Page 64 - Journal Compilation

16
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
It has been an incredibly busy year for the personnel in C Sqn and at the same time a very quiet year for the Squadron itself. The year started with a Regimental re-orbat following Op HERRICK 20 which created three equal Sabre squadrons. Maj Hugo Lloyd was still at the helm but the rest of the personnel where new to Squadron Headquarters. WO2 Mike Watson came in as SSM, Capt Charles Martel took over Sqn 2IC and Sgt Jonathon Patchett held the SQMS empire for six months until SSgt Trevor Homer returned from ARMCEN after the unit move.
At the start of the year the focus was still on recuperation from the recent deployment with C Sqn at the heart of the Regimental activity with Maj Lloyd taking the telemarking expedition, Lt Rory Findlay organising sky diving in California and Lt McKellar the downhill ski team. C Sqn certainly organised its fair share of adventure training and winter sports. For those who did not get
C Squadron
At the start of the year the focus was still on
recuperation from the recent deployment...
on these expeditions there were plentiful opportunities to get on other trips, although the focus soon started to shift. The unit move from Dempsey Barracks, Sennelager, to Robertson Barracks, Swanton Morley, was always going to be a mammoth task and required a huge amount of planning. To compound this, the Regiment also re-rolled from Formation Reconnaissance to Light Cavalry. With the vast majority of personnel having to do a three week Jackal Drivers course as well as a two week HMG/GMG course there were always large amounts of the Squadron away. We did nd time to have some fun though.
The St David’s day challenges started as ever with the Commanding Of cer issuing the tasks and the Sqn getting hurriedly broken down to apply troops to task. Rumours were abound with what the challenges could be, and knowing how much Sqn pride hangs in the balance everyone was keen to do their bit, whatever it took and wherever it would take them!
In anticipation, the Sqn LAD section had already started on the chariot during the week building up to St David’s Day, so some pressure was taken off the Sqn. But, there was still much to do. Tpr Blake used his culinary talents from his previous role in the RLC as a chef and produced a credible and very edible Welsh cake. Cpl Letts did his Tarzan piece and scaled the scaffolding around the Dom in Paderborn in order to proudly y the Sqn ag.
The rest of the Sqn were off around the garrison dragging strangers off the street with beards, hustling the most senior
Tpr Lond in the crouching alert position