Page 6 - RSDG Year of 2013

4 EAGLE AND CARBINE
PREFACE
by The Colonel of the Regiment
Much has been written in newsletters
and elsewhere about the forthcom-
ing departure of the Regiment from
Germany. It was in September 1995
that we arrived in Fallingbostel from
Catterick, at the end of a spell as RAC
Training Regiment and, latterly, as the
armoured regiment in 19 Mechanised
Brigade. It felt almost good to be
back in 7th Armoured Brigade again
after only a short absence following
our return from Gulf War 1 and the
Regiment settled back into its former
‘home’ in Wessex Barracks. The much-
heralded new tank – Challenger 2 – was
on the horizon (although considerably further away than we thought), our establishment had been cut to 3 squadrons and Challenger 1 was being back loaded as we prepared to receive the new beast. Standing on the threshold of a new chapter in our history we were full of expectancy; alas, Challenger 2 was a long time com- ing and morale sagged as we withstood a Fallingbostel winter with no equipment and nothing to do except menial tasks “as directed from above”. But the tank finally arrived in 1998, more than 3 years late and we soon got to grips with its exciting complexity. Then Operation TELIC kicked off in March 2003 and the Regiment spearheaded the way into Iraq’s southern capital, Basrah. This proved to be more of a challenge than the rout of Saddam Hussein from Kuwait, but it was achieved with cavalry flair and Scottish panache and we settled into an operational tour plot which saw the Regiment return to Iraq on and off until military operations there ceased in May 2011. Afghanistan was by now in full swing despite the Labour Government having promised that the initial foray in 2001 would be “over by Christmas” with not a shot fired. Almost 450 deaths later it now seems that military forces will soon leave that troubled country and not for the first time in the military history of the United Kingdom, although the jury is out on the extent of NATO’s success. No doubt time will tell. Without tanks, our contribution in Afghanistan has been limited to a variety of roles, with the highly kinetic – and successful – tour of Helmand in 2010-11, which saw us in vehicles and on foot. Together with other distinctions, the award of the Military Cross to Corporal (now Sergeant) Mitchell, while operating in the Infantry role with 4 SCOTS, bears ample testament to the flexibility and adaptabil- ity of the (Scottish) cavalry soldier.
But now we’ve “been there, done that” and it is time to break into a new role as Light Cavalry. We should perhaps pity those regiments bogged down on Salisbury Plain with their heavy armour of limited deployability (“too heavy”, “blood on the tracks”, “politi- cally unacceptable” etc.) hamstrung by a lack of track mileage while we soar like eagles among the forests and glens of Scotland preparing for adventures in the Middle East and elsewhere. The new role will demand an assimilation of other cultures and an appreciation of the differing perspectives within the
Gulf and its surrounding region. With wheels and a ‘can-do’ attitude who knows where fate will take the Regiment next? With the challenge of integrating the Scottish and North Irish Yeomanry (SNIY) into our journey and taking on all the activities that will reu- nite us with the public, we can be sure of interesting times ahead. But next year will be extremely busy for the Regiment split, as it will be for a time, between the United Kingdom and Germany. The year will coincide with the 200th anniversary of the battle of Waterloo and there are aspirations to ensure that we feature in as many areas of celebration as possible. Events will take place in London, Belgium and Scotland – nota- bly Kilmarnock, which was the birthplace of Ensign Ewart. In addition the Regiment will publish a book in April recording our history in words and pictures.
Although Waterloo is for us an important and glorious battle honour, full of colour and feats of ‘derring-do’ as portrayed in the stirring pictures painted by Lady Butler and others, it is hard for some of today’s young soldiers to identify with the sights, sounds and experi- ences of a 19th Century cavalry charge. All the qualities of courage, determination and leadership were clearly present during the battle as the Greys fought with their emotions and their enemies and it is right that we mark the honour each year. But at the time of writing it is the 70th anniversary of our other battle honour to which our soldiers can more easily relate and one which also marked a turning point in a campaign, notably the war in the Far East. Nunshigum was a tank battle fought under difficult conditions alongside infantry- men of the Dogra Regiment. The success of the battle marked the beginning of the end for the Japanese in Burma as the tide turned and the “Forgotten Army” chased them back towards Rangoon. This year, mem-