Page 4 - Four Cavalry Regiments (Crest)

18 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
country and embark upon the arduous task of defending the realm without leaving the house. Kept busy by a constant stream of e-learning, online quizzes and Zoom conferences, they haven’t time to make unnecessary trips outdoors even if they tried.
Day 25
As deadlines slip to the right and the lockdown drags on, innova- tive solutions are required to stop everyone’s MATTs going red on the spreadsheet of power. Clapping for the NHS is formally added to the Battlefield Casualty Drills syllabus, while high scores on Call of Duty are accepted in lieu of an ACMT pass; instantly mak- ing 2nd Tp a deadly band of men.
Day 40
The extended lockdown is taking a grim toll. Wives and girl- friends across the country despair at the almost unlimited num- ber of half-finished DIY projects now littering their homes. The 2nd Tp lockdown beard competition is abruptly halted after LCpl Hooker’s look nearly earns him a spot on the most wanted list. In preparation for public duties, Sgt Fawcett attempts to train his pet tarantulas to do foot drill, with decidedly mixed results.
Day 70
With the end now in sight and the long-awaited ceremonial duties looming ever larger, 2nd Tp rise from their legally man- dated slumber and prepare to return to work. Initially, confusion reigns; as men who have forgotten how to tell left from right begin brass-o-ing their gloves, ironing creases in their boots and polishing their trousers to a mirror shine. However, worked hard under the hawk-like gaze of the drill instructors, and despite a blatant attempt at sabotage by Lt Fair’s dog, 2nd Tp are passed off the square with flying colours by the London District GSM.
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3rd Tp
2020 was undoubtedly a bizarre one for 3rd Tp. A combina- tion of a global pandemic and the task of guarding the Royal Palaces saw them take a huge step away from tank soldiering and instead mastering the art of boot bulling and Microsoft Teams.
Lockdown 1.0 sadly saw the Tp disperse and return home to mark time. Spirits remained high, with the NCOs teaching the funda- mentals of soldiering via web cam and the Tp Leader enforc- ing his Bundesliga Friday night quizzes, with questions drawn straight from the University Challenge playbook. Fun for all.
London was of course a relief and whilst not carried out as initially planned, the experience was unique. The Queen no doubt slept peacefully knowing the likes of Tper Patterson and Lt Nichol stood guarding the gates of Windsor Castle. Yet it was all over in a flash and before they knew it they had shed their Blues like Royal reptiles and headed for a prolonged summer leave. Most remained within the UK, making the most of Wessex’s bountiful beer gardens. 3rd Tp is firmly a West Country boys’ unit after all.
Returning from leave, hopes of normality lingered on everyone’s mind. Yet a spell of dismounted soldiering was required first. As seen in the Sqn article, boys became men on the sandy Surrey plain, as they battled through the 2ICs love child, Ex JAGUAR SPHINX. There was some happy news amongst the ration packs and casualty evacuations as LCpl Hunter and his wife Tash wel- comed their second child, a healthy boy named Tommy, into the world. All our congratulations of course went out to them.
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