Page 83 - Journal Compilation

This is quite a task. It will require energy and exper- tise from across the regimental family and is bound to demand investment in time, thinking and some money! I hope everyone will feel able to contribute to the programme in some way and, in the meantime, please enjoy our magazine and think how we might contribute, individually and collectively, to better
EAGLE AND CARBINE 7 ‘Harnessing Our Network’ – there is so much to be
gained. In the meantime... All best wishes
FOREWORD
by The Commanding Of cer
There is no doubt that 2015 will go
down in the annuls of Regimental
History as the year of change, marked
by an end of an era soldiering on the
plains of North West Germany and by
celebrating the passage of 200 years
since that day in 1815 when Napoleon
met his Waterloo. It was also a year
that saw the regiment embrace the
new role of Light Cavalry and begin
to truly understand what operating
in this capability involves. As ever
and throughout this period the pace
of life remained hectic; punctuated
by moments of great fun, poignant
remembrance and a relentless sched-
ule that refused to slow down even as we packed up and moved. It is tempting to view the signi cant change we are facing as unique and special to the cur- rent generation, but of course this is not so. Change is a constant and as such is borne out by our strength in the regiment, our customs and our principles. All of which endure as strongly now as ever before and I hope leap out you as you read through this edition of the Eagle and Carbine.
A lot was packed into the year and as I review the diversity and breadth of the articles this becomes abundantly clear. Real inroads were made early in the year into training and developing our core basic light cavalry skills, the open architecture of JACKAL vehi- cles providing good opportunities to make the most of the German winter weather patterns. Nonetheless almost all troops managed a signi cant period of time in the eld capped off with a 2-week battlecamp in Sennelager followed by a last chance to enjoy summer parties in Fallingbostel. The focus then switched to moving, packing boxes, bidding farewell to Germany,
moving to Leuchars, unpacking and adjusting to a new home. En route we enjoyed celebrating Waterloo 200, providing the support group for the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and nally Welcoming Home the regi- ment to Scotland.
It is self evident how much of an eclectic and diverse year it was with such a myriad of opposing and unyielding compromises and clashes that required extremely careful man- agement and attention to the minu- tiae of detail to ensure success. That such praise can be recorded here is
in no small part testament to the leadership of Ben Cattermole over the past two and a half years. A tre- mendous effort that now sets the regiment up for suc- cess in the future so my thanks are recorded here to him for that and I am delighted that his work has been recognised by the award of the Duke of Kent medal. As we now look to intensify our collective training over the next year and prepare to take our place back at the forefront of the Army’s order of battle it serves as a useful reminder of where we have come from over such a short period and this sings out through all of the articles within.
So I truly hope that you enjoy this edition of the Eagle and Carbine. The editor has done a cracking job to bring it all together and in my opinion it highlights in spades that even through turbulence, change, new training in a new role and a new home we remain as ever, second to none.