Page 35 - The KRH Year of 2023 (CREST Sharing)

Mechanical Transport (MT)
2023 has been a busy year for the Mechanical Transport (MT) troop of the Regiment. Op CABRIT 11, and the support to the deployed BG dominated the first part of the year.
Following some well-deserved leave the troop re-formed with several personality changes. MT said a fond farewell to the out- going MTO Capt Alec Walton who moved on to be the QM(T) and welcomed in Capt Mike Oldfield from the training wing to take over as MTO. Sgt Judge promoted to Staff Sergeant and moved to be A Sqn SQMS(T), and Sgt Duncan arrived from D Sqn. Amongst the changes to the troop leadership MT also welcomed over 20 new faces from the other departments and squadrons.
All these budding new MT soldiers needed qualifying, and so after leave MT went straight into a bespoke B Vehicle training pathway to qualify them. First as civilian HGV drivers, before then converting them onto our own military fleet. Mixed in with this was the need to continue with their armoured pro- fessional development and so a number of MT soldiers have attended their usual CR2 related courses, JNCO cadres, and core instructor courses.
The first notable MT deployment of the 2023 training year was Ex IRON CYCLONE, where the troop deployed in support of the KRH BG to support live firing at Castlemartin ranges (CMR) in south Wales, then deploying onto SPTA for 4 weeks. This initially involved organising the timely movement of hundreds of soldiers and their armoured vehicles which sur- prisingly went without a hitch. That being said, WO2 Dave Oakes, the MTWO, had to have a number of quiet chats with both soldiers and Officers alike, who did not understand the processes and frictions of moving an Armoured BG
The Regimental Journal of The King’s Royal Hussars 35
up and down the country, and who were in danger of
Sgt Duncan leading his soldiers on Ex CENTAURE CHALLENGE in the French Alps
Sgt Duncan leading from the front Ex Centaure Challenge
Capt Pople QM, and Capt Oldfied MTO as Recce Tp corporals, a long time, and a lot of hair, ago and in a galaxy far, far away