Page 23 - The KRH Year of 2023 (CREST Sharing)

The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 23
D (XRH) Squadron
DSquadron started 2023 preparing themselves for deploy- ment to California where they would exercise as part of a US Bde at the infamous National Training Centre in Ft Irwin. This was, however, soon changed to support the Government’s decision to gift CR2 to Ukraine and the subsequent require- ment to prepare the vehicles and training the Ukrainian Crews.
With only 24 hours’ notice the Squadron switched focus and split itself in half between getting the tanks up to the best standard they could in Tidworth and providing the instruc- tors and real-life support staff training the Ukrainian Crews in Bovington. The Bovington team were led by the 2ic, Capt Giles Skrine, who turned out to be the perfect man for the job as a fluent Russian speaker and with vast experience of Eastern Europe. With his ability to communicate with the Ukrainians and natural battle-weary appearance he soon became at one with the students and proved a key asset to the project. Supporting him was the SQMS, SSgt Rymer, who ensured in his usual way, a perfect mix of building morale and enforcing discipline for those deployed; those who crossed his bounda- ries soon learned the joy of pan-bashing for over a hundred hungry Ukrainians. Back in Tidworth, the rest of the Squadron approached the task of getting the CR2s battle ready with gusto and committed many late nights to ensuring the vehi- cles were factory fresh; something the Ukrainian Officers who visited Tidworth were overjoyed to see, having expected tanks dragged out of the breakers yard.
The completion of the Ukraine task coincided with the return of the KRH BG from Estonia and the Regiment conducting the usual re-ORBAT. This saw D Squadron losing its Sabre Troops and taking on Command and Recce Troops in time for deploy- ment on Ex IRON CYCLONE in the Summer at Castlemartin Ranges for live fire followed by four weeks on Salisbury Plain. Three weeks in Castlemartin allowed the vehicle crews to all pass their annual crew tests; with Command Troop achiev- ing top crew in the Regiment in the form of the Commanding Officer and his crew, along with Recce Troop honing their dis- mounted live fire skills. Where Castlemartin had provided blaz- ing sunshine throughout, the deployment on Salisbury Plain was marked by one of the wettest British Summers on record. As always, the men and women of the Squadron refused to let a bit (a lot) of rain get in their way and worked their way through Individual - Battle Group level training. Recce Troop was introduced to the robust leadership of their new Troop Leader, Lt Susy Watts, while Command Troop decoded their new Troop Leader, Capt Skrine. During the Troop level train- ing Command Troop also had their first taste of their new Troop Sgt, Sgt Kingston; who was determined to make his new Troop an elite fighting force and dispel any historic notions of what it was to be in Command Troop.
The SSM WO2 Baldwin, newly into the seat recently vacated by WO2 Green, keen to cut his teeth with the convolutions of administering a Squadron, was instead volunteered to become the BG’s Tactical Engagement System (TES) LO where his true love of all things Gunnery could continue to be exercised in the exciting and kinetic environment of kit management.... Most organisations take their timings from GMT, but GMT takes its timings from WO2 Baldwin’s daily calls of: “Turn the TES on and leave it alone”, “Stop breaking the Kit” and “Change your batteries.” It is testament to his professionalism that there was actually no lost or broken kit which surprised, and dare it be
said, impressed even the famously judgemental SAAB/CUBIC community.
It would be expected that a Squadron without its SSM would mean the 2IC would have to be firing on all cylinders and then some, but contrarily, having been broken on the hills of Wales and clutching a biff chit, the 2IC found himself as OC EXCON – taking a well-deserved 4 weeks break from the rigmarole of 2IC and managing the link between Westdown camp and the BG. Between the myriad of scoff timings, warm showers and costa breaks – he was instrumental in ensuring a few area bookings were made in a timely fashion and the odd area fire was put out, but overall, a long and successful exercise for him, all without being on a tank.
After summer leave, it was decided the Squadron Leader Maj Wilson had done such a sterling job he had to be fast tracked to Regimental 2IC. With the Squadron Leader’s chair still spin- ning, the Squadron was down by one leaving the everyday administration to the SSM and the 2IC. Gainfully managing a vehicle fleet, an ever-changing FOE with personnel spread to the winds and to cap it off – baby sitting a Light Cavalry Officer, Maj George Jackson, who having signed off joined as a care taker until the ORBAT changes took effect at the end of the year. Whether to impress or stamp authority on their new arrival, D Squadron parading as the smallest on parade and then went out in traditional style and impressively won the first CO’s PT back from leave by some margin! In the mean- time, Recce Troop was hard at work preparing for the infamous CAMBRIAN PATROL - with kit checks, swim tests and map reading revision, Lt Watts had little time to spare! The hard work and dedication of the whole team emphasised the pro- fessionalism and abundance of physical and mental resilience instilled in the KRH Recce Troop which earnt them a well- deserved Bronze Medal on an international stage along with the commendation of the CO and the Regiment on their return.
Command Troop have remained firmly in control on the spec- trum and continued to excel in maintaining the Regiment’s abil- ity to communicate across all means. Under the watchful eye of the unflappable Capt Skrine, Command Troop has supported multiple iterations of MUDDY HAWK – enabling BGHQ’s hasty revision of the planning process into the 21st Century by providing at least one working COMBAT terminal to plan off. On the tank park, particular credit is owed to Sgt Kingston and Cpl Wakefield, who in the absence of the stricken SQMS, man- aged the vehicle fleet through a Regimental LSA&I and were remarked upon as providing the best turned out Squadron for inspection.
It was with great sadness that under new Army direction, the change in organisation of Armoured Battle Groups has led to the re-roling once again of D Squadron. After much delibera- tion as to which of the Sabre Squadrons should be taken from the ORBAT, it was decided that the workforce of D Squadron would be incorporated amongst A, B, C and HQ and that HQ Squadron would become affiliated with the 10th Hussars. For the remaining time over the CO’s ‘Summer of Love,’ D Squadron personnel focused on getting themselves away for AT, career courses and sports. Rather sooner than anticipated but at 0820 on a Monday morning in November, D Squadron paraded for the last time in their current guise before dis- seminating into the remaining Sabre Squadrons leaving the SSM and Squadron Leader formed up as a 2-man Squadron