Page 28 - QDG Year of 2020

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1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards
Tpr Johns and the 2IC Capt Rob Joles RY – before the Paras tried to crash into them
unfortunate circumstances in lockdown it was good to see 3rd Troop in particular under Lt Ali Coombe and Sgt Biddle- stone RY set about reconnaissance and driver training that just so
happened to take in some of the local ‘tourist sights’ including; huge Nazi German sluice gates, a castle, and what they thought was the Wolf’s Lair (turned out not to be!) this ensured the soldiers were kept busy and enthused.
On Ex TUMAK 20 the temperatures dropped to
around 0°c making the
conditions for driving and commanding the Jackal and
Coyote vehicles particularly challenging. First, we ‘broke out of camp’ in an Alert Ex before dispersing the force and awaiting orders. Over the next 72hrs the vehicles each covered 150+Km, not one vehicle broke down during the exercise. The dispersed advance on radio silence went incredibly smoothly before we found our pre-designated ‘hide’ loca- tions which were frustratingly directed and not as tactically sound as one would
hope. After 48 hrs having conducted some fire missions and a Rearward Passage of Lines (RPoL) we moved back to BPTA. With the exercise reducing in scope on a
daily basis due to the wors- ening COVID-19 situation in Poland Cassino Tp had little additional part to play in the exercise with various serials having been cancelled.
Into December and with the temperature now regularly well below zero we arrived at our Cold Weather Operators Course (CWOC), taught to us by a Royal Marine Chief Instructor
of controlling oneself and the re-warming drills that needed to follow the course personnel literally took the plunge. Everyone did well though particular credit must be given to LCpl Fearon RY who, being a PTI, got particularly harsh treat- ment crawling into the lake. The course was a resounding success with lots of smiling faces as we made our way back into camp little knowing what the month ahead had in store for us.
As I write this we have just completed our 6th week in tight lockdown which was enacted after COVID-19 finally breached the Battle- group defences/counter measures hitting the US contingent first with our chefs being the first UK element to be struck, the virus having been contracted from the cookhouse. The impact over the Christmas period was significant but through effort and focus the Tp and those back home (not least the RY and QDG Associations) the best was made of a bad situation. It was a relief immediately post Christmas to get back to training, keeping the soldiers’ minds busy and managing COVID-19 as best we could in a sensible and pragmatic fashion enabling us to do our
mission.
The story of Cassino Troop is not yet
complete; with half the tour left, demo-
Carp eye is recommended but remember to spit out the lens!
and two army Arctic Warfare this was a much anticipated event. Overall we covered 30km+ on foot with weight, learned how to tactically operate in the extreme cold and then in extremis survive learning such basics as building shelters, starting fires and catching and preparing fish and chickens for eating amongst other basics, Carp eye is recom- mended but remember to
spit out the lens! Finally, the Tp had the challenge of
Instructors,
Having completed their colouring in Lt Seb Maxwell & Sgt Glyn Williams enjoy a bit of ‘Spot the Difference’
Range Steak Sandwich
the water immersion the event all had antici- pated nervously from the start. Sadly, the lake was not frozen at this time sitting at a cool 2-4°c. Having been taught the process
The course was a resounding success with lots of smiling faces