cam nets (cue nervous SQMS and irritated QM) to make them super ally, some conceptual training in the hangar and playing with a shiny Playstation style gunnery simulator we were good to go. We were obviously disappointed to nd that we had been outdone by B Sqn on the allyness front who had gone to the extreme effort – and cost – of attempting to digi- cam their vehicles with sniper tape... (Editor’s note: See B Sqn article for the true story here!) Preparations were nicely rounded off by a three day PACEX on the air eld, which was notable for not only the extreme cold and lack of activity, but also for the fact that we had to repeat it three times during the course of the exercise.
Once the Regiment had cut Norfolk further off from the rest of the country by blocking the roads with a Regimental convoy on our way to Thetford things started to rapidly pick up. Live Fire Group put together a really excellent vehicle package that was very different from what we have become used to on Lulworth and Castlemartin Ranges. The lack of xed arcs meant that Commanders really had to work for their money, and target rec- ognition and indication were much more challenging and real- istic. Moreover, the SQMS took it on himself to become the morale champion by ipping burgers and the Squadron funds swelled with loot pinched from the pockets of the other squad- rons. Modesty is traditionally C Sqn’s strong suit, but it probably ought to be mentioned that the top three troops in the Regimental Gunnery completion were all from the Squadron. We probably shouldn’t bring that up. Often.
We should have realised after our experience last year in Morocco that the most challenging aspect of the exercise would be the road move to Salisbury Plain. The omens weren’t good when Cpl Black’s vehicle had a total brake failure ve miles down the road. An impromptu stop at a Travelodge in Waltham Cross to wait for the REME was bad enough, but when the SSM’s wagon lost
C Sqn Ldr
C Sqn 2IC
C Sqn SSM
Photographer absolutely not about to get his feet wet
all drive in the middle lane of the M25 / M4 junction, we subse- quently ended up in the Heathrow one-way system. A few people were confused why a convoy of armoured vehicles was at Arrivals, but fortunately the police were pretty friendly.
Squadron highlights on WESSEX STORM were 3rd Tp imposing their own radio silence on the line of departure, the Fitter Section realising that their ideas of an easy life after the eet was grounded were badly misplaced as they were re-roled into a dismounted multiple, LAD in the dismounted role, the SQMS going missing, in action for the whole package, Mr Everard checking whether JACKALS are amphibious (nope) and Sgt Hirst’s bad luck con- tinuing as he sustained a serious injury while he was already in an ambulance playing an exercise casualty.
After some well-earned leave, focus switched to getting the Squadron to high readiness and then increasingly on the unit move. Before the excitement of packing boxes and emptying stores last opened during the Hohne unit move got too much, we managed a week in Thetford to conduct MATTs and dismounted skills training. Particular mention should go to the corporals who delivered a really excellent dismounted package, but also to the newly arrived Mr Smith for his self-destructing webbing and LCpl Whitby’s world record attempt on the longest 7.62 link.
The unit move made it hard to maintain any one focus, and soon the Squadron was split over two locations and also on numerous RAAT and other commitments. We conducted our rst exercise in the UK with our paired QOY Squadron and took part in their Patrols Competition. Despite winning the Navigation and March and Shoot stands, we were beaten by a QOY team that had actu- ally practised their CBRN drills (lesson learnt). Tpr Rae missing a target from 10m probably also didn’t help. Other commitments included the now seemingly annual support to Ex CHAMELEON, where an SF punter nally got LCpl Dry to shut up. They have our absolute respect. We also lost Capt Pullinger to Tunisia as the Embassy LO, leaving Mr Gray to step up to the dizzying heights of Sqn 2IC.
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