Page 21 - The KRH Year of 2023 (CREST Sharing)

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 21
B (XIV) Squadron
2023 has seen B Sqn once again rise from the ashes, reformed as a Sabre Squadron to deploy with the 1 MERCIAN Battlegroup to Estonia in 2025. The year has seen a lot of change within the Sqn, new members posting in, previous members posting out, but leaves the Sqn in fighting trim, ready for what- ever 2024 may throw at it.
The year opened with the KRH Battlegroup in Estonia and B Sqn forming the core of the Rear Operations Group. The humdrum routine of #ROGLyfe was interrupted by an urgent requirement to prepare 14 Challenger 2’s for operations and to train a Ukrainian tank company to use them. B Sqn’s contribu- tion as part of that wider effort was highly valued, despite the cumulative stress it placed on the OC and SQMS(T).
The return of the Regiment in March meant that the halcyon days were going to be short-lived. A regimental REORBAT reinvigorated the Sqn, providing fresh blood for the coming summer – including a new SSM, WO2 Mark Lees and SQMS, SSgt Martyn Smith. Preparations for Ex IRON CYCLONE began in earnest with B Sqn crews backfilling A and C Sqns to fire alongside them in Castlemartin, achieving strong results – a 100% first-time pass at ACT!
A brief interlude in June saw a B Sqn team under the command of Maj Joe Williamson selected to represent the Brigade at the 7th French Armoured Brigade’s Ex CENTAURE CHALLENGE, held near Besançon. Cpl Holliday, Cpl Parry, Tpr Cheke, Tpr Roberts, Lt Palmer and Lt Campbell provided B Sqn fight- ing spirit to the team, with Sgt Duncan, LCpl Taylor and Lt Brenninckmeijer forming the remainder of the team. Three
Back again, B Sqn’s changing of the guard
glorious days in the French alps were kicked off with a Glock/ log race biathlon, before the team hiked through spectacular terrain, met with different serials – Cpl Holliday coming into his own on the BCD scenario, and Cpl Parry surprising himself on the Via Ferrata; the Sgt Duncan/Tpr Cheke canoe, going in full circles on the river, was matched only by Lt Campbell’s fee- ble attempt to survive three bouts against French Army boxers. The team finished with the third fastest time of nine teams and well-earned drinks with the French.
Crews from the Sqn then swapped sides for the remainder of the exercise, providing the OPFOR for both the tanks and the dismounts. A wet Salisbury Plain provided the backdrop for some fierce fighting, with the Sqn extracting a heavy price for the Battlegroups progress – good tactics - less said about the moustache growing efforts the better...
The Sqn’s Challengers head for the Eastern Front
A (mostly) B Sqn Nordic Team take top novices 4 x 5km relay