Page 54 - Journal Compilation

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
Quartermaster Technical’s Department
It seems every article in this year’s Journal could begin with the words busy or hectic; this one will be no exception. 2015 has been the busiest year the QM(T) Dept has experienced for a few years now with exercises, the unit move to Catterick, an Equipment Care Inspection and the added complexities thrown up by whole eet management of vehicles and weapons.
In February 2015, the whole Regiment deployed on Ex WESSEX STORM. Before we even started the exercise, the Dept undertook a round of planning and travelling around the country to get the Regiment out the door with the right amount of vehicles, weap- ons and spares to sustain them. Once this had been achieved the whole Dept deployed to Westdown Camp on Salisbury Plain with all the stores and the wagon train of vehicles in support of the exercise. This period was real test and many lessons were taken away, not least was a deeper understanding of our JACKAL and COYOTE eet and spares.
WESSEX STORM was at the same time a resounding success and a steep learning curve using MJDI (stores demand system) in the eld, testing the demand processes and procedures to get kit and equipment to the troops on the front line within timelines. Equally challenging was the handback of the eet, made so much easier by the main organisation which loans us our eet. Land Training Fleet Warminster is an excellent organisation to work with, whose approach is adult and refreshing, due in the main to the staff on site and our relationship with them.
Switching re immediately to the unit move to Gaza Barracks, Catterick, SSgts Taaffe and Furey went ahead on the Advance Party in April and May to prepare the QM(T) building to receive the eet and equipment. In the meantime, back in Robertson Barracks, Capt Bartholomew handed over the reins to Capt Davidson just in time for him to juggle OC Forward, the unit move and ECI in September. Capt Davidson on assuming the post suggested he couldn’t wait for the ECI! We wish Capt Bartholomew well, as on promotion to major he became QM of the newly formed Scottish and Northern Irish Yeomanry.
July saw the departure of Sgt Allen to BATUS QM(T) handing over as Regimental JAMES SNCO to Cpl Windmill. Sgt Allen was a key member in the Department for quite a few years and a trusted pair of hands. There wasn’t much Claude didn’t know about the intricacies of the G4 world. He will be missed by us all, except for his biscuit munching and a desk that looked like an indoor grenade range as the new QM(T) put it.
As we received stores from Robertson Barracks, it became evident that having so much equipment and attempting to stuff it into a camp designed for one major unit but now holding two, was going to be a challenge. The solution is the ISO park outside the build-
ing, not ideal but at the very least providing a hiding place in the run up to the Equipment Care Inspection.
The weeks running up to ECI just might have been the busiest period of the year, but to add insult to injury, we also began the preparation for the deployment on Ex TRIDENT JUNCTURE, which saw 70+ vehicles, weapons, freight and spares depart Gaza Barracks to Marchwood bound for Segunto in Spain. The nal resting place was Chinchilla Training Area where 35000 troops were exercised under NATO. It was around this time that the new QM(T) started talking to himself and moving around camp at speed, checking accounts, vehicles, stores and procedures and threatening 2ICs and SQMSs in anticipation of the ECI team’s inspection. The ECI was a solid pass and bears testament to the amount of effort that went into the preparation right across the Regiment. Even the Squadron 2ICs made it out alive. Running concurrently with everything else, WO2 (RQMS(T)) Braithwaite handed over to WO2 (RQMS(T)) Bell and the team shuddered under the new master’s laser like glare. WO2 Braithwaite moved to ATDU as RQMS with valuable experience under his belt. We wish him all the best for the future.
The month of October saw two of our longest serving storemen leave and go to A Sqn. Cpl Garbutt left G1098, handing over to Cpl Rowson, laughing over his shoulder as he went. He had shredded the evidence during the unit move! Next was LCpl Learman handing over to LCpl Atkinson in USA. The two new additions smiled daily until faced with packing the demands and spares for B Sqn and their deployment to Spain. This side of the house really does work hard under the expert eye of Cpl Leslie, a member of the 1LO team from the RLC attached to the Regiment.
Having waved Battlegroup Headquarters and B Sqn off at the port, we switched our focus to their return and the plans for the eet rehab and handback to various whole eet management sta- tions around the country. None of his could have been achieved without REME expertise. Testing their new ASM and EME to the limit, we managed to completely repair and rehab the eet in preparation for January, which sees BGHQ and A Sqn’s deploy- ment on Ex WESSEX STORM 16.
In December we began preparation for the next major event; the Logistic Support Inspection in January. Whilst this inspection is mainly QM focussed, it really is about doing the job of accounting correctly and that we do it well. We do it very well indeed, or at least LCpls Crossman and Pilkington have learned quickly how to forge signatures, ably assisted by the new addition to the 1LO team Pte Heywood. 2016 promises more of the same, but we look forward with a sense of humour to the challenges it brings.
BT
Capt Barkes enjoying a quiet moment with his favourite bedtime story
‘Now let’s get all that in this bag before he changes his mind...’
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