Page 64 - RSDG Year of 2021 CREST

62 EAGLE AND CARBINE
THE CORPORAL’S MESS
Corporal D McAinsh
The global pandemic has seen a unique and challeng- ing year, felt the world over and more closely to home by the Corporals’ Mess. As much of the world stood still, SCOTS DG had to maintain its role, leading from the front, and the JNCO’S have proven once again why not only the regiment but also the Corporals’ Mess are second to none.
It has been an unsurprisingly busy year for the regi- ment. Catching up on a COVID stricken 2020 where minimal training could be conducted, the implications have been felt across the Army. Continuing MACA (Military Assistance to the Civil Authority) taskings to aid local councils and the NHS, small teams lead by the JNCOs were deployed the length and breadth of Scotland, helping to set up and establish COVID- 19 testing centres. Subsequently we were tasked with recce-ing countless potential facilities, identifying suitable sites that could be used as vaccination centres. I’m sure the number of brews drunk during these tasks was enough to fuel all of Scotland.
Regimental ranges then took priority as we went on our travels south of the border to Warcop and Castle Martin. These ranges gave the mess members a great chance to put their range qualifications to good use, excelling in all aspects and ultimately putting the regiment in a great place to deploy onto Ex WESSEX STORM 21/1.
This year’s Ex WESSEX STORM was a great chance to blow the COVID cobwebs well and truly off and allow mess members to get back to the grind. With command troop heading to Catterick to conduct CAST and get the G6 head back on, the rest of the JNCO’S were preparing their men and vehicles for the gruel- ling 7 weeks away in sunny Salisbury. The work, pro- fessionalism and determination shown by all deployed members was admirable and showed off the level of expertise that sits in our mess. The boys and girls were a credit to the Regiment.
Now that Bovington has come back to somewhat nor- mal running, mess members can again pursue career courses, developing both as a soldier and the next gen- eration of leaders. As always SCOTS DG did not dis- appoint on any fronts, with excellent reports coming back to regimental duty. Special mention goes to Lance Corporal Logie for top student on JCC Command and
Some of the quay personalities of the Cpls Mess
Corporals McGrath and Guaghan for top student on their respective Light Cavalry Crew Commanders’ courses. Achieving top student is an excellent achieve- ment and one other NCOs will look up to for years to come.
With 2021 ending, B and C Squadrons were deployed to Oman on a combined arms exercise. Reports back suggested this was a superb experience and one that we can all hope to deploy on in the future. As most of the mess was deployed to Oman, the remaining mess members held a Halloween party that may have caused a few sore heads the next day. A special mention goes to Lance Corporal Telfer who came as a 6-foot-tall banana - we were all sure he must have stolen all the yellow face paint in Fife.
A strange and yet as back to normal year as we can come to expect in these times, but as always, the mess members have all worked hard. We look forward to 2022 and whatever the world will throw at us next.