Page 9 - The Light Dragoon 2024

The Regimental Journal of The Light Dragoons
2023 was a year of change... COVID disappeared, India overtook China as the most populous country, and AI overtook our lives. For the Light Dragoons, however, Very High Readiness continued with the bulk of the regiment on 10 to 30 days’ notice to move. The potential non-commissioned officer cadre returned to the Welsh mountains and the Light Dragoons dominated the RAC Boxing Championships and Bismarck Challenge for yet another consecutive year. The regiment, defying global trends, remained largely unchanged: deployable, fit, and extremely motivated.
We kicked off the nascent part of the year in Castlemartin, on a mounted and dismounted range package. An activity one would associate with cold, hard aggression. Whilst there was plenty of that, it was the inter squadron beach battle PT that ignited the warfighting spark. Tyre pulling, wrestling, and whacks from mother nature’s waves sent Command Troop’s Trooper James tumbling, brought out the old squadron rivalries, and geed everyone up for the year ahead.
As the dust (and sand) settled on a successful gunnery package, C Squadron was whisked off to Kenya for Exercise ASKARI STORM. Acting as the Brigade Reconnaissance Force, ahead of the Coldstream Guards, they reported back on enemy and elephants in equal numbers. Excelling under the leadership of Major Freeman, they impressed the BATUK staff and laid the foundations for future Light Cavalry exercises under the Kenyan sun.
Not letting the Sudan civil war next door interrupt, C Squadron returned to the UK just in time for the King’s Coronation,
where twenty-four other ranks and three officers from the Light Dragoons, repre- sented the regiment spectacularly. Whilst the world watched on, the remainder of the regiment switched focus from pageantry to pastures new. Estonia beckoned and with it exercise SPRING STORM.
14,000 troops from 11 nations assembled in the northern Baltic state. A, B, and HQ Sqn accompanied by a company from the 4th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, were to act as a ‘sparring partner’ for the 1st Estonian Brigade’s conscripts. They took this intent and ran with it. Flowing like water through the enemy’s southern positions, at the front of the 2nd Estonian Brigade. Whilst the troops took the exercise fight to the Estonian conscripts, the CO’s Tactical Headquarters hosted the Estonian Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas, in a troop hide and helped her reinforce the ironclad message of defiance to Russia.
With the Russians deterred and in true LD fashion, Lieutenant Emmanuel from A Squadron delivered an industrial-scale adventure training package. He shipped 225 members of the battlegroup around Estonia to kayak, mountain bike, and canoe around the lakes and islands of the Baltic nation. Concurrently, Captain Montgomery-Stuart ran an outreach program where the troops competed in half marathons, played rugby against local teams, and visited nearby towns. Lieutenants Elkington and Hare filled the gap between adventure and sport with an excellent historical tour of the battlefield of Narva, on the northeastern edge of Estonia. A great way to spend a month ‘on exercise’.
The Colonel and RSM set off for Jordan shortly after the exercise and joined several A Squadron alumnus to represent the Light Dragoons at His Majesty Crown Prince Hussein’s marriage to his fiancé, Rajwa Al Saif. A spectacular occasion by all accounts. We wish Their Royal Highnesses a wonderful start to married life.
On return from Estonia and Jordan, B Squadron, under Major Glover delivered the second iteration of a Brecon-based potential non-commissioned officers’ cadre. The troops, joined by members of RHQ, were treated to the infamous Fan-Dance, up the highest mountain in South Wales. After an excellent start to the course, three weeks later twenty-nine future JNCOs successfully passed off the square. Polished, tired, and teeming with pride.
Regimental Notes... by the Adjutant
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