Page 96 - RSDG Year of 2023

94 EAGLE AND CARBINE
Later that weekend, several of us made up for lost time, sharing tall tank stories from the past which sounded remarkably like the emerging Jackal stories I am hearing today. From putting up cam nets in the dark in another dripping wood and getting stuck in mud, to charging across the open plains and desert sands. It all seems as mad, bad and exhilarating as it did 30 plus years ago. As always on such occasions time got away from us in Whitby as we talked well into the night. As I made my way up the road to my B&B the landlady’s promise of “we never lock the door” was ringing in my ears. Fortunately, I had remembered the old moto of ‘trust no one’, and I had left my bedroom window ajar. This was just as well as the door had indeed been locked! So, at 0400hrs I was still able to make it to my bed, although not before I had nearly climbed into Eddie Jutrzenka’s room, in the same B&B as he had also left his window ajar!
In October I attended Fee Sharples Memorial Service which brought together a huge number from across the Regimental ranks. It was a true celebration of a wonderful life and in memory as in life, Fee was there reminding us how to always find the positive in life, most notably in the incredible example that she set in ‘keeping the home fires burning’ when we deployed on Op GRANBY to liberate Kuwait in 1990/91. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Most recently we said farewell to Major Simon Edwards, who after one hell of a life, left us at the age of 92. I first met Simon in the Mess at Bovington when a very lowly 2Lt on my Troop Leaders’ Course. He instantly recognised my stable belt and struck up a conversation – a trait ingrained in all of us because of examples like his, many other people would not have ordained so speak to a lowly Troop Leader. Since then, his son, our Colonel of the Regiment, and I have been great friends through many a scrape together, crying with laughter in both pain and happiness. And now our sons are doing much the same in A Sqn.
Towards the end of the of the year I found myself contracted into HICON on Ex WESSEX STORM, where the Regiment was under the cosh to validate ahead of becoming the UK’s contribution to NATO as the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force. I was delighted to note that I knew all the LE officers within the Battle Group, who like their forebears did a sterling job in supporting
the Regiment in maintaining the highest standards. I also discovered that A Squadron 2IC (Lambert) and driver (Leggate) were the sons of two old pals from D Squadron back in the 80’s! The Regiment performed excep- tionally well in some atrocious weather and under some challenging training requirements. But, as we have seen before, as well as validating, the Regiment added much to the wider Army’s understanding of the light cavalry concept as it continues to develop.
I have been out of the Army for five years now, pursuing a life trying to keep sheep alive in Devon and doing some leadership consulting with individuals and teams within the civilian business world, but I have yet to see the same strength of tribal loyalty outside; long may our Regimental Association remind us of that bond.