Page 16 - The KRH Year of 2023 (CREST Sharing)

16 The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars
A (xHx) Squadron
Having spent a successful and rewarding winter defending Europe’s borders (bits of it anyway) on Op CABRIT, A Sqn began 2023 with a hero’s return to the UK. While others enjoyed their post-tour leave, several members of the Squadron began preparations for the Coronation parade in which they would be taking part. Under the loving strokes of the pace sticks of Household Division Sergeants Major, many of whom had been awoken from cryogenic hibernation just for this occasion, they spent hours marching up and down the square, polishing kit and rehearsing in the dead of night. It would of course prove to be a hugely memorable event. We looked on with great pride as the crimson trousers swaggered down the Mall; Sgt Neary, Cpl Thomas, Cpl Mate and Tpr Matthews (men hand-picked for their good looks and style) were a credit to the Squadron and the Regiment.
After leave, it was time to get back to the solid, well-trodden ground of training exercises in the UK; Ex IRON CYCLONE was coming over the familiar horizon of Salisbury Plain. As ever there was much to be done, starting with a shake-up of the ORBAT both regimentally and within the Squadron. Among other changes, Maj Mark Lambert handed over the con to Maj Tom Padgett. The Boy heads off to be Chief of Staff at 104 Log Bde. Under his command the Squadron navigated, in and amongst sorties to Poland, Val Thorens and French training areas, a challenging winter tour of Estonia, and his tenure in A Sqn will be remembered with much fondness. Maj Padgett arrived from HQ 1 DRS BCT which, apart from having a very long name, is riddled with Gunners, so the change for him was very welcome.
After an intensive period of gunnery training under the watch- ful and unforgiving eye of Sgt Rawlings, taking over tanks and preparing equipment, the Squadron deployed to Castlemartin ranges in June for three weeks for the Regimental Gunnery camp. Some confusion reigned about what, if any, ammunition
10D preparing to bump-start the CRARRV
A Sqn at the Brocklehurst Boxing
would be allocated for the firing package, and we were pro- vided almost entirely with CE (rather than KE) ammunition. The fact that each CE engagement consists of three rounds with corrections on target meant that the requirement for ammo bashing would be greatly increased; however, it also meant that the requirement for actually hitting the target would be commensurately decreased which was a great relief to some crews (particularly those commanded by DMIs). The Squadron performed admirably, achieving a 100% first time pass rate at ACT.
Challenges were overcome throughout; Lt Palmer Price, the RGO, was seen cruising along on his tank on his way to refuel, reclining comfortably on the turret roof with his feet on the CPS whilst scrolling on his phone, unaware that he was being pursued by a miffed CO and RSM. To be fair he had written off his RGO’s car, a snazzy electric Mini, on Day 1. In what is believed to be some sort of record, A Sqn (aided and abetted by the Fitter Section) succeeded in writing off two whole tank barrels by getting things stuck up them.
The outgoing Regimental 2ic, Maj Bridges, graced the Squadron range with his presence for a day, and proceeded to demon- strate every possible machine gun and main armament stop- page at least once, causing an almost fatal delay to the firing timetable. In an act of cold-blooded revenge for the delays,