Page 79 - QDG Year of 2020

Charlie Layzell-Payne commissioned in April 2016 and joined the Regiment in Swanton Morley. On his first day at regimental duty, he came down for breakfast sporting his smart new blue stable belt and perfectly moulded beret, but it was his rank slide of which he was most proud. The night before arriving, he had asked his mother to sew on his first pip. As he was having a cigarette outside the front of the mess, it became obvious to everyone that, in the absence of precise instruc- tions, his mother had sewn his pip square onto his rank slide. This was soon rectified and thus Charlie began his education as an Army Officer.
Timetabling issues with the Troop Leaders’
Course created a gap where Charlie was able to attend the Platoon Commanders’ Battle Course in Brecon. However, Brecon reminded him why he had joined the Cavalry and he struggled to convince his Infantry instructors of the
merits of relaxed professionalism.
He joined 1st Troop B Sqn under Maj Ollie
Braithwaite and began to prepare for Exercise DIAMONDBACK with the help of Cpl Speed as
Troop Sergeant. Along the training progression,
they even managed to pull off a Mullens Cup win,
to the amazement of many, including themselves.
On the ground in California, the Troop wreaked
havoc with the American enemy’s plan, harassing
them with fires. Sgt Walker was flown in as Tp Sgt,
allowing Cpl Speed to keep a closer eye on his Troop
Leader in the OPs. Despite Cpl Speed’s experience
on operations and Charlie’s numerous holidays in
Africa, they found the 40-degree heat stifling for the
four-man team underneath a single umbrella and
chose to cool down by zooming around the Mojave
Desert at night in MRZR dune buggies conducting
so-called reconnaissance. AT in Yosemite National
few Sqn smokers came and went but it was not until RnR in Las Vegas that Charlie came into his own. Throughout all the pool parties and even the mosh pits, he refused to remove his literal rose tinted spectacles.
Nordic skiing came naturally to Charlie, as a seasoned Alpine skier with a high level of fitness. This gave him more time to focus on his personal administration and by the end of three weeks in Norway he had learned to turn up for training with impor- tant equipment including his boots and rifle. Around training sessions, cooking pasta and time spent in the chalet’s sauna,
he also managed to find time to distract himself with Norwegian women and make awkward phone calls to MT. Despite the frictions he caused for me organising the trip, including a rude awak- ening in the bunk bed in France, he proved his natural ability at the sport with excellent times on the World Championship Circuit in Austria and coming fourth best Novice in the 10km biathlon at the Divisional Championships in France.
Around his troop leading commitments, Charlie showed a penchant for champagne breakfasts, consuming one during a 1.5-mile run in under 10 minutes 30 seconds, a feat he embarked on after hearing that some Troopers were struggling to
pass the PFA. He even managed a cigarette on the way round. Charlie returned to camp to take over 2nd Troop A Sqn and prepare for Op CABRIT. For this troop, the MRX in Galloway Forest centred on four days of digging the Jackals out of a swamp and a sheepish apology from
Charlie to the Commanding Officer.
Op CABRIT was a short tour for Charlie as
Nordic skiing beckoned once again. He did get time to undertake some cold weather training with the Royal Marines and will never forget his softie trousers again. Moving from Poland to Norway for a better-paid trip in the cold, he took the Nordic ski team to the next level, building on the previous year’s success and qualifying the QDG team for the Army championships for the first time in a decade.
Charlie was next sent to C Sqn as their 2ic, where he helped them prepare for WESSEX STORM and Cambrian patrol. After a few months, and before he was forced to do his JAMES training, Charlie departed for high threat PDT to deploy as the OC of a CT training team in Africa, proving that good
things come to those who sign off.
Sadly, the Army could not hold the free spirit that is Charlie
Layzell-Payne, and he is now working in London, making the best of every situation, as he always has. We wish him the very best in his life outside, where I have no doubt he will flourish and be incredibly successful. We will look back fondly on the days when he partied harder and ran faster than the rest of us. It has truly been an honour to serve with him and I could not have wished for a better friend in the mess.
1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards 77
Captain Charlie Layzell-Payne
Sadly, the Army could not hold the free spirit that is Charlie Layzell-Payne, and he is now working in London
In April 1995 Rob Jones was selected to represent The Welsh District Rugby Union, playing against Germany in Hannover. During the training period in Germany, they trained at Athlone Barracks, Sennelager, Paderborn. On Arriving he discovered his brother Paul was a serving soldier in the camp. Rob was Introduced to the then WO1(RSM) Howard Smith, one year later he arrived at ATR Winchester as a QDG soldier - under the watchful eye of his Troop Sgt Karl Dakin. 10 weeks later he moved to Bovington to become a Challenger 1 Tank Driver. PH2 training was an eventful encounter as he spent 90% of the time on the Rugby pitch playing for the RAC.
On completion of PH2 training, he flew straight
out to Germany where the Regimental Rugby team were waiting for him to play for them in Gutersloh. Rob was informed he will
be part of the Rear Party in Command Troop. He spent most of his rear party duties playing along- side the Regimental Rugby Team which saw them reach the Final of the Army Germany Cup against the Signals Regiment.
When the regimental re-orbat took place after a successful tour of Bosnia he moved to A Sqn under Maj Richard Parry and WO2 Benny Bennett - during his time he was 2nd Troop Leaders Driver Lt Charlie Waggett during Prairie Thunder at the British Army Training Unit Suffield (BATUS). On return from BATUS the regiment was conducting Northern Ireland Training for a three-month deployment to the Maze prison in Lisburn (NI). Staying in Second Troop as a Rifleman/Snatch
driver and playing rugby for Lisburn RFC he spent many hours of his time arguing with then Tpr ‘Butch’ Davies (now Capt) who
Park and a
WO1(RSM) Robert Arthur Jones
ADC